"You know my name?" Onoki blurted out unintentionally, realizing his own foolishness soon after.
After all, he was the Third Tsuchikage. Was there anyone in the ninja world who didn't know him?
"I know more than just your name," Uchiha Sogetsu smiled faintly, glancing meaningfully at Onoki. "I know about your past and your future."
"My future self?" Onoki's expression turned peculiar, finding the situation somewhat amusing. He wondered if this person was playing a prank on him.
"Haven't I told you?" Uchiha Sogetsu leaned forward, hands crossed, smiling gently. "I am a 'spectator', witnessing the history of the past and the 'history' yet to unfold."
Though Onoki's rational mind rejected it, something stirred within him, a voice insisting that it was all true.
"Can you tell me what I'll become in the future?" Onoki couldn't resist asking curiously after a brief hesitation.
"I can," Uchiha Sogetsu replied leisurely. "But peering into the future comes with a price. Are you prepared for that?"
Something in Sogetsu's tone made Onoki uneasy. He swallowed nervously. "What's the price?"
"To glimpse into fate is the price itself," Sogetsu tapped the table lightly. "But before we delve into that, let's discuss another matter."
"Another matter?" Onoki felt a foreboding sense.
"Though it's guided by 'fate'..."
Uchiha Sogetsu paused deliberately for a moment, his voice tinged with displeasure. "But what is the price you must pay for entering my Divine Kingdom without permission?"
In Onoki's eyes, which glowed faintly, countless overlapping human figures seemed to transform instantly into the scorching sun.
Suddenly, the figure surrounded by golden light grew immensely tall. Twelve pairs of golden wings sprouted from its back, adorned with intricate symbols that seemed to span the entire cathedral.
A sacred aura swept in like a tsunami, carrying the heat of the blazing sun.
"Ahhhh——!"
Onoki felt as though he were being scorched by the sun; his blood, muscles, and bones felt as though they were melting!
The towering and violent supreme will, above the stars and all things, seemed to glance at Onoki like a giant would at an ant.
Even a brief glance filled Onoki with deep fear and trembling from the depths of his soul. It felt as though he were being torn apart!
Under this cruel impact, Onoki's soul was like a lone boat in a tsunami, tossed about in the storm.
He gritted his teeth and persevered. Perhaps it was his years of unyielding will that had turned him into stone, allowing the violent waves to crash against him.
Despite being worn down bit by bit, he held on, waiting until the overpowering will dissipated.
"From a human perspective, you barely qualify."
In his dazed state, on the brink of collapse, Onoki felt suddenly brought back to reality upon hearing those words.
He was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked, but to his surprise, he found himself completely unharmed. Everything that had just occurred felt like a dream.
"You have already paid the price for intruding into the Divine Kingdom."
Uchiha Sogetsu appeared calm on the surface, but inside, he breathed a sigh of relief.
At the Sequence 5 level, forcefully borrowing the Sequence 3 status of the Hermes Brass Candlestick wasn't an easy task for him, and the spiritual burden was quite heavy.
Fortunately, he was of Spectator Pathway, allowing him to adjust gradually afterward.
After calming the restless spirit, Uchiha Sogetsu once again looked at the terrified and shocked Onoki, and spoke slowly, "Now, let's move on to the second question. Are you prepared to spy on fate and bear the consequences?"
Onoki was still frightened and hadn't fully recovered from the fear he had just experienced.
Even when facing Uchiha Madara, he had never felt such a deep, clear, soul-shaking fear, as if he could be torn apart at any moment!
"Are you a god?" Onoki cautiously adjusted his mindset and asked.
He racked his brain, thinking of countless overlapping figures, finally concluding that perhaps it would be more appropriate to describe the other party as "God."
"No, I am not a god."
Uchiha Sogetsu shook his head calmly, "I've already mentioned that I'm just a 'Spectator.'"
Even so, Onoki couldn't believe it. He preferred to believe that the other party was a "god."
Concealing his thoughts, Onoki no longer dared to underestimate the other party. He didn't want to experience the pain of being burned from body to soul again; otherwise, he might go insane!
"Please, allow me to see the future!" After careful consideration, Onoki couldn't resist the temptation to peek into what lay ahead.
Even if it meant paying a heavy price, he would do it for the sake of Iwagakure!
"Very well."
Uchiha Sogetsu agreed to his request and initiated a vision.
Buzz!
Onoki felt as though he had been thrown into an invisible vortex.
He was swept away, carried along, and plunged into a surreal tunnel. Countless streams of light flashed before his eyes, and scenes resembling silhouettes appeared directly in his mind!
He saw that the future was filled with bloodshed and brutal wars!
He witnessed the dead being summoned from the Pure Land.
He saw countless white figures battling countless ninjas.
He witnessed the nightmare figure standing atop the ninjas, effortlessly cutting through tens of thousands of troops.
He saw enormous trees sprouting in the ruins, with a blood-red moon casting its reflection upon the sky and earth.
It was Uchiha Madara!
Even if reduced to ashes, even just a silhouette, he could recognize him.
That was Uchiha Madara!
Was this the future?
Onoki's mind went blank. He couldn't piece together the disjointed images at all.
But... there was no doubt that future ninjas would confront a brutal and bloody war, spanning across the entire ninja world!
"Please tell me, how can I prevent these things from happening?" Onoki pleaded.
Uchiha Madara was the last person he wanted to encounter in his life. The fear that man instilled in him remained deeply etched in his bones even after decades!
Moreover, the sight of Uchiha Madara led him to vaguely suspect that the impending disaster might be linked to this individual!
Even though it was only fragments, the brutal war, the loss of countless lives, and the towering tree and blood-red moon appearing in the end all filled him with an inexplicable dread.
Onoki's intuition warned him that this was no ordinary matter.
"I can."
Uchiha Sogetsu nodded slightly but didn't elaborate.
Onoki was stunned. He awaited the next words, why did he suddenly stop?
"It's time for you to return."
Uchiha Sogetsu deliberately remained silent, leaving him in suspense, and raised his hand as if to dismiss him.
"W-wait, wait!"
Onoki suddenly panicked. In the past, he would have eagerly left.
Yet, having witnessed the future so vividly, he didn't wish to depart in such haste.
In his anxiety, Onoki noticed the seats on either side of the old, weathered long table. An idea struck him, and he quickly exclaimed, "I have another question. Besides you, is there anyone else seated at this table?"
Uchiha Sogetsu finally noticed and secretly smirked, speaking calmly as if sharing a piece of gossip: "Well, there are a few individuals like yourself, bound by fate. By chance, they arrive at my Divine Kingdom. Among various desires, they have chosen to join an organization I established."
"Your organization?"
Oonoki's face lit up with anticipation, and he quickly inquired, "May I join your organization?"
"You can."
Uchiha Sogetsu's lips curled slightly as he continued calmly: "The organization I founded is known as the 'Twilight Hermit Order'."
********
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