"The changes in the Tenseigan… you all felt them, didn't you?"
On the Moon, inside Hamura's Temple.
After sending Ōtsutsuki Toneri off to rest, the three elders gathered together.
Their gazes fixed on the colossal Tenseigan, its surface shimmering with golden radiance, and each of their faces grew especially grave.
"Yes… someone is spying on us."
The Second Elder sighed, his expression complicated.
"I fear things have become troublesome. Just what is that man's goal?"
"At this point, I'm starting to doubt whether he's even truly a 'man from the heavens'!"
The Third Elder ground his teeth in fury as he cursed.
"He's been stealing and using the Tenseigan's power all this time. Can such a person really be called a 'man from the heavens'?"
"All it proves… is that the Tenseigan is powerful enough."
The First Elder shook his head, cutting in. His expression was the ugliest of all.
"Of course, whether or not he's really a 'man from the heavens' remains uncertain. But what worries me more now is his true purpose."
At these words, the three old men all fell silent. That was, after all, their greatest fear.
In the past, when the Tenseigan's power was merely being siphoned off, they could still turn a blind eye, pretending not to notice.
After all, he also had the authority to use it, and they didn't have the energy to deal with his endless chipping away at it.
But the moment the thief's gaze turned toward them, the situation became something entirely different.
"In truth, we've long known a day like this would come."
The First Elder sighed as he spoke, seeing the other two maintain their silence.
"It's just… it's come far sooner than expected. I fear that man is already searching for a way up here."
"We did know, yes… we just refused to face reality."
The Second Elder forced a bitter smile. From the moment the energy had begun being stolen, they had already understood what it meant.
"That man… can we really handle him?"
"Hmph! Talking such defeatist nonsense before he's even arrived?"
The Third Elder, ever the most hot-tempered, snorted coldly.
"Forget whether he can even come up here or break through our barrier—suppose he does, do you think I'd be afraid of him?!"
As he spoke, the Third Elder's eyes shifted toward the First Elder.
"I'm the youngest here. If he really comes, let me face him first!"
"Isn't it the Tenseigan's power he covets? Then let him die by the Tenseigan itself!"
Hearing these words, the First and Second Elders held their silence.
At that moment, their thoughts were completely aligned.
Even if they poured out the Tenseigan's full power, even if it cost them their very lives—
"Can we truly win?"
They did not know. But they did know this: certain preparations were now unavoidable.
Toneri was their only hope. Even if it cost them everything, they had to ensure Toneri's survival.
...
"Great Sage, why have you summoned me again?"
Inside the Sage Palace of Mount Myōboku.
Jiraiya appeared bleary-eyed, clearly not yet fully sober.
The celebrations of the previous night had seen him drink more than a little—after all, solving such a massive problem had left him in an excellent mood.
War—just the word alone carried too much weight.
Perhaps it was because he had lived through so many great battles, seen too many people perish, that the subject only deepened the ache in his heart.
But he was not without reason. When the three great shinobi villages decided to join forces against Kumogakure, he had chosen to remain silent.
For he knew full well—it had to be done. And now, at least, it was all over.
There were still countless problems to deal with, yes, but the greatest disaster had ultimately been avoided.
What he hadn't expected was to be dragged in by the Great Toad Sage the very next day.
"Little Jiraiya, I don't wish to trouble you either."
Gamamaru sounded helpless. He knew well enough that summoning someone like this over and over wasn't ideal, but he had no choice.
"It's just… there is something you must be told. Something you all need to be wary of."
"Hm?"
Seeing Gamamaru's expression, Jiraiya immediately sobered up, his curiosity piqued.
"What is it?"
"Toward Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning… Ōtsutsuki Genshiki has appeared."
Gamamaru's tone was heavy.
"I've already sent toads to investigate. Kumogakure lies in ruins, casualties are enormous. And I heard you were preparing to go to war with them, so—"
"Wait—Kumogakure?"
Jiraiya's eyes widened. After a moment's silence, he lowered his voice.
"When did this happen?"
"The night before last."
"The night before last? Then the destruction of Kumogakure may have nothing to do with Ōtsutsuki Genshiki."
"Eh?"
Gamamaru froze. What did he mean by that?
Kumogakure wasn't destroyed by Genshiki?
How did Jiraiya know?
"In truth, it was Gen who brought down Kumogakure."
Noticing Gamamaru's confusion, Jiraiya scratched his head and explained.
"Gen slipped out in secret and launched an attack on Kumogakure using Wood Release."
"Wood Release? Senju Hashirama's Wood Release?"
"Exactly. And I heard from Tsunade that he even used the First Hokage's strongest technique."
Jiraiya, oblivious to Gamamaru's slip of the tongue, went on in awe.
"That move called 'True Several Thousand Hands'—it summons a giant Buddha. They themselves admitted it. Two tailed beasts and Kumogakure itself were all crushed beneath it."
As he spoke, Jiraiya couldn't help but picture the cataclysmic scene.
Before such overwhelming might, who could possibly stand against it?
"True Several Thousand Hands… Kitagawa Gen?"
Gamamaru, however, reacted differently. Hearing Jiraiya's words, he fell into silence.
Ever since Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's appearance, he had felt his dreams clouded, his prophecies no longer reliable.
And now, with Kitagawa Gen stepping into the light, it felt like another omen entirely—forcing him to think deeper.
'Could it be… this child is the true savior?'
The thought shifted the course of his reflections.
...
"Konohagakure…"
Outside the village, Black Zetsu gazed at the collapsed terrain, and at the village itself still standing tall in the distance.
A sigh escaped him. As outrageous as it seemed, Konohagakure had survived intact despite such a great battle.
But of course—he knew why.
It was Kitagawa Gen's Flying Thunder God Barrier.
If not for that, Konohagakure would have been erased long ago.
"What a genius… just what is this guy, really?"
Black Zetsu couldn't make sense of it. In truth, ever since that first time he'd slipped into Konohagakure alongside Obito, he had already noticed—Kitagawa Gen was anything but ordinary.
There was an indescribable, familiar aura about him. At times, it even made Black Zetsu think of his mother!
Even now, he couldn't help but lean toward that suspicion—because this boy was simply too outrageous.
"After all… he even defeated Nagato."
Black Zetsu muttered under his breath. Yes, at that time Nagato's power hadn't been fully concentrated, and Gen had relied on Sage Mode together with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"But even so—how many across the entire shinobi world could have achieved that?"
Beyond that, Gen had developed Ice Release on his own, and even after watching Dust Release only a handful of times, he had managed to master it as well.
Most unbelievable of all was that he could wield Wood Release—going so far as to unleash the 'True Several Thousand Hands'!
"Not even the reincarnations of Indra and Asura were that terrifying… just who is this boy?"
A sigh escaped Black Zetsu, but the truth was, he had no answers.
He had once speculated that perhaps the boy was a descendant of Ōtsutsuki Hamura on the Moon.
He had no Byakugan, true—but when Gen entered Sage Mode, he was utterly unlike any other.
"Perhaps his Byakugan only manifests within Sage Mode…"
Black Zetsu could not understand, but such thoughts crept into his mind nonetheless.
"I can't keep my focus solely on Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Madara. I need new blood… new power as well!"
Ever since crossing paths with Kitagawa Gen, the endless agony of failure had clung to them.
And now, with an Ōtsutsuki Genshiki descending from the heavens, he had no choice but to alter his strategies.
"Hey, Blackie, what are you thinking about?"
White Zetsu's voice broke into his thoughts.
"You've been standing here forever. Aren't we going inside?"
"We'll go in, but not now. Konohagakure is on high alert right now—it's too dangerous."
Interrupted, Black Zetsu merely gave a faint shake of his head, unbothered.
"Still, danger or not, we have to get in. Konohagakure holds a vast trove of ancient records—perfect for us to study."
"Oh."
White Zetsu nodded vaguely, half understanding. By now, Black Zetsu's plan was clear in his own mind.
"For now, we'll stay hidden… then bide our time and look for the right opportunity."
"Oh."
"This time, even if we linger in the shadows, we'll be the ones holding the initiative."
"?"
White Zetsu blinked, puzzled, wondering if his partner had finally gone mad.
But Black Zetsu gave no answer. His intentions, however, were plain enough.
He would remain hidden in the shadows, guiding Kitagawa Gen by other means—driving him to clash with Ōtsutsuki Genshiki.
And in the end, he would seize back control of the grand design, paving the way for his mother's return.
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---