“Then, I plant a refined ‘chakra seed’ of my own into that space.”
“This seed will slowly and steadily absorb the host’s own life energy as they grow, train, and go about their daily lives, gradually strengthening and multiplying on its own.”
“In the end,” he said with certainty as he withdrew his hand, “chakra will become completely integrated with the host. It will be fully under their control and become their own source of power, as natural as breathing or the beating of their heart. That initial ‘seed’ is merely a safe and reliable catalyst.”
The implications of his explanation were clear, feasible, and… epoch-making!
It bypassed the limitations of the Ōtsutsuki bloodline and the God Tree’s brutal transformation, making it possible to spread chakra among all humanity in a manner that seemed far more natural and controllable.
The doubt and regret in Gamamaru’s eyes were instantly swept away by a tidal wave of excitement and joy!
He sprang to his feet, his withered claws trembling slightly with excitement.
“Then that’s wonderful! Wonderful!” he exclaimed, his voice booming. “If this method works, then everyone will be able to cultivate chakra and possess the power to protect themselves and create! The world’s order, the development of civilization, and our ability to face whatever threats the future may bring… all of it will undergo a qualitative leap! This… this is nothing less than the beginning of an entirely new era!”
The fear of the “Angler” still lingered deeply within him.
Ever since witnessing the Sage of Six Paths’ original body being effortlessly hooked away by that bizarre fishing line, Gamamaru had long since abandoned any thought of touching powers such as “Senjutsu” or the “Three Corpses Technique”—powers that might reach some forbidden level.
He feared that if he, too, cultivated himself to a certain threshold, he might attract that incomprehensible, higher-dimensional “gaze” and be harvested in the same manner.
But this widespread transmission of chakra, something that appeared to be a far more fundamental power, seemed… considerably less dangerous.
At the very least, it was a gift intended for ordinary people as a whole, rather than an individual’s pursuit of ultimate power.
After the initial surge of excitement subsided, Gamamaru looked at the Sage of Six Paths with unprecedented eagerness and anticipation.
At that moment, the Sage smiled warmly at him and extended an unexpected—yet perfectly reasonable—invitation.
“Then, Gamamaru,” he asked slowly, his tone carrying both trust and a willingness to share, “would you like me to teach you the system for cultivating chakra, the methods for spreading it, and the finer details of guiding and adapting the human body?”
The moment he heard this, an incomparably bright and eager light burst forth from Gamamaru’s wise eyes!
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately bowed. His voice trembled faintly with excitement, yet remained perfectly clear and resolute.
“It would be my honor, Sage of Six Paths! To contribute to the spread and protection of this great undertaking would be the highest honor for me, Gamamaru—and for all of Mount Myōboku!”
It was as though he could see an entirely new future, filled with limitless possibilities, slowly unfolding at the hands of the Sage of Six Paths—a man who had embraced both good and evil and resolved to forge a new path.
And Gamamaru himself would become one of the first witnesses and participants in this grand endeavor.
Thus, with this pivotal conversation within that humble dwelling, the curtain officially rose on the age in which chakra would spread throughout humanity.
The images within the Heavenly Curtain shifted, and time passed.
Inside the dwelling, Gamamaru sat cross-legged in meditation. Amid the pure aura of natural energy that had once surrounded him, a different presence gradually emerged—a gentle yet resilient fluctuation unique to chakra.
His eyes remained closed as he concentrated completely, clearly doing his utmost to absorb and integrate the chakra seed planted by the Sage of Six Paths.
The process did not appear easy. But eventually, he slowly opened his eyes, and a sharp gleam flashed within them. An aura more harmonious and complete than before spread outward, combining the vitality of nature with the resilience of chakra.
He had completely mastered this new power.
Without lingering any longer, Gamamaru solemnly bid farewell to the Sage of Six Paths.
Carrying with him the mission of spreading chakra and witnessing the birth of a new era—perhaps also burdened by his deep fear of the “Angler” and his complicated hopes for this new path—he disappeared into the clouds and mist.
The Sage of Six Paths, meanwhile, began his long and solitary journey through the world.
The Heavenly Curtain followed in his footsteps as he crossed scorched earth, passed over broken rivers, and ventured deep into ruins where the smoke of war had yet to dissipate.
He was much as he had been when he first set out to mend the world. This time, however, his attention was focused more keenly on the refugees—people as insignificant as dust, struggling merely to survive in the aftermath of catastrophe.
He gathered the displaced together and used his extraordinary power to help them fell trees and quarry stone, building simple shelters to protect them from the wind and rain. He diverted springs to provide water and helped cultivate the first fields.
He listened to their cries and soothed their wounds. One by one, tiny sparks of hope were rekindled amid the ruins beneath his protection.
Yet as he continued on his journey, faced with the vast, shattered land and suffering that seemed without end, the Sage of Six Paths finally stopped.
Standing alone atop a mountain, he looked down at the small village struggling to survive below before turning his gaze toward the distant land, still shrouded in gloom.
For the first time, he clearly felt… powerless.
Perhaps this was also an expression of the original will he had inherited—the desire to mend the world and guide its people.
He realized that no matter how great his power, he alone could not truly restore life to this devastated world quickly. Nor could he protect every living being struggling amid endless hardship.
A thought, like a seed falling upon fertile soil, began to take root and grow.
He began carefully observing and selecting from among his most devout and resilient followers—those whose hearts and character were also the purest.
It was not a casual decision. His gaze carried the weight of scrutiny and trust.
Then, on a peaceful night beside a campfire, he revealed the extraordinary power of chakra to the first few people he had chosen—not as a means of destruction.
It was miraculous. Astonishing. Like the descent of a divine miracle!
Amid the awe and longing in their eyes, the Sage of Six Paths began teaching them the rudiments of sensing and guiding chakra. Then, with great care, he used his own gentle chakra as a catalyst to plant the first chakra seeds within the core of their life force.
And a miracle occurred.
After an initially difficult period of adjustment, those chosen individuals truly began to sense and guide a faint, yet undeniably real, flow of chakra!
The news quickly spread.
Chakra—a power that could grant ordinary people extraordinary abilities yet was used for creation and aid, a gift seemingly bestowed by the divine—was like a massive stone cast into still waters, instantly stirring enormous waves among the survivors!
People came from every direction.
Some sought power. Some wished to follow this “true god walking among mortals.” Others simply longed to seize even the faintest straw of hope that might change their fate in this world of despair.