Bab 62: WE. ARE. MANY!!!
(3RD Person POV)
"Quite the contrary, we'll have a brief chat… and one of us will walk away with what he wants, the other will have to do with what he got during that time." - Kei said as he stood in front of the Sage of Six Paths.
Staring at each other for untold amounts of time, the sage spoke once more.
"Killing thousands to satisfy your needs, causing untold amounts of damage that will only rear its head at the worst time possible… you've yet to comprehend the number of problems you have created." – The Sage spoke as his eyes stared at the teenager in front of him.
Kei merely closed his eyes as his smirk widened, arm's being thrown in the air as if the problem was not worth his attention
"And what can someone do about that. You seriously can't expect my existence to stay quiet, huddle in a cave until the end of time just so I don't "cause untold amounts of damage". Every existence in this planet creates ripples, especially the stronger ones. You not accepting it does not mean it will stop."
A sigh escaped the Sage as he nodded.
"That is inevitable, yes, but this does not mean those ripples have to go against the natural flow of events." – The sage explained slowly.
"The natural flow that you approve of?" – The monster asked pointedly amidst grinning.
The sage merely stared and answered back.
"The one that benefits us all, the one that sees shinobi surviving the struggles to come. Even you."
The grin on the monster's face fell as it looked at the Sage with its eyes narrowing down.
"And how is that any relevant or even aligned to my objective?" – Kei asked at the floating Sage.
"You gather strength like a beast starved of it. If not to survive then what for? Staggering and powerful enemies will arrive in the future, help me, and in turn, I will help you when you have successfully done your part in protecting this world. You hold great power and the potential for an even greater one…"
Claps were heard as the Sage stopped talking.
"Who knew that the sage could flatter like this… get to the point already. Softening me with words is very counterproductive. Though you are wrong about one thing, if I wanted to just survive I would simply go along with the shinobi."
For his credit, the sage didn't so much as twitch as he spoke again.
"What is your goal then?"
"Absolute Power but of course." – Kei spoke as if it was completely normal and obvious.
"And you believe yourself capable of handling it? Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely." – Words of wisdom came from the sage as he spoke. But Kei merely smiled.
"And what is wrong about that?"
"What?" – The sage asked back surprised.
"It would be stupid to assume that nothing would change with a change in power. Depending on how one changes is what formes the basis of what many call corruption. Staying the same after gaining absolute power is counterproductive. Though I would understand how a human mind might let the emotions get in the way of objective thinking."
"To think you believe those words… perhaps you are more human than I thought."
As Kei listened to the Sage, he started to walk circles around him.
"But not the human that you approve of… It appears that even the Sage of the Sixth Paths is not immune to the absolute corruption that comes with his power."
The monster spoke as it circled the Sage like it was prey, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
"What are you really after?" - the sage spoke as he changed the direction of the conversation.
As the Sage asked, the towering figure of what was now the armored form of Kei stopped.
"To pop your mother's cherry." – Kei responded with a smirk.
"Huh?" – The sage asked as he looked at Kei, confused by his words.
"That red marble that hangs from her forehead. What else would I go after in your opinion… though due to recent events, due to better understanding this world and more importantly, understanding you, I'm afraid it won't be as simple as I once thought. Though can you blame me, I was but a young and naïve monster before."
"What are you talking about?"
Kei merely stopped in front of the Sage as he bent forward and spoke lightly.
"As old, powerful, and 'Sagey' you are… you are still quite similar to every shinobi out there. Expression to be deciphered, minuscule movements to be followed and once sufficient information is in my hand, I can safely deduce how you act, why you act and what really goes on in that head of yours."
"…"
"Why would someone as decisive as you… as powerful as you, chose to seal Kaguya. Surely you had the chance to permanently put her down once and for all, but yet you didn't. I put it up to your… kindness I guess, but after meeting you. After you came to me after you delivered yourself for me to observe, I finally understand why you didn't… couldn't kill Kaguya."
"…" – The Sage didn't speak nor did he move, prompting to keep even his sight leveled.
"Indeed, denying or accepting would reveal much more than just keeping quiet, but seeing as our conversation has come to an end, I can only hope my deductions are right. Either way, we will find out soon enough." - The monster spoke as it took a few steps back.
Heavy thuds followed its movement as The Sage finally spoke back.
"Do you think I will let you leave now that I know you plan to release her?" – He spoke with determination as he finally stopped levitating and stood up straight, his Rinnegan menacing in the dark space.
As Kei moved backward he felt something impact his chest, throwing him backward with incredible momentum until he was plastered in an invisible wall.
'It seems my weight doesn't count for anything in my mental space.' – The monster thought to himself as it looked at the person responsible for the attack.
"It took me quite some time to locate the central mind and isolate it, do you think I will allow you to simply leave?"
A simple laugh that became more and more distorted echoed through the space.
"HAHAHA… such simplistic thinking, fit for someone like you. For something so BELOW ME!!!"
As its words echoed in the sealed space tremors were suddenly felt as it looked at the Sage with blood-red glowing Mangekyou.
"Trying to break my hold with a Mangekyou may work eventually, but you will not last that long."
A chuckle filled the room as Kei spoke in a distorted voice.
"Oh but I am merely a distraction. At first, I was one, alone and easily crushed… but now, unlike you who are one, WE. ARE. MANY!!!"
With each word cracks appeared in the sealed as the Sage turned his head, feeling a presence behind him.
Turning around and looking through a crack manifested right behind him, striking gravity-defying silver hair could be seen, but that was not what took his attention, as looking I the eyes staring at him, like looking into a mirror a pair of Rinnegan could be seen, and not a second later pressure descended upon the Sage as he was pushed back, sliding on the now cracking sealed space.
As the Sage raised his hand and diverted the Push he looked around him, space cracking further as endless amounts of individuals made their way inside the space, all staring at him with Mangekyou Sharingan in their eyes, all the same as the pair Kei had in his eyes.
"Amazing, how physical limitations become useless in here. I truly would have been ignorant of it if not for you o Sage of The Six Paths. I thank you." – Garbled and distorted voice came as the sage looked at the figures in front of him.
Whatever he was using to seal this portion of the monster's mind had been attacked from outside, breached beyond repair and even he knew he was outnumbered.
Feeling another tremor the Sage looked above him and understood that he had to leave. He would not give up from just this, but with the power, he wielded it was clear that attacking the opponent's mind was no longer an option. Looking at the cracked space above, The Sage slowly faded from the monster's mind.
Cracks appeared above as space was shattered like glass, a bloody moon appearing as Kei's Mangekyou was reflected on it, shining brightly above the heads of everyone gathered below.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone