Chapter 289 – New Eyes, New Power!
"The power inside Ōtsutsuki Shibai's body… it's on a completely different level from Momoshiki, Urashiki, or even Isshiki."
Gen's voice was low and calm,
but his mind was already spinning with possibilities.
He didn't notice that Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, sealed within him, had once again fallen into silent dread.
He was too busy calculating the feasibility of his next step.
Kaguya had once explained that planting a God Tree was, at its core, a process of energy conversion.
And now, his God Tree—vast beyond comprehension—was hungry.
"The stronger the tree, the more it demands," he murmured. "Which means… I need an even greater energy source."
Destroying this planet to plant another God Tree was out of the question.
The world's life energy was the foundation of its existence—
and this world was his.
He wasn't about to sacrifice it.
So, another method would be required.
And when he thought about Shibai's divine corpse—the body of the Ōtsutsuki closest to godhood—
it felt like the perfect offering.
"Even his dead cells can produce pseudo-divine abilities in test subjects," he whispered, eyes glinting.
"If I used them to feed my tree… the results would be incredible."
His gaze brightened.
There was no way he was letting such a treasure go to waste.
"But that's for later," he muttered. "For now… Isshiki's pocket dimension. I've roughly pinned down its location, but tearing it open won't be easy."
He exhaled slowly, forcing his excitement back under control.
Shibai's corpse wouldn't be easy to reach,
and he already had Momoshiki and Urashiki's remains in his possession—wasting them would be foolish.
"Besides, my development isn't complete yet," he thought. "Once I finish absorbing these two, then I'll retrieve Shibai's body…"
If everything went according to plan, he could obtain a higher-tier divine fruit—
and possibly achieve 100% development,
elevating himself beyond the boundaries of life and death.
At that point, he thought with a faint smile, I might really stand on the same level as Shibai himself—
a being who transcends time, dimension, and mortality.
Then, another thought struck him.
"Wait… Hamura's remains are still on the moon."
He remembered the pale brother of the Sage of Six Paths.
But with Kaguya's chakra already within him,
it didn't feel right to desecrate her son's resting place.
So instead, his gaze fell to the two crystalline orbs in his hand—
the divine pills formed from Momoshiki and Urashiki.
"Let's try something," he said aloud. "I'll use their bodies as offerings. I'll need your help for this, Kaguya."
"Hmm?"
Kaguya blinked, finally snapping out of her thoughts.
By then, Gen's chakra had already begun to surge.
In an instant, the pill in his hand started to dissolve,
its essence pouring into him like molten light.
His entire body trembled as his chakra spiraled violently,
burning through his veins like a living storm.
Kaguya's eyes widened.
"This power… how—how is this possible?"
Even for her—once revered as a goddess—
the sight before her was unthinkable.
The sheer magnitude of energy Gen was absorbing made her heart race.
"He's really doing it," she whispered. "He's actually… evolving."
---
Meanwhile: The Ninja World Moves
With Akatsuki's formal declaration of war,
the entire shinobi world erupted into motion.
In every village—Konoha, Kirigakure, Iwagakure—
ninja were constantly mobilizing,
scouts running missions day and night.
The air was thick with tension.
No one could remember a time when fear had spread this fast.
No one knew Akatsuki's exact numbers,
but no one dared underestimate them either.
After all, they could use Edo Tensei.
And if those reanimated foes turned out to be old comrades or fallen heroes…
the psychological damage alone would be devastating.
Under such looming dread, something remarkable happened—
the three great villages finally put aside centuries of hatred.
For the first time in history, they stood united.
---
"Hmph. So they're planning to drag the entire world into this," Obito sneered,
listening to the latest reports inside Akatsuki's underground base.
"Let them. The more people they gather, the better it'll serve our plan."
Nagato frowned.
"Be careful, Obito. Our true enemy isn't the other villages—it's Kitagawa Gen."
His Rinnegan glimmered faintly as he looked at Obito.
"And I still wonder if we have enough forces beyond Edo Tensei."
Obito waved dismissively.
"Relax. I've prepared something far more efficient—
one hundred thousand White Zetsu.
Individually weak, yes, but as an army?"
He smirked.
"Perfect pawns for sabotage and attrition. Combined with the reanimation forces, it'll be more than enough."
It was true—the White Zetsu army was his trump card.
They weren't powerful alone, but they were relentless.
They could swarm, spy, sabotage, and overwhelm.
Still, Obito's mind was on something else entirely.
"But to face Gen… we'll need something beyond numbers."
"We'll need evolution."
He didn't fully understand what the term "Evolver" meant,
but deep down, he knew he was one of them.
Not just him—Kimimaro, and even Nagato…
He could feel their chakra sometimes linking with his,
as if drawn by an unseen thread.
"Only those of the same kind can resonate like this," he thought.
So if he was an Evolver—
then they must be too.
"If the Path to Godhood applies to us…" he mused,
"then why can't I be the one who reaches the top?"
The idea took root in his mind like poison.
He had once betrayed Madara,
seizing control of the Eye of the Moon plan for himself.
Why not do it again—this time as the only true Evolver?
To him, Nagato was a tool.
Kimimaro? Just a puppet manipulated by Orochimaru.
Neither deserved to stand beside him.
"I should talk to Madara again soon," he thought, eyes narrowing.
"Nagato… can't be allowed to make it to the end."
Outwardly, he continued to discuss strategy with a calm smile.
But Nagato, ever perceptive, was growing uneasy.
Something's wrong with him, he thought. He's changed.
Their chakra link made it impossible to hide.
Nagato could feel Obito's growing hunger—
that restless, maddening ambition.
And he could feel something else—inside himself.
A shift.
His injuries from the last battle had been severe,
but his recovery had been unnaturally fast.
Too fast.
And deep within, something was awakening.
"My strength… it's growing," he realized, his eyes narrowing.
"Faster than ever before."
It was as if a hidden force was urging him forward—
mutating, evolving.
"It's not just me," he murmured. "Obito… and Kimimaro too."
The realization chilled him.
If gods could devour one another to ascend,
then what about them—
beings whose chakra now intertwined, whose essence seemed to feed on itself?
"Is this… our own version of the Path to Godhood?"
Nagato frowned deeply.
If that were true—
then things were about to spiral far beyond anyone's control.
Still, he smirked faintly.
"Obito Uchiha, huh? Let's see how far your evolution takes you."
He wasn't afraid.
He still believed he was the one destined to walk the Sage's path.
"Maybe Kitagawa Gen already walked it," he muttered.
"No wonder he's become what he is…"
---
Meanwhile, in the shared mental space where Obito's chakra connected with theirs—
three figures stood watching.
Isshiki chuckled quietly.
"Oh? He figured it out all on his own?"
He folded his arms, amused.
"I've been guiding him for a while… but this time, I didn't even have to say a word."
Neither Isshiki nor the others could've imagined it —
Obito Uchiha, by simply observing Gen's battles, had somehow grasped the essence of the "Path to Godhood."
"A few mistakes here and there," Isshiki murmured, a faint smirk forming, "but the conclusion… is correct."
He nodded approvingly in the void of their shared mindspace.
Obito might not have been brilliant, but this time, he had shown unexpected potential.
"Heh. Didn't expect my vessel to have a brain after all," Isshiki said dryly.
Momoshiki raised a brow, caught between amusement and disbelief. Even he hadn't predicted that Nagato would catch on so quickly.
But something about it irritated him—
his own vessel didn't seem to share that same ambitious spark.
"No matter," Momoshiki muttered, smirking. "As long as this body is powerful enough… with Isshiki and Urashiki's help, the rest will fall into place."
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
If he played it right, he was certain he would be the last one standing.
As he was thinking that, his gaze slid toward Isshiki—
and, as fate would have it, Isshiki looked back at the exact same time.
Both men froze.
Then, slowly, almost in sync, they turned to look at Urashiki.
The moment their eyes landed on him, Urashiki snapped out of his own thoughts.
"What are you two staring at?"
His tone was sharp, wary.
Among Ōtsutsuki, paranoia was survival.
"Nothing," Isshiki said coolly, shaking his head. "Don't be so jumpy."
Momoshiki smiled faintly.
"We're allies now, remember? Don't read too much into it. I was just… wondering about our clan's ancient rules."
"The rules?" Urashiki asked, eyes narrowing.
Momoshiki's smile deepened as he glanced toward Isshiki.
"Tell me, Isshiki—how did you come up with the idea of breaking the clan's laws?"
Isshiki said nothing at first. He simply exhaled, his expression unreadable.
But then, his own thoughts began to stir.
"Have you ever wondered," he said slowly, "why those rules exist in the first place? Why forbid us from devouring one another? From ascending further?"
"Who knows," Momoshiki shrugged, rubbing his chin. Then, his grin turned sharp. "Maybe there was some kind of war in ancient times—a civil war."
Isshiki's brows furrowed.
As wild as it sounded, the logic wasn't entirely off.
Urashiki's eyes widened as the pieces clicked together.
"A war so brutal," he whispered, "that only a handful survived… and to prevent extinction, they created those restrictions?"
The thought hung heavy in the air.
For a moment, all three Ōtsutsuki fell silent.
It was a ridiculous idea—
and yet, deep down, it felt… possible.
If that were true, then the "elders" of their race—those who still sat at the top—
had once slaughtered their own kind for the sake of survival and strength.
The rules weren't sacred.
They were scars.
"And when the time comes," Momoshiki murmured, "who's to say they wouldn't do it again?"
The three exchanged glances.
A faint chill passed between them.
The moment doubt took root,
they had already stepped into the Dark Forest.
"If they've done it before…" Isshiki whispered, eyes glinting, "then they can't blame us for doing the same."
The three of them chuckled quietly—
a sound that didn't belong to gods, but to predators who had just found new prey.
---
Meanwhile, Inside the Amenominaka
Within the vast space of the Gen's aura surged higher and higher.
The storm of energy rippling through the dimension was so overwhelming
that even the colossal God Tree Source at its center began to tremble.
Its towering trunk shuddered violently.
Its luminous leaves, once brilliant and full of life, now curled inward,
their sheen fading into pale, withered gold.
It looked… drained.
Like a living thing having its very soul siphoned away.
"Impossible…"
Kaguya's voice quivered, her pale eyes wide with disbelief.
She had never—not once—seen anything like this.
Neither the God Tree nor Kitagawa Gen himself should have been capable of reaching this point.
"How… how is this even happening?" she whispered. "What is he turning into?"
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
"You madman," she murmured, trembling. "You've done it again…
You've proven your 'Path to Godhood' really works."
As she spoke, Kitagawa's surging energy began to stabilize—
compressing, condensing, taking form.
BOOM—BOOM—
A heartbeat.
Then another.
The sound echoed like thunder across the divine plane.
A pulse of power—
like a newborn god drawing his first breath.
Gen's eyes snapped open.
Twin galaxies ignited within his gaze.
The radiant starlight pouring from them filled the entire Amenominaka,
bending reality itself under their glow.
Power erupted from him like a tidal wave,
so immense it threatened to warp the dimension itself.
And then, from above, a column of multicolored light descended—
divine luminescence wrapping around his body like celestial fire.
In that moment, his presence transcended mortal and divine alike.
The very system that governed his existence flickered to life before his eyes:
---
[Status Window]
Name: Kitagawa Gen
Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (Development: 86%)
Dōjutsu: Tenseigan — "The Eye of the Full Moon"
Divine Arts: Yomi-no-Tsukini (Spring of the Netherworld), Shin-Tenshin (Divine Transfer)
Special Ability: God Tree Source — Stage IX
Unique Kekkei: Bloodline Apotheosis (Primary Tier)
---
And with that—
the air of the dimension fell utterly still.
A new power had awakened.
A new god had opened his eyes.