Indra and Asura had also become famous after people learned that the leader of the Sage Sect, the Ancestor of Sage Arts, was their uncle. On top of that, the brothers traveled all over the world, teaching people how to grow crops and raise livestock. They became renowned as the Gods of Farming and Animal Husbandry.
But the names the world's ninja and swordsmen called them were different. Indra was the God of Ninjutsu, while Asura was the God of Taijutsu.
The brothers only reasoned with ordinary people. When dealing with powerful ninja and swordsmen, however, they played by the rules of strength.
Although ninjutsu had been passed down by Otsutsuki Hagoromo, not everyone knew Indra and Asura. Besides, in this era, swordsmen outnumbered ninja.
Most swordsmen revered the way of the sword. They pursued the pinnacle of swordsmanship and inner resilience. In their eyes, Indra's ninjutsu was miraculous, but it ultimately relied on external forces, while Asura's taijutsu was true power—a perfect union of body and will.
For this reason, the swordsmen revered Asura far more than Indra. They imitated his taijutsu, hoping to grasp the truth of the way of the sword through it. Asura was happy to teach them. He believed that ninjutsu and taijutsu were both expressions of power, and that as long as one had love in one's heart, one could unleash limitless strength.
As time passed, Asura's taijutsu spread among the swordsmen and became a new school of its own. This style emphasized training the body and tempering the will, aiming for the power to kill with a single strike. Indra's ninjutsu was also popular for its wonder and uniqueness, but the swordsmen still favored Asura's taijutsu.
Though the brothers each possessed different powers, they both understood one thing: power wasn't meant for showing off. It was meant to protect themselves and the people they loved. So they held fast to this belief, always remaining steadfast and courageous in the face of any hardship or challenge.
Their names and deeds were passed down, and they became heroes of legend. Their power and spirit also inspired countless people to press forward and seek the strength and convictions within themselves.
Both sons were exceptional, and the question of who would inherit the Ninja Sect—
It gave Otsutsuki Hagoromo quite a headache.
But Otsutsuki Hagoromo was not yet fifty and was still in his prime.
He had time to think it over.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo looked at his two sons, who were much more mature than they had been three years ago.
"Asura, Indra!"
"You've both done very well, but that's still far from enough to become the Ninja Sect's heir.
"At the very least, you'll have to reach the Six Paths Realm!"
Otsutsuki Hagoromo spoke calmly.
"The Six Paths Realm?
"Is that the level Uncle has been pursuing?"
Asura asked curiously.
"That's right, but I feel that Yuhao will reach the Six Paths Realm soon—within a year at the earliest, or three years at the latest.
"Only then will you have the strength needed to protect the Ninja Sect."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo told his two sons.
"I'll leave the Ninja Sect heir position to Asura.
"My dream now is to become a Six Paths powerhouse, just like Uncle Yuhao.
"My goal is the stars and the sea, not a small Ninja Sect."
Indra's face shone with confidence and pride. He stood tall, looking sharply at his father, Otsutsuki Hagoromo.
With that, Indra strode out confidently. Every step radiated confidence and strength, as if the whole world trembled beneath his feet.
His confidence made him seem full of himself.
"So... so cool!"
Asura stared blankly at his older brother, Indra.
"I've decided! My goal is the stars and—
"Ow! Father, why did you hit me?"
Asura looked at his father, Otsutsuki Hagoromo, in confusion, his expression adorably blank.
"Since your brother doesn't want the position, you're the heir!
"And what's all this about the stars and the sea? That's complete nonsense."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo snapped angrily.
The brothers had suddenly decided they didn't want to inherit the Ninja Sect. Otsutsuki Hagoromo was first surprised, then helpless.
In his view, both Indra and Asura were already capable of leading the Ninja Sect. They were simply both so exceptional that he couldn't decide which one to choose.
He had planned to watch them for a while longer.
But he never expected that after spending three years away, the two boys would both refuse to become the heir.
Meanwhile, in the Sea Realm.
Otsutsuki Yuhao had no idea that his influence had led Asura and Indra to reject inheriting the Ninja Sect. Both of them now wanted to travel the world and have fun, just as he had once done.
Over the past three years, more than a thousand babies had been born in the Sea Realm.
After Otsutsuki Yuhao introduced a childbearing allowance, he gave a family an A-rank ninjutsu for every child they had. This sent young couples in the Sage Sect into a baby-making frenzy. They had one child a year, and after three years, every family had three children. The number of births was likely to keep rising year by year.
There were now more newborns in the Sea Realm than adults.
This made Otsutsuki Yuhao start thinking about how to ensure a fair distribution of resources and environmental sustainability while still allowing the population to grow.
He began discussing the matter with the Sage Sect elders and drawing up a detailed set of policies and plans.
First, they decided to adjust the childbearing allowance. Instead of simply giving an A-rank ninjutsu for every child, they would assess each family's financial circumstances, the child's health, and the parents' ability to raise children, then provide a more appropriate reward.
At the same time, they encouraged young couples to have fewer, healthier children, focusing not just on the number of children but also on their well-being.
Second, Otsutsuki Yuhao proposed a "Green Development Plan." He advocated developing the economy and culture while protecting the natural environment. They began establishing nature reserves throughout the Sea Realm, forbidding excessive extraction and destruction. They also encouraged the use of clean energy to reduce pollution.
In addition, they organized a series of cultural activities to help the Sea Realm's residents better understand and cherish their cultural traditions.
Finally, Otsutsuki Yuhao decided to increase investment in education.
He knew that a people's future lay in education. So he proposed building more schools throughout the Sea Realm and providing children with better educational resources.
He also encouraged adults to pursue lifelong learning and continually improve their education and skills.
As time passed, these policies and plans were gradually put into practice.
Population growth in the Sea Realm began to stabilize, and the environment was effectively protected. With the support of these policies and plans, the Sea Realm's residents also came to lead happier, better lives.
"What's that?"
Otsutsuki Yuhao stood atop a nine-story High Tower.
The tower stood thirty-five meters tall. It was a wooden tower Otsutsuki Yuhao had created with Wood Release, and his laboratory was inside.
At that moment, Otsutsuki Yuhao sensed Space-Time Ninjutsu appearing nearby, ten kilometers away.
A three- or four-meter-wide spiral black hole suddenly appeared in the sky above Otsutsuki Town.
Two figures, one tall and one short, dropped from the sky.
A young man and a boy of eleven or twelve landed on the ground.
The boy had blond hair and azure eyes. His hairstyle resembled a leaf, and whisker-like markings crossed his cheeks.
The young man wore a gray shirt beneath a blue-and-white vest. The sleeve on his left side hung empty, and he wore a ninja glove on his right hand. He had on dark gray trousers and modern ninja boots, along with a black cloak. Long bangs covered his left eye.
"Uncle, is this Konoha from twenty years ago?"
The boy asked curiously.
The young man frowned and surveyed their surroundings.
"No. I've never been here before!"
"Otsutsuki Town. Could this place have something to do with Otsutsuki Urashiki?"
The boy stared curiously at the three-meter-tall boulder, on which four characters had been written in red.
"Beep, beep! Beep, beep!"
"Because you and Otsutsuki Urashiki fought inside the time-space tunnel, something went wrong as you traveled through time.
"You've arrived more than a thousand years in the past, and Urashiki will arrive here a few days after you."
The voice of the time-space tool, Karasuki, came from Sasuke's pocket.
"What? We're more than a thousand years in the past?
"No wonder I don't recognize this place at all."
Uchiha Sasuke exclaimed in surprise.
"Who are you?"
Just then, Otsutsuki Yuhao appeared in midair.
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