The Dead Demon Consuming Seal—a forbidden sealing jutsu from the Uzumaki Clan—was, at its core, a technique that exchanged life for life.
Whatever Sarutobi Hiruzen's character may have been in the past, at this moment, his intent was clear: he truly meant to sacrifice himself to take down Uchiha Sasuke, the walking calamity.
Perhaps now, in his final hour, the Will of Fire finally burned bright within him. His indomitable spirit became an offering, and the spectral form of the Shinigami twisted its lips into a sinister grin. With ghostly flames clinging to its claws, it reached for Sasuke.
The chilling aura of death crept closer, tangible like a suffocating mist. Sasuke looked up at the Reaper, eyes glinting—not with fear, but with hunger. The demon inside him could see it: the Shinigami's belly was stuffed with a feast of souls.
The term "god" was always relative. For weak creatures, anything overwhelmingly powerful could be called a god. If ancient people who had never seen advanced technology suddenly witnessed a UFO soaring overhead, they'd probably drop to their knees shouting, "The gods have arrived!"
But a being worthy of recognition from a demon? That kind of "god" wasn't just some random weakling with a title. They had to wield power over laws or authority itself—or perhaps even embody a living concept with self-awareness.
Clearly, the so-called Shinigami before him was just that—a name. Nothing more.
With a burst of strength, Sasuke vanished from his original spot, reappearing beside Sarutobi in an explosion of sound. The swirling mist surged past the Shinigami, accompanied by a hissing, gnawing sound like a million insects feasting.
Rot leads to death. But this false death god couldn't even resist the rot.
Sarutobi gasped for breath. His aged eyes, murky with time, were wide with disbelief—Sasuke had dared to strike at the Reaper?
"You old relic—this is the end of the line." Sasuke's gaze shifted from the Shinigami to Hiruzen. His Mangekyō Sharingan gleamed with bloodlust. Though still young, his presence loomed like a mountain, casting a suffocating shadow over Sarutobi. Threads of the mist squirmed and slipped into the old man's nose and mouth.
Still holding the jutsu, Sarutobi couldn't dodge. He could only watch helplessly as the eerie fog entered his lungs. Agonizing pain exploded in his chest, like a swarm of ants building nests inside his respiratory system. Foul, rotten pus bubbled up from the corner of his mouth.
The pain—it was unbearable.
As the personal student of the Second Hokage, had he ever experienced pain like this before?
Well… it had been many years since he'd set foot on the battlefield. The ones suffering had always been others.
Choking on blood, Sarutobi forced his chakra into one final push, trying to direct the Shinigami's ghostly hand toward Sasuke.
But the Reaper lacked will of its own. The moment its claw broke free of the mist, it was ensnared again. No matter how it struggled, it couldn't reach Sasuke.
The cold aura spread—but it was Sasuke who was radiating it now. He watched the Reaper with a smile, but that smile brimmed with malice.
Sarutobi's blood ran cold.
Sasuke wasn't afraid of the Reaper at all! In fact… the way he looked at it—it was like he was drooling over a gourmet dish.
His chakra disintegrated. His life withered and faded. Through the unbearable pain, Sarutobi tried to speak, but not a single word came out before the light vanished from his eyes.
And so, Sarutobi Hiruzen—once hailed as a hero of the shinobi world—died like a helpless, withered fool.
...
With the death of the caster, the Shinigami that had been summoned began to fade, but it still clawed toward Hiruzen's body, desperate to claim his soul. After all, that was its price for appearing. Even in death, it had appearances to maintain.
But Sasuke only sneered.
"That's my toy. And you dare try to take it?" he said coldly. "As punishment, you're staying here. Consider it compensation."
Grinning, he willed the mist to form into chains that lashed out, binding the dissolving Shinigami in place.
The Reaper let out a guttural moan, its twisted wail echoing like a curse on the wind. With a grotesque stretch of its mouth, it lunged—tongue wrapping around a spectral blade that shot toward Sasuke.
But the blade halted—less than an inch from his face. It couldn't go any further.
Sasuke's expression was one of rapture. His eyes—deep and endless—drew everything in like a black hole. An unseen abyss opened wide, swallowing the Reaper whole, along with every soul it had consumed over the years.
Oops. Looks like he accidentally ate the Fourth Hokage too… and half the Nine-Tails.
With a grimace of distaste, the demon inside Sasuke clicked his tongue. "Ugh, dirty," he muttered. Reaching into his stomach, he casually pulled the Nine-Tails out, gave it a squeeze, then shoved it into a Poké Ball-like orb—just like the one used to contain Shukaku.
...
Meanwhile, far out at sea, a figure hovered in the sky: white robes fluttering, holding a staff in one hand, and nine black orbs floating behind him.
He let out a long sigh.
He had felt the death of the Shinigami.
The Sage of Six Paths furrowed his brow in confusion, lifting his head. The Rinnegan in his eyes glowed with violet light as he peered across endless lands and oceans—toward the last place the Reaper had lingered.
"I can't see the future anymore. Destiny has unraveled into a chaotic knot. Two of the three Holy Lands have fallen... and even Indra's reincarnation has deviated from the path..."
"What went wrong? Could it be... the Ōtsutsuki from beyond the stars?"
The Sage murmured to himself, troubled. According to the prophecy, this was the era when he would finally resolve the ancient feud between Indra and Asura. Indra was supposed to kneel, becoming Asura's shadow. Meanwhile, Asura would be groomed to protect the shinobi world and face the 'enemy' his mother, Kaguya, once warned of.
Why such bias between his children?
Because the Sage of Six Paths was a god—and his preferences were law. Just like Sarutobi Hiruzen's "Will of Fire," or Shimura Danzō's "Will of the Root," subordinates only gained status by submitting to those ideals.
In ancient Chinese dynasties, many crown princes were deposed for a simple reason: "He's not like me."
A child whose nature diverged too far from the parent was seen as a threat—someone who would overturn their legacy.
Asura was like the Sage himself. Once in power, he'd carry on his father's ideals. But Indra? With that prideful temperament, he would probably destroy everything the Sage had built.
So even though Indra was clearly the more talented of the two, the Sage chose Asura. Besides, every time he looked into Indra's eyes, he couldn't help but think of his arrogant mother.
But now… everything had gone off track.
And the Sage of Six Paths no longer had the slightest idea how to fix it.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+60 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo