Although three months had passed since the meteorite attack, the people still trembled in fear whenever they recalled that apocalyptic scene of destruction.
Fortunately, they lived under the protection of their guardian deity, and with that reassurance, their lives quickly returned to normal.
During this period, Arima worked alongside the entire research division, finally making a breakthrough in the development of the railgun weapon.
It was estimated that mass production would still take at least another year.
By now, Tobirama had stepped down from his position. Not long ago, he had handed over the entire administrative authority of the Land of Fire to his grandson.
Earlier, soon after Arima had awakened the Tenseigan, he had used Yin–Yang Release to restore the bodies of both his granduncle Tobirama and the Second Raikage.
The two elders now lived in Konoha's capital, spending their days tinkering with all sorts of strange research in the scientific division, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
At this moment, Arima stood atop the Hokage Rock, gazing down at the village below, with his great-granduncle Tobirama by his side.
Looking at the place where his great-granduncle had once taught him his first lesson in kindness, Arima said with nostalgia.
"Granduncle, what do you think, if I had wished back then to become an irredeemable villain, would grandpa have beaten me up?"
Tobirama glanced at the bustling streets below and gave a faint smile.
"He wouldn't have beaten you, but knowing my brother, he would have tied you to his side every single day until you agreed to be a good person.
That's exactly how he wore down Uchiha Madara."
At the mention of Madara, Arima suddenly asked, "Granduncle, what was done with Uchiha Madara's body back then?"
"At first," Tobirama replied, "I intended to seal it completely. But I worried that someone might one day use the Impure World Reincarnation to summon him back, so instead I burned his body to ash."
Puzzled, he added, "Why bring up Madara all of a sudden?"
Arima revealed his Rinnegan and said.
"Before I awakened these eyes, I deduced from the Uchiha clan's stone tablet that one who possesses the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan might awaken the Rinnegan after undergoing the trial of life and death.
Later, when I unexpectedly received the Sage of Six Paths' chakra, I realized only specific chakra could push the Eternal Mangekyo into evolving further."
Tobirama nodded. "Only you and Madara truly know the details of this. Go on."
Arima continued, "Later I learned from the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku many secrets about the ancient shinobi world, including the story of the Sage's two sons, Indra and Asura.
From then on, I suspected that not only could the Sage's chakra stimulate the awakening of the Rinnegan, but also the fusion of Indra's and Asura's chakra within one vessel."
"And what has that to do with Madara?" Tobirama asked, frowning.
Arima countered, "Granduncle, did you never wonder why Grandpa and Madara stood out above all other Warring States era shinobi?
Hashirama was born with mediocre talent, yet somehow managed to bond with Madara, a genius. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
Tobirama unconsciously nodded.
He remembered clearly, his brother's power had only surged after awakening Wood Release. Madara, on the other hand, had already become a legend on the battlefield.
Madara hated the Senju clan with all his heart, yet somehow got along with Hashirama, even holding back whenever they clashed.
Arima pressed on, "I believe Grandpa and Madara each carried within them the chakra of Asura and Indra. They were the descendants of those two, bound by fate since long ago."
Tobirama's expression grew grave. "So you think Madara's sudden attack on Konoha was to obtain that chakra within my brother?"
Arima nodded. "I suspect Madara used Izanagi to fake his death and escape. Afterwards, by transplanting grandfather's flesh, he would have naturally obtained Asura's chakra, thus awakening the Rinnegan.
And then you burned his body to ash, erasing all traces. That too might have been part of Madara's plan."
Tobirama could not help but caution his grandson. "If that's the case, then even now Madara's absence from the world only means one thing, he's still plotting in the shadows."
Arima agreed. "I suspect he's planning to gather the chakra of the nine tailed beasts."
"And what do the tailed beasts have to do with this?" Tobirama asked in confusion.
Instead of answering, Arima entered his Tenseigan Chakra Mode.
Carefully scanning the surroundings to ensure no one was eavesdropping, he finally said slowly, "Granduncle, you must already have guessed the origin of these eyes."
Tobirama nodded. "They were transplanted into you by that special advisor, Isshiki, weren't they? I can't gauge the depths of his power at all. I'd wager only he in this world can rival you."
Arima shook his head. "You're too optimistic. Even when I fought him in his weakened state, I wasn't his match.
That's why I've always been cautious. Fortunately, Isshiki shows little interest in the affairs of the shinobi world, so he rarely interferes with me."
Tobirama pressed, "And this relates to Madara how?"
Arima sighed. "The nine tailed beasts are fragments of a single monster, the Ten-Tails. The Sage of Six Paths was its jinchuriki.
If the dispersed chakra of the beasts is reunited using the Ten-Tails' husk, the Ten-Tails will be revived, and the world will become a living hell."
His voice grew heavy.
"I don't know how to stop it. First, Isshiki will definitely prevent me from gathering the beasts' chakra. Second, Madara, with a pair of Rinnegan, won't be weaker than I am now.
Even if he has some scheme, I may not be able to stop him.
And now then there's Otsutsuki Isso, an extremely troublesome foe, lurking like a wolf in the dark. Granduncle… what should I do?"
Hearing this, Tobirama sighed softly, patting his shoulder. "Arima, when you were born, my brother was overjoyed. He told me.
'This child will be the savior.' He said he dreamed of a young man leading his comrades across battlefields, finally bringing peace to the shinobi world.
So don't bear the weight all alone. Remember, you have countless companions who also strive for peace."
Those words shook Arima awake like a thunderclap, breaking the fog that clouded his heart.
For years, he had rarely needed to fight, and ordinary people already revered him as a great figure.
This made him arrogant, convinced he would soon surpass Isshiki and resolve the world's crisis.
But every time he faced Isshiki in another dimension, he lost. Though he improved bit by bit, it was far from enough. He longed desperately to grow stronger, to solve everything by himself.
Yet during Isshiki's attack on Konoha's capital, Arima alone had been unable to withstand the endless onslaught, forced to rely on the help of the jonin.
That was when he realized he was still only human, let alone some guardian deity of the shinobi world.
For the first time, he doubted himself, how could he ever defeat someone like Isshiki, a man who rivaled the Sage of Six Paths?
Still, the bitterness in his heart refused to fade, so he sought out Tobirama, hoping to unburden himself.
Tobirama's words rekindled his spirit. Arima reflected, "Great-Granduncle, I truly strayed from the right path. Being idolized for so long bred arrogance in me. I'll remember today's lesson."
Tobirama's eyes softened. "Good that you came to your senses. That's exactly what makes the Uchiha dangerous, give them even a fraction of extraordinary power, and they lose themselves.
Honestly, if you hadn't awakened, I'd have disturbed my brother's soul so he could knock some sense into you."
Arima blinked. "But wasn't grandfather's body cremated? How could his flesh still remain?"
Tobirama explained, "When his body was about to decay, he came to me in secret.
Besides leaving chakra behind to aid you in training sage arts, he concentrated the rest into one piece of living tissue.
That way, its vitality would remain. He deliberately left part of his body so that, should Konoha ever face extinction, he could be summoned from the Pure Land to fight once more with an undying body."
Arima was stunned, his heart a whirl of conflicting emotions. He had never imagined such a secret existed.
Tobirama continued quietly, "When we were children, my brother and I could only watch as Itama and the others were killed, powerless to avenge them.
Later we realized death in battle was a shinobi's fate. But my brother refused to accept it, he joined forces with Madara, ending the Warring States era.
He fought for his own dream. So don't mourn his destiny, that would insult a hero."
Arima lowered his voice. "Granduncle, the Rinnegan possesses a secret technique called the Outer Path. It can summon a soul from the Pure Land and bring the dead back to life."
Tobirama's heart leapt with joy. Of course he longed to see his brother revived. But in the next instant, doubt struck him.
He asked gravely, "That technique must demand a heavy price, doesn't it?"
Arima nodded, not hiding the truth. "The Rinnegan governs life and death. It summons the dead back in exchange for the user's own life. A life for a life, fair enough."
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