In the ethereal realm of the Pure Land...
The Sage of Six Paths, deep in his meditative trance, was jolted by a sudden, profound sense of unease.
"What is happening this time?" he muttered, his ancient brow furrowed in thought. "Why do I feel so... disturbed? Could it be that variable again?"
A few days prior, a similar sensation had pulled him from his meditation. His investigation had revealed the existence of Kagami, a variable operating outside the system he had so carefully constructed. The power Kagami wielded was not of the chakra system; it was something alien, something he could not control. And so, he had decided, this uncontrollable factor had to be eliminated. He would never allow any element beyond his control to exist in the ninja world.
However, a more pressing matter had prevented him from leaving the Pure Land at that time. And besides, he was invincible, the god of this world. Though Kagami was powerful, he was not a threat to be taken seriously. He had planned to wait, to complete his more important task before erasing the boy from existence.
But now, this new premonition had awakened him again.
Without hesitation, the Sage of Six Paths activated his Rinnegan, his gaze piercing through the veil of worlds to observe the ninja world. What he saw stunned him. Kagami's strength, and the speed at which it was growing, was terrifying.
"How is this possible? How can he improve so quickly?" The Sage was filled with a shock that bordered on fear. He was certain that just days ago, Kagami couldn't even perform a simple ninjutsu, relying only on that strange, slashing ability. But now, he had mastered hundreds of ninjutsu, each one wielded with a profound level of skill.
Kagami's exponential growth sent a wave of crisis through the Sage's ancient being. If this continued, the boy would soon become a threat to his very existence.
He could no longer sit idly by. The Sage immediately activated the full power of his Rinnegan, peering into the threads of fate to see Kagami's future. What he saw made his ancient face twist into a mask of ugly fury.
He saw it all. He saw Kagami systematically breaking his control over the ninja world, completely destroying the intricate plans he had set in motion over centuries. And then, in the end, he saw his own demise at Kagami's hands.
"Damn it! I absolutely cannot allow this brat to continue to grow! All my plans will be ruined!" A powerful, all-consuming desire to kill Kagami seized him. He immediately tried to detonate the chakra within Kagami's body, a simple trick he had used many times before to eliminate troublesome mortals. But no matter how he tried, he could not affect the boy's chakra.
Seeing this, the Sage's face grew even darker. He could not leave the Pure Land for bow. To do so would invite a severe backlash, one that could cripple him permanently. But if he allowed Kagami to continue to grow, he would be killed in the future. Neither option was acceptable.
A fierce, desperate light flashed in the Sage's eyes. "In that case... there is only one other way."
With a grunt of effort, the Sage of Six Paths split off a tenth of his own soul and sent it hurtling through the dimensions, reincarnating it into Naruto's body. The reincarnations of Indra and Ashura had always been his pawns, tools to manipulate the ninja world and instigate conflict. But they were also his backup plan. He could, at any time, reincarnate a portion of himself into their bodies, granting him a vessel with Six Paths-level power in the mortal realm. It was a risky move—if that tenth of his soul were to be destroyed, his true body would be severely damaged—but he had no other choice. To do nothing was to accept his own death.
He chose Naruto over Sasuke because he had seen Kagami's strange "baptisms" and worried that some trick had been left on the Uchiha boy. Besides, Sasuke's chakra was still too meager; it couldn't fully unleash the power of his soul fragment. Naruto, on the other hand, had massive chakra reserves, plus the power of the Nine-Tails. He would be able to wield most, if not all, of the soul fragment's power. It would be enough. As long as he was careful, killing Kagami should not be a problem.
Having set his plan in motion, the Sage of Six Paths returned to his meditation.
The next day, amidst a village-wide celebration and with the blessings of all the great clans, Kagami held a grand wedding for Uchiha Rinne. In the following three days, he held equally grand weddings for Kurenai, Anko, and Samui. For four consecutive days, the entire village of Konoha was immersed in a joyous, festive atmosphere, the villagers feasting until their faces were slick with grease.
The major ninja clans, however, were left with no tears to cry. Four consecutive rounds of extravagant wedding gifts had nearly drained their coffers dry. They had assumed there would only be one wedding and had given lavish gifts to curry favor with their new leader. They never expected four weddings in a row, and it was impossible for them to give less each time. So, with smiles plastered on their faces and daggers in their hearts, they handed over the exorbitant gifts, all to avoid incurring Kagami's wrath.
They regretted everything. But Kagami's terrifying power was a constant, looming threat. They had all seen what he had done to the invading armies with just one clone. They had seen him kill the Raikage and seize the most precious secrets of the Sand and Stone. Who wouldn't be scared?
Just as the clan heads were at their wits' end, Kagami summoned them all to a meeting in the Hokage's office.
"Why the long faces?" he asked, his voice laced with an unhappy edge. "Are you dissatisfied with me?"
Though he knew he had taken a bit too much in wedding gifts, he felt it was justified. He was building his family from scratch, and there were many expenses. If he didn't accept their generous gifts, how would he have the money to live in the style he deserved? How would he hire nannies for his wives and children? Besides, if it weren't for him, Konoha would have been destroyed. How many of their clan members would still be alive?
Was a little extra money so much to ask? These people were so ungrateful. Hiruzen had used their own people as sacrifices to appease other villages, and they had barely said a word. Yet he collects a few gifts, and they look at him with such sorrow? He had saved their lives. What was wrong with taking a little money in return? Was that too much to ask?
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