In the courtyard of the Ninja Sect headquarters, cherry blossom petals drifted gently on the wind,
floating through the open paper doors and landing on the tatami.
"Teacher!"
The scroll in Hagoromo's hands was still suspended in midair as he turned in surprise.
It was Manji!
Hagoromo gazed at the figure before him, clad in blue and standing with a sword on his back. His features were still just as they had been in Hagoromo's memories from a century ago, as though time had left not the slightest trace on Manji...
Only the aura around him had grown more solemn and profound than before.
"Teacher!"
Hagoromo rose almost instinctively, bowing deeply with the same respectful formality he had shown when studying under Manji at Mount Myōboku.
He was a true powerhouse now, with Chakra as vast as the sea and senses capable of covering a wide area.
Yet he hadn't sensed Manji's arrival at all. That unfathomable Invisibility technique remained a level he could only aspire to reach.
Manji gave a slight nod, looking at Hagoromo with a hint of approval.
Hagoromo wasn't conceited. Even though his strength had now surpassed Manji's, he remained humble.
Watching him bow, Manji's lips curved into a faint smile. He raised a hand and waved it lightly. "There's no need for such formalities."
Manji walked over to the tatami across from him and sat down. The hem of his blue robe swayed gently as he moved, and the Six Paths Sword rested at his side.
"I came to ask about the matter of the Sage of Six Paths."
"Only you could have had every Manji Temple in the world replace its plaque and honored me as the Sage of Six Paths."
Manji asked directly.
At this, Hagoromo straightened up, a clear look of remorse appearing on his face. He placed his hands on his knees, his posture growing even more respectful.
"Teacher, I did take it upon myself to make that decision. I hope you'll forgive me."
"Your given name is Manji. When the Ninja Sect was first established, my followers and I discussed it. We all felt that calling our Grandmaster by his given name would be too disrespectful, so we thought to give you an honorific title."
"I remembered the words 'Six Paths' from when you named your sword the Six Paths Sword."
Hagoromo looked up, his gaze filled with reminiscence.
He paused, then continued earnestly:
"Back then, I searched everywhere for you but never found any trace of you. I didn't dare disturb you, and I had no way to pay my respects in person, so I could only announce your honorific title to the world first.
I'd planned to explain and apologize to you in person when you eventually appeared, but I never expected a whole century to pass in the blink of an eye."
As he spoke, Hagoromo bowed slightly again, his face full of guilt.
"I never meant to offend you. I'm simply grateful for your teachings and protection, and I wanted the world to remember your kindness forever. I also hoped to unite people under your name, so the Ninja Sect could carry on your will and protect the peace of this world.
If you dislike the title, I'll immediately order everyone to return to calling you the Sage Manji."
"I see..."
Manji listened quietly, his fingertips absently rubbing the edge of the tatami. He truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He'd never imagined that the name he'd casually given his sword would, a century later, become an honorific title that spread throughout the world.
And he'd never thought he'd somehow ended up taking the place of the Sage of Six Paths.
At the thought,
Manji couldn't hold it in any longer.
This is hard to process...
Back then, he'd named his sword the Six Paths Sword because he wanted to break through to the Six Paths Level himself.
But he'd never expected the title of Sage of Six Paths to end up on his head.
So I'm the Sage of Six Paths?!
I've reached the Six Paths Level, but not quite...
The thought of a Super Kage Level Sage of Six Paths was just too hard to process.
Wait! He had an idea!
Manji suddenly thought of a great idea!
A great idea that could let him break through to the Six Paths Level!
The system had said:
He could never reach the Six Paths Level.
But what if he called Super Kage Level the Six Paths Level...
Wouldn't that mean he'd reached the Six Paths Level?!
Manji looked up at Hagoromo. Seeing him still bowing with his eyes lowered and a respectful expression, he shook his head gently.
"Never mind. It's been a hundred years, and people are already used to the title 'Sage of Six Paths.' There's no need to change it."
Manji spoke softly.
"Very well. I'll do as you say, Teacher."
Hagoromo smiled and nodded.
Hagoromo personally poured Manji a cup of hot tea.
The two began talking about what had happened over the years.
Hagoromo spoke enthusiastically, telling Manji all sorts of things—what he planned to do in the future and how he would make the human world better and better.
Hagoromo seemed immersed in a dream of saving the world.
He imagined that with his own strength, he could change the world and create an ideal society.
"Heh heh... wonderful... wonderful..."
Manji smiled without saying anything. He could only think that Hagoromo was still too young.
Human society wasn't that easy to change.
Besides, Hagoromo would die someday, too.
"Hagoromo, when are you going to get married?"
Manji asked with a faint smile.
Hagoromo froze, then scratched his head and awkwardly replied, "I'm not thinking about that just yet."
Hagoromo wasn't a block of wood. Judging by her feelings for Haori, he was a man with a heart.
"Teacher, by the way, how long can you live? You haven't changed at all. Looking at you feels like looking back at yesterday—as though it were only yesterday."
Hagoromo couldn't help asking as he studied Manji's face.
"Heh..."
Manji merely smiled again and didn't answer.
Seeing that his teacher didn't want to answer, Hagoromo, who had lived for so many years, had grown tactful enough not to press him.
Besides, Hagoromo was confident he would outlive his teacher.
After all, his teacher was just a native of this planet. Even if he practiced Senjutsu, that didn't mean he could outlive Hagoromo.
Perhaps his teacher would be dead by the time Hagoromo reached middle age.
And now, a hundred years had passed, yet Hagoromo still felt hardly any different.
"All right, I should be going."
Manji finished his tea, slung the Six Paths Sword over his back, and stood to leave.
"Teacher, won't you meet the people of the Ninja Sect?" Hagoromo asked.
After all, the Ninja Sect had been founded in Manji's name.
As the Grandmaster, Manji ought to make an appearance, at least once.
"No. Your Ninja Sect is doing very well. I hope it continues to grow."
Manji rose as he spoke.
Though the whole world worshiped him as a god, Manji himself was rather indifferent to fame and fortune.
It was just an empty title. He practiced Senjutsu, after all—not a way of cultivation that relied on offerings...
Just then, one of Hagoromo's followers walked in.
"Reporting to Lord Hagoromo, today we helped another... Oh my heavens! Grandmaster?!"
The follower began his report, but the moment he saw Manji beside Hagoromo, he cried out in shock!
"A disciple of the Ninja Sect pays respects to the Grandmaster!"
The follower bowed excitedly.
It was his first time seeing the Grandmaster! The living Grandmaster!
It was like having the Taishang Laojun you'd always worshiped suddenly appear in your home.
"Mm. Rise. There's no need for such formalities."
Manji smiled faintly. He remembered how everyone had knelt to him the instant his face appeared in a temple, and couldn't help laughing.
Hagoromo smiled awkwardly.
"I'm leaving. There's no need to see me off."
Manji raised a hand slightly, then used Senjutsu. A light mist swirled around him, and he vanished...
After leaving the Ninja Sect, Manji visited several places in the human world.
He also stopped by to see the Tailed Beasts.
The Tailed Beasts were living fairly freely. Since shinobi hadn't yet appeared in large numbers, everyone powerful belonged to the Ninja Sect.
The powerless commoners didn't dare go near the Nine-Tails.
On top of that, the systems of governance were still primitive, and no countries had been established.
The Tailed Beasts were very much at ease.
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