Throughout their lives, the Sage of Six Paths had always been nothing more than a vague ancient myth, fundamentally no different from the Inari Gods, Mountain Gods, and various other deities worshipped in shrines.
The only reason he possessed a unique status was that he was said to be the Ancestor of all ninja.
Many people even privately believed that this so-called Ancestor of ninja had never existed at all.
Chakra was probably something ancient people accidentally discovered in a distant age, after which it gradually evolved and improved over generations of experimentation, eventually giving rise to the ninja profession.
As for the so-called Sage of Six Paths, he was merely a symbol created by later generations who could not make sense of that vague prehistoric era. They gathered all the unsolved mysteries together, invented a figure, attached the title "Ancestor of the Ninja" to him, and attributed everything to him.
As long as the story was ancient enough, nobody would seriously question it.
After all, the legends circulating throughout the Shinobi World regarding the Sage of Six Paths were nothing but hollow frameworks; he pacified a chaotic age, founded Ninja Creed, and spread chakra.
As for who he actually was, what his name was, where he came from, and where he went, there was absolutely nothing.
Especially regarding how he pacified the chaotic age, how he spread chakra, and who the first students of Ninja Creed were, none of these events, which truly required supporting points, had any details at all.
It was as though later generations had casually fabricated an empty shell, pasted the words Ancestor of ninja onto it, and called it a day, too lazy even to continue making things up.
Since ninja were professionals who placed enormous importance on precise intelligence, many people found it perfectly reasonable to conclude that the Sage of Six Paths had never existed.
"The Sage of Six Paths absolutely exists!"
Shinichi declared firmly.
"At this very moment! At this very instant! Right here! Our Ancestor of ninja is undoubtedly watching us, watching the students of Ninja Creed one thousand years after his time!"
The Sage of Six Paths: "..."
Deep within the Pure Land, another earth-shattering thunderclap exploded through the endless blank space as an even larger black fissure tore through the void, while cracks spread across the walls of space like a giant spiderweb.
The Sage of Six Paths was beginning to lose his composure, and what would make him lose it even more was still yet to come.
"I can tell everyone with absolute certainty!"
Shinichi slowly swept his gaze across the crowd and said, "For a thousand years, the eyes of this Ancestor of ninja have wandered across this world. He has personally witnessed how the Ninja Creed he founded with his own hands degenerated into the endless machine of slaughter it is today!"
"He has personally witnessed how the chakra he bestowed upon humanity, once a bond connecting hearts, became a weapon used to take lives! Countless times, with a heart full of pain, he has watched his students of Ninja Creed slaughter one another generation after generation without end..."
The Sage of Six Paths remained seated where he was, his expression indescribable.
Is this never going to end? And why do you keep emphasizing that point?
"But there have also been moments that brought him immense comfort."
Shinichi suddenly changed direction.
"For example, when Hashirama-sama, the first Hokage, and his lifelong rival Madara-sama set aside the centuries-long blood feud between the Senju and Uchiha Clans and joined hands to establish Hidden Leaf Village."
Upon hearing this, the Sage of Six Paths finally lost all composure and abruptly rose to his feet, because this was something he had actually watched in secret.
After all, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were the reincarnations of Asura and Indra in this generation, so naturally, he had paid close attention.
Although his prophecy told him that these two souls, entangled for a thousand years, would never achieve true reconciliation in this lifetime, it was nevertheless the only time in nearly a millennium that they had genuinely stood together.
Those two endlessly entangled souls had stood side by side, signed a treaty in front of everyone, set aside their old hatred, and built a village together.
Therefore, that year, he truly watched the entire scene from beginning to end, with mixed emotions.
Even though he knew the ending had long been predetermined, that it would be only a fleeting moment, and that their future split and ultimate battle were unavoidable destinies, that scene still filled this thousand-year-old father with immense comfort.
And now, although he knew perfectly well that this kid, Shinichi Higashino, was speaking nonsense under the banner of his name, hearing him recount those deeply hidden thoughts that he had never shared with anyone over the past thousand years, one after another, as though he had personally experienced them, it completely shattered the Sage of Six Paths' composure, but what truly shattered his composure was far from over.
On the training ground, Mei Terumi pondered for a moment before asking again, "Shinichi-sama, why are you so certain that the Sage of Six Paths truly exists? And why are you so certain that his intentions are exactly as you described? Did you receive guidance from him, or... Have you personally met him?"
The moment those words were spoken, the eyes of every Village Hidden in the Mist prisoner present focused simultaneously on Shinichi.
The legends surrounding the Sage of Six Paths were already vague and elusive enough; personally meeting him or receiving his guidance was even more fantastical.
But if those words came from Shinichi Higashino, somehow they did not seem quite so strange.
"Yes, I have met him."
Shinichi nodded, and technically, he was not lying; he had seen him in the anime in his previous life, which still counted as seeing him.
The Sage of Six Paths: "..."
That explains everything.
So he received guidance from the Sage of Six Paths.
As soon as those words fell, the crowd erupted into an uproar.
Not only did the Kirigakure prisoners widen their eyes in shock, but even the Konoha ninja responsible for guarding them revealed expressions of astonishment.
At the same time, inside the Hokage's office, the third Hokage and Danzo Shimura, who were observing the scene through a crystal ball, simultaneously paused what they were doing.
Yet very quickly, the shock on everyone's faces was replaced by a sense of sudden realization.
After all, Shinichi Higashino was the greatest Genius in the history of the Shinobi World; this eleven-year-old boy had already demonstrated master-level accomplishments in numerous fields, as though there was simply nothing he could not do.
If such a monstrous prodigy had received guidance from the Sage of Six Paths, then everything suddenly made sense.
Inside the Hokage's office, the third Hokage and Danzo Shimura exchanged glances and immediately understood the same thought in each other's eyes.
'Has Shinichi really met the Sage of Six Paths?'
On the training ground, Mei Terumi's eyes widened even further, and she blurted out her next question almost immediately.
"Shinichi-sama, have you really met the Sage of Six Paths? What does he look like?"
Shinichi said nothing, and he merely raised a hand and pointed at himself.
The Sage of Six Paths: "..."
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