The One Who Knows Everything.

At a water source, the two brothers and the toad dove inside.

The deeper they ventured, the more distinct the surrounding atmosphere became; the air was permeated with a pure and majestic energy!

It was completely different from the chakra of the ninja world—gentle yet brimming with power, possessing a natural essence.

"The energy here... it's so unique."

Hamura could not help but speak, his Byakugan activating instinctively, only for him to discover that the energy of this land was both complex and pure, impossible to measure with conventional chakra perception.

"Indeed..."

Hagoromo nodded as well, his Sharingan rotating slightly, allowing him to see countless tiny specks of light floating in the air—the manifestation of this special energy.

"This is the senjutsu chakra unique to Mount Myōboku, the most ancient and pure form of energy."

Gamamaru smiled slightly, a hint of pride in his expression.

Passing through layers of clouds and mist, a magnificent hall appeared before them.

The hall was constructed from massive boulders carved with ancient toad runes, emitting a faint golden light. The roof was woven from vines, blending into the surrounding mountains and forests as if it had formed naturally.

This was the Toad Great Hall of Mount Myōboku, the dwelling of the sages of Mount Myōboku.

Of course, White Eyebrow had since retired to the background.

The true leader of Mount Myōboku was, in fact, Manji!

Gamamaru stepped into the hall first.

"Master, I have brought them to you."

Gamamaru called out respectfully toward the interior of the hall.

Hagoromo and Hamura followed closely behind, and the moment they stepped into the hall, they were captivated by the sight before them.

The hall was vast and solemn. On a high platform in the center sat a figure.

The man wore a black and red robe, his ink-black hair draped loosely over his shoulders, his face as handsome as ever—it was the mysterious man who had been fishing in the snow that day!

Manji slowly raised his eyes, his gaze falling upon the two of them with a gentleness that held a profound sense of omniscience. His voice was identical to that day.

He spoke softly:

"You have come?"

The familiar voice and the familiar face instantly shattered their final psychological defenses.

Hagoromo's pupils dilated, and he instinctively took a half-step back, his heart filled with an incredible sense of shock!

The hero from the stories of his childhood, the idol he worshipped every year, had truly and tangibly appeared before his eyes!

"It is you?"

Hagoromo's voice carried a hint of restraint and tremor. He instinctively cupped his hands in a salute, his tone filled with respect.

Hamura stood to the side, too shocked to speak, merely staring blankly at Manji on the high platform, his mind a complete void.

They had never imagined that the heroic legends accompanying their childhood, the beautiful stories told by their mother, would actually have a real-life prototype—and that this prototype was sitting right in front of them now.

The impact of seeing a legend step into reality left the two unable to process it for a moment, their hearts filled with a sense of unreality.

"I told you we would meet again."

Watching their shocked expressions, Manji curled his lips into a faint smile, his tone remaining gentle.

These words were like a thunderclap, awakening the two from their stupor.

They took a deep breath, struggling to calm their emotions. Hagoromo cupped his hands again and asked respectfully, "Sage, may I ask how we should address you?"

"Calling me Sage is sufficient."

Manji spoke lightly, his tone calm and unruffled.

"Sage!"

Hagoromo looked up, his eyes filled with urgency and pleading.

"Since you knew we would come, you must also know why we are here. You are the one who knows the truth of all things; I beg you to tell us, what exactly has Mother been hiding? What is the truth behind the God Tree?"

A series of questions tumbled out, carrying the doubt and pain that had long been suppressed in his heart.

Hamura also looked at Manji, his eyes full of anticipation; he, too, longed to know the whole truth.

"Do not be impatient."

Seeing this, Manji slowly raised his hand, and a crystal-clear orb appeared in his palm.

The crystal ball emitted a soft light, and as Manji infused it with his chakra, clear images gradually emerged within.

"See for yourselves."

Manji's voice carried a sense of distant vicissitudes.

Inside the crystal ball, the images shifted.

First, two figures dressed in strange attire descended upon the ninja world—they were Kaguya and Isshiki.

The scene flickered.

Kaguya wore a sorrowful expression as she recounted to Manji her fate of being sacrificed to the God Tree, her eyes filled with reluctance and pleading.

She promised Manji that if he helped her escape Isshiki and seize the God Tree Fruit, she would share its power with him and protect this land together.

The young Manji wore a gentle smile and agreed to her request.

The scene shifted once more!

Before the Ten-Tails, Manji engaged in a fierce battle with Isshiki, ultimately helping Kaguya sacrifice Isshiki together.

However, just as everything was accomplished—

The moment Manji turned around, a flash of resolve crossed Kaguya's eyes, and a sharp All-Killing Ash Bones shot from her hand, ruthlessly piercing through Manji's chest.

Hagoromo and Hamura saw this, their pupils constricting, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

They had never imagined that their mother would commit such an act of treachery!

The images continued to flow; Kaguya swallowed the God Tree Fruit, gaining immense power.

Then, the Infinite Tsukuyomi!

"Back then, your mother was an outsider. She and her companion, Isshiki, came to this planet.

According to the rules of their clan, she was the one meant to be sacrificed to the God Tree."

"She was unwilling to die like that, so she found me and promised me the God Tree Fruit, begging for my help.

I originally thought she was a kind-hearted woman yearning for freedom, so I agreed. But I never expected that she would backstab me for the sake of power."

Manji's voice sounded slowly, detailing the truth behind the images.

Manji paused, his gaze falling upon the two, his tone calm: "I should have died in that betrayal, but fortunately, I survived thanks to the senjutsu of Mount Myōboku.

As for your mother, the reason she keeps sacrificing mortals is not to nourish the land, but to create an army of White Zetsu—she is afraid, afraid that her clansmen will find this place and retaliate for her betrayal and usurpation of power.

Those who are sacrificed eventually turn into mindless White Zetsu who only know how to obey, becoming pawns for her to defend against her kin."

Manji deliberately concealed the truth of his immortality granted by the system, attributing everything to senjutsu; it fit his identity as a "Sage" and avoided unnecessary trouble.

The light of the crystal ball gradually faded, and the great hall fell into a deathly silence.

Hagoromo and Hamura stood where they were, their faces pale, their bodies cold.

Their mother's betrayal, the truth of the sacrifices, the secret of the White Zetsu... all of it.

"So, the beautiful story Mother told was actually just a cover for backstabbing you!"

"The truth is so dark!"

Hagoromo clenched his fists tightly, the Magatama Necklace around his neck turning cold once again.

He thought of Haori's gentle smile, the cold corpses beneath the God Tree, and his mother's years of deception; the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes flared with red light, anger and grief washing over him once more.

"Mother..."

Hamura's Byakugan also stared fixedly at the direction where the crystal ball had vanished, his face full of disappointment and pain.

The mother he had always respected was actually someone who would sacrifice countless lives for her own selfish desires!

But Hamura also sympathized with his mother, for she too had been betrayed.

In the great hall, Manji watched the two quietly, saying nothing.

Manji was observing their expressions.

As expected, Hagoromo, the future Sage of Six Paths, had a more ruthless heart.

And Hamura, the ancestor of the Ōtsutsuki on the moon, had a more delicate heart, understanding that his mother had once believed in love as well.

If it were a contest of filial piety, Hamura would surely win.

If it were a contest of great love, Hagoromo, the future Sage of Six Paths, would have the upper hand!

However, following the current path, Hagoromo was more favored by Manji.

"However, my being backstabbed by your mother is a minor matter; the urgent priority is to save the world and make your mother stop all of this!"

Manji said indifferently, placing his own actions on the moral high ground.