Chapter 89: The Demon's End
In the end, the Sage of Six Paths also possessed that ultimate sealing technique, the very one used to imprison his mother, Kaguya. If such a power were turned against him, the result would be the same. With his current strength not yet at its peak, a life-or-death struggle with the Sage was unnecessary.
"Since that is Senior's decree, I shall abide by it," Akatsurugi said, his smile returning, a mask of compliance.
Seeing his willingness to listen, the Sage nodded, satisfied. This was the best possible outcome.
"Then I shall take my leave. I am, after all, one who has passed on. It is not my place to interfere excessively in the world of the living," the Sage declared, stroking his beard.
Akatsurugi scoffed internally. Do you really believe your own words? I never expected the Sage of Six Paths to be so hypocritical. Haven't you interfered enough? Just the fact that the chakra of his two sons continuously reincarnated and clashed was proof of his meddling. But now was not the time to challenge him.
However, now that he had the Sage's attention, Akatsurugi seized the moment. "Senior, there is one matter I am unclear about. Might I ask for your guidance?"
The Sage, poised to depart, paused. "What is it?"
"Senior, you have seen these eyes. They were a final gift from my teacher, Uchiha Kagami," Akatsurugi began. "Yet prolonged use will blind me. I do not wish for my teacher's legacy to be lost to darkness. Is there a way to... evolve them?"
The Sage glanced at him. "Do you understand the Sharingan's path of evolution?"
Akatsurugi smiled and nodded.
"For you, evolving these eyes is nearly impossible," the Sage stated bluntly.
The smile vanished from Akatsurugi's face. This old man... does he take me for a fool?
"If you merely wish to avoid blindness, there is a way. But to awaken the Rinnegan? You lack the qualifications," the Sage continued, his tone matter-of-fact.
"Please enlighten me, Senior."
"To avoid blindness, you need only supplement your ocular power or possess the chakra of Asura's lineage. But the conditions for awakening the Rinnegan are far more stringent. Only the reincarnation of Indra, by integrating the flesh and cells of Asura's reincarnation, can slowly awaken it. And even then, it requires the power of the Six Paths itself. You possess none of these three things."
Akatsurugi nodded. This aligned with what he knew. Without the chakra of the two brothers, the Rinnegan could not be born. Black Zetsu's countless failed experiments over the centuries, succeeding only with Uchiha Madara, were proof enough.
This was problematic. He had neither Indra's nor Asura's chakra. At best, transplanting Hashirama's cells would only prevent blindness. To truly evolve, he would need to find Uchiha Madara—or the future Naruto. As for the Six Paths power... even if the Sage offered it now, he wouldn't dare accept it. Who knew what hidden conditions came with it?
"With the power you already possess," the Sage added, "you need not obsess over the Rinnegan." He felt a need to dissuade this line of thinking; a man like Akatsurugi with a Rinnegan was a terrifying prospect for the future of his descendants.
Akatsurugi merely smiled. Since there was no clear path forward, he would bide his time.
"Farewell." The Sage waved a hand and vanished. The Shinigami shot Akatsurugi one last, hateful glance before它也 disappearing.
Returning to his body, Akatsurugi felt a wave of frustration. With the Shinigami off the menu, his only remaining target was the demon. Surely, he could kill that.
He took to the skies, flying toward the Land of Demons.
On his journey, he saw the flickers of conflict across the ninja world—skirmishes and battles. He ignored them all. Let them carry the weight for a while. They need to feel the burden to understand its cost.
Arriving in the Land of Demons, he sought out the current shrine maiden. He recognized her from his last visit years ago. Seeing him, the maiden offered a bitter smile.
"Lord Akatsurugi, my country had no choice. We have paid a heavy price. Will you still not let us be?"
Akatsurugi cut her off. "Where is the demon sealed?"
The maiden immediately grew wary. Why was he asking? Did he intend to release it?
"Hmm?" Akatsurugi's blood-red Sharingan fixed on her. Her eyes glazed over for a moment before she shook her head clear, her expression turning defensive. "What are you planning? I will not allow you to release it!"
Akatsurugi frowned. He had no particular desire to harm a woman, but if she stood in his way, he would not hesitate.
"I am not here to release it," he explained coldly. The fact that his genjutsu had failed to fully hold her showed she had some skill. "I am here to destroy it."
"Impossible! The demon is immortal!" the maiden insisted, shaking her head.
A true killing intent began to emanate from Akatsurugi. "I have my methods. Tell me. Or your Land of Demons will be erased from the map today."
He had run out of patience. With his current power, annihilating a minor country was well within his means.
The maiden remembered the cataclysm he had wrought five years prior. They had evacuated just in time back then, avoiding countless casualties. Now, there was no time for an evacuation. If he struck, her country would be truly finished.
She let out a long, defeated sigh. "The demon's soul... is sealed beneath the palace."
Akatsurugi looked down. Here? He remembered a cave from before.
Seeing his doubt, the maiden elaborated, "Its body is sealed within the volcano in the Land of Swamps. Its soul is sealed in the underground chamber here."
Akatsurugi nodded and began to walk a perimeter, his senses extended. Sure enough, he detected the intricate layers of fuinjutsu webbed across the area. He had missed them before, but now, with his years of dedicated study into sealing techniques, the patterns were clear to him.
After a moment's analysis, he strode to the center of the complex seal. He located the key nexus, raised Ryūjin Jakka, and plunged it into the earth.
A mad, triumphant laughter erupted from below.
"HAHAHA! I AM FREE!"
Akatsurugi ignored it. The shrine maiden's face paled in horror, and she moved to intervene, but a single, sharp glance from him froze her in place.
He watched as the seal beneath his feet began to unravel. He took a step back. In the next instant, a monstrous, purple form erupted from the ground—a gigantic, humanoid specter, followed by two additional, snarling spectral heads. The demon, Mōryō, was loose.