Feathered Robe Becomes a Disciple

Although he spoke of saving the Ninja World, Manji's true intention was to settle the score for the backstabbing he suffered at the hands of Kaguya.

As the saying goes, cutting off a man's path to fortune is akin to killing his parents.

Kaguya had directly severed his original opportunity, not to mention that Manji had been deceived into risking his life to help her fight Isshiki.

And in the end, he had been played!

Manji might have a good temper, but this was simply going too far.

If Manji were to just laugh it off and choose not to seek revenge, he would be a complete fool.

Ah, my cultivation is still lacking. If it were a few hundred years from now, I probably wouldn't be angry anymore...

Manji sighed inwardly when he sensed his temper becoming unstable.

In a few hundred years, perhaps these matters wouldn't sting so much.

Sometimes, Manji couldn't quite understand why some of the ancient monsters in other novels, who had lived for hundreds of years, still flew into a rage at the slightest provocation.

How old was he, really? He was already starting to become zen and composed.

Even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him, his expression would remain unchanged.

Therefore, don't get angry!

All the illnesses in the world are born from suppressed rage.

One must maintain a good mood to live a long life!

Let it go! Let it go! Let it go!

The deathly silence in the great hall was broken by the heavy breathing of Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, and the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes trembled violently.

Hagoromo looked at Manji with a hint of tremor in his gaze, yet his expression grew more resolute: "Immortal, what must we do?"

"Mother... Kaguya, she is already beyond saving."

Manji rose slowly, his black and red robes brushing against the floor of the vast hall with a faint friction.

"The path of rebellion is a life-and-death struggle."

"Kaguya possesses the power of the God Tree fruit; she is immortal and indestructible. With only your current Sharingan and Byakugan, you cannot even break through her defenses."

Manji walked up to the two of them, his gaze sweeping over their eyes, his tone as steady as a mountain.

"I wish to take the Immortal as my master. I implore the Immortal to bestow his methods upon us!"

After Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo finished speaking, he knelt on one knee directly on the ground.

"Big brother!"

Hamura's exclamation rang out suddenly.

He instinctively looked at Manji on the high platform, then turned back to stare at Hagoromo's back, his voice carrying an imperceptible tremor:

"Do you know what this means? We would be going against... Mother!"

Hamura's palms were tightly clenched, his knuckles white.

From Manji's words, the past where Mother Kaguya was controlled by Isshiki and nearly became a sacrifice, combined with the grievance of being hurt by that scumbag, made Hamura unable to harden his heart against his mother.

However, the ruthlessness of his mother backstabbing Manji in the crystal ball, the mountains of corpses piled beneath the God Tree, and the cold face of Haori were like sharp blades, repeatedly piercing his bottom line.

"She certainly has her reasons, but... but to backstab the Immortal and slaughter the innocent, can this really be forgiven?"

Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo said in a deep voice.

"Yes..."

Hamura muttered to himself, his tone filled with painful struggle. His eyes wandered between Hagoromo and the void, as if searching for an answer that could convince himself.

"Hamura!"

"At this point, why are you still being indecisive?"

Hagoromo suddenly looked up, the red light of his three-tomoe Sharingan flaring violently!

"Think of Haori!"

Hagoromo suddenly raised his hand, clutching the magatama necklace at his throat that had long since gone cold!

It was the one Haori had tied around his neck with her own hands before she died, and now it had become the sharpest of memories!

"Have you forgotten how Haori died? She was just an ordinary human who never harmed anyone, yet she was used as a sacrifice by Mother and turned into that cold cocoon!"

"Mother's rule is built upon the corpses of countless people! Do you think those who were sacrificed didn't have families? Didn't have loved ones?"

"If this continues, the entire Ninja World will become a living hell, and all life will be reduced to pawns for her to defend against her clansmen! What is there left to cherish about such a mother?"

Hagoromo stood up abruptly and turned to look Hamura straight in the eye.

His voice was deafening!

"But... she is our mother!"

"We should at least try to talk to her properly first. Perhaps... perhaps she can still turn back?"

Ōtsutsuki Hamura was still making a final struggle, the occasional flashes of tenderness his mother had shown flickering through his mind.

On the platform, Manji watched the two brothers in silence.

He was also silently assessing the two of them.

No wonder Hamura would later choose to go to the moon to accompany his mother.

Although Hamura chose to oppose his mother alongside his older brother, he still loved her in his heart.

Manji's gaze landed on Hamura.

It was time for him to speak up now...

"Blood ties are the most difficult bonds to sever in this world."

"Kaguya was once betrayed and endured great suffering. This may be the reason she turned to extremes, but it can never be an excuse for her to slaughter the innocent and betray her promises."

Manji paused, his gaze sweeping over the hand with which Hagoromo gripped his necklace, before falling back onto Hamura's face.

"You want to talk to her out of filial affection, and that heart is precious. But you must understand that once some paths are taken and some sins are committed, there is no possibility of turning back. Her heart has long been filled with fear and selfish desire; negotiation will only make more people pay the price."

Manji spoke slowly, his eyes deep and heavy.

Upon hearing this, Hagoromo knelt on one knee again, his head bowed even lower. "The Sage of Six Paths is absolutely right! I have made up my mind: no matter the cost, I will stop my mother! I beg the Sage of Six Paths to take me as your disciple and teach me the power to oppose her!"

Manji looked at Hagoromo.

To be honest, he hadn't originally intended to take the Sage of Six Paths as a disciple; he had only wanted to use his hands to take revenge on Kaguya.

But since the Sage of Six Paths had come himself.

Then...

He would not be polite.

Hamura stood where he was, his expression shifting uncertainly.

Manji looked at Hagoromo's resolute appearance, then at Hamura's conflicted expression, and slowly nodded.

He raised his hand and waved, and a ribbon of gentle senjutsu chakra transformed into light, landing softly upon Hagoromo.

"I can take you as my disciple and teach you the senjutsu of Mount Myōboku, as well as ninjutsu capable of rivaling Kaguya."

"But Hamura, I will not force you. You may choose to follow me and learn, or you may choose to go see Kaguya."

"I only wish to warn you: when you find her, what you face may no longer be the occasionally gentle mother of your memories, but a dictator completely consumed by power and fear."

Manji said with a slight sigh.

A light of wild joy erupted in Hagoromo's eyes, and he kowtowed fiercely. "Disciple Hagoromo pays respects to Master!"

His forehead struck the cold rock with a heavy, crisp sound.

As for Hamura, he remained standing in place, his gaze complex as he looked at his kneeling brother.

He then looked toward Manji, who wore a calm expression on the high platform, and the scales in his heart began to tilt slowly between familial love and justice.

Soon after, Ōtsutsuki Hamura made a compromise.

"Sage, I will go back and talk to my mother first. If she remains obsessed and unrepentant, I will return!"

Ōtsutsuki Hamura bowed slightly and spoke with respect.

Manji nodded and offered a reminder: "Be careful."