Chapter 549: The Sage of Six Paths' Inquiry
Neji had already achieved resonance with the Tenseigan, essentially becoming its new master, so waking it up didn't take much effort.
Before long, the Tenseigan began to radiate chakra.
Ishiro could feel a distinct connection forming between Neji's body and the giant eye.
When Neji opened his eyes again, Ishiro asked, "How is it? Does the Tenseigan help restrict the Caged Bird seal?"
Neji nodded quickly. "Yes, it does! Lord Tsuchikage, after connecting with the Tenseigan, the seal hasn't gotten any looser, but the Tenseigan seems to be... restricting it. And... the blind spot my Byakugan used to have because of the seal... it's gone now!"
Ishiro nodded, thought for a moment, and asked, "You just had your first 'quickening.' Can you tell when the next one will be?"
Neji considered it. "I'm not sure, but it should be a long time. I think I'll be able to sense it when it's close."
Ishiro nodded. "Since you won't be using the Tenseigan for a while, let's head back to the shinobi world. When you sense the second quickening is about to start, tell me. I'll use the Spirit Infiltration Jutsu to enter your body. As your 'quickening' proceeds, my Yin Release also improves."
Neji immediately replied, "Yes, Lord Tsuchikage!"
Afterward, Ishiro flew with Neji, quickly returning to the collapsed castle ruins.
By the ruins, Sōkai, Uchiha Izumi, and Chiga were busy sorting through a large pile of documents.
Seeing Ishiro, the three of them quickly stood and bowed.
"Ishiro-sensei."
"Lord Tsuchikage."
Ishiro nodded. "How did it go? Did you find the files you were looking for?"
It was Chiga who answered. Sōkai had just been the muscle for moving things, and Izumi didn't have experience with so much paperwork. Chiga, as a support-type, was a natural at sifting through data.
She pointed to a small stack of scrolls. "The data related to the fusion of the giant Tenseigan is here. We didn't look closely, and most of it is just historical background on why they fused it, which is useless. We'll have to read this whole stack to pick out what's useful."
Ishiro said, "Pack it all up. We'll look at it back at the village."
"Yes!" the three replied, and they sealed everything away.
On the way back, Ishiro instructed them, "What happened on the Moon is a village secret. You will not speak of the Sage of Six Paths' brother to anyone, not even the village advisors."
"Yes!" the four replied solemnly.
After a long journey, the group returned to the space-time passage. Ishiro remembered the giant crab he had sealed, made a small detour to kill it, and packed it up to take with them.
When Ishiro's group emerged from the passage, the first thing they saw was Ōnoki's long, scowling face.
Ishiro gave a dry cough. "Lord Third, mission accomplished. It was a great success. Not only is there hope for breaking Neji-kun's Caged Bird seal, but he'll be a Jonin before we know it."
As he spoke, he pulled Neji in front of him like a shield.
The tactic worked. Ōnoki didn't want to engage, but he glanced at Neji and sensed something was different.
Ishiro smiled. "Han must have told you. Neji-kun connected with the giant Tenseigan on the Moon. He completed his first 'quickening,' and his life-level has been elevated. His Byakugan is also purer than before."
"Quickening?" Ōnoki thought, having never heard the term. He fumed, "What else are you hiding?!"
Ishiro quickly said, "Nothing, nothing! We'll go back right now, and I'll explain everything at the high-level meeting."
"Hmph." Ōnoki snorted and said no more.
Ishiro turned to Han. "Han-senpai, please guard this passage for now. When we get back, I'll have Shinya-kun come and relieve you."
Han nodded. "Don't worry, Lord Tsuchikage. I won't let anyone near it."
Ishiro nodded, then told Akino, "Apply the space-time restriction seal. Stop anyone else from entering."
Akino nodded. She was already prepared, having started the work as soon as Han had returned with the "all clear."
Once the seal was active, Ishiro led Ōnoki, Rōshi, Sōkai, Izumi, Chiga, Neji, Akino, and Yuran back.
Iwagakure, Tsuchikage Tower, Conference Room.
All the high-level members, except Han, were gathered.
Under the unfriendly gazes of Ōnoki, Ikura, Bella, and Saka, Ishiro slowly recounted the trip, omitting only the part about meeting Hamura Ōtsutsuki. He did, however, briefly explain the origin of the Ōtsutsuki on the Moon.
When he finished, the room fell into a long silence.
A figure from myth and legend had just been connected to the real world. It was a lot for them to take in.
After a while, Bella said, "This shinobi world... I understand it less and less. I feel like I'm not living in the same world I did for the past few decades."
Saka nodded in agreement. "Yes. Mangekyō Sharingan, Sage Art, Rinnegan, and now this... Tenseigan? And the White Zetsu, the Gedo Mazo... it's all baffling. Now we learn the Sage of Six Paths' brother built a world on the Moon... Ishiro, we're old. It's time to step aside."
Ishiro was stunned. He was about to protest, but Bella cut him off. "Don't try to persuade us. You've done well all these years, and you've trained many successors. We're confident in leaving the village entirely to you."
Ōnoki nodded. "We discussed it privately. I also plan to retire from my position as advisor. I haven't been managing any departments for years, anyway."
Ishiro thought, then said, "Alright. In that case, we'll adjust the high command. Han and Captain Kitsuchi will take over Saka-senpai and Bella-senpai's duties. The advisory council will now have six members: Ikura, Megumi, Kawakita, Deidara, Kitsuchi, and Han."
Bella and Saka, as the older generation, held some prejudice against Jinchūriki, which was why Ishiro had never put Han on the council before. Now that they were retiring, he could bring Han in, which would strengthen both Han's and Kokuō's sense of belonging.
Seeing no objections, Ishiro continued, "Izumi, you will take over Captain Kitsuchi's position as Head of the Tsuchikage Assistant Team. Lord Third, as one of the village's strongest, you can't just retire. You will become an Honorary Advisor."
"So, the Honorary Advisors will be Lord Third, Shinya-kun, and Sōkai."
The group reviewed the new structure and agreed.
Ishiro said to Saka and Bella, "After this meeting, I'll treat you two to a meal. Are... the two old-timers doing well? Please invite them, too."
He was referring to the two even older advisors, who were from the same generation as Kiri's Genshi and had retired about ten years ago.
Bella smiled. "Alright, I'll go get them. It's rare to see you being so generous, Lord Tsuchikage."
Saka added, "What are you treating us to?"
Ishiro said, "A giant crab feast. I guarantee it's delicious."
The mood lightened. Bella then said, "Before I retire, I have a few things to hand over. First, while you were on the Moon, Danzō sent someone to our Land of Hot Water branch. He has a shipment of goods to trade. You weren't here, so I told them to wait. But his man is very anxious; Danzō seems to be in a hurry for the money."
Ishiro nodded. "I'll handle it. I'll go talk to Danzō personally."
Bella said, "One more thing. Orochimaru has suddenly started buying up massive quantities of explosive tags on the black market. He tried to hide it, even using Kiri's name, but we're the only major seller, so we traced it back to him. I don't know what he wants with them, so I haven't sold him too many."
Ishiro thought. "Sell them. Sell him the ones Kanako makes. Orochimaru and I are on bad terms now. If he's walking right into our trap, how can we let him go?"
With that, Bella stood up. "Lord Tsuchikage, we've already transferred our duties to Ikura and Megumi. We won't participate in the rest of this meeting."
Saka also stood. "We'll go get the two old-timers. Don't take too long. Don't keep them waiting."
Ishiro personally escorted the two out of the Tsuchikage Tower.
When he returned, he looked at the new council. "Back then, Ikura and I were the youngest. Now, only Lord Third, Kitsuchi-taichō, and Han are older than me. Time flies."
Ikura nodded in agreement.
Ōnoki, however, just smiled. With Han (in the Land of Snow), every member of the new high command... except Megumi... was Kage-level. A lineup he couldn't have imagined twenty years ago.
The meeting continued. Ishiro said, "My trip to the Moon had a huge benefit: I discovered a vast, fertile, uninhabited land. I intend to... immigrate to the Moon."
Everyone was stunned, but after thinking about it, they realized it was feasible.
Megumi asked, "Ishiro-sensei, will this be an Iwa project, or will we have the Daimyō organize it?"
Ishiro's answer was firm. "The Daimyō will organize it. The Moon is huge; we don't have enough people. This must be a large-scale, national effort. In fact, invite the Daimyō from the Land of Snow, Land of Demons, Land of Bears, Land of Wind, Land of Waterfalls, and Land of Hot Water. Let them all claim territory. The more people, the higher our military 'tax' can be. It will also show them the tangible benefits of following Iwa."
"Besides," he added, "they're much better at this sort of thing than we are. We'll just establish a branch there."
Megumi said, "I understand. But won't this be too big to hide? And it's easy for spies to mix in."
Ishiro waved his hand. "We can't hide it. Sooner or later, everyone will know. As for spies... who cares? Once they're on the Moon, they'll have no way to send intel back. It's probably impossible to even use a Summoning Jutsu from that distance."
The matter was settled.
After the meeting, Ishiro took the entire high command to the retirement banquet. He even had Akino swap Han back from the Land of Snow.
At the banquet, the two old-timers were the happiest, reminiscing about the old days and telling Ishiro they would live to see him unite the shinobi world.
Ishiro, for his part, was mostly just busy eating. The giant crab was delicious.
After the banquet, Shinya Matsutani and Rōshi were sent to guard the Moon passage. (Han was now an advisor and needed to learn his new duties).
Megumi was busy with the immigration plan; Ikura was busy training Han.
Ishiro was busy too. He took his new Squad 8 and left for the Land of Hot Water.
On the way, he handed his three disciples a scroll. "This contains intel on Soragakure, a small village Konoha destroyed years ago. Read it. We're about to meet their leader."
"Yes!" The three took the scroll.
A few moments later, all three of them slumped over, unconscious.
Ishiro's heart leaped. He stood up and turned around.
The Sage of Six Paths was floating behind him.
"You carry Hamura's aura. You went to the Moon?" the Sage asked.
Ishiro immediately bowed. "Yes, Shishuku (Master-Uncle)."
The Sage's eyebrow twitched at the title.
Ishiro didn't wait to be asked. "Master-Uncle, your brother, Hamura Ōtsutsuki, took me as his disciple! His descendants on the Moon had a... disagreement. The branch family rebelled and created a giant Tenseigan, vowing to destroy the 'failed world' you created! I helped Sensei (Hamura) clean house. He took me and Neji Hyūga as his disciples. He taught Neji how to awaken the Tenseigan and taught me Yin Release. He said the Ōtsutsuki from space will come, and we must help you defend the world. I asked him to return, but he said he was at his end. So... he burned his life force to teach me Yin Release, and said... he couldn't teach me Yang or Yin-Yang Release, and that I should... find you to learn them."
The Sage of Six Paths was silent. Unlike Hamura, he had been watching the world. He had seen too many lies. He knew exactly what kind of person Ishiro was. He believed maybe half of the story.
He went to the Moon, that's certain, the Sage thought. He probably did become Hamura's disciple, or Hamura wouldn't have taught him Yin Release. But... his Yang Release aptitude is terrible. Hamura would never have told him to ask me to teach him that.
The Sage looked at Ishiro, preferring to say as little as possible. Still... this was his brother's disciple.
He asked, "Do you want Yin-Yang fusion, or five-nature fusion?"
Ishiro's heart leaped. "What is Shishuku's advice?"
The Sage just stared.
Ishiro knew the Sage didn't like him. He sighed inwardly. A pity. I can't leech off him.
"Shishuku... I choose five-nature fusion."
The Sage of Six Paths waved his hand. Ishiro felt a brief pulse of chakra.
The next moment, he was in a blank, white illusory space.
The Sage wasn't there. Before Ishiro were only five chakra natures: Wind, Fire, Lightning, Water, and Earth.
They swirled, tangled, and fused. Then they separated. Then fused again. Over and over.
After an unknown number of repetitions, the illusion shattered.
When Ishiro returned to the real world, the Sage was gone.
Ishiro rubbed his chin, disappointed. The Sage of Six Paths isn't as gullible as Hamura. And his genjutsu wasn't as real... He's holding back.
"He can't even trust his own nephew." Ishiro pouted.
His three disciples woke up, confused. Ishiro said, "An old-timer stopped by to see me. He put you to sleep with a genjutsu. It's fine."
He knew they were smart, so he told them a partial truth.
They continued to the Land of Hot Water. Ishiro, meanwhile, was mentally replaying his conversation with the Sage. Where did I go wrong? Next time, I need to fix it. Getting stuff from the Sage is too hard.
Was it because I didn't cry when I mentioned Hamura? It's just... fake-crying in front of the Sage of Six Paths is a bad idea.
Or maybe I was too eager. I just blurted out my pre-written script. He probably saw right through it.
Next time, I'll make him ask the questions. I'll be vague. Let him 'figure it out'.
As Ishiro plotted, they arrived in the Land of Hot Water.
Ishiro knew where Shinnō's clinic was. He landed right at the front door.
His high-profile arrival scared off the civilians and patients.
Shinnō, inside, recognized Ishiro immediately and panicked. Even with his 'Zero-Tails,' he knew he was no match for the Tsuchikage.
Shinnō cleared the clinic, then asked, "Lord Tsuchikage, what can I do for you?"
Ishiro and his three disciples sat down.
"Has Danzō contacted you?"
Shinnō's heart leaped. How could he know?
Ishiro didn't wait. "I was the one who recommended you. The 'Konoha Crush Plan' was my idea."
(End of Chapter)
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