Grandpa, I've waited so long for you

"Who are you?" Genichi demanded.

Although he recognized Hamura Otsutsuki at a glance, he felt he shouldn't be the one to reveal his identity.

"Heh heh. I'm nothing more than a wisp of a dead man's soul. My identity in life is insignificant. I've appeared here only because this place could still be considered my home." The old man chuckled softly.

"But what about you three? Shouldn't you introduce yourselves first? You don't seem to be from this Ninja World."

Hamura had sensed the unusually strong space-time chakra emanating from the three of them and awakened from his slumber.

"People who have died can still talk? And that outfit... Could you be the legendary Sage of Six Paths?" Genichi stepped forward, feigning astonishment. "Ancestor, I've been searching for you for so long!"

"Heh heh, I'm not your ancestor. The little girl with the Byakugan beside you can barely be considered one of my descendants." Hamura explained leisurely, "I'm Hamura Otsutsuki. The Sage of Six Paths you mentioned was my older brother. You may not have heard of him..."

"Who says that? Back then, the Sage of Six Paths passed down the way to cultivate chakra. You and he are the common ancestors of all us shinobi. I've long admired you both, and at last I've had the honor of meeting you today." Genichi cut Hamura off without hesitation.

"My dream ever since I was a child has been for people to understand one another, to bring peace to the war-torn Ninja World and let everyone live happy, harmonious lives.

That's exactly in line with the Ninjutsu Sect's ideals. I've been its successor for generations!"

Hearing Genichi start spouting nonsense again, the two women didn't dare call him out. They could only exchange glances and patiently watch him perform.

"Ahem. The Ninjutsu Sect was founded by my brother. It has nothing to do with me." Genichi's sudden enthusiasm had interrupted Hamura's train of thought, so he abandoned the small talk and got straight to the point.

"What did you come here for, crossing space and time to reach this place?"

"Just look at Hana, Senior. She's your descendant. But someone placed a restriction on her when she was a child, leaving her unable to control her own life or death." Genichi gestured for Hyuga Hana to step forward.

"We came to find a way to remove this seal safely."

Though Hamura often fell into slumber, he wasn't entirely unconcerned with the state of the Ninja World. He knew about the Hyuga Branch Family's Caged Bird Seal, so he spoke up.

"I still have some power left to deal with this Curse Mark. I can just barely help you remove it, but in return, you'll have to do me a favor. How about it?"

Hearing that the Curse Mark could really be removed, Hana asked excitedly, "Senior, what would you like us to do?"

"Heh heh, it's nothing major. I have a branch of my bloodline on the moon. A few years ago, they suffered a civil war, and now only a child named Otsutsuki Toneri remains."

Hamura explained slowly, "Worried about the future of the Ninja World, I once left behind a final message: if the people of Earth strayed from the way of the ninja, the Fist of the Moon should be used to reshape the Ninja World.

"I had hoped they would guide everyone in the Ninja World onto the right path. But I never imagined the Branch Family would twist my words into this: if the Ninja World could not achieve peace, they should use the moon to destroy the Earth.

"Now that child, Toneri, is headed down the wrong path. I hope you can guide him and persuade him. If that proves impossible, then destroy the golden Tenseigan and prevent an even greater disaster."

Genichi was speechless. Maybe language habits had changed over the years, but "use the Fist of the Moon to reshape the Ninja World" sounded like a plan to destroy it.

"But if that's the case, why don't you tell him yourself?" Now that she knew who the old man was, Mikoto asked respectfully.

"Both my brother and I believe in the wisdom of those who come after us. Once we're dead, we shouldn't meddle in the affairs of the Ninja World. So even when they slaughtered one another over a misunderstanding many years ago, I didn't interfere." Hamura sighed.

"But now that you've crossed space and time to stand before me, I can't help but believe this is part of fate."

"Not meddling in the Ninja World? Are we talking about the same Sage of Six Paths?" Including the reincarnations of their chakra, the story of Naruto Shippuden was basically a family feud among the Sage's family. Genichi was speechless, but he still confidently promised, "No problem, leave it to us. My mission success rate is one hundred percent. Why not pay us upfront, Senior?"

Hamura wasn't annoyed. He simply looked at Hana. "Child, come closer."

A mass of green chakra, almost solid, drifted out of Hamura's body and slowly entered Hana through her forehead.

Watching this unfold, Genichi asked calmly, "Senior Hamura, I heard the Sage of Six Paths' children could reincarnate again and again through chakra?"

"I didn't expect you to know even that." Hamura was a little surprised, but quickly understood.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry. This is just exceptionally pure chakra. If I wanted a new body, I would've acted long ago. That child Toneri has a much stronger reversion to his bloodline."

"Haha, you misunderstand me. How could I ever doubt you?" Genichi gave an awkward laugh, then remembered how the Sage of Six Paths had bestowed power on Six Paths Naruto and Sasuke with the Rinnegan. He asked, "Will Hana be able to awaken the Tenseigan like you someday?"

Hamura thought for a moment, then shook his head. "It'll be difficult. Her bloodline is actually very diluted, and I've been dead for far too long. Though our powers share the same origin, all I can do is remove the restrictions on her bloodline. At best, she'll have the beginnings of a Tenseigan. She probably won't be able to complete its evolution without enough energy."

Genichi nodded. These were unexpected gains. He wondered if there might be more, so he asked, "What about me, Senior? I'm your descendant too. Is there anything for me?"

Hamura glanced at Genichi and smiled. "Didn't you say you were the Ninjutsu Sect's successor? Back then, to strengthen my descendants, I collected a copy of my brother's Ninjutsu Sect teachings. It contains many Sealing Jutsu, advanced methods for cultivating Yin-Yang Release, and quite a few of my own insights. Take this and go straight to the depths of the forbidden area."

As he spoke, a solid token appeared in his hand without any visible movement.

Genichi's pupils contracted at the sight. "Heh heh. And you said you barely had any power left."

He took the token engraved with "Hamura" and immediately asked, "You said we could destroy the Tenseigan if necessary. Can I just take it with me?"

"You're quite greedy, but no. Your strength may have reached the pinnacle of ordinary shinobi, but you're still somewhat below my brother and me. With these fluctuations in space and time, you can't take the golden Tenseigan with you."

Hamura explained, "You could try sealing the purple one inside yourself."

It really was free stuff just for the asking. Genichi had already sensed that Hamura didn't care much about the Giant Tenseigan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have suggested destroying it.

Genichi asked cautiously, "Senior Hamura, you said my strength was below yours and the Sage of Six Paths'. How much of a gap is there between us?"

"Just one step away, yet separated by a vast distance." Hamura lifted his head as if recalling something.

"In the words of you shinobi, unless you surpass Kage Level, seeing the Sage of Six Paths is like a frog at the bottom of a well staring at the moon in the sky. If you surpass Kage Level, seeing him is like an ant looking up at the heavens."

Without waiting for Genichi to respond, Hamura vanished on the spot, leaving only a final message.

"Even if this isn't the same Ninja World, I can rest easy knowing you'll protect it. You're still so young, yet you've already come this far.

"But remember: once your strength reaches my brother's level, if you don't restrain yourself, you may attract powerful enemies from across the universe. That was also why he chose to split the Ten-Tails back then.

"All right. Your friend should be waking up now."

"Genichi!" Once she woke, Hana felt the 360-degree vision of her Byakugan and couldn't help bursting into tears. When she realized the Caged Bird Seal had finally been removed, she rushed forward and hugged Genichi.

Genichi hugged Hana and gently patted her back with one hand. "It's all right now."

Seeing them, Mikoto understood how much Hana had endured over the years. She suppressed her own feelings and waited quietly.