Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

-xXx-

Death.

It was something that humans knew was inevitable. Whether weak or strong, poor or rich, every individual was destined to face death eventually, either succumbing to the passage of time or by another means. Humans could attempt to evade it, dread its arrival, or bitterly lament its inevitability, but they were powerless to avoid it. Even the most powerful among them, the sage who initiated it all, the one considered superior to all others, could not elude the embrace of death. In his own words, death was a phenomenon that transcended the boundaries of reality and illusion. It could be delayed for a time, but eventually, it was bound to envelop you in its icy embrace. Neither of his two sons could escape it, and now the offspring of his younger child was also struggling to escape its grasp.

"N-Naruto..."

Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the sage of the six paths, closed his eyes in solidarity as he found himself overwhelmed with a mixture of helplessness and sorrow regarding the event that was unfolding in front of him. It wasn't the way things were meant to unfold. Everything was supposed to go perfectly this time, but it simply didn't. Why? Because of certain factors, which included his recklessness with his powers. He was the one who initiated this cycle, and now someone else was suffering the consequences of his error.

"Wake up, Naruto."

A deep sorrow, mixed with a great sense of letdown, reflected in his eyes as he witnessed the desperate struggle of the child's father to suppress his weeping. It was a heart-wrenching spectacle, capable of melting even the coldest of hearts, yet the black-haired boy's gaze remained impassive. He was watching everything unfold with an emotionless expression on his face and an odd glint in his lavender eyes. Maybe he was tired of trying, Hagoromo couldn't tell, as he had yet to hear a word from the boy after he had attempted everything, he could to save his friend. The boy went so far as to use the cells of Ashura's and Indra's previous descendant to prevent Naruto's body from deteriorating, but it was all in vain, just futile attempts to avoid the inevitable.

The bones adorned by his mother contained death within them, and anyone who came into contact with them was bound to meet a tragic end. Those bones were cruel and pure to their very core. "Sasuke…" The sage finally opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the boy. "What will be your next move after this?" He inquired, eager to discover what lay ahead for the troubled world that had recently lost a source of inspiration at the hands of his mother. A part of his heart wanted to hear optimistic words from the boy, but the rational part of his heart knew what he was going to say. Hagoromo could sense the storm brewing within those powerful eyes, and he feared that the world would suffer its wrath in one way or another.

"I want a… revolution!"

A tired sigh, one that was filled with sorrow and disappointment, left Hagoromo's mouth. Even when he knew what the boy was going to say, hearing him say those unwanted words still managed to break his heart. "I see…" He whispered, his eyes now filled with sorrow as he gazed upon the lifeless body of Naruto, still surrounded by his father, teacher, and previous leaders of the world. "May I know what this revolution will bring to this world?" The sage's eyes softened when the lifeless body of Naruto began to fade away into nothingness. It had begun, he flinched as he saw the aftermath of his mother's cruel power.

"This world needs new leadership."

Hagoromo's lips curved down in a sad frown as Minato and that white haired man began to shout harder for help. He wanted to help, but even he, the Sage of Six Paths, had no counter to the unforgivable power of his mother. The boy's life had come to an end, leaving behind only his decaying body and the countless memories he had bestowed upon his friends and the people who knew him. Throughout his life, Hagoromo had encountered only a handful of individuals who possessed the extraordinary ability to uplift others with their words alone. Naruto was undoubtedly one of those exceptional individuals. There was no denying that his absence would leave a significant impact on his world, particularly in the mind of his friend, who was now determined to make drastic changes.

"I will make people fear me with my powers."

The sage flinched when he heard those words. It was truly unfortunate how every single descendant of his eldest son aspired to change the world by becoming the sole harbinger of everyone's hatred. Although they followed different routes, their destination was always the same: a place governed by fear, hatred, and power.

"This fear will then make them resonate with each other."

"And what will that achieve?" Hagoromo asked him, curious as to what the boy thought was going to happen after that. At first, he had believed that Sasuke was distinct and unique from all the previous individuals who possessed his elder son's chakra. However, his certainty had wavered, and now he found himself uncertain. The boy had proven to be just as impatient and cold as his predecessor. The old sage could no longer distinguish any dissimilarity between Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Madara. They had become indistinguishable, both consumed by their loathing for mankind and a deluded notion of justice.

"Peace."

It was done, Hagoromo realized. The fate of his beloved world was sealed and with no one to oppose the boy, Sasuke was going to achieve what he had dreamed for so long.

"I will change this world into a place that Naruto wanted to create."

The ground rumbled as Uchiha Sasuke's gaze pierced through the ashes of Uzumaki Naruto with menacing lavender-coloured eyes, radiating an aura of determination and sadness.

'Goodbye, my one and only friend.'

The swirling clouds of his friend's ashes, hovering around him, shimmered for a moment before dissolving into nothingness as his eyes flickered once more.

-xXx-

[Mount Kurama]

Desires.

They were something that everyone possessed. Everyone, whether rich or poor, weak or strong, human or not, had deep-seated desires. Sometimes they were insignificant, and sometimes they were significant enough to start wars. These desires drove people to discover new lands and uncharted seas that were previously thought to be inaccessible. These same desires sparked numerous wars that plagued humanity and other civilizations.

One could have an infinite amount of power and wealth, but there would always be something beyond their reach, something they could never achieve, regardless of the resources at their disposal.

Sōjōbō, the god of tengu, was one such individual.

"Tengu-sama," a familiar voice resonated within the dimly lit, pitch-black chamber, a sound that the old god knew all too well.

"Hmm?" A gentle hum emanated from his mouth, sending chills down the spine of the person standing before him. The Tengu king could notice the desperation and fear shimmering in the eyes of his subordinate but chose not to acknowledge it.

"The area you tasked us with protecting last night was destroyed due to a conflict between those devils and angels."

An expression of sorrowfulness crossed Sōjōbō's elderly face as the words of his subordinate reached his ears. It was an unfortunate development, but nothing out of the ordinary. He had been receiving such news for years now. "Did those gods and their followers manage to capture those creatures this time?" He confidently asked Kaito, fully convinced of the culprits responsible for the abominable act. "Or did they escape again, as always?" His voice took on a menacing tone, causing her follower to freeze in fear.

"T-they tried-"

"Enough, Kaito." Sōjōbō mumbled, his voice filled with seething hatred, ringing through the dimly lit room. "It seems as if those Gods have truly turned their backs on their people. Even Amaterasu remains idle while her people and our kind are being tortured by those creatures." His eyes, filled with burning fury, lingered on his follower's pale and crow-like face for a while before narrowing as he turned his gaze towards the window, glistening with the reflection of the bright moon.

"Tengu-sama, we tried our best to contain and capture those devils, but as the night went on, the devils multiplied rapidly, and soon we found ourselves facing an endless swarm of them." Kaito, the one of the few loyal devotees of Sōjōbō, whispered in a tone filled with regret and pain.

It was truly heartbreaking to witness the destruction of their treasured home and its people at the hands of those creatures. However, what was even more shocking was the clear negligence of the divine beings and their supposed worshippers in their failure to prevent such sacrilege from happening even once. Their duty was to protect the people of their land, but instead of taking action, all they did was stand idly by as the innocent perished or were enslaved by those despicable invaders.

Sōjōbō's eyes softened as he gazed at the night sky outside the room through the window. It was a beautiful sight, but it also served as a stark reminder that somewhere in his mountain, another village of his people was likely being ravaged by those fiends in search of slaves. 'Slaves.' His fists tightened in anger as he recalled the countless lives and villages that had been decimated by the relentless greed of those malevolent beings, fuelled by their insatiable thirst for power and slaves.

"Sometimes, I wonder if the conflict between these fallen pests and devils will ever escalate to threaten Kyoto. Maybe then, Amaterasu will finally take action." Sōjōbō whispered with a deep voice as he finally stood up from the throne made up of wood. "These devils and angels are destroying our land, our people, and their livelihoods. They are disturbing the tranquillity of our home by slaughtering our youth and abducting our women." The anger in his voice echoed through the room as he strode towards the window located in the corner. "I can understand our situation as we are insignificant to them, but why Amaterasu and other gods are not helping their people or preserving their land is beyond me. It is their divine duty. They should set aside moral concerns and save what rightfully belongs to them, or at least what remains of it." Despite the shadows concealing his face, one could still feel the seething anger in his eyes, conveyed through the force of his voice and the potent energy radiating from his entire body.

"I can understand your concerns well, Tengu-sama." Kaito responded in a dull tone; his weariness evident as he too was tired of watching his kind fight a never-ending battle against an enemy they couldn't crush without subjecting themselves to severe retaliation from three different factions.

The devils and angels who were terrorizing their villages and their inhabitants were individuals of the most despicable nature, surpassing even the wickedness of their fellow Oni and other monsters that roamed the land. They were powerful, wicked, and cunning. For years, they had been pillaging and devastating their lands and the neighbouring regions, reducing their people to slaves and taking their women as concubines. Whenever a village of theirs became entangled in those creatures' conflict, hordes of insatiable beasts would raid it, craving nothing but power and pleasure.

Kaito and his fellow companions had done their utmost to help others capture the devils in the act. However, they were too powerful and cunning for them. Every time he thought they were close to capturing their target, the cunning culprit would either use magic to escape or manipulate a poor slave to pose as a rogue, thus shifting the blame away from their faction. As a result, they had no one to whom they could go and complain. All they could do was watch those unwelcome creatures ruin their land and destroy their people's lives.

"Should I depart from this place and help them, Kaito?" Sōjōbō murmured, his gaze lingering upon the group of tengu standing outside the cave, each one ready to follow his lead without hesitation.

"Sōjōbō-sama!" Kaito lowered his head in shame, unable to look at his master. "Please forgive me for disappointing you so much, but please don't leave your home like this and put yourself in danger by going out there." Tears started to fill his red eyes, replacing the anger that had been there just moments ago. "The deities above and those creatures will set their sights on you instantly." He whispered, fully aware of the dire consequences his master would face if he dared to get himself involved in a matter between different factions by causing harm to one of those creatures.

"Then what should I do to save my people?" Sōjōbō turned around, his eyes searching for answers in the darkness of the cave but finding none. "I cannot join you in your hunt for those fiends. I cannot bring myself to urge Amaterasu for aid since she hates our kind." His body started to shake with anger, his words pouring out like a raging river. "The only thing I can do is trust in you and others to emerge victorious just once." He growled, the coldness in his eyes reflecting his anger as he hurled an ethereal sword made up of red metal towards the corner of the room, the sound of metal crashing echoing through the room amplifying his menacing presence.

"Have you spoken to Izanagi-sama about this?" Kaito inquired, eager to know the god's reaction to the entire situation. If the rumours he had heard about him and his love for his people were true, he was convinced that the god must be furious about the condition of his land and the mistreatment of his people.

Sōjōbō let out a sorrowful laugh at the question, surprising Kaito with his unexpected reaction. "Do you honestly believe he would heed my words dear?" He whispered as he sat down on his throne once again. "None of the gods above pay attention to my pleas. To them, our kind and others like us, are insignificant and unworthy of their attention." The god of Tengu trembled with fury once more, as he remembered the countless attempts he had made to contact the ruler of heaven and her father about the wicked strategy of those devils, all falling on deaf ears. "I tried to talk to him, I even tried multiple times to inform her daughter about our situation, but they were only focused on seeking temporary peace with those factions and firmly rejected talking to me."

Kaito refused to raise his head, knowing full well that he would not be able to bear the disappointment in his master's eyes. "We must try to speak to him and Amaterasu-sama again then. I'm sure they will not disregard our attempts this time." He suggested, his voice filled with determination.

"Maybe..."

Kaito could have said so much more, but he chose to remain silent. The weight of sadness and anger contained in that single word was enough to render him speechless.

The man who had been his guide and mentor for as long as he could remember seemed to have lost all hope. The sadness in his master's voice was unlike anything he had seen before, and it troubled him deeply. It felt as though his master's very identity was slipping away, and it pained him to witness it. He was the King of Tengu, a deity whose duty was to rule over his kind and save them in need. Yet, there he stood, contemplating his course of action in the midst of this time of suffering and sorrow brought upon by his inability to participate in the conflict.

Kaiti wanted to help him. 'But how?' He did not know. He was weak, just like most of his kind when compared to those creatures. There was no god in their faction who wanted to help them, as they were all stuck in a situation similar to his and his master's. The path of peace chosen by the gods above to make allies was no longer peaceful.

The devils and angels, who once dwelled in their own domains, were now ruthlessly pillaging and seizing their territories and their people, taking away what was rightfully theirs since the beginning of time. Not only that, but they were also manipulating the lives of their people, turning them into devils and angels. It was utterly deplorable, and yet he found himself unable to take any action against it. The very idea of eradicating them meant facing the wrath of two powerful and relentless factions, with no one to stand by their side.

"Should we ask for help from Izanami-sama?" Kaito did not know when those words had escaped his mouth, but as soon as he realized what he had said, fear paralysed him. The lack of a response from his master's side only increased that fear.

"Have you lost your mind, Kaito?" Sōjōbō could not believe what he had just heard. It seemed that his subordinate was losing control, as there was no apparent reason for him to mention that woman in their conversation. That woman was evil, much like the very creatures that were destroying their lands, and he couldn't understand why Kaito would dare to utter her name with his mouth. "She is the embodiment of pure evil dear." He added, hoping to make Kaito realize the true nature of that woman.

"I know, Tengu-sama." Kaito whispered, his voice filled with shame and self-loathing. "But she is our last hope, as Amaterasu-sama refuses to listen to your words," he added earnestly, hoping to make his mentor fully grasp the weight of his suggestion. "Since she is not aligned with any faction, her assistance will not put us in the eyes of those creatures or any factions." Kaito knew his words were making a difference when he saw a thoughtful expression on Sōjōbō's face. That brought him a sense of relief.

Sōjōbō, who was thinking about what he had just heard, shook his head gently. It was not going to work; he knew it very well. "We should not engage with that woman. She despises everyone living on this land." He murmured.

"How can you be so sure about that, Tengu-sama?" Kaito asked, his curiosity evident in his voice. "As far as I know, you have never even talked to her. In fact, except for Izanagi-sama, I believe no one else has spoken to her in years now." He added, remembering the chain of events that resulted in the goddess being imprisoned in Yomi.

Sōjōbō fell silent for a moment, undoubtedly confused by the words that had just reached his ears. They were both logical and irrational, all at once. "I understand what you are trying to suggest Kaito, but I don't think you understand what that woman represents." He responded with a small frown on his elderly face. "She is the embodiment of death and hatred. Everything she touches withers and dies." The frown on his face deepened as he recalled the chilling tales his subordinates from past had shared about that woman.

Izanami symbolized death. Death, for that woman, was her retribution, her long-awaited revenge that she firmly believed was still owed. For her, nothing else mattered except her revenge, so Sōjōbō was certain that if they sought her help, she would either kill them or keep them in the underworld with her.

"Then what should we do, Tengu-sama?"

Sōjōbō went silent again.

"I don't know, Kaito."

-xXx-

Death.

It was all he could see around him. As Sōjōbō strolled through the destroyed small village, he could not help but curse himself for being weak and old. It was all happening because of him. His people, their homes, and their children were dying because of him.

"I do not deserve to be called the king." He whispered with clenched teeth as his eyes took notice of a few dead bodies of children.

Covered in blood and deep gashes, the bodies of those children were a haunting reminder of his failures and weakness. The fear on their lifeless faces only amplified the guilt and shame inside him. "Where are their mothers?" He asked the man standing beside him. Although Sōjōbō already knew the answer, he still wanted to confirm his suspicion.

"A few of them died in battle and others were captured as slaves for higher devils, Tengu-sama."

Sōjōbō lowered his head in shame. Even though he anticipated the words that would come from his subordinate's mouth, it still pained him to hear them. "Poor souls." He whispered, hoping for the safety of those women who were now going to be trapped in a living nightmare for the rest of their lives.

The lives that those women were about to endure were something that Sōjōbō wished upon no one, not even his worst enemies. Everyone knew what those devils did to their slaves, especially women. Those creatures loved to revel in the suffering of others.

"Tengu-sama!"

Sōjōbō blinked and turned around to see Isao rushing towards him, his face engulfed with a mixture of urgency and pain. "Is everything alright?" He asked Isao, undoubtedly taken aback by the way he was gasping for breath and trembling.

"Tengu-sama, we discovered an infant lying amidst the corpses of his parents at the deserted graveyard behind the village." Isao informed his master with urgency in his tone.

Sōjōbō's eyes widened with concern as he processed the news. It was unfortunate but nothing new. "Take me there immediately," he ordered Isao, his voice laced with determination. If there was still time to save the baby, he would do everything in his power to make sure of it.

"Follow me, Tengu-sama."

Together, they hurried towards the desolated graveyard, their hearts heavy with anticipation and dread. As they stepped through the entrance of the graveyard, Sōjōbō's sharp gaze immediately swept across the surroundings, carefully scouring for any traces of the infant and his deceased family.

Having recently witnessed a plethora of deaths, Sōjōbō was unable to rid himself of the overwhelming sense of urgency and despair that engulfed him as they searched through every corner of the eerie and silent graveyard. The night air hung heavy with an eerie calm, fuelling Sōjōbō's growing unease. The nagging thought of arriving too late soon began to worm its way into his mind.

"We found him!"

Sōjōbō's heart skipped a beat as he turned around in the direction of the voice. "No..." His heart shattered as he gazed at the tiny form of the infant, lying in the middle of a cluster of gravestones and the lifeless bodies of his parents. Trembling with a mixture of relief and anxiety, he cautiously approached the child, hoping that he had arrived just in time to rescue him. "Please, be alive," he whispered with hope, knowing very well that his heart could not bear any more news of death.

As his wrinkled hands reached the baby, he noticed a faint rise and fall of the baby's chest, a sign that the baby was still breathing. 'He is alive!' He thought as he delicately lifted the child, careful not to cause any harm to the already frail boy. "He is breathing-" He was about to inform his men about the child's condition, but he suddenly realized that he could not feel any breath any more. The child had stopped breathing.

Fear took hold of his heart as he began to search for a sign of life within the infant's body, hopelessly hoping for a miracle. However, the stillness of his body and the pale face of the child told him everything he needed to know, crushing his spirit instantly. "WHY?!" He roared at the heavens, anger replacing the sadness in his heart. "WHY DID HE DIE?" His voice was shaking with fury now. "I DEVOTED MY ENTIRE BEING TO MOLD YOUR WARRIORS, VOWED NEVER TO MEDDLE IN YOUR AFFAIRS AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME AND MY FOLK, YOU DESPICABLE GODS!" Placing the child on the ground, he stood up and glared at the heavens.

"YOU CRAVE PEACE, RIGHT?" He shouted as he drew a huge fan in his right hand, a sword that was emanating an ominous, otherworldly aura. "THEN I SWEAR ON MY EXISTENCE THAT YOU WILL NEVER ACHIEVE THAT." His voice took a sinister turn as his wicked aura began to swirl intensely around his fan.

"I, SŌJŌBŌ, OF KURAMA-YAMA." The wind around him grew stronger, making his cloak and white hair flail with them.

"WILL BRING JUSTICE TO MY PEOPLE." With each word he uttered, the dark energy surrounding him crackled and sparked, polluting the air with its evil nature.

It was clear that his anger had morphed into something much more dangerous, something that only a select few had ever had the chance to witness.

"ISAO BRING THESE DECEASED BODIES AND THE ONES SCATTERED IN THE VILLAGE TO THE DESTROYED SHRINE AT THE SOUTH."

-xXx-

Enma, the Queen of Hell, was a figure unfamiliar with the sensation of being revered. From the moment of her inception, all she had evoked from the occupants of the mortal world was fear, nothing else. For them, she represented death, and with death came the notion of hell, something that every individual in the mortal world hated, be it a human or a supernatural being like a youkai.

Throughout her entire existence, she had only encountered fear and occasional anger directed towards her. Therefore, it was unsurprising that she was not worshipped by anyone. Worshipping her meant worshipping death, and she was certain that no one wanted to do it.

It was for that very reason that when she felt someone calling out for her presence in the mortal world, she ignored it, thinking that it was someone trying to deceive others by pretending to pray for her. However, as the prayers persisted, her curiosity began to grow and soon consumed her mind. It was not long before she made the important decision to grace that person with her presence. After all, it was not an everyday occurrence for someone to pray for her in such a way.

"So, Sōjōbō, may I ask why you have summoned me here?" Enma asked the old tengu, her eyes completely fixated on his wrinkled face, not bothering to even acknowledge the presence of the deceased souls surrounding her.

"I want you to grant me a wish, Enma-sama."

"A wish?" Enma raised a delicate eyebrow at that strange answer. "I apologize, but I am not Dakiniten, Sōjōbō. I do not grant wishes, unfortunately." She told him, her voice as steady and unwavering as the mountain peaks that the old tengu called home.

Sōjōbō chuckled at the goddess, the sound of his voice echoing through the darkness of the night. "Indeed, Enma-sama, you are not Dakiniten," he replied, his eyes flickering with sadness and a tinge of hope. "But I believe you are capable of something even greater than granting wishes." He added with a desolate tone as he looked at the dead bodies around him.

Enma's curiosity piqued as she saw him turn his gaze to the dead bodies. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" She leaned in closer, eager to hear more of what the old hermit was trying to ask for.

"I wish for you to bless our people with a saviour, a soul surpassing the might of Hachiman and all other warriors who have walked this land." He whispered, his voice filled with both respect and desperation.

Enma's eyes widened as she processed the old man's request. It was unexpected, even more than her being worshipped. "I cannot promise anything like that, Sōjōbō." She replied solemnly. "I do not control the creation of life. I rule upon the souls of the dead." Her expression turned impassive when she saw the leader of tengu glare at her.

The glare on Sōjōbō's face lingered for a while before being replaced by an expression of hope and helplessness. "I understand, Enma-sama. But I'm not asking for a blessing of a new life." His voice grew faint as he realized that what he was about to say would shock the goddess. "What I am asking for is the blessing of the dead." He was proven right when the Enma gasped at him, her eyes showing nothing but surprise.

"What?" Enma's usual air of authority was now nowhere to be seen. The shock in her voice stripped away her usual commanding presence, and for a moment, she sounded almost human. "Sōjōbō," her blood-red lips parted a little to take a much-needed deep breath. "Are you even aware of what you are requesting?" She paused for a moment, her gaze fixated on him, before continuing. "Your wish is unrealistic. It goes against the natural order that I work to maintain. I apologize once more, but granting such a wish is beyond my abilities," Enma concluded with a stern look directed at the ancient tengu.

Sōjōbō remained unfazed by Enma's response. He knew she was going to react that way from the start. "I am fully aware of the significance of my request, Enma-sama," he replied calmly. "That is why I am prepared to pay any price for it." He emphasized on the word 'any' because he knew Enma would pick it up immediately.

"Do not try to fool me, old hermit." Enma knew exactly what he was attempting. She had witnessed numerous attempts of this nature in her past, particularly from a certain goddess of death. "I am very familiar with your kind, which is why your pleas and words carry no weight for me." She told him, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I am aware of that, Enma-sama." The king of Tengu whispered as he once again turned his gaze towards the horde of dead bodies lying on the ground beside them. "That is why I am presenting you with all these souls as a trade for the soul of that saviour. Grant us the soul of Yoshitsune, and in return, you may take all of these unfortunate souls into your domain of judgment." He knew his words struck something inside the mind of Enma when she went speechless for a while.

After a prolonged moment of silence, Enma regained her composure and started to speak, her voice soft yet brimming with intensity. "As good as your offer is, I still cannot understand one thing, Sōjōbō."

"What is that, Enma-sama?"

Enma blinked at the old man. "Why not request someone else instead of Yoshitsune in particular?" She inquired, her voice laced with curiosity. "I mean you could have asked someone else for help, or even looked for a different deity to give you a new saviour instead of the ones who have passed away."

Sōjōbō paused for a moment, contemplating Enma's question. A serious expression covered his face before he finally began to answer, his words heavy with sadness and nostalgia. "Yoshitsune was my treasured apprentice, Enma-sama. He was exceptional. I do not believe anyone else could help us as he can now. He understood me and my kind like no other." Every word he uttered about Yoshitsune was brimming with admiration, something that amazed the goddess.

"I'm sorry, Sōjōbō, but I cannot grant you his soul," Enma responded, lowering her eyes to shield them from view. "His soul was pure, so it never remained in my realm for long. It now resides in heaven with others like him." She whispered.

Sōjōbō's heart sank as he listened to Enma's words, the burden of disappointment weighing heavily on his heart and mind. "But there must be a way, Enma-sama," he pleaded. "A way to bring him back. My people need a warrior like him." His voice grew fainter as he lowered his head in frustration, on the verge of accepting defeat.

Enma, who was looking at the old tengu, turned her gaze to the dead bodies around her and sighed. The souls attached to them were all looking at her, pleading her to take them with her, and she wanted to do it too but for that she needed to grant Sōjōbō his wish. As she continued to gaze at those souls, a memory flickered before her crimson eyes. 'Him!' Her face lit up with a secret joy as she recalled the strange soul she had stumbled upon on the shores of the ocean a few days prior.

"I can offer you someone else in place of him." A glimmer of hope flickered in her eyes as she made the proposal to the leader of Tengu, hoping it would be enough to satisfy him and secure her chances of acquiring those rare souls of Tengu people.

"Who?" Sōjōbō was fast to respond.

The goddess paused for a moment, making Sōjōbō even more nervous. "Uzumaki Naruto," she whispered, her voice brimming with pride as she spoke those words. "He was an incredibly skilled warrior in his previous life, and I am certain that with your guidance, Sōjōbō, he will become even more powerful." Her smile grew bigger when she saw Sōjōbō lost in his thoughts.

"Very well then, Enma-sama." After a brief silence, Sōjōbō finally spoke up. "Bring him to me." He added and began waiting for the goddess to answer. A while passed, and when she still did not give an answer, he looked at her, only to blink in confusion when he saw her glaring at him with disappointment.

"I only govern over souls, Sōjōbō," Enma whispered, sounding disappointed with the old hermit. At his age, he should have known much about her. "I cannot retrieve his body," she added, aiming to help Sōjōbō understand her predicament better.

"I apologize, Enma-sama. I did not know that." Sōjōbō said, feeling a little ashamed for not knowing the goddess's limitations. "But if you are unable to do that, how will you be able to bring him back?" he inquired, sounding truly clueless about the process.

"Living sacrifice."

Sōjōbō went speechless for a while. "Did you say 'living sacrifice'?" he asked, still struggling to believe what he had just heard.

"Yes," Enma confirmed with a heavy voice. "In order to resurrect someone's soul from the underworld, a living sacrifice must be their vessel." Sōjōbō's eyes widened in shock as he tried to understand the gravity of the situation. It was more serious than he had initially thought.

"But we do not have one."

Enma shook her head, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "You do have one." She lifted her ghostly hands and motioned towards the motionless child sprawled between the lifeless bodies of his parents. "He is still alive to some extent." She whispered, and her smile turned wicked when she saw surprise take over Sōjōbō's face. It was going to be a test of his morals. Would he sacrifice a poor child for what he thought was necessary, or would he let the child live? She wanted to know.

"I-I," Sōjōbō hesitated, feeling torn between his duty as head and his kindness. As he gazed at the child, his heart ached with the weight of the decision he had to make. No matter what he chose, souls were destined to suffer either way. He was lost in a situation with no favourable choices. "I am ready to sacrifice him." Sōjōbō whispered, his words not hiding his sorrow, as he fought back tears that threatened to fall. The innocent child deserved to live, but he knew that in order to save countless others, he had to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Enma smiled at the man. "Very well then." She raised her hands towards him. "Bring him to me."

Desperate and with no alternative remaining, Sōjōbō gritted his teeth and led the barely alive child towards Enma, a child he had earlier presumed deceased, a child for whom he had waged war against the gods. Standing before the goddess, Sōjōbō could not hold back a single tear. He knew that their sacrifice was for the greater good.

Enma gently took the baby from Sōjōbō's outstretched hand and motioned for him to step aside. "Step aside." With that said, she closed her eyes as she began to channel her powers toward the body of the child that was resting in her lap.

'Hah!'

Sōjōbō's heart skipped a beat when Enma emitted that peculiar sound, signalling that she was close to completing whatever she was attempting. 'I'm sorry dead child, but your sacrifice was necessary.' He thought to himself.

His eyes widened as the energy flared wildly around Enma, engulfing the whole room, making it hard for him and his subordinates to see what was happening around him. "Please do not hurt the child, Enma-sama." For what felt like an excruciating six minutes, Sōjōbō endured what he would label as the most distressing ordeal he had ever faced. The continuous shaking, the blinding light in the room, and the uncontrollable thumping of his heart due to the cries of that child all added to the overwhelming sensation.

"Sōjōbō…"

Sōjōbō tensed and his eyes widened, anxiously waiting to get the first glimpse of their saviour. 'Uzumaki Naruto...' With that thought firmly in his mind, he swiftly made his way towards Enma, skilfully avoiding the thick smoke that tried to hinder his vision again.

'Mwaahhh!'

He froze as soon as a strange yet familiar sound entered the passage of his ears. He was aware of what it was, but his mind refused to accept the stark reality before him. As the smoke finally cleared, it revealed a clear glimpse of what lay waiting in the arms of Enma.

'He is here…'

For the first time in centuries, Sōjōbō found himself at a loss for words. He had no idea how or why it happened, but one thing was certain: of all the possible outcomes he had envisioned after giving the child to Enma, this one never crossed his mind.

With eyes deeper than the vastest ocean, a nose sharper than any sword he had ever laid eyes upon, and hair radiating a brilliance that surpassed even that of the sun itself, the baby lying before him was a marvel that exceeded all of his wildest expectations.

"Is he a human child or a God?"

-END-

I hope you liked the chapter.

This story is something I have been trying to write for years, but I never found the time to do it due to my busy work schedule and health issues. Finally, I was able to dedicate the time needed to bring this story to life, and I did just that.

This story will only continue if it gains enough traction, as I don't want to fill my story list with stories that people aren't interested in. So, do share your feedback about it.

Anyway, that's it. I hope you have a great day.

See ya.