A Silent Meeting.

(3rd Person POV)

"To search for some semblance of individuality… I guess it was to be expected of you, you are human after all, molded quite differently but still quite human. Your mind at the very least." – The reflection spoke as it moved away from Kei as if it didn't even belong to his figure.

"How did you…" – Kei asked as he remained kneeling on the water.

"How did I reach you? Someone who made a human body using me… such a stupid question, but then again, this is the 'true' Kei, the individual you are without me. A speck of sand in a desert, a nameless piece of meat as even the name was something I gave because I gave you value to hold it. Do you want to know what you are as that nameless thing? You are not an Uchiha, you are not a genius by any measure, you are definitely not a Hokage, you are simply not Kei without me."

Kei's head hung low as he bit his lip, thinking about the words coming from the reflection on the water.

"Bothering to think? Why? When you have only a nameless orphan in your mind? When you have become so limited? Do you believe any answer you come to will have any semblance of worth?"

'It' was right, even to overcome the troublesome situation, he immediately felt the connection to 'it' and the collective minds discussing how to remedy the situation. Without them, Kei was not even a name worth remembering.

"Indeed, it is no coincidence that Kuro doesn't even remember the face in the original route of events… after all, talent, ability, strength… alone you do not have any of it. 'Kei' exists only because of the collective, the best of each shinobi and individuals to have been encountered."

From the beginning Kei was different, the perfect mask, tempered, for the monster to hide when it walked among the humans. And for 'it' to perfect that mask, parts needed to be polished… and some needed to be broken completely.

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(Unknown Location)

Three illusory figures walked out of thin air as their long robes dragged behind them.

No features were clear except for their long hair, their footsteps making no sound as if they simply walked on air, until the moment one of them spoke.

"The Sage has accepted our help… it seems as if the recent encounter with the monster has frightened him." – The first spoke with a young, calm, and steady voice, as a fan blocked most of his shadowy face.

"Hmpf… as if he was going to do anything on his own." – The second one spoke in an arrogant voice as his eyes narrowed, irritation visible in them, as was the clear disregard for the Sage.

"Do not underestimate the old man, he has lived for around a millennium already. Considering the limitations here… it is quite an accomplishment." – The third one responded, calm, but with a voice that reflected experience.

"He has been alive for a millennium… it is quite a difference, from actually living, to barely holding on to life." – The arrogant man spoke once again, this time without being refuted.

Silence reigned for a few seconds.

"Ahem… so, how is our progress?" - The first one asked as he suddenly broke the silence.

"Well, don't look at me, ask our resident divination expert. It was his idea to get involved in the first place." – The arrogant voice echoed as a shadowy thumb was pointed at the third individual.

"That may be so, but we cannot put all our hopes on divination. What did you find?" – The first one asked once again as the owner of the arrogant voice actually stopped and looked straight at him for a moment.

"Haaa…" – a sigh ensued as he rubbed his eyes, the arrogant look in them vanishing as it looked at the owner of the fan. – "It is hibernating all around the place… no, it is simply waiting to pounce on this entire world… as for what it's waiting for, I cannot say."

"How about the seal?" – The first one asked again as his eyes narrowed, this time directing his question to the older individual in the room.

"It's up to the sage… we can reinforce it, but the laws of this universe work differently, no matter how much we try, we hold no permanent power here, even now we are repulsed, confined to these mortal bodies, and confined to this level of power that only continues to dwindle. We can offer insight, inspiration, and ideas to the sage… but that is it for permanent effects."

"Can't we just drag it back with us? Once we get back we can use our power as transcendent to…" – The second one spoke as he gestured with his arms, confidence filling his voice as a voice interrupted him.

"Do you really think we didn't consider it? It was the original plan but how can we do that if we can't even tell how far it has spread?" – The third spoke as he stared at him like he was an idiot. – "Have you become so blinded by your corner of paradise that you actually think you are all-powerful?" – the divination expert reached out with his hand as the second one's image distorted and was removed from their sight.

The first one simply watched as he detected the anxiety within the older one.

"That… was excessive…"

"Spare me… you should know better than to defend him. Becoming an emperor in your country doesn't make you the emperor of every single country that exists. It merely gets you some perks in each of them… and our perks are slowly coming to an end. We are vulnerable here, mortal… something that manchild doesn't seem to acknowledge. We do not have the chance to redo anything if we fail here."

"…You are right, perhaps our power has blinded us, our immortality made us lax…"

"Immortality… heh. Would you believe me if I said I have seen our so-called immortality come to an end?"

Silence reigned as the first individual abruptly closed his fan.

"… In here? Because if this monster?"

"Even without it… did you really think we could live forever… that is naïve even for that manchild, let alone you… We are as eternal as the laws of the universe we have comprehended… meaning that when that universe ends, our 'immortality' ends with it. This monster merely has the option of bringing that end forth much…much faster."

No response was heard as the figure simply turned around, the shadowy silhouette vanishing as the older one was left alone.

'Death, something you faced countless times... but never because of natural causes… well, as 'natural' as they get for 'immortals'… No matter, either way, individuals who don't believe they will die anytime soon, are never the ones who have made their peace with death.'