Even in his previous world, where no supernatural power openly manifested, there had been no shortage of this kind of quasi-religious performance and propaganda, and many had achieved astonishing results.
For example, there was once a young French peasant girl.
(Note: Joan of Arc)
Born into a rural farming family, illiterate and never having received formal military training, she nevertheless displayed extraordinary military talent and instinct born entirely from real combat experience, achieving astonishing feats on the battlefield.
This French peasant girl claimed to be guided by God, and at a time when her nation stood on the brink of destruction, she stepped forward and led from the front in battle after battle. Wherever her banner went, soldiers charged forward with all their strength.
At the age of seventeen, she possessed the highest command authority over the nation's armies. Even if that authority was only nominal and symbolic, such a thing was unprecedented in military history.
Although she died young, she later became a national hero, the spiritual banner of an entire country, and was eventually canonized by the world's largest religion, becoming a Saint revered by generations of believers.
If such a thing could happen in a world where the supernatural never openly manifested, then how much more so in this Shinobi World, where the supernatural was plainly visible.
To this day, no one in this world has thought about how to wield that banner, but Shinichi came from another world, and he understood exactly how terrifying the power hidden behind those seemingly ordinary words could be.
And what he intended to do was seize that banner of orthodoxy and claim the authority to interpret the doctrine.
If I say you have betrayed the Ancestor's original intention, then you have betrayed the Ancestor's original intention!
If I say you are a heretic, then you are a heretic!
Debate doctrine with me? Do you think you're worthy of debating with me, Shinichi Higashino?
Bring the Sage of Six Paths himself here!
Since that young French peasant girl could unite hearts under the banner of God's guidance, become a national hero, a symbol of her country, and ultimately be canonized despite being illiterate, then he, Shinichi Higashino, could naturally do the same under the banner of the Sage's guidance.
He, too, came from humble origins and possessed no bloodline whatsoever, yet he had become the greatest Genius in the history of the Shinobi World, a master across multiple fields, with a brilliance of wisdom that seemed innate.
If that was not the Sage of Six Paths's guidance, then what was?
You can see your God, naturally, I can see my Sage of Six Paths.
Everyone has a bright future ahead.
Of course, Shinichi knew that this life was different from his previous one.
The Sage of Six Paths in this world was still alive and still silently watching over the Shinobi World from somewhere, but so what?
The names and reputations of predecessors had always been available to later generations to use.
The greater the name, the more thoroughly it should be utilized.
Besides, Shinichi Higashino was not some world-destroying Demon King, and he was genuinely trying to make this world a better place.
He had merely added a tiny, insignificant amount of his own ideas beneath the banner of the founder of the Ninja Creed.
As for what the Sage of Six Paths thought about all this, Shinichi had no idea.
After all, the sage never appeared before the world.
You've stayed hidden for a thousand years, never showing yourself, never speaking, never performing miracles. If someone helps you deliver messages and perform miracles on your behalf, even if you do not thank them, you can hardly turn around and blame them for it, can you?
At least the intentions are good.
With that thought, Shinichi withdrew his wandering mind and continued, "Not only Konoha, but also the Village Hidden in the Mist, the Village Hidden in the Stones, the Village Hidden in the Cloud, the Village Hidden in the Sand, and the other ninja villages across the nations. That period was perhaps the time that brought the Sage of Six Paths the greatest comfort."
"Because he personally witnessed the ninja clans that had slaughtered one another for hundreds of years following the establishment of the one country, one village system. Inspired by the achievements of the first Hokage and Madara Uchiha, they laid down generations of blood feuds and worked together to build one ninja village after another across their respective lands. Since the founding of Ninja Creed, that was the period that brought the Sage of Six Paths the greatest comfort."
The Kirigakure prisoners below remained silent.
What Shinichi Higashino said was true, even if the Sage of Six Paths was merely an intangible mythical symbol.
The establishment of the one country, one village system had indeed brought an end to the chaotic Warring States Period that had lasted for centuries.
In the Land of Water as well, before the Village Hidden in the Mist was founded, the era had been soaked in blood. The major ninja clans had likewise engaged in endless generations of vendettas.
It was the first Mizukage, Byakuren, who united the various large and small ninja clans of the Land of Water beneath a single banner, making the later Village Hidden in the Mist possible.
Deep within the Pure Land, however, the Sage of Six Paths' expression became increasingly difficult to maintain.
What this kid was saying now was also true, and back then, he really had witnessed each of those events personally.
"Unfortunately, good times do not last."
Shinichi let out a soft sigh.
"The era of peace in the Shinobi World lasted for less than a single generation. After that, war erupted once more, but this time, it was no longer a conflict between clans. It became a war between nations, larger in scale, harsher in method, and far deadlier."
"I imagine that when the Sage of Six Paths witnessed this, his heart must have been filled with pain."
The Kirigakure prisoners below wore varying expressions, but no one responded.
"Shinichi-sama, so... Is this why you came to hold these ideas? Because of the Sage of Six Paths..."
After a moment, Mei Terumi spoke again, but halfway through her sentence, she realized she had not yet figured out how to phrase the rest.
"Yes."
Shinichi nodded and continued for her.
"Even before this war fully erupted, I had already been trying to understand one question: why must war inevitably break out? What is its true nature? Fortunately, I managed to grasp at least a rough outline of the answer."
"And after the war truly began, one new question after another emerged in my mind. What is the true nature of a ninja? Why must ninjas kill one another? Were we ninjas always meant to be like this from the very beginning?"
"With these questions in mind, I began searching through every book and piece of material I could find regarding the legends of the Sage of Six Paths. Then I discovered that some ancient texts recorded that before founding Ninja Creed, he had been a monk."
"Following that clue, I studied a vast number of Buddhist scriptures, hoping to understand even a fraction of the original intention behind his creation of Ninja Creed. What was the original purpose bestowed upon ninja? What was their true nature supposed to be?"
"So you found the answer?"
A light appeared in Mei Terumi's eyes as she blurted out, "The Sage of Six Paths spread chakra because he intended to use chakra as a bond to connect people's hearts and convey understanding, is that correct?"
Shinichi glanced at her and slowly nodded.
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