It took them a few hours of talking until they were done, I kept myself out of their conversation, normally I would be my snoopy self, but I didn't know to what degree Hagoromo could detect my 'Shinjutsu' as he called it, no point in souring his opinion of me again by being nosy.
The implication that Shinjutsu was similar or the same thing as Divine Power was also something that concerned me slightly, oh how I longed to go back to the days when I was the only one around with any Divine Power.
Oh well, I would have to live with it, no point in being salty about stuff I can't change.
Once they were done, Hagoromo walked through the door, as in he phased through it, ghost rules and all that.
"I wish to thank you." He said sincerely. "I had not realized how much my children wished to speak with me."
Eh, there was no need to thank me for this.
"No worries, you might have watched them a fair amount, but they last talked to you a millennium ago, if I remember right, they weren't even fully grown yet at the time." I shrugged lightly. "Once I get the rest sorted out, you can start paying visits to them yourself, huh?"
Hagoromo nodded slowly.
"The time spent observing my children was always bittersweet, watching them distance themselves from humanity." He admitted. "You gave Saiken a new chance at life, an opportunity to forge new bonds and learn why I loved humanity so much."
There was a long pause between us, Hagoromo just looked around him, at the steady stream of people walking around, all unaware of the conversation between a God and the Sage of Six Paths.
"Watcher, why do you interfere so directly? What is your motivation?" He asked eventually. "I have left the world to its own devices after my death, trusting that what I taught would be remembered, but you clearly do not agree with that method."
He's asking the hard hitting questions, huh?
"Back when I first established myself in Wave, years ago, when my following numbered in the mere hundreds, one of my followers died." I recounted. "He killed himself, hoping that The Watcher would reunite him with his dead family."
It was a somber memory, that man's life was not pleasant, the only thing preventing him from suicide had been his fear of death, but once he saw the Watcher take Ayumu's soul...
"I remember being... let's say sad and frustrated, I didn't like that he suffered, I didn't like how his family died, I didn't like how unfair it all was, but Hagoromo..."
I teleported us to the tower again, this time my god body was there.
I didn't bother restraining myself, letting my full presence crash down on the area, Hagoromo was a big boy, he could handle it.
I AM A GOD
Hagoromo tensed as my true form stared down at him, but I wanted to emphasize the point I was going to make.
"As much as I frolic around pretending I am a humble Saint, I am not." I said seriously. "I don't believe in some bullshit like, with great power comes great responsibility, no, my motivation is simple, I don't like seeing suffering."
My true form floated back, disappearing amongst the stars again.
"I will use my power to shape the world because I think I can make a better one." I continued firmly. "Not an unusual stance, but..."
"You are a God." Hagoromo finished for me. He looked thoughtful at my words. "And what if your idea of a perfect world ends up being detrimental in the long run? And do you not think that humanity deserves to forge their own fate?"
Ah, the classic questions.
"Humanity had its chance, Hagoromo."
Even in my old world, there was not a single period in history free of conflict, humanity was varied, and complex.
That meant there were disagreements, and sometimes there were no solutions that satisfied everyone, so instead, humans resorted to violence.
In the past, they used sticks and stones, in modern times, it was drones and bullets.
Add in uncaring and greedy leadership, and human biases, and conflict was inevitable, unpreventable, a fact of life.
This world was worse than my old one in that aspect, but that just made me more sure of my decision.
"You tried to teach them a better way, giving them a tool to truly understand each other." I continued seriously. "But eventually, understanding is not enough."
I respect Hagoromo, I truly did, but his approach to dealing with the problem that was human nature was... childish.
"Sometimes, people will hate, they will kill, even knowing exactly the pain that their actions cause." I told him. "The idea of humanity forging their own fate can go fuck itself, if I can make a world where there is less suffering, then I will."
Hagoromo stared at me as I talked, by the time I finished, he still looked thoughtful.
"What a refreshingly simple answer." Was his eventual response. "You act because you can, you are certain in your ideals and you will see them through."
Yeah, pretty much.
"Even with all the power I possess, there will be mistakes, people will die no matter what I do, suffering will not disappear, but this is what I have chosen to do." I nodded. "If it turns out wrong, I will try and fix it, and if I can't... Well, shit happens."
If my actions end up causing a net negative result for the world, then as the great philosophers of ages past said...
GG no re.
I can only give it my best.
There was a moment of silence between us.
Hagoromo bowed deeply at me.
"I apologize for my harsh words earlier, Watcher." He said with absolute seriousness. "I do not agree with your methods, nor can I agree with your beliefs, but you are earnest in wanting to help people, and you have done good for Saiken."
And with those words, he straightened back up.
"Perhaps there are still things for this old man to learn, even after death." He mused thoughtfully. "If you would not mind, I wish to watch over Rōran until my mother's resurrection."
I waved him off.
"Feel free, although my confrontation with your mother will be a private affair, your presence there would only worsen her state of mind, I feel."
"True, it is quite likely that she will never forgive me or Hamura for our actions." Hagoromo nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Watcher, I shall leave you to your own devices."
And he vanished again.
This time, I did not stop him.
***
1 WEEK LATER
Obito sat down and concentrated, the tunnel was complete, and now he needed to link the Ryūmyaku to the statue, it would be a simple procedure.
"Make sure you do not get distracted, Obito, I do not know how much Chakra the Statue needs to absorb before the Juubi forms." Black Zetsu said seriously. "Once it is revived, you will have to seal it almost immediately, it is not truly intelligent, but it does possess a deep cunning that will make it a struggle should it get a chance to fight, even with the Rinnegan, you will have a hard time."
Obito nodded.
"I am aware of the risks." He answered simply, extending his hands towards the hole, a root slowly grew from his hand.
It shot forwards, straight into the hole, and continued to grow through the tunnel they had dug.
***
AN HOUR LATER
Deep within the depths of Rōran, the Ryūmyaku pulsed silently, hidden away from all.
And from a small hole in the ground, a root poked out, waving around for a few seconds before plunging into the shining pool of power.
It grew, purple veins forming along the sides of the root as it sunk deeper and deeper into the Ryūmyaku.
The wood cracked, but it kept thickening, growing larger and larger, until eventually, it filled the hole it came from, and the Ryūmyaku began to flow up through the root.