Naruto: From Fake to Real, Deceiving the Ninja World

Chapter 564 My Past and Present Lives

Shibai stood at the end of that road. No one had gone further than him, and no one understood everything about that road better than him.

Following in his footsteps, one can only ever see his back; how could one possibly surpass him, or even—

To kill him?

"Therefore, if you want to kill me, you must never follow my path."

Looking at the seemingly dormant Shibaju, Yun Shi murmured to himself, "We must start from scratch and forge a new path."

A path belonging to man, a path filled with sin and desire, a path turned away from "God".

However, from this moment until the future as he knows it, there is still about a thousand years to go.

A thousand years is a long time for mortals, but for him who intended to kill the gods, it was far from enough.

A thousand years is not enough time for him to catch up before Shibayo truly becomes a god.

Therefore, he needs to place the possibilities on more people.

Yun Shi stared intently at the seven blazing golden flames before him, his deep pupils clearly reflecting the leaping and twisting energy within them.

The golden light gradually coalesced into a ferocious outline.

"If this is my sin, my karma—" his lips moved, "then I will accept it willingly."

Inside the flames, the seven "embryos," which were based on their own flesh and soul and fused with countless rare treasures, had already revealed their distinct shapes and auras.

The left arm transformed into a ring-pommel sword with an inward curve, a long and straight blade, and a ring at the end of the hilt.

This is greed.

The right arm transformed into a katana with a beautiful curve, a long and narrow blade, and a sharp edge that concealed a violent intent.

This is anger.

The left leg transformed into a broadsword with a blade almost the size of a door panel, thick and wide.

This is laziness.

The right leg transformed into a short, cold, and sharp wakizashi.

This is jealousy.

The stomach and intestines transformed into a horse-slaying sword with an extremely long blade and a ferocious edge.

This is gluttony.

The kidneys, when transformed, form a short, sharp dagger with a restrained, cold gleam.

This is lust.

Finally, within the most intensely burning flame centered on the heart, an eight-sided sword, surpassing the other six and seemingly overlooking everything, was slowly taking shape.

This is arrogance.

These are the most primal and intense aspects of human nature, and also the "original sin" that is rejected by "God".

The essence was stripped and tempered from the deepest part of the soul by the cloud-like material, and continuously poured into the seven "embryos" that were taking shape in the flames, gradually forming them.

He endowed these seven soon-to-be-born weapons with seven rebellious "original sins" and seven "desires" originating from themselves.

There are also seven distinct "possibilities".

Because he shared his understanding of "divine soul destiny" and "high-level soul control," as well as his insights into the four fundamental principles of "life," "death," "time," and "space"—

By combining the characteristics of each "original sin," the seeds of seven "divine arts" are derived.

Yun Shiki intends to use the "Zanpakuto," a special form that possesses an independent "soul" and "life."

These seven "divine" seeds are bestowed upon those who possess sufficient potential, sufficient obsession, and sufficient human brilliance or darkness.

Let them struggle, love, hate, suffer, rejoice, and ignite their own flames in their respective destinies.

They used their lives, their will, their souls, and their desires to refine and nurture these seven "original sins".

Let these seeds of divine magic take root, sprout, and grow.

These seven seeds will await their destined owners on the first level of the underground palace.

As for Yun Shi, he will wait in this "tomb" he prepared for himself for the day when the fruit ripens, or for death.

If successful, the fruits of these seeds will ripen in the future, when the dust settles, when cause and effect come to an end, when his will calls forth once more—

"Return to me," Yun said in a low voice.

The bloody hole in his chest slowly contracted and healed, leaving a hideous scar.

But the heart can no longer regenerate.

Or rather, even if a heart were to be generated, it would be nothing more than a useless decoration, since he no longer needs a heart to sustain his life.

"Go."

Facing the seven golden flames that had already taken shape, Yun Shi gently waved his arm, which was formed from blood.

Seven streaks of light, each a different color, emitted a clear or deep hum, and in an instant flew away from the fourth level of the underground palace, heading towards the first level.

They vanished in an instant at the end of the deep passageway, leaving only seven fading trails.

After doing all this, Yun Shi took one last look at Shibaju, who was still sleeping soundly in the coffin and seemed indifferent to his actions, his gaze deep.

He made a slight movement, about to leave, but his body paused for a moment.

Yun lowered his head, his gaze falling on the ground, where the rusted and broken fragments of the sword that had once been stained with his blood lay quietly.

Yun Shi's face was expressionless. He simply raised his arm, and the dark space behind him rippled like water as six Zanpakuto flew out from the terror of the "Eighteen Hells".

"God-Slaying Whip", "Soaring Ten Thousand Miles", "Divine Annihilation Arrow", "Thunder", "Heavenly Cloud", "Karma of Reincarnation" —

At the same time, the fragments of the broken, rusty sword on the ground seemed to be drawn up by an invisible force, flying up on their own and reassembling in mid-air.

Although the cracks remained and it was covered in rust, it had barely regained the shape of a longsword, standing alongside the six gleaming weapons.

[The foreshadowing is resolved in Chapter 90, "Filth and Purity," with the broken sword located at the highest point of the Ten-Tailed Buddha statue on the first level of the dungeon. If you've forgotten, you can go back and take a look.]

"You should go too."

Yun Shi calmly swept his gaze over the seven artifacts, then waved his hand again. Seven streams of light followed the trajectory of the "Seven Deadly Sins," flying towards the first level of the underground palace, disappearing into the darkness.

Having done all this, Yun Shi didn't linger. With a slight sway, her figure disappeared into the fourth floor.

When he reappeared, he had already returned to the fifth level of the underground palace.

"Cough cough————"

As soon as he appeared, the weakness he had forcibly suppressed surged back like a tidal wave, spreading from his chest to his limbs and bones, almost overwhelming Yun Shi, who couldn't help but cough a few times.

He staggered a few steps, almost unable to stand, and with his last bit of strength, he walked step by step to the rough stone seat and slowly sat down.

After a long while, my breathing gradually calmed down, but the deep-seated weakness and emptiness lingered.

At this moment, he was in extremely bad shape.

He separated his limbs, kidneys, stomach, and heart; each part carried the soul and power he had divided.

Roughly estimated, in order to forge that set of "Seven Deadly Sins," he gave up about three-tenths of his soul and about five-tenths of his power, which were closely connected to it.

All that remains is the last seven-tenths of the soul and power.

This is a severe blow that has damaged the very foundation and shaken the very core of the business.

But Yun Shi clearly had no intention of stopping there, or even leaving any room for this broken body to recover.

This body does not need to retain any soul or power.

Therefore, he still needs to do three things.

boom!

A soft sound rang out clearly in the silence of the fifth floor.

Yun raised her left hand and placed it on the armrest of the stone seat.

Beneath his feet, the once tranquil shadow suddenly began to writhe.

Glug-glug-glug-glug

The shadow broke free from the ground's constraints and slowly "stood up," stretching and twisting from the two-dimensional plane, coalescing into a pitch-black human figure draped in a wide-hooded robe.

The hood cast a deep shadow, obscuring most of his face.

Only two points of scarlet light slowly lit up under the hood, as if they had opened their eyes, but they were not violent; instead, they were deathly calm.

It was silent, with only its thick, dense shadows churning like living things, chewing up and swallowing all the light that shone upon it, exuding an aura so cold it could freeze the soul.

If Hagoromo Otsutsuki were here right now, he would definitely feel a sense of familiarity.

The aura emanating from this dark figure was remarkably similar to that of the monster he had killed earlier.

No, it's not similar, but rather of the same origin, yet purer, more powerful, and more profound.

This is not even in the same league.

Yunshi referenced the method used by the priestess of the Demon Kingdom to divide her own dark side and create "Mouryou".

He created this being by separating the darkest, heaviest part of his soul, which was also most intimately connected with death—about two-tenths of his soul.

"Cough cough————"

Yun coughed weakly twice more, and a trace of blood even spilled from the corner of her mouth.

But his gaze remained calm as he looked at the figure born from his own shadow, and slowly said, "From this day forward, your name will be 'Shadow'."

"You are—"

He paused, calmly meeting the crimson gaze beneath the black figure's hood, and said, word by word, "Zero of the Ten Blades."

"Shadow" is nameless and surnameless, merely a "shadow".

It is the shadow of cloud-like stripping, the guardian of the plan, the starting point of the "Ten Blades," the Zero Blade.

With this, the Espada, which had been missing its last member, was finally complete.

The shadow did not respond. It silently took a step back, its figure gradually sinking into the shadow beneath the cloud's feet.

It will wait in the "virtual world" for thousands of years.

Go wait for "me".

"call----"

After Yun finished this task, she had exhausted a great deal of mental energy. She leaned against the stone seat, slowly closed her eyes, her chest heaving weaker and weaker, and her breath gradually calmed down.

An overwhelming weariness, as if weighed down by heavy lead, dragged his consciousness toward the abyss of darkness.

My eyelids felt as if they weighed a ton, and they drooped slowly and uncontrollably.

My vision began to blur, and everything in front of me, even the excruciating pain emanating from the depths of my soul, became distant and unreal.

Sleep well —

And so it fell into slumber.

In this way, it might not be a bad thing—

"No."

Her eyelids, which were almost closed, suddenly trembled and she forced them open.

We can't rest yet.

You can't close your eyes yet.

"Cough cough————"

Yun coughed a few times, supported her body with one arm, and sat up straighter again.

The space in front of him, like the surface of water struck by a pebble, slowly rippled, gradually stabilizing and becoming clear, transforming into a smooth "water mirror".

Within the mirror, light and shadow flow, and countless fragmented, blurry, and rapidly flashing images rise and fall within it.

That was his past.

It is everything he has experienced so far.

Under the combined effect of the powers of "Divine Soul Fate" and "High Soul Control", this water mirror is not a simple projection of memories.

What he was seeing was what was actually happening in the "past".

But he can only watch.

It cannot be touched, cannot be made to sound, and cannot be interfered with.

Any attempt to interfere could cause ripples in spacetime itself, which would be detected by the Otsutsuki clan, who have been monitoring spacetime, and the plan could be exposed.

but----

"It's not entirely impossible," Yun whispered hoarsely.

As long as it doesn't directly interfere with the past of this world.

As long as the timing of that interference doesn't occur in this world—

Yun's gaze grew increasingly profound, and the images in the water mirror continued to flash back rapidly. Finally, the image suddenly froze.

The scene reflected in the water mirror was solemn and sorrowful.

That's in front of the memorial stone of Konoha Village.

The sky was a gloomy gray-white, and a dense crowd stood silently.

Everyone was dressed in black and white mourning clothes, their expressions heavy and sorrowful. Many bowed their heads and wept, and suppressed sobs could be faintly heard.

Yunshi saw Orochimaru standing at the very front, his face cold and his eyes complex, and Jiraiya and Tsunade with clenched fists and solemn expressions.

Standing further ahead of the three of them, presiding over the memorial ceremony, was Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was holding a eulogy, wearing a divine robe, and a Hokage hat.

Yun saw it: in the crowd, Might Guy, dressed as a child in a green bodysuit, was crying his eyes out without any regard for his image.

He also saw another child in the crowd.

The child had his head down, his figure mostly obscured by the person in front of him, and his shoulders trembled slightly, as if he were suppressing his emotions.

That is————

"Hyuga Kumokawa," Kumoshiki uttered the name.

In his memory, that was the first day he came into this world.

In front of the memorial monument, he mingled with the crowd, digesting the original owner's memories, and was surprised and uncertain about the "system" that suddenly appeared in his mind and the initial 100 points.

At the same time, I am also moved by my own body, my identity, and this cruel yet beautiful world.

Then, he saw Orochimaru standing in the front row.

Almost instantly, the outline of a crazy and audacious plan, which he saw at the time as the only way out, took shape in his mind.

They exploited the information gap to deceive Orochimaru.

That was the starting point of all his plans.

but----

Yun looked at her reflection in the water mirror and whispered, "Indeed, that day was not the first day I came into this world."

No hesitation.

despair.

A soft sound, exceptionally clear.

Yun raised one index finger and tapped it on the cold, rough stone armrest.

hum!

On the surface of the water mirror, the image that was originally frozen in front of the memorial stone rippled outwards, and then the image began to flash rapidly again.

In the water mirror, it transformed into Konoha Hospital.

Yun saw the busy figures of medical staff in the operating room, and a woman on the delivery bed with a pale face, sweat-drenched hair, and experiencing the excruciating pain of childbirth.

That was Hinata Kumokawa's mother.

Outside the delivery room, in the corridor, a man wearing a Konoha Jonin vest paced back and forth anxiously.

That was Hinata Kumokawa's father.

right here.

The moment Hinata Kumokawa was born.

Cloud-like perception reached its peak in that instant, locking onto everything in the water mirror.

next moment.

In the water mirror image, inside the delivery room, just as the baby is about to be born, at this moment of the transition between old and new life.

Yunshi felt it.

A spatial fluctuation so faint as to be almost nonexistent, so brief as to be fleeting.

The fluctuation was so subtle that it blended perfectly into the background at that moment. It would have been impossible to detect it without Yun's full perception and prior preparation.

But he caught it.

Yun's eyes narrowed, and she quickly followed the spatial fluctuations she had detected.

hum! !

The "water mirror" in front of him suddenly shrank, its surface rippled and distorted as if it were about to shatter, and the scene rapidly zoomed in and changed.

It was no longer the delivery room of Konoha Hospital, but the scene changed along the "source" of that faint spatial fluctuation.

The new, stable scene is a bathroom, somewhat blurry, like a mirror covered with a little moisture.

In front of the washbasin, a young man wearing a hoodie with the hood pulled down to cover most of his face was standing with his head down, his hands on the countertop, breathing slowly.

The ends of her wet, black hair were dripping with water.

"----Um?"

The moment the cloud-like light fell upon the young man, he seemed to sense something and subconsciously raised his head.

Beneath damp, black, tousled hair, a pair of eyes peered warily through the gaps in the hair on her forehead at the mirror in front of her.

The face reflected in the mirror should have been his own.

But at this moment, the two of them, separated by two different worlds, looked at each other.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

"The young man in the mirror clearly saw Yun Shi's face through the mirror, his deep eyes, which were like nebulae, and his expression was blank."

Yun Shi also saw the young man's raised face and those dark, wary eyes.

The young man standing in front of the mirror, gazing at him from afar —

It is "himself".

It's not "Hyuga Kumokawa", not "Kage", and not "Otsutsuki Kumoshiki".

Rather, it was the original him.

That name —

He thought he had long forgotten.

He's a fraud.

In both his life and after his death, he used countless pseudonyms.

Forget that name; that's how it should be.

But at this moment, when this face, these eyes, transcending worlds and time, unexpectedly entered his field of vision—

Yun's lips parted slightly, silently uttering a name.

That was his name in his previous life.

boom!!

The sudden change originated from inside the water mirror, from the world in which the young man resided.

In the mirror, the scene where the youth was was engulfed by the blinding, scorching crimson flames, which swept him in as well.

[Foreshadowing is in the "Side Story: Liar Game." If you haven't read it yet, take advantage of the free offer.]

[I'm barely managing to write 10,000 words a day, I'm practically dying, but I have to get up at 8:30 tomorrow, so I can only get five hours of sleep ————]