Guts, seeing the two ready, steadied himself for his own plans. But before moving, a sudden thought struck him. He muttered a single word
"Boost."
At once, a deep crimson aura erupted around him, burning like a living flame.
The energy wrapped tightly around his body, then by his will spread outward and enveloped both Shisui and Hinata.
Their eyes widened instantly.
"W-What is this power…? How can this be?" Shisui clenched his fists, feeling raw strength surge through every fiber of his being.
His chakra, his body... it was as if everything had been sharpened beyond its limits. Something impossible, yet real.
His gaze shifted to his teacher, the man radiating that crimson aura, and he finally began to understand.
Hinata's lips parted in wonder. Her chakra swelled, magnified beyond recognition, and for a brief, terrifying heartbeat she felt as though she could easily crush the moon itself.
Both turned toward Guts. He only smirked, brushing it off with casual ease.
"Just insurance. Don't worry about it… it's my ability to boost others," he said, as if it were nothing more than a parlor trick.
Shisui's expression twitched. No matter how many times he witnessed it, he could never get used to the way his Sensei made world-shaking abilities sound so small.
Hinata only blinked softly. If it was Guts who said it, then it was true.
In her heart, she simply took it as his way of worrying for her and the warmth of that thought settled deep inside her chest.
Without another word, Guts lifted his crimson-coated hand, preparing to strike the moon's surface itself.
But before the blow could land, a long, weary sigh echoed through the void... like the exhale of someone already tired of existence.
At that moment, an intrusive presence pushed against Guts spirit, trying to invade his inner world. His eyes darkened immediately.
"Get lost."
His voice thundered as Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, shattering the attempt in an instant. Whoever dared to enter was stopped cold.
Guts had already suspected who it might be. But suspicion didn't make the disrespect any less infuriating.
No one had the right to intrude upon his spiritual space uninvited.
Shisui and Hinata froze at his sudden anger... until a soft glow began to spread before them, warm and otherworldly. From that radiance, an old figure slowly materialized.
The Sage of Six Paths appeared, an aged man with spiky pale-red hair, a braid hanging to the side, horn-like protrusions on his head, and eyes that were pale and pupil-less.
A red Rinnegan-like marking shone on his forehead.
His white robes bore six black magatama at the collar, and a shakujo staff rested in his hand. The image of the legendary figure was undeniable.
"I didn't mean to be rude… I only wanted to speak, young man," The Sage of Six Paths sighed, looking at the crimson-clad warrior who stared him down with unhidden aggression.
"Talk? That doesn't mean you can barge into my spiritual space. You're lucky I didn't burn your soul out right here, old man." Guts words cut sharp, his irritation plain.
Privacy, especially in this realm, was sacred and violations unforgivable.
The Sage's expression twitched at the sheer disrespect, but he let it pass without reply.
Silence fell heavy between them until Hinata's voice broke through.
"Sensei… is he… grandpa Hamura's brother? The Sage of Six Paths…?" Her tone was hesitant, but the question needed asking.
The Sage turned to her then, his gaze softening at the sight of her eyes. Memories stirred, and a faint smile touched his lips.
Guts crossed his arms, scoffing.
"Yeah. He's the brother of that hack-seller Hamura. But don't get me wrong... this guy sells way better hacks."
"Hacks?"
Shisui, Hinata, and even the Sage tilted their heads slightly, clearly not understanding what Guts meant.
Still, the atmosphere made one thing certain—this was indeed the legendary Sage of Six Paths.
Even so, Shisui and Hinata didn't let their guard down. For someone of this caliber to appear suddenly, there had to be a reason.
And judging from Guts grim expression, he wasn't here for idle talk.
The Sage's voice broke the silence.
"Do you realize what you were doing just now? One wrong move and you could have endangered the entire world."
"In danger? Who? Why?" Guts scoffed, his tone sharp, his crimson aura still blazing. "As long as I'm here, nothing's in danger. So take my advice, old geezer stay out of this. Otherwise…"
He paused, then his lips curled into a grin.
"…How about leaving me some insurance instead? I know you can't fight directly because of the Pure Land's rules but you can still seal, and more importantly... you can hand out hacks."
"Ahem, I mean… your powers."
His wicked grin made it clear what he was after.
"Sage of Six Paths… if you don't want the world in danger, you'll agree, right?"
The Sage fell silent. His eyes shifted toward Shisui and Hinata, lingering especially on Shisui.
The glow of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in his student's eyes told him everything. With a long sigh, the old man shook his head.
"I see… so you tricked me from the very beginning. Cunning boy. No wonder my brother was deceived as well." His sigh turned into a dry chuckle.
"Seems both of us brothers were outplayed."
Hinata and Shisui exchanged bewildered looks. This was starting to sound like some script they hadn't rehearsed for.
But Guts grinned wide, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. This was exactly why he'd brought Shisui here.
He knew that if he stirred up enough trouble on the moon, the Sage himself would inevitably appear.
And when it came to raw power, the Sage of Six Paths was no match for him.
The old man must have known it too. Stopping Guts outright wasn't an option.
He'd come only with the hope of persuading him… and ended up falling right into Guts trap.
"…But still—thank you, Guts."
This time, the Sage spoke his name directly, his tone carrying a rare note of respect. Guts understood immediately.
The old man was referring to the endless cycle of Indra and Ashura brothers destined to love and hate, to fight across generations.
That curse was broken now. There would be no new reincarnations, no more endless rivalry.
Guts waved it off. "It's nothing. Don't mention it. Besides… I only did it because of a promise."
The Sage smiled faintly, then turned to Shisui and gestured him forward.
Shisui glanced at his Sensei, silently asking for guidance. Seeing Guts nod, he stepped up, still unsure of what was about to happen.
"Because you are not a direct descendant of mine, you cannot inherit Indra's power directly," the Sage explained.
His palms began to glow, one with the mark of the sun, the other with the moon.
"But… if both forces are combined, then there is hope."
He placed his glowing hands against Shisui's outstretched palms.
Guts eyes widened slightly as realization dawned. He hadn't been sure if this would work, but it seemed the old man had found a loophole.
At first, Guts assumed that since Naruto and Sasuke hadn't received their boosts from the Sage in this altered timeline.
Giving the power to just one person would mean an overwhelming upgrade. But he'd overlooked a detail.
Shisui wasn't Indra. He wasn't Ashura. To wield their strength, the forces of both had to be combined.
That meant the boost wouldn't be quite as monstrous as he'd first imagined.
Even so, it would create a single powerhouse—on par with Naruto or Sasuke at their Six Paths level.
Guts scratched the back of his head and sighed with a half-smile.
'Still… this should be more than enough.'
---
On the other hand, Shisui felt like his very being was being pounded inside and out.
The torrent of power surged through his veins, racing through his body as though even his life itself was being sublimated to a higher level.
The process seemed endless—until, finally, it was complete.
One of Shisui's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan began to twist, its form reshaping. Before long, it blossomed into a Rinnegan—six black tomoe revolving within its rippling rings.
Guts grinned wide, satisfied. Everything had gone smoothly. Shisui had truly stepped into the realm of the Six Paths.
"I've done what you asked of me…" the Sage of Six Paths said, his form flickering like a flame in the wind. His chakra was nearly spent.
Summoning himself here had already cost much, and now, after granting away both of his powers, he could no longer maintain his existence.
"Now, I hope you'll keep your promise, young man."
"Don't worry," Guts replied firmly, his tone for once free of mockery. "This world is mine now. I won't let anyone mess around in my territory… you can rest easy."
Then he added with a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "Not even the Mother of Chakra."
At that, the Sage's eyes widened briefly. But then his expression softened. He chose to believe in the man before him. Guts strength… it was undeniable.
Even his mother Kaguya herself would not be able to face him. And beyond that, both Shisui and Hinata now carried the weight of Six Paths power.
"…Ah—thank you, Sage of Six Paths!" Shisui finally managed to say, bowing slightly. "I don't think I deserved this… but still, thank you."
Only now did he fully understand why his Sensei had brought him here. This had all been for his sake...for him to obtain this overwhelming strength.
His chest tightened with conflicting feelings. Was he truly worthy of such power?
The old Sage answered his doubt with a smile.
"Don't worry, young man. I can see it clearly in your eyes... the wish to protect your loved ones, no matter the cost. That's enough for me to entrust you with this power."
With those final words, his body dissolved into light, scattering into nothing.
Shisui was still lost in thought when a heavy slap landed on his shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Why are you spacing out? And here I thought you'd be bawling your eyes out, thanking me with tears of joy," Guts said, putting on a fake sorrowful expression as he shook his head dramatically.
"Haha… thank you, Sensei," Shisui chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "But… can I—"
Before he could finish, whack! Guts' fist came down on his head, leaving behind a small, red bump.
"Stop whining already. It's annoying," Guts said flatly, giving him a shove before walking ahead.
Shisui rubbed his head, taking a deep breath. He pushed aside the lingering doubts and the ache of his new burden. For now, there was only the plan.
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