The Real Veteran Has Arrived.

Manji suddenly realized that Indra might be about to die!

In the original history, the two brothers merely fought to a mutual stalemate, after which they lived their separate lives, never interfering with one another, before eventually passing away and reincarnating.

But at this moment, Asura had gathered the collective bonds of the entire Ninja Sect, and the palm strikes of the Thousand-Handed Buddha, laden with billions of strands of chakra, had long since transcended a simple contest of victory or defeat.

Hagoromo's expression remained calm, yet he showed no intention of intervening; the combined power of the entire Ninja Sect was being unleashed, intent on completely erasing Indra, leaving him no room even for reincarnation!

"Ah------!!!!"

A heart-wrenching howl pierced the clouds!

Indra's Susanoo shattered completely into fragments of chakra, his physical body crushed by the immense force until his bones cracked and his tendons snapped, half of his body embedded deep into the parched earth, blood gushing from the corners of his mouth and soaking the robes across his chest.

Those eyes, usually so arrogant and filled with defiance and rage, now held only the unfocused gaze of the dying, fixed solely upon the blurred figure in the sky.

With his last ounce of strength, he whispered:

"Grandmaster... save me..."

The voice was as faint as a candle in the wind, yet it struck the softest part of Manji's heart.

He had lived for nearly a thousand years, witnessing countless partings and deaths, the rise and fall of dynasties, and had long ago buried his emotions and desires deep within, priding himself on being heartless and detached, merely a spectator of the world.

But Indra was the first disciple he had taught by hand.

Although he had countless disciples.

Most were toads and animals; Indra was the only one who was truly human.

From a child, to a youth gripping a kunai and practicing Hand Seals, to the powerhouse who awakened the Sharingan and looked down upon the world—every step had been guided by him.

"Sigh, Indra cannot die yet..."

"I have no choice but to step in and pull him back..."

Manji murmured.

Whether for his own emotions or for his own interests.

"Fukasaku, you go back. When I return, I will dictate this history and you shall write it down."

Manji looked calmly at Fukasaku.

"As you command." Fukasaku immediately performed Hand Seals and vanished.

"Hum----!!!"

The space around Manji suddenly twisted, and an invisible pressure, like the sky collapsing, crashed down, instantly enveloping the entire battlefield!

"Boom------!!!"

A force of Immortal Art, unprecedented in its ferocity, suddenly descended upon the battlefield!

It was as if a deity from the nine heavens had personally intervened in the affairs of the mortal realm!

Hagoromo, down below, suddenly looked up, his eyes widening as he stared at the sky in disbelief.

This Immortal Art chakra... it is that lord!!!

Asura, who was driving the Thousand-Handed Buddha to launch a fierce assault, felt his pupils constrict. He felt his entire body's chakra suddenly stagnate, as if gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, rendering him unable to move.

The towering Thousand-Handed Buddha, its billions of palm strikes frozen in mid-air, looked like a still painting.

The next second--

"Crack--!!"

A crisp shattering sound rang out, and all the palm strikes disintegrated, dissipating into the air as void chakra.

Hagoromo's Rinnegan trembled as he looked up at the figure stepping slowly from the sky, his aged face revealing extreme gravity for the first time.

"That person has intervened... but... why?"

Hagoromo's pupils were filled with shock, yet his heart was clouded with confusion.

That lord has intervened... but why?!

Why would he intervene?

He had always refrained from interfering in the affairs of the Ninja Sect!

He hadn't even appeared in public since the founding of the Ninja Sect.

Why today?

"Father! What is that?!"

Asura asked in shock.

Hagoromo's face was full of gravity.

It was the first time Asura had seen such gravity in his father's eyes.

"That person has come... but I do not know why he would appear..."

Hagoromo said to Asura with a grave expression.

"Who is it? What is his name?"

Asura asked, puzzled.

"That name, it cannot be spoken, it must not be spoken, one cannot call him by his name directly..."

Hagoromo said slowly.

Asura was shocked in his heart; looking at his father's expression, he seemed to have guessed who that person was...

"Does that person truly exist... Why... why would he appear at a time like this?"

Asura said in disbelief.

"I fear only the heavens know..."

Hagoromo clenched his fists, his eyes also filled with confusion.

He, Hagoromo, did not know much about Manji; Manji was simply too good at hiding, and one might not see him even once in a hundred years. Regarding Manji's background and origins, Hagoromo could not discern them.

As for his goals and intentions, those were even more unknown.

"Good heavens!"

The members of the Ninja Sect widened their eyes, their hearts shaken. What kind of turn of events was this!?

Such heaven-and-earth-shaking power was truly an eye-opener for them.

The battle between Indra and Asura was already a clash of gods to them.

The Thousand-Handed Buddha, which was larger than a mountain just a moment ago, had been annihilated with the flick of a finger—how terrifying!

Now, another change had occurred, making them feel as if they were gazing upon the bright moon!

Sarutobi watched that radiance, his mind trembling.

It was that person!

When he was still a child, it was that person who had personally delivered him here.

If the old immortal hadn't personally chosen him back then, he would still be herding cattle in the countryside.

Of course, there was nothing wrong with herding cattle.

But for him, ninjutsu opened up a vast world!

Sarutobi then began to slowly kneel down without drawing attention.

"That lord has come..."

Sarutobi's face was full of awe; he dared not call him by his name.

The disciples of the Ninja Sect saw their senior brother Sarutobi actually kneeling and were immediately filled with doubt.

Holy crap! The senior brother of the Ninja Sect actually knelt directly!

"Senior Brother Sarutobi? You..."

A disciple was filled with confusion.

Sarutobi pressed his palms together: "The true god has come..."

"What does Senior Brother mean by this?"

Some were still puzzled.

Sarutobi was slightly speechless. Had they not seen the look on Hagoromo's face? The only one who could make Hagoromo look so grave was likely the Sage of Six Paths.

"The true veteran has arrived..."

Sarutobi's face was full of piety.

Manji hovered in mid-air, his white robes fluttering, Immortal Art permeating the air, causing the entire world to fall silent.

Manji lowered his eyes to look at the dying Indra on the ground. A trace of complexity flashed through his eyes, which then turned into cold indifference.

"Indra, your master has come to assist you..."

He flicked his finger, and a pale golden Toad Immortal Talisman chakra transformed into a ribbon of light, instantly wrapping around Indra's body, pulling him up and suspending him by his side.

That gentle yet overbearing power rapidly repaired Indra's shattered bones and stopped his gushing blood, restoring him to his original state in an instant.

At this moment, Indra was crying!

"Grandmaster! You are my true father!!!"

Hagoromo, that biological father, had watched from the sidelines as he was being killed, while Grandmaster had stepped in to help—this was a true father.

"Grandmaster... Grandmaster..."

Indra spoke weakly, tears mixed with blood sliding down. His arrogant head lowered for the first time, filled with grievances and tears.