Chapter 16 Planting Trees During the Ninja Clan Era (16) I Believe in Your Love...
As Xilin City developed, the relationship between Xilin City and the Ninja Clan became increasingly tense. Every three days or so, the lords of the two sides would fight each other.
Watching the city lord of Xilin City and the sect leader of the Ninja Sect fight fiercely, with lightning and fire raging and the primeval forest undergoing a great revival, the other territorial lords all cowered like quails, each as obedient as possible.
There was nothing they could do; they were simply not in the same league as those two. Those two could wipe out their entire army with a single slap.
Of course, the battle between Indra and Asura would not involve others. Both of them were pure and simple-minded, and there was nothing they couldn't prove with their fists.
Thus, their ideological debate continued year after year.
Before his death, the Sage of Six Paths passed on his chakra and abilities to Ashura. Coupled with Ashura's relentless efforts, which almost pushed him to the limit, Ashura was able to catch up with Indra, who had also been training diligently, within a few years. If Indra hadn't also made significant progress under the tutelage of Takeya Senju, he would have been dragged into Ashura's fighting rhythm and ultimately defeated.
Even though he always acknowledged Ashura's talent and hard work, Indra was determined not to let the dim-witted Ashura catch up to him. This was true whether Ashura was his beloved younger brother or just a persistent obstacle.
Even so, Indra still felt resentful that the pace of each battle was being prolonged by Asura, and he began to feel powerless.
Although he could reach an even higher level, like his father, by using Sage Mode, and immediately suppress and defeat Ashura—
However, even now, Indra still needs the assistance of Platinum to activate Sage Mode. He needs too much natural energy to activate Sage Mode, but his absorption efficiency is limited, and his physical strength is not strong enough for him to act recklessly. Only with Platinum's assistance can he safely and significantly shorten the time required to absorb and convert natural chakra.
In a tight yet long battle, the enemy won't give you time to unleash your ultimate attack. During this process, neither he nor Little White Gold can move; Susanoo must block first. Judging from Ashura's explosive power, it's highly likely that Little White Gold will be injured during this process.
Moreover... Indra didn't want to involve the little white gold that Thousand Hand Bamboo also cared about so much in his karma with Ashura.
Knowing Indra's thoughts, Senju Takeshi did not try to dissuade him. He respected Indra and also respected Indra's choice of his own life.
To put it coldly and cruelly, it is about respecting individual destiny.
As Indra went out more and more frequently and for longer periods of time, Senju Takeshi, who rarely spoke on his own initiative, called out to Indra, who had just stepped out the door, for the first time, "Indra, I am a person with few emotions. If you die, I probably won't shed a single tear."
This was also the first time that Senju Takeya had dissected himself to Indra, stating in an extremely straightforward manner that he was a cold-hearted person.
The man in the dark blue robe stopped and turned slightly to look at the boy. The boy's expression was as calm as ever. He also saw the snow-white rabbit sitting on the table. The rabbit's dark, round eyes were as calm and gentle as when he first met it, as if it was waiting for something.
After a brief eye contact with the boy, Indra smiled and said, "Even so, I believe that my elder brother loves me."
The boy's eyelashes fluttered slightly as he slowly lowered his eyelids, saying nothing more.
—Did you sense it too, elder brother?
Yes, Indra sensed it. What was about to happen would be his final battle with Asura, a battle that would determine who would ultimately win and who would lose. The outcome would inevitably be the death of at least one of them.
Even if Indra dies in battle, he will not accept Ashura's ideology, much less agree with the 'love' Ashura speaks of.
He denies everything about Ashura, just as he has abandoned the past along with Ashura.
“Brother,” Indra spoke again slowly, his tone soft and somewhat ethereal, “If I am unable to return on my own, please take me home and bury me under the sapling.”
Thousand Hand Bamboo remained silent and did not look at Indra; he simply gazed at the tea in his hand.
Only after Indra's shadow slowly and resolutely left the treehouse did Senju Takeya raise his eyes again to look at the bright doorway. Outside the window, spring was in full bloom, with lush greenery everywhere. The bright sunlight pierced into Senju Takeya's dull and lifeless eyes, but then seemed to be swallowed by a black hole, without causing the slightest ripple.
Little Platinum raised its front paw and gently placed it on the hand of Senju Takeya, who was tightly holding the teacup. The warm and soft touch brought it back to its senses. The tea in the cup trembled and rippled. Only then did Senju Takeya move as if he had wound up a machine and rubbed Little Platinum's head.
Unfortunately, in the end, Indra decided to face his predetermined fate alone, even though he realized that he was almost certain to lose this battle.
Just how sacred and inviolable Senju Takeya was in Indra's eyes, even Senju Takeya himself had no idea. To what extent was it so sacred that Indra felt it was a mistake to let Senju Takeya's summoning beast, Shirokino, interfere in his battle with Ashura.
Stubborn and obstinate like Indra chooses to protect Senju Takeya in his own way, even though Senju Takeya thinks he is foolish and doesn't care.
But Indra also knew that his elder brother would never dare to call him stupid; at most, he would just call him dumb.
Indra's core is strength and stability. He ultimately became the kind of person he wanted to be, unburdened by external things and undisturbed by the voices of others. Even if there were other better options, and he knew that his decision was stubborn and foolish, he would not hesitate or regret it.
After his death, Xilin City still had an older brother.
The Thousand-Hand Bamboo has always been Indra's greatest source of confidence and courage.
The struggle between him and Asura was no longer a simple matter of the Ninja Sect blocking the way to Xilin City; it was a struggle concerning ideals and ideologies, in which neither side could back down, because if they did, Indra would no longer be Indra.
Thank you, brother, for tolerating his willfulness until the very end.
——
Indra's unwavering denial and indifference only made Asura more incomprehensible, leading him to become even more obsessive, determined to get the answer he wanted from Indra.
It's as if one of these brothers was destined to go mad.
Black Zetsu witnessed firsthand how the once incredibly close and trusting relationship between the Otsutsuki brothers gradually deteriorated to its current state.
Indra never married or had children, devoting himself entirely to his career. If Indra had spared even a fraction of the attention he spent on his brother for his suitors, he would probably have had a harem and countless children by now. But reality is too cruel. Unbeknownst to him, Black Zetsu, who had become a patriarchal figure, was filled with rage. Black Zetsu had never seen such a devoted and selfless brother-obsessed career man!
Asura already has three or four children, while Indra, as the older brother, can't even find a potential wife by his side.
Black Zetsu sensed something was very wrong; it was likely that it would have to resort to some means, such as using Indra's flesh and blood to cultivate a new 'Indra'.
As Black Zetsu predicted, Ashura won a pyrrhic victory in the final battle.
On the desolate and rugged battlefield, ravaged by relentless bombing, Asura, the victor, showed no joy. He looked at his brother, who lay on the ground, never to open his eyes to him again, never to smile at him. His eyes were lifeless, and his face was ashen.
Until the very last moment, Indra did not acknowledge him; this man never intended to 'admit defeat'—indeed, struggle can never bring recognition or love, only endless pain.
It hurts so much, brother. It hurts so much, both physically and emotionally, that he can't breathe.
But it's okay. If you can't do it in this life, then try in the next life. If you can't do it in the next life, then try the one after that.
He will not admit defeat, and he will never give up...
Sensing something, Black Zetsu, who had been watching the battle, quickly concealed himself and burrowed underground.
As expected, it was the soul of the Sage of Six Paths, who couldn't find peace even in death. It seemed he intended to take away Indra's soul. That didn't matter, as Indra's soul was useless to Black Zetsu. Black Zetsu already knew that Indra's self-awareness was too strong and extremely difficult to control, a fact that the Sage of Six Paths also understood.
Since Ashura is not dead, it only needs Indra's chakra, eyes, and body. Once it obtains these, Ashura can evolve the Rinnegan and become the next 'Sage of Six Paths'.
Then, if it guides Ashura a little further, it might be able to achieve Infinite Tsukuyomi and successfully split the moon to save its mother! At that point, even the Six Paths Old Thief would be powerless to reverse the situation!
It is unknown what Indra's obsession was, as if he had an unfinished mission. His chakra and soul clung tightly to his gradually cooling body, refusing to come out.
The Sage of Six Paths had only extracted a small portion of Indra's chakra, and before he could even marvel at its astonishing purity, the ravaged earth suddenly burst forth with vibrant green. Branches covered in tender green leaves and tree roots wrapped in moss grew like a tidal wave, their immense and thriving natural chakra forming a transparent curtain, interrupting the Sage of Six Paths' further extraction.
The Sage of Six Paths hadn't expected anyone to appear at this time, but their appearance clearly indicated ill intent: "Who?!"
The black-haired boy in the very center of the protective circle of vegetation walked up to Indra. He looked down at Indra, whose body was soaked in blood, his face devoid of any emotion. The moment Indra came into the boy's eyes, Ashura felt that Indra had truly died, died in those dark and terrifying eyes, with a kind of unspeakable sorrow.
After a moment, the boy raised his eyelids, his eyes looking at the Sage of Six Paths without any emotion.
The Sage of Six Paths' alarm bells rang, frantically warning the boy before him of extreme danger.
Ashura felt a terrifying sense of oppression, but the terror that almost instantly crushed his body and mind quickly disappeared. He only heard a sound wave that seemed to explode after the air was compressed to the extreme, and a roaring hurricane swept past him violently. He had to keep his body in a crawling position to avoid being blown away in his extremely weak state.
what happened? !
Ashura discovered that his father, in his soul form, had disappeared. He looked up, his gaze only catching up with the last two sonic booms, so terrifying they seemed to tear the sky apart.
In the blink of an eye, the boy returned to Indra's side. Unlike when he first appeared, the boy's face was covered with strange and beautiful fiery cloud patterns, like the starry night of the universe. His long, black hair spread out like clouds and floated against gravity, becoming blurred near the ends. His robes, as if cut from the night sky, moved without wind.
A silvery-white halo appeared between the boy's dark irises and the whites of his eyes. This dazzling silvery-white halo was slowly rotating inward, making his impenetrable black eyes seem even more like...
Black hole.
These eyes are empty, yet they contain everything.
He himself is like a solemn poem composing the chapters of time. He only needs to stand there, and the world will know the existence and appearance of the deity. He does not need to prove himself, speak, or express his opinion.
If Indra could still open his eyes, he would know that this was the boy's Sage Mode. The boy had unknowingly become more adept at and more powerful in Sage Mode.
—This is the second time that Senju Takeya has used Sage Mode.
Undoubtedly, he had become stronger, but this power now made him feel somewhat powerless and empty.
His anger, his grief, all his emotions seemed to be silent, so silent that he himself could not perceive them except through instinct... His love was the same.
A note from the author:
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I believe in your love; let these be my last words.
—Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds
Indra's fate remained largely unchanged: he was not loved by his father, betrayed the Ninja Clan, fought with his younger brother Ashura, and ultimately died in a battle with Ashura. Even his chakra was manipulated by his father (into a reincarnation to deal with Kaguya Otsutsuki, who was later released). The only and biggest difference was that he had an older brother whom he deeply loved and who also deeply loved him. Until the last moment of his life, he believed in this unquestionable love, was proud of it, and boasted about it. His heart became more steadfast and strong, and even though he could see his end and fate, he would only rush towards it without wavering.
Indra, understanding the Asuras, knew that dying at their hands would bring them more pain and regret, and that Asura would inevitably become more tolerant and yielding towards the city of Hiruzen. Therefore, Indra was quite pleased; he was truly ruthless towards the Asuras. (whispering)
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