Chapter 379: Returning to the World of Limited Tsukuyomi
The sunny day, the members of the clan, and another version of himself. Whether it was the Limited Tsukuyomi or the Infinite Tsukuyomi, they were all reflections of the real world.
Just as many believed in the world ruled by Uchiha Obito, you could say it was real.
But where is the line between reality and illusion?
As long as everything you hear, see, smell, touch, and perceive is indistinguishable from reality, then it is real.
However, there's one problem: it's not stable.
The world of Tsukuyomi is like the reflection on the surface of a lake; everything seems logical. Yet, if a stone is thrown into the lake, the ripples it creates are enough to cause a significant impact.
If what is thrown is an enormous meteorite...
Boom!
The lake's surface is completely torn apart!
What Hagoromo Gengetsu and the others did in Uchiha Obito's world was akin to dropping a meteorite.
One moment, the Tsukuyomi world could be considered real; the next, it ceases to exist.
This is the greatest difference between the real world and the world of Tsukuyomi.
It's not about truth or falsehood.
It's about stability.
So, if one could make the Limited Tsukuyomi world completely stable, could it then be truly defined as reality?
Hagoromo Gengetsu, constantly traversing through time and space under the influence of the Dragon Vein, pondered this point, which led to his recent plans.
The Dragon Vein is an entity that spans countless parallel worlds.
The sequence of all worlds is already set and cannot be altered.
But what if a new world, free from the sequence, comes into existence and is influenced by the Dragon Vein?
This would undoubtedly mean breaking the sequence, jumping out of the three realms, and no longer being subject to the Dragon Vein's original laws of time travel.
Especially if this world has deep ties with Hagoromo Gengetsu's original world.
After activating the power of the Dragon Vein, Hagoromo Gengetsu had a high probability of returning to his original world.
But there was one problem: how to make the Limited Tsukuyomi world completely stable, indistinguishable from reality.
Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at the nine-tomoe crystal ball representing the Limited Tsukuyomi in his hand.
How does a blank sheet of paper turn black?
By dropping a sufficiently intense drop of ink from the outside.
Now, Hagoromo Gengetsu had two drops of ink.
The first was a segment of the Dragon Vein under his control.
By prying open a corner of it and pulling it into the Limited Tsukuyomi world, it would mean the Tsukuyomi world would have the same qualifications as the real world.
Under the constant influence of the complete Dragon Vein, the Limited Tsukuyomi world would eventually become an indispensable part of the sequence, just like other parallel worlds.
But this would take a long time.
Fortunately, Hagoromo Gengetsu had another drop of ink.
The Otsutsuki Kaguya from the original world!
By sealing her within the Limited Tsukuyomi world, even if everything was false, under the influence of a being at the Sage of Six Paths level, something could be created from nothing, turning the false into reality.
In this way, the biggest threat would be resolved, and he could return to the original world through the Limited Tsukuyomi world, achieving two goals with one action.
Now was the time to verify if this plan was feasible.
Roar!!
The Dragon Vein let out a long roar.
At this moment, under Hagoromo Gengetsu's will, the Dragon Vein of the current world surged into his body, temporarily turning him into the Jinchuriki of the Dragon Vein.
But it wasn't over.
The many Dragon Veins of different worlds, controlled by Hagoromo Gengetsu's Rinnegan ability, let out roars to the sky and skillfully traveled through time and space, pouring their Dragon Vein chakra into Hagoromo Gengetsu.
Soon, an amount of Dragon Vein chakra that would cause any Jinchuriki to explode gathered within Hagoromo Gengetsu's body.
Hagoromo Gengetsu calmly absorbed everything.
He had no limits.
The Dragon Vein, however, did.
Not long after, all the Dragon Vein chakra Hagoromo Gengetsu had control over gathered within him. This was what he meant by prying open a corner of the complete Dragon Vein.
Everything was ready.
Hagoromo Gengetsu took one last look at the Sage of Six Paths and Otsutsuki Kaguya, said nothing, and directly crushed the nine-tomoe crystal ball in his hand, capable of transporting his true self, just like Uchiha Obito from the original world.
In an instant!
A dazzling white light burst forth from the shattered nine-tomoe crystal ball.
"Come on! Return to everything I've experienced. Return to the final moment."
Hagoromo Gengetsu spoke calmly, letting the white light completely envelop him, as well as the Sage of Six Paths and Otsutsuki Kaguya beside him.
Moments later, the white light faded, and everything returned to calm.
Hagoromo Gengetsu and the other two were gone.
Similarly, the Dragon Vein had also departed with them.
...
Woo-woo-woo~~~
The sharp whistle of a train sounded in his ears.
Hagoromo Gengetsu opened his eyes, gazing at the distant, long train with white steam rising endlessly into the sky, and a smile tugged at his lips. He had returned.
Beside him, Otsutsuki Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths, who was inhabiting Naruto's body, were also present.
Understanding the foundation of the Tsukuyomi world, they curiously observed this world.
Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't give them much time.
A black portal opened before him.
Hagoromo Gengetsu stepped through, arriving on a battlefield in disarray, where another version of himself awaited death with closed eyes.
It seemed as if only a moment had passed.
The people and things remained unchanged.
The "Hagoromo Gengetsu" who was waiting for death suddenly heard a sound and turned his head sharply, his pupils contracting:
"You..."
Seeing how the real version of himself was dressed, combined with the familiar black portal behind him, he immediately realized what had happened.
But what puzzled him was why the other had returned.
"I need to make this world indistinguishable from reality, and for that, I need a true anchor." Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at his other self and spoke directly.
Strictly speaking, he did not belong to this world.
To achieve his final goal, he needed a true identity that was fully integrated into this world and willing to serve him.
"I understand!"
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" was stunned for a moment, then seemed to realize something and burst into laughter,
"Come on! Take everything from me and live on! You are me, and I am you! In this way, this world will not be an illusion anymore!"
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" raised his head, and a beam of soul light shot out, heading straight for the real Hagoromo Gengetsu.
Once, he had hoped to turn illusion into reality, and it was no idle dream.
As long as his soul occupied the true Hagoromo Gengetsu's body and fully merged with it, once the Limited Tsukuyomi was lifted, and the true body returned to the real world, he would likely be able to enter the real world as well.
However, he had overestimated himself and was defeated by the true version.
But now, knowing what Hagoromo Gengetsu intended to do, and understanding that the other would never speak lightly, he resolutely handed over everything to the former.
Sacrificing himself to ensure that the world he had lived in for so many years, and grown attached to, would no longer be subject to the influence of stones or meteors was something he was willing to do.
Moreover, it wasn't really a sacrifice.
Hagoromo Gengetsu was himself.
This was just another form of continuation.
With the expectation of this world in his heart, "Hagoromo Gengetsu" smiled and completely dissipated.
Hagoromo Gengetsu, who had fully accepted the other's identity, memories, emotions, and everything else, slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.
He could feel that, due to his being an outsider and having Six Paths-level strength, the world's faint suppression of him had disappeared.
The victory was nearly complete.
So, it was time to begin the final action.