NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: Samsara Eye
"The Great Toad Sage's prophecy… it was true after all." These words from the Sage of Six Paths fell like sparks onto the fading embers of Naruto's spirit, rekindling a desperate flicker of hope. Tears welled in Naruto's eyes as he staggered to his feet, his voice trembling yet steady. "What… what do you mean?" he asked, staring intently at the Sage.
The Sage of Six Paths regarded Naruto with a knowing smile. "Have you not wondered why you're here, Naruto?"
Naruto froze. The question hung in the air, heavy with meaning. It hit him—hadn't the Sage of Six Paths disappeared entirely after the Fourth Great Ninja War? Why now? Why him? His breath caught in his throat as realization dawned. Could it be…?
Hope sparked anew in his gaze as he looked toward the Sage, desperate for answers.
The Sage's eyes softened. "Yes, Naruto. Boruto did not defeat the Otsutsuki clan… but the Great Toad Sage's prophecy remains fulfilled. Because Boruto accomplished one critical thing—he sent you here to meet me."
Naruto's heart pounded. "Sent me here? You're saying I'm here because of Boruto?"
The Sage nodded solemnly. "Yes. Though your body perished in the battle, your soul was preserved—saved by Boruto through the power of his Pure Eye."
Naruto's breath hitched. The Pure Eye… Boruto's dojutsu, born of Otsutsuki bloodline secrets. But how—?
The Sage continued, his voice low but deliberate. "Before his defeat, Boruto activated a forbidden technique inscribed within his Pure Eye. Using an Otsutsuki relic—this divine plow—he sacrificed himself to send your soul here. It was his final act."
Naruto's knees buckled, and tears streamed down his face. "Boruto… my son… my good son…" His voice cracked as he clutched his chest, grief and pride intertwining in his heart.
The Sage extended his hand, revealing a cracked, jagged relic shimmering faintly with residual energy. "This," he said, "is the divine weapon—an artifact of the Otsutsuki clan."
Naruto wiped his eyes, his gaze locking onto the relic. "This… this is the plow? The Otsutsuki's magic weapon?"
The Sage nodded gravely. "Indeed. Through this relic, Boruto sacrificed everything to execute the forbidden technique. But, Naruto, his act wasn't merely one of desperation. It was calculated, deliberate. He knew what he was doing."
Naruto's brows furrowed, confusion clouding his features. "But… how? How could Boruto have known all of this? Known that sending me here would change the ninja world? And how did he even learn the Otsutsuki clan's forbidden techniques?" His voice trailed off, his mind swirling with questions.
The Sage's eyes dimmed with sorrow. "Your confusion is valid, Naruto. But before I answer, let me pose a question of my own." He paused, meeting Naruto's gaze. "After everything you've experienced—after witnessing the might of the Otsutsuki and the suffering of the ninja world—do you still believe my path was the right one?"
Naruto froze, the weight of the question bearing down on him. Memories of his ideals—of peace, of love, of understanding—flooded his mind, only to be eclipsed by the harsh reality of his journey. Slowly, he shook his head. "No. I… I don't. The Otsutsuki are too powerful. If the ninja world is to survive, we must gain the strength to fight back, no matter the cost."
The Sage's expression darkened. He sighed deeply, the burden of centuries evident in his voice. "I see. Perhaps… my mother's fears were justified after all. My decisions… my vision… it seems I was wrong."
Naruto did not argue. The boy who once believed in universal love, in a world where understanding could triumph over hate, was gone. In his place stood a man hardened by loss and sacrifice, his ideals tempered by reality.
Breaking the heavy silence, the Sage offered a faint smile. "But all is not lost. Hamura, my brother, foresaw this moment long ago. His contingency… it was the right one."
Naruto frowned, his curiosity piqued. "Hamura? What does he have to do with this?"
The Sage of Six Paths leaned forward, his voice dipping to a near whisper. "Hamura awakened the Pure Eye. Like Boruto. Through it, he glimpsed fragments of time—past and future, intertwined. He sought to understand our mother's fear of the stars, her constant vigilance. And then, he saw the truth: the Otsutsuki clan beyond this world. A force so terrifying it dwarfed even Kaguya."
Naruto's breath caught in his throat. "You mean… you knew? You knew about the Otsutsuki all along?"
The Sage's gaze fell, his voice heavy with regret. "Hamura warned me. But at the time, his visions were fragmented, unreliable. I gambled that our world could achieve peace without succumbing to the fear of external threats. I was wrong. My gamble failed."
Naruto clenched his fists, a mixture of anger and understanding bubbling within him. "So you knew the stakes… and still chose this path?"
"Yes," the Sage admitted, his voice laced with sorrow. "But Hamura insisted on a failsafe. His Pure Eye revealed something extraordinary—fragments of a future where hope endured. Through his connection to our mother's chakra, he uncovered the Otsutsuki's darkest secret: the Pure Eye's true name."
Naruto stared, his breath shallow. "What is it?"
The Sage's eyes narrowed, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "The Otsutsuki clan calls it the Samsara Eye—the eye that gazes into eternity."