"What exactly are you?"
The Six Paths Sage's three eyes stared directly at the figure before him, his voice as calm as a cold machine, devoid of any humanity.
All his confusion and incomprehension were perfectly reasonable.
No one in this world knew better than him what the humans of the Ninja World should look like.
Because the power of Chakra was originally brought to this world by him.
Regardless, a freak like Aizen should not exist in this world.
However, the young man before him showed none of the reactions he had anticipated upon seeing the figure.
Surprise, fear, worship, doubt.
None of it was present.
Just a look of absolute composure.
He looked at the elder before him, as if understanding something, and smiled gently as he always did, like greeting a long-lost senior: "You must be the Six Paths Sage?"
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I didn't expect it would be under these circumstances."
"As for what I am..."
Aizen Sōsuke raised his head, looking directly into the elder's eyes, his smile growing even softer: "That is a question I should be asking you."
"Six Paths Sage."
"Or, Lord Otsutsuki Hagoromo."
"You... actually turned yourself into this kind of thing?"
That attitude, as if he had seen through everything the moment he appeared, and that steady, utterly unruffled tone, caused Otsutsuki Hagoromo to feel a hint of emotion for the first time in a long while.
No, not "as if."
From his words, Otsutsuki Hagoromo could tell that he had truly seen through his actual form.
In fact, that was exactly the case.
Although he had long suspected a connection between the Six Paths Sage and the Pure Land because of the souls that vanished into thin air.
However, it wasn't until he personally witnessed the Reaper Death Sealing Technique that Aizen truly understood everything.
In most historical legends of the Ninja World, the Six Paths Sage, who brought Chakra to the Ninja, passed away in front of everyone under the name "Ninshū" after concluding his teachings.
Yet no one ever mentioned where his remains went.
Even Senju Tobirama, a powerhouse of the Ninja World, could create monsters powered by Hashirama cells using only a few of his bodily cells after death.
Naturally, Aizen had also considered searching for the Six Paths Sage's remains.
But there had been no trace of them.
Until now.
Aizen finally understood.
He had clearly merged his body with the rules of this world, forming the entrance to the "Pure Land"—or rather, becoming part of the underlying logic of soul reincarnation in this world.
Through this entrance, he continuously intercepted the souls belonging exclusively to Ninja, sucking up all their nourishment to sustain his own existence.
At the same time, this allowed his soul to achieve a form of eternal life.
Yet, concurrently, he retained a portion of his own consciousness.
If necessary, perhaps all it would take is a specific catalyst for the true power of the Six Paths Sage to reawaken in this world?
The moment he realized this, even Aizen Sōsuke couldn't help but sigh in admiration for him.
This was a figure like the Soul King of ancient times.
He had completely bound his entire existence to this Ninja World.
But why?
Thinking of this, the question naturally arose in Aizen's heart.
Having already reached such a level of power, why would the Six Paths Sage still pursue more power and this impractical form of "eternal life"?
If he wanted to live, there should have been many other ways, shouldn't there?
A host of complex thoughts flashed through his mind, but Aizen's face still bore his characteristic unhurried smile.
"You discovered the truth just by looking?"
"What a remarkable child."
The Six Paths Sage seemed to let out a long, sighing breath, yet all his actions were not those of a human; rather, they seemed like a standard response, mimicking a segment of emotion belonging to "Otsutsuki Hagoromo."
"But a smart child like you should also understand, shouldn't you?"
"Once certain things are known, you can't just walk away."
Almost the instant his voice fell silent.
A subtle buzzing sound was heard.
Within the entire dim and murky space, countless dazzling flames suddenly ignited.
The faint glow of souls, which had previously been as dim as starlight, suddenly awakened at this moment, transforming entirely into a power unique to this elder, bursting forth with raging firelight that illuminated the background behind him like a great sun.
However, Aizen Yūsuke looked at the other party's appearance without showing the slightest fear, instead asking with great interest: "Then, before you kill me, could you perhaps answer a question for this junior?"
"Who exactly is your enemy?"
"What kind of person is worth someone like you going to such lengths, planning for a thousand years, and remaining so cautious and vigilant?"
"According to the legends of yesteryear, the former Goddess has already been sealed by you. Although the descendants of the other great person have withered away, the seal on the moon is generally still robust, demonstrating the depth of that sealing."
"Six Paths Sage, I don't understand."
The millennium-old secrets seemed to hold no mystery for him; he revealed them cleanly in just a few phrases, even knowing the details about the moon.
This, in turn, made Otsutsuki Hagoromo's expression grow even more incredulous.
However, this line of questioning reignited the fear that had been hidden in Otsutsuki Hagoromo's heart for a thousand years.
War preparations at all costs, a thousand years of reincarnation sealing, the interception and consumption of countless souls...
These scattered memories reminded him of the last time he saw his mother.
[Even if you seal me, what will that change?]
[There are countless clan members who are stronger than me.]
[They will arrive eventually.]
[From the distant starry sky.]
Those words were branded deep within his heart, like a malignant tumor, even now.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was not alone.
The mighty being who was hailed as a goddess on this planet, seemingly omnipotent, was merely a servant to another Ōtsutsuki clan member in the past.
Above them, there were Gods unique to the Ōtsutsuki.
Even Otsutsuki Hagoromo, born on this planet, never truly knew the full extent of that clan's power, but judging by the glimpse he had, he knew that the power possessed by that clan was definitely something humanity could not stop.
But how could he reveal the pressure of all this to the young man before him?
"It's meaningless now."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo said this softly.
He looked at the young man ahead and stretched out a hand toward him.
A pitch-black tomoe rotated on his palm.
That was the purest and most primal Yin power in this world.
It was neither Chakra nor soul.
It was the fundamental essence of Yin Release.
Almost the instant this large hand extended, overwhelming pressure surged forth, crashing down upon the young figure ahead.
The entire Pure Land seemed to transform into a boundless hell, rushing forward with an unprecedented, immense momentum.
Attempting to instantly destroy the soul that dared to trespass into the Pure Land.
However, Aizen Sōsuke merely smiled, calm and gentle.
To be honest.
If the Six Paths Sage could bring this terrifying power into the real world, even Aizen would probably be helpless.
However, the situation now was different.
This was the Pure Land, belonging exclusively to souls.
And his identity was that of a Shinigami, unique in this world and positioned above all other souls.
He looked at the black mist before him, which seemed intent on destroying the entire world, and spoke calmly: "Hado Number Ninety."
"Kurohitsugi."
The moment those words fell.
A roaring sound that shook the entire Pure Land suddenly pierced this boundless realm.
The young figure, who had previously appeared humanoid, now revealed a form completely unlike the souls of the Ninja World.
The immense Reiatsu that had been suppressed internally poured out like a tidal wave released from an impossibly huge dam, turning into a world-devouring torrent that crushed everything in its path with the purest form of soul-level coercion.
He forcibly cleared out a blank space within this Pure Land, which belonged exclusively to the Six Paths Sage, and stood upon it.
At the same time.
Around the base of the surging black mist, black-purple barriers resembling curtain walls suddenly rose, stretching across the space between the two of them.
The mist formed by the extremely pure Yin power continuously surged upward under intense pressure and counter-force.
However, it was immediately covered and crushed piece by piece by the late-appearing yet fast-moving black curtain walls, sealing it off ahead like a cage generated out of thin air.
The blackness and the blank space, representing the two figures, stood in confrontation.
The black coffin spanning the space between them groaned and creaked.
Finally, with a tremendously heavy shattering sound, the entire black coffin abruptly collapsed.
And the Yin power sealed within it was completely cleared away.
At this moment, Otsutsuki Hagoromo, who had remained calm throughout, showed an expression of disbelief for the first time.
His aged, withered skin wrinkled on his forehead, and his pupils involuntarily contracted as if he had witnessed something incredible, staring blankly ahead.
This thousand years of soul accumulation had allowed him to reach an unimaginable peak in the application of soul power, making the so-called forbidden techniques of Senju Tobirama seem like child's play in his eyes.
But the young man before him now showed him an advanced method of applying soul power that completely transcended the Chakra system.
Furthermore, in terms of practical use, it surpassed his own by an unknown degree.
"What in the world is this..."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo murmured subconsciously.
This was the second time he had been so shocked today.
"Tear—!"
Not only that.
As his eyes widened, Aizen simply drew the short blade in his hand and lightly slashed behind him, effortlessly tearing open a path to reality within the Pure Land space.
The level of proficiency suggested he had traveled countless times between the worlds of the dead and the living.
He absolutely cannot be allowed to escape!
In an instant, this thought violently erupted in Otsutsuki Hagoromo's mind.
Whether for the secrets held by this young man or for his own hidden truth, he had to keep him here.
Almost the moment he made his decision, Otsutsuki Hagoromo immediately pressed his hands together.
The black and white tomoe, representing Yin Power and Yang Power, also converged at this moment, transforming into the true, supreme power of the Creation of All Things.
At this moment, even the Reiatsu domain maintained by Aizen's soul seemed to be under immense pressure, and the tangible white domain began to crack from the edges.
However, he showed no fear on his face, merely smiling as he looked at him: "It's too early, Six Paths Sage."
"My purpose in coming today was merely to greet you."
"I hope we can meet again in the real world someday."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo's expression grew solemn, and he suddenly raised his voice: "Don't think about leaving here!"
In a flash, an unstoppable massive hand, condensed from Yin-Yang Power, suddenly appeared at the junction between the gloom and the pure white, crashing down toward Aizen Sōsuke like a mountain, seemingly intent on suppressing him right there.
However, Aizen merely raised the blade in his hand.
"Suigetsu."
That lightly falling blade seemed to sever the boundary between reality and illusion.
This caused Otsutsuki Hagoromo's face to tighten, and he stared ahead in shock.
In a single instant, the massive hand lunging forward was blocked by that seemingly insignificant blade.
It emitted a sharp, clear sound.
"Clang—!"
It was only a moment's pause, yet the entire Pure Land seemed to experience a solidification of time.
Everything before him was frozen in place.
Following that, everything began to crumble inch by inch.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo looked at the young man ahead in disbelief.
However, Aizen Sōsuke merely turned around, gave him one last profound look, and left behind a meaningful smile.
Then, he took a step.
And just like that, he followed the cleaved space and returned to reality.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo sat quietly in place, his figure still floating above the Yomi Pure Land, just as he was initially.
After a long time, he was seen gently raising his hand.
He noticed a shallow cut had been torn open on the tip of his right index finger sometime during the confrontation.
No blood flowed from it.
"Aizen Sōsuke."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo whispered the name.
This name, he had memorized.
However, Otsutsuki Hagoromo did not realize at this moment.
The reality that his blade rewrote the moment the young man struck that blow was not limited to the Pure Land.
Meanwhile, in the outside world.
Almost the instant Aizen delivered that final strike.
The power of the Dragon Veins, which had been surging upward, suddenly diminished significantly.
In the end, only a gentle stream remained, floating in mid-air.
Uchiha Itachi stood quietly in place.
In his eyes, he only saw the figure of Lord Aizen abruptly vanish and then reappear.
The entire process probably lasted only a brief instant.
If his attention hadn't been fully focused here, he would have only seen a momentary flicker of a shadow.
Aizen stood quietly in place, just as he had before.
As for Minato Namikaze, who had been maintaining the Reaper Death Sealing Technique, he had lost his life force sometime during the process.
The phantom of the Shinigami that had been floating behind him had completely vanished.
Aizen Sōsuke paid no attention to his state, merely looking at the Dragon Veins, which had lost most of their power, and couldn't help but smile.
Finally, it was complete.