"How did you know about the Ōtsutsuki Clan?"
After a brief silence, the Sage of Six Paths stared at Uchiha Ryūjin, unable to hide his surprise as he spoke.
"I used a cheat," Ryūjin replied with a shrug.
The Sage of Six Paths frowned slightly, trying to understand what that meant, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't make sense of it.
"So that's why you're trying to stop me?" Ryūjin raised an eyebrow, as if he had just realized something.
"You're overthinking it. Whether I reach the Six Paths level or not, the Ōtsutsuki main family is coming sooner or later."
"Kaguya came here to plant the Divine Tree, but she lost contact with them and never handed over the Chakra Fruit. You really think they're not searching for her?"
"Even if they don't know this planet's exact location yet, it's only a matter of time."
His words left the Sage of Six Paths silent. He knew Ryūjin was right.
Still, even delaying that moment by a second was worth it to him.
"When that day comes, how do you plan to fight them? Do you really think the current ninja world stands a chance?"
Ryūjin's voice hit like a hammer.
The Sage of Six Paths had no answer.
He understood better than anyone that the current ninja world had no way of resisting the Ōtsutsuki. That was exactly why he had been so cautious, avoiding anything that might draw their attention.
"Instead of hiding like this, why not raise strong fighters to deal with them?" Ryūjin continued, like it was the simplest idea in the world.
"That won't work." A trace of sorrow crossed the Sage's face.
Back then, Kaguya had already become the strongest existence on the planet after planting the Divine Tree and obtaining the complete Ten-Tails.
Even so, she still feared the Ōtsutsuki main family.
That fear drove her to create the White Zetsu army, all in preparation for their arrival. It was also what led to the rift between her and her sons.
Because of that, the Sage of Six Paths did not believe anyone in the ninja world could stand against the Ōtsutsuki.
The planet's chakra was limited, and that limitation defined the peak of any individual's strength.
Even if all chakra were gathered into a single person, he still didn't believe that person could win.
And he would never choose such a path anyway.
Aside from hiding, he saw no better option.
"Whatever. Think what you want, just don't get in my way."
Ryūjin released the Human Path's power, freeing the Sage of Six Paths.
The Sage looked at him for a long moment, sighed, and disappeared.
He had already lost his power and posed no threat. Whether he could even remain in this world much longer was uncertain.
Ryūjin didn't care.
Buzz!
A Kamui vortex appeared, and Ryūjin released Rōshi.
It didn't take long for him to break the seal on Rōshi's body. However, the Four-Tails didn't emerge.
It wasn't complicated. It was afraid.
Even a Tailed Beast feared Uchiha Ryūjin.
"You think hiding will solve anything?" Ryūjin's gaze pierced straight into the Four-Tails' mental space, a grin forming on his face.
Gurgle, gurgle!
Bubbles of chakra began rising from Rōshi's body, gathering together until a massive figure appeared.
The Four-Tails, Son Goku.
"What do you want? With your strength, you don't need a Tailed Beast!" Son Goku asked, his voice tense with fear.
"Hold on. I need to deal with something first."
Ryūjin's eyes shifted into the Rinnegan as he placed his hand on Rōshi's corpse.
Using the Human Path, he forcibly pulled out Rōshi's soul before it could dissipate.
"He's already dead, and you still won't leave him alone?" Son Goku shouted, anger mixing with fear.
"Naraka Path."
Ryūjin ignored him.
Boom!
The King of Hell appeared, its terrifying face and wide-open mouth radiating pressure that made it hard to even look at.
Ryūjin tossed both Rōshi's body and soul into it.
The mouth snapped shut.
Moments later, it opened again, revealing a confused Rōshi inside.
Rōshi stared at himself in disbelief. He clearly remembered dying after the Tailed Beast was extracted.
So why was he alive?
And where was this?
The King of Hell vanished, revealing Ryūjin and the outside world.
Seeing the Four-Tails nearby only made things more surreal.
He quickly checked his body and confirmed it, there was no trace of Tailed Beast chakra left.
"What... what is this?" His understanding of reality was crumbling.
Finally, he looked at Ryūjin, shock written all over his face.
"From now on, you're not a jinchūriki. You're free to go."
Ryūjin waved him off casually.
Only after Rōshi left did Ryūjin turn to the Four-Tails.
Black Zetsu emerged from the ground, eyes wide.
"Why let him go? Aren't you resealing the Four-Tails like before?"
"I'm sealing it inside myself," Ryūjin said plainly. "Not just this one, all nine."
This had been his plan from the beginning.
He didn't mind releasing Kaguya, but he wasn't stupid enough to let her run loose.
A thousand-year imprisonment, betrayal by her own sons, no one knew what she might do.
Most likely, she would reclaim all chakra in the world.
Just like in the original story, where she immediately tried to absorb Naruto and Sasuke's chakra.
She was a walking disaster.
Ryūjin had no intention of unleashing something stronger than himself without preparation.
If he released her, it would be on his terms.
That meant becoming the Ten-Tails jinchūriki first.
No Tailed Beasts left in the world, no chakra for her to reclaim.
And absolute control.
"That's not fair!" Black Zetsu snapped. "I helped you find the jinchūriki, and now you're breaking your promise?"
"My promise was to release Kaguya if you helped me find two jinchūriki," Ryūjin said with a shrug. "I never said I wouldn't seal them myself."
Black Zetsu choked on his words.
"Touch another Tailed Beast and our deal is over. I won't tell you anything else!"
"That supposed to scare me?" Ryūjin smirked. "I can find them without you. It'll just take longer."
"But you?"
"You'll spend eternity sealed in my Kamui space. Forgotten."
"And your mother stays trapped in the moon forever."
"Think carefully."
Black Zetsu fell silent.
Of course he didn't want that.
"I won't release something I can't control," Ryūjin continued. "Once I become the Ten-Tails jinchūriki, I'll keep my word."
"Kaguya loses her power, but she gains freedom. And the Ōtsutsuki problem becomes mine."
Black Zetsu clenched his teeth.
As much as he hated it, he understood.
If their roles were reversed, he would do the same.
After a long silence, he spoke through gritted teeth.
"You planned this from the start."
"Does it matter?"
Black Zetsu's anger boiled, but in the end, he had no choice.
"You win."
"Yeah, I do."
Ryūjin wasted no more time and sealed the Four-Tails inside himself.
Black Zetsu could only watch, furious and helpless.
"Now, take me to the next one."
"Follow me."
Before long, they found Utakata.
Ryūjin repeated the process, extracting the Six-Tails and sealing it within himself.
At this point, he had gathered the chakra of all Nine Tailed Beasts.
But he still hadn't reached the Six Paths level.
Because they hadn't merged into the Ten-Tails.
Since they had been split into separate entities, they wouldn't fuse automatically.
To recreate the Ten-Tails, one thing was still needed.
The Gedo Statue.
The Ten-Tails' shell.
Only with it could the nine beasts become one again.
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