238 Naruto: Snatching the Mangekyō

Tsunade's eyes widened as if recalling something, and she turned sharply to Akira.

"Fifth Hokage, based on your theory, does that mean the Sage of Six Paths, his brother, and even their mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, might still be alive?"

Akira shook his head. "I can't definitively say what their current status is. Perhaps they're alive, or perhaps they've passed away—it's difficult to determine."

Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, however, was known to still exist, though in a sealed state.

As for Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and Ōtsutsuki Hamura, their fates were far more ambiguous.

Especially Hagoromo—the sheer power and chakra he left behind were unprecedented for someone supposedly dead. He had distributed enough chakra to his sons' reincarnations to re-seal Kaguya. Originally, it had taken both him and his brother three long months of battle to achieve the same feat.

Yet millennia later, just two fragments of his chakra were enough to contend with and suppress Kaguya again.

While there were undoubtedly some coincidences at play, there was no doubt that the chakra Hagoromo distributed was capable of matching Kaguya's power.

Akira firmly believed that, had Naruto and Sasuke failed in the original timeline, Hagoromo himself would have risen from the grave to seal Kaguya again.

As for Hamura, Akira was equally certain that he, too, was in a state where he could re-emerge at any time.

Even in death, their chakra could traverse between the Pure Land and the Shinobi World. Unlike ordinary individuals, their connection to the world didn't sever upon death.

"I thought you knew everything," Tsunade remarked, a touch of regret in her tone.

Beside her, Fugaku and Shisui shared similar looks of disappointment.

Akira smiled faintly and shook his head.

"How could I possibly know everything? There's so much even I can't grasp."

At that moment, Fugaku, watching the stalemate in the battle above, couldn't help but ask,

"Akira, you've encountered Kaguya, the Sage of Six Paths, and his brother. Compared to them, do you think this Ōtsutsuki Isshiki is stronger or weaker?"

Hearing Fugaku's question, Tsunade and Shisui turned their attention toward Akira.

The sky above roared with thunderous clashes. Nagato and Isshiki, in his second state with the Kāma activated, exchanged blows that stirred a stormy vortex of white energy.

Over time, Nagato began to adapt to Isshiki's fighting rhythm, no longer stuck in a defensive position.

Watching the fierce battle, Akira didn't hesitate to reply,

"In his current state, Isshiki is weaker than Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and far weaker than Hagoromo or Hamura."

Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise. "The Sage of Six Paths and his family are that powerful?" she muttered, clearly stunned.

"Who, then, was the Sage's father? Surely someone like that must've been a terrifying figure within the Ōtsutsuki clan."

Akira's expression turned peculiar, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.

"What's so funny, Fifth Hokage?" Tsunade's eyebrows arched in confusion. "Is there something strange about the Sage's father?"

Not just Tsunade—Fugaku and Shisui also wore puzzled expressions.

In their understanding, exceptional bloodlines always had a strong origin, like the Senju, Uchiha, or Uzumaki clans.

Akira chuckled. "The Sage of Six Paths and his brother didn't have a father."

"What?" Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief. "No father? Then how were they born?"

"According to the official account, after Kaguya became the Rabbit Goddess, she was blessed by the prayers of the people. It was through these blessings that Hagoromo and Hamura were born," Akira explained.

"The blessings of the people?" Tsunade repeated, her face blank with confusion. Then, as if struck by a realization, she pressed further, "Do you mean real, sincere blessings?"

Shisui blinked, utterly baffled, clearly not following the conversation.

Fugaku, however, had a more serious expression, though the corner of his eye twitched at the bizarre implications.

Tsunade's free-spirited thoughts were clearly difficult to keep up with, even for Fugaku, who was a father himself.

Akira paused, then laughed. "Of course, I mean genuine blessings—not that kind of 'blessing.'"

Tsunade sighed in relief. "To achieve something like that, Kaguya must've truly transcended humanity. No wonder she's remembered as the Rabbit Goddess in myth and legend!"

Both Fugaku and Shisui nodded, awe etched onto their faces. Such abilities indeed defied human understanding and bordered on the divine.

Fugaku then asked, "Since that's the official account, is there an alternative explanation?"

"Of course," Akira nodded, "but it's just my theory—nothing concrete."

"Let's hear it," Tsunade said, curiosity glinting in her eyes.

"You're all familiar with the story of the Divine Tree bearing its fruit, correct?" Akira asked.

Tsunade nodded, her tone serious. "Yes, we've learned about it. From the pseudo-Divine Tree, we've already seen a glimpse of the power it holds. The chakra fruit it produces must contain unimaginable energy."

"I suspect that Hagoromo and Hamura were born after Kaguya consumed the chakra fruit. The fruit's power was so immense that her body couldn't fully process it, and giving birth was her way of expelling a portion of that energy," Akira explained.

Tsunade froze, then asked, "So you're saying the Sage of Six Paths and his brother were essentially embodiments of the chakra fruit? And that's why they were so powerful?"

"Not quite," Akira corrected. "I believe they weren't merely fragments of the fruit's power. They were also Ōtsutsuki, inheriting the unparalleled abilities of the clan."

Hearing this, Tsunade, Fugaku, and Shisui fell into thoughtful silence.

After a moment, Shisui stroked his chin and said, "I think Akira's theory aligns with the facts we know."

"That makes sense," Fugaku agreed with a nod.

"Ultimately, the truth may only be known to Kaguya herself," Tsunade said, shaking her head.

"Perhaps the reality combines elements of both theories."

"It's possible," Akira admitted.

"For now, let's set aside ancient history. Our priority is dealing with the two combatants up there," Fugaku said, glancing at the sky.

Above them, the battle between Nagato and Isshiki raged on, their blows exchanging with explosive force.

The fight was intense, with both sides demonstrating overwhelming power.

However, it was clear that Nagato was at a disadvantage. Isshiki's abilities were unpredictable, making it hard for Nagato to anticipate and counter his moves.

The Rinnegan didn't possess the same level of insight or motion-tracking capability as the Sharingan. Against Isshiki's Daikokuten and Sukunahikona techniques, Nagato often found himself caught off guard.

Fortunately, Nagato's immortal body allowed him to endure the black rods Isshiki used, preventing them from dealing any lethal damage.