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"Human Path":
-Codeseed g
"Outer Path":
-chris
-Mohamed
-BlueFern XO
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Sasuke turned his face, nodding without expression, and greeted, "Hello."
"Hello." Gurē raised one wing in greeting.
"What the heck!" It squawked again, its wings fluttering, "Don't think you can just get away with it, you cunning little brat!"
"Alright, alright, calm down, Gurē." Kaito stroked the owl's feathers, saying, "Let's prepare to go back."
Gurē tilted its head to look at Kaito, as if confirming his words.
Then it started to complain, "Hey, what's the deal, Kaito! We just got out and now you're talking about going back! And also, don't summon me during the day! I'm a nocturnal creature, you know!"
"I was actually planning to visit home this time." Kaito smiled kindly, "But then I found out the clan had been wiped out, leaving only Sasuke here, so I had to take him back there."
"Hey, hey, don't laugh like that! You're going to scare the bird to death!" Gurē's voice rose sharply, and it gently patted Kaito in consolation, "So the Uchiha just vanished like that, huh? Don't be too sad."
"No choice, I'll reluctantly take you guys back then."
"And you, Sasuke!" Gurē's neck twisted in an eerie circle, turning its gaze back to Sasuke, "You're really lucky, kid. You're about to witness my glorious flying skills. Make sure you appreciate it with gratitude!"
Sasuke looked sideways at the bird perched on Kaito's shoulder and scoffed, "Flying? Aren't you using Reverse Summoning Jutsu? How are you going to carry us with such a small body?"
"Hmph, ignorance, kid Sasuke! Just watch and learn!"
Gurē spread its wings and took off, its sharp beak opening wide as it took a deep breath.
Whirling winds converged towards it from all directions, and with a series of chuckles, its body began to grow inch by inch.
In a matter of seconds, Gurē had transformed into a giant owl with a wingspan of over ten meters.
"Get on."
Kaito called out and jumped onto Gurē's broad back.
"Yes."
Sasuke responded and followed suit, landing beside him.
"Goo goo goo... Let's go!"
With powerful beats of its enormous wings, Gurē ascended, rising above the layers of clouds into the high sky.
"Now, it's time to tell you about our destination for this journey."
Kaito comfortably sat cross-legged, supporting his chin with one hand as he smiled at Sasuke.
Sasuke stood firmly on Gurē's back, not sitting down due to the wind. He didn't speak but his eyes were curious as he looked at Kaito.
Kaito's voice seemed completely unaffected by the howling wind, "Our journey will take us northward, past the Land of Rice Fields and the Land of Frost, crossing the endless sea to the north, to a place even farther north than the Land of Earth."
"Goo goo goo..."
Gurē's excited voice chimed in, "That's the forbidden land seldom reached by humans, a territory of monsters, known to the demons as the secret land of Ōeyama."
"Demons?"
Sasuke couldn't help but gasp, almost swallowing a mouthful of wind. He could only turn his head inquiringly towards Kaito, feeling as if another piece of his common sense had shattered.
"Unbelievable, isn't it."
Kaito looked at him with a smiling gaze, explaining, "Demons have existed in this world since ancient times. However, in the battle against Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, those legendary demons all perished."
"Darn Ōtsutsuki! Goo goo goo!" Gurē cried out in anger.
Kaito continued to explain, "After that, the demon forces split apart. Some of the demon races submitted to Kaguya and trained in the power of chakra, eventually becoming the summoning creatures for ninjas."
"Those spineless creatures can no longer call themselves demons!" Gurē's voice of disgust followed.
"Well, now some of those old timers even claim to be hermits," Kaito said, patting the smooth feathers of Gurē beneath him, jokingly.
"What hermits, that's really laughable. Goo goo goo..." Gurē scoffed in disdain.
"Actually, whether it's demons or humans, it's all the same," Kaito sighed, "In human lineage, Onmyōji have completely vanished, leaving only warriors, shrine maidens, and monks who have trained in chakra."
"Sasuke." Kaito signaled for Sasuke to sit down.
Sasuke, still processing the secrets he had just heard, sat down somewhat dazedly.
Kaito patted his shoulder, and once he saw Sasuke come back to his senses, he continued, "Ōeyama is the secret refuge where the remaining demons live. The human powerhouses who fought against Ōtsutsuki Kaguya in the final battle asked the demons to also preserve their legacies there."
"You can choose to learn the legacies left by our predecessors after you go there with me." Seeing the gleam in Sasuke's eyes, he added, "However..."
"However what?" Sasuke hurriedly covered his mouth to ask.
"It means that by learning the powers of our predecessors, you also inherit the responsibilities they left behind," Kaito said seriously.
What responsibilities?
Sasuke continued to gesture with his eyes.
Kaito changed his sitting position to face Sasuke directly.
He stretched out his hands onto Sasuke's shoulders, looking into his eyes with earnestness, "That is... to save the world."
Sasuke's spirit lifted upon hearing this, his eyes shining even brighter.
He placed his right hand over one of his eyes, thinking, To save the world? Is my ultimate destiny finally beginning...
"Ha ha ha..."
However, a burst of laughter shattered the young man's contemplation.
Kaito, looking at him and laughing, said, "Ha ha ha ha... Just like my reaction back then, Sasuke!"
The awakening of a chuunibyou.
"Hmph!"
Thinking he was being mocked, Sasuke's face turned red, and he crossed his arms and turned away.
Paying Sasuke's shoulder, Kaito teased again, "What I said is all true. But well, the responsibility of saving the world can be left to your uncle here, little Sasuke. You just admire my heroic figure... Hmm?"
"This is a fluctuation of the Sharingan's chakra... Who is it?"
Kaito paused, becoming serious, and then closed his eyes to sense.
After a moment, he opened his eyes and told Sasuke, "Sasuke, it's Kakashi Hatake below in the forest, seems like he's looking for you. Want to see him?"
Sasuke, looking conflicted, stubbornly said, "No need! I have nothing to do with them from Konoha anymore."
"Let's go say hello," Kaito advised, "Konoha must have learned by now that you didn't go to Orochimaru. Once they start searching for clues about you, it might get troublesome if someone else finds out."
Actually, these were all excuses.
Kaito didn't care about these matters; once they entered the demon's secret land, it would be impossible for anyone to find them.
He just felt a bit sorry seeing Sasuke's conflicted look.
And Kakashi Hatake indeed owed Sasuke kindness.
After all, from Sasuke's previous narrative, it was clear that Kakashi truly considered him as his own direct disciple, even teaching him his signature jutsu.
"Gurē, descend. Let's go see the person below."