The fierce clash stalled for an instant.
It was neither exhaustion nor a tactical adjustment. Instead, the Sage of Six Paths slipped a seemingly casual remark into a gap in his relentless assault-one that struck straight at the heart.
His voice, carrying the loneliness and scrutiny of someone who had weathered countless years, reached Naruto's ears clearly:
"Have you, once so lonely, truly become part of this world now?"
It was a verbal tactic intended to shake Naruto psychologically.
But Naruto Uzumaki now had just about the most fulfilling life imaginable. Loneliness?
Not a chance.
Hearing that, Naruto swung his Truth-Seeking Orb Staff without the slightest hesitation. Instead, a warm, confident smile curled his lips, and his verbal counter came even faster than his strike:
"Compared to me, with girls who like me, friends who support me unconditionally, and parents whose love I've regained..."
Naruto looked straight into the Sage of Six Paths' deep Rinnegan, his tone carrying an undeniable challenge:
"Aren't you the lonelier one, Sage of Six Paths?"
Those words were like a precisely cut key, unlocking the past buried within the Sage of Six Paths' long life-the memories he was reluctant to mention.
His first love, the woman who had once stirred his heart, had died at the will of his mother, Kaguya, designated as a sacrifice to the God Tree...
It was a tragedy that had ended before it could blossom, one stained with betrayal and blood.
His first love's death had been the spark that led directly to Hagoromo's break with his mother, Kaguya, setting off the world-shaking battle between mother and sons.
After sealing his mother, he had parted ways with his younger brother, Hamura. One remained in the Shinobi World, while the other went to the moon to guard the seal.
Later came