Arisu stood in front of the cell, looking down indifferently at Hamura, who was already barely recognizable as human. His voice was calm, but completely devoid of warmth.
"Do you want to die?", Arisu asked.
"Please... please, Senior Tendou, spare my life..."
Hamura trembled all over and struggled to raise his head.
Although he had lost the Tenseigan, ordinary eyes had been put in their place. He spoke with a hoarse, weak voice, forcing the words out with difficulty.
Hearing this, Arisu nodded lightly.
"Your mission is over. However, your mission in another place has not yet ended. Next... go and open up the Pure Land."
As his voice fell, Arisu slowly raised his hand, his slender, pale palm gently resting on top of Hamura's head.
The next second, Hamura's body instantly stiffened, and a trace of relieved confusion flashed through his eyes.
Then his body rapidly crumbled from head to toe, turning into fine ashes that scattered with the wind through the dark cell, leaving nothing behind.
The cell immediately became completely empty.
Arisu withdrew his hand and turned to look at the Otsutsuki high priest kneeling on one knee behind him.
"From today onward, you are to respect Hamura. Instill in all your descendants that he is the ancestor of the Otsutsuki clan, a sacred being. Build statues for him, build temples, and worship him."
"History needs to be altered.", Arisu ordered.
Hearing this, a clear look of difficulty flashed across the Otsutsuki high priest's face.
Having him suddenly elevate Hamura, who had once been treated as nothing more than a breeding machine and subjected to endless torment, to the status of an ancestor to be worshipped was simply too abrupt.
But facing Arisu's emotionless eyes, he eventually lowered his head and respectfully replied,
"...As you command, my lord."
Despite being filled with doubts and confusion, the high priest still chose absolute obedience.
Arisu nodded in satisfaction. His figure slowly disappeared from the prison, leaving only the high priest kneeling there, staring at the empty cell for a long time without getting up.
———
Time passed once again, and several years quietly went by.
Indra and Asura finally grew into adults, and the conflict between the two brothers gradually became more apparent, with signs of fighting becoming increasingly obvious.
Sage of Six Paths Hagoromo saw this and decided to give the two of them their final test.
He gave Indra and Asura separate missions, sending each of them to different villages to quell the local chaos and test their abilities and character.
After completing their missions, the two brothers returned to the Ninshu one after another.
With overwhelming force and powerful chakra, Indra cleanly resolved the incident Hagoromo had given him, displaying the bearing of an absolute powerhouse.
He stabilized everything through absolute strength.
Asura, on the other hand, was different. He did not rely on forceful violence, but instead used communication, understanding, and cooperation, ultimately resolving the local conflict.
Not only that, during the process he also made the acquaintance of a group of like-minded followers.
These people were attracted by Asura's ideals and were willing to follow him, returning to the Ninshu together with him.
On this day, the atmosphere inside the Ninshu's council hall was solemn and serious.
Sage of Six Paths Hagoromo sat high in the main seat. Standing below him were Indra, Asura, and numerous Ninshu elders and core disciples.
Yumeko also sat in a side seat, quietly watching everything before her.
"It's finally here. This is when the split happens... Do I really not want to change the plot?"
Yumeko's expression was complicated. After hesitating for only a few seconds, Yumeko became resolute. It was better not to change the plot after all.
Hagoromo's gaze swept across everyone present before finally settling on his two sons.
"I already know the results of this test."
"Indra demonstrated tremendous power, which is worthy of praise. Asura, on the other hand, won the following of others through his heart of kindness and understanding."
The hall was completely silent, and everyone held their breath.
Hagoromo paused before continuing, "What my Ninshu seeks is not simple conquest through force, but true peace and the passing on of our teachings. Therefore..."
In front of everyone, he solemnly announced, "The next successor of the Ninshu will be Asura."
As his voice fell, a wave of low discussion immediately broke out in the hall.
Indra stood where he was, his body stiffening slightly. His hands clenched into fists, and an unmistakable shock and anger flashed across his handsome face.
He stared fixedly at his father, and flames of unwillingness and resentment gradually burned in his eyes.
Asura, meanwhile, was somewhat stunned. He looked at his father, then at Indra. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he merely lowered his head in silence.
Yumeko sat in the side seat, her heart suddenly tightening.
She subconsciously gripped the corner of her clothes, looking at the two sons with a complicated gaze. Her heart was filled with both worry and helplessness.
After the result was announced, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became heavy.
Indra's face darkened completely. He suddenly raised his head and stared sharply at his father.
"Why... Asura?"
"Please tell me your reason!?", Indra asked coldly.
"I completely surpass him in strength, and I completed the mission even better! Yet Father, you chose him?!"
Hagoromo looked at the furious Indra, and a trace of disapproval flashed in his eyes.
"Indra, strength is not the only standard. True peace requires understanding and connecting with people's hearts. Asura accomplished this."
Hearing this, the resentment in Indra's eyes deepened.
"Understanding? Connecting with people's hearts? Ridiculous."
"Father, in the end, you still chose the weaker side."
"Asura only chose cooperation because he lacked strength!"
After saying this, Indra said nothing more. He abruptly turned around and strode out of the council hall.
Asura's expression was complicated. He could not help taking a step forward and calling out, "Brother...!"
However, Indra did not turn around. He only left behind a cold sentence, "From now on, I am no longer your brother. You and I... will go our separate ways from this moment on."
Yumeko sat in her seat, her face pale.
———
The night was deep, yet the Ninshu suddenly suffered an unexpected attack.
Indra single-handedly stormed into the Ninshu.
Indra directly fought his way to the residence where Yumeko was staying and said, "I only want to take Mother away. Hand her over to me, or the Ninshu will not know peace today."
Upon hearing the news, Asura rushed over and stood in front of his mother, glaring at his brother without backing down, "Brother! Have you gone mad?! Mother will never go with you! I absolutely will not allow you to take her away today!"
The two brothers faced each other for a moment. No longer able to suppress the conflicts that had been building up in their hearts for so long, they instantly began fighting.
A terrifying chakra storm raged through the rear courtyard of the Ninshu.
Taking advantage of the two of them being locked in fierce combat, Yumeko quickly withdrew.
Over the years, the Chakra Mother Goddess System had long since become deeply fused with her. At this point, her strength was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Her strength was roughly equal to the combined strength of the two.
Yumeko headed toward the back mountain of the Ninshu and left.