Chapter 275: The Four-Faced Deity
Genichi didn't elaborate further on the "Beyond Kage" and "Six Paths" levels, having successfully dangled the carrot for the assembled shinobi. In reality, without a significant power-up, even Naruto and Sasuke would be unlikely to reach the Six Paths level on their own. They each now possessed a Rinnegan, granting them incredible dōjutsu, but if the Sage of Six Paths didn't intervene to grant them his power, their best bet at reaching that level would be to master the creation of Truth-Seeking Orbs.
After brushing past the two highest tiers, Genichi circled back to the Jonin and Kage levels. Having already covered chakra, the most basic element, he now provided a simple yet profound explanation of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. Inevitably, every topic except pure taijutsu came back to the development and application of chakra nature and shape transformation. It all seemed to circle back to chakra.
That was the essence of being a shinobi. Everything relied on chakra. Even taijutsu required chakra to unleash its devastating power, and the Eight Inner Gates were no exception.
When the morning lecture concluded, the crowd dispersed. Genichi kept a few individuals behind, including Uchiha Itachi and Naruto, to offer them personal guidance. He paid special attention to Itachi, who had spent the last few years trying to fuse his Fire-Gold Eyes with his Sharingan to forge his own unique path. If he succeeded, it could usher in a new future for the Uchiha clan. Genichi held high hopes for this and was willing to share his own experience in developing Kekkei Tōta, and even in fusing different dōjutsu. Although the Sharingan and Rinnegan were two parts of a whole, his experience was still a valuable reference.
After Naruto and the others left, Genichi couldn't help but sigh to himself. Research-oriented talents like Orochimaru and Kabuto were far too rare. But now, with the shinobi world unified under his guidance, he was confident that more geniuses would emerge. They might not be able to keep pace with him—he was, after all, on a completely different level—but who knew what brilliance a genius mind could produce? Perhaps one of them would provide him with a spark of inspiration. He would wait and see. For now, it was a simple matter of planting seeds when he had a spare moment; it cost him little effort.
That afternoon, Genichi didn't go to the experimental facility. He had a puppet clone there, so his actual body didn't need to be present for the research with Orochimaru. In the past few years, aside from mastering the Electromagnet Release Kekkei Mōra, he hadn't made any other substantial breakthroughs. The development of a new dōjutsu, a genjutsu-based Kekkei Mōra, and a Wood Release Kekkei Mōra had all progressed, but none were complete.
However, thanks to his deepening understanding of Electromagnet Release, he felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough with the new dōjutsu. By combining the Rinnegan and Tenseigan with his Electromagnet Release Kekkei Mōra—utilizing gravity, electromagnetism, and the powerful insight of his Heaven's Eye Kekkei Mōra—his research into the strong nuclear force had advanced significantly over the past two years. Previously, he could only observe it as a phenomenon through his Heaven's Eye, but with the forces of gravity and electromagnetism at his command, he was beginning to truly touch that power.
Therefore, he left the study of the Ten-Tails to his clone. His main focus remained on his new dōjutsu. Lecturing and teaching students was simply a way for him to relax and clear his mind.
In a specially constructed meditation chamber beneath his house, Genichi sat cross-legged. With a single thought, his head began to change silently. Two new faces emerged on the left and right sides of his head, and a fourth appeared on the back. It looked similar to the Asura Path of Nagato's Six Paths of Pain, but the transformation was far more natural and seamless. From the front, the side faces were not visible. Now, no matter which direction you approached him from, you would be facing him directly.
This was a physical transformation technique he had developed in recent years through Sage Transformation. It was not a physical modification or a standard transformation jutsu. Genichi had named it Sage Art: Four-Faced Deity!
Of course, the technique also included four corresponding pairs of arms, but he had no need for them at the moment, so they remained unformed. He had developed this technique, similar to Orochimaru's Eight Branches Technique, because he felt he simply didn't have enough eyes. Since he couldn't yet fuse all his dōjutsu into one, switching between them was not only troublesome but also prevented him from using them to their full potential.
Thus, the Four-Faced Deity Sage Art was born.
Combined with his mastery of the Electromagnet Release Kekkei Mōra, which enhanced his ability to restructure matter, and the assimilating properties of Sage Art, he had now fully "made his own" the Rinnegan and Tenseigan he had previously transplanted onto his hands.
The eyes on his left face were a pair of Rinnegan, which held the dōjutsu Futsu-no-Mitama. Its first ability allowed him to seize another's soul, consuming it to perfectly occupy their body. Its second ability was to form a sword of pure chakra that, upon striking an enemy, would pin their soul and absorb it into the blade, where both soul and sword would dissipate into nothingness. Soul-based dōjutsu were exceedingly rare, which was why Genichi had chosen to keep this particular Rinnegan.
His right face held a pair of Tenseigan.
The eyes on the back of his head were the Kotoamatsukami Mangekyō of Uchiha Shisui, which had once belonged to his puppet clone. Genichi actually preferred Uchiha Obito's Kamui, but because his ability to acquire future powers was on cooldown, he was using Kotoamatsukami for the time being. Sasuke's Amenotejikara and Naruto's Fate-Guiding Rinnegan were also excellent choices, but all things considered, Kamui was his top pick. The next time he used his power-up, he would replace the Kotoamatsukami.
When that happened, Genichi's dōjutsu loadout would be as follows:
Left Face: Rinnegan (Futsu-no-Mitama).
Right Face: Tenseigan.
Front Face: Mangekyō Mirror Eye (Ōyabiko-kai Genjutsu), Space-Time Dōjutsu (Umashi-ashikabi-hikoji), Kekkei Mōra Heaven's Eye, Mangekyō Sharingan Dōjutsu (Tokotachi-no-Mikoto - Future Body), and the six-tomoe blue Rinnegan (Mitoshi-no-Mui).
Back Face: Mangekyō Sharingan (Kamui).
The feeling of security was overwhelming.
In addition to these dōjutsu, Genichi had also mastered the Electromagnet Release and Ice Release Kekkei Mōra, not to mention his countless other Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta. Against any enemy worthy of his attention, these were the abilities he would typically use. For example, in his fight against Madara, he had employed Magnet Release, the Mirror Eye, the Tenseigan, and his Future Body Mangekyō technique. This didn't mean his other abilities were useless; they were the very foundation of his power. In fact, whenever a new Kekkei Genkai or Kekkei Tōta appeared, he would immediately copy it with his Mirror Eye and master it.
Now, as Genichi activated the Four-Faced Deity, his left face opened its Rinnegan, his right face its Tenseigan, and his front face its Heaven's Eye. The combined power of the Rinnegan and Tenseigan manipulated gravity while he simultaneously activated his Magnet Release. The very fabric of spacetime within the meditation chamber began to distort. This was precisely why the room had been specially constructed; an ordinary space could not withstand such forces. The immense, overlapping gravitational and electromagnetic fields would cause all surrounding matter to collapse in on him. Only the special walls of this chamber, created with a combination of Yin–Yang Release and Electromagnet Release, could endure it.
The reason he was unleashing such power was to induce the strong nuclear force—specifically, the strong nuclear force within the atoms of his own cells. When he was merely observing it, he could study the atomic nuclei of other matter. But to actually manipulate the force itself, he had to start with his own body.
It was an incredibly dangerous endeavor. The strong nuclear force is what holds atomic nuclei together. One wrong move could cause the nuclei to break apart, resulting in cellular disintegration. Just as mastery of electromagnetism allowed him to restructure matter at the atomic level, mastery of the strong nuclear force would allow him to restructure it at the subatomic level.
However, at Genichi's current level of power, the disintegration of a few cells was nothing. It wouldn't even cost him any of his lifespan. Through a combination of Sage Transformation and Electromagnet Release, he had developed the ability to absorb plant cells and convert them into his own. This gave him the confidence to take such risks. Otherwise, if he were limited to simply observing the strong nuclear force with his Heaven's Eye, it would take ages to develop the dōjutsu he desired.
Now, he was observing and feeling the strong nuclear force at the microscopic level within his own being, induced by the powerful gravitational and electromagnetic fields. As his understanding of this fundamental force grew, so too did his confidence in developing a dōjutsu to control it directly. When he succeeded, he would have mastered three of the four fundamental forces: gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong nuclear force.
Time ticked by. Three hours later, Genichi ceased his observation, and the spacetime within the chamber returned to normal. But his training wasn't over. He began attempting to synthesize a new dōjutsu using his Mirror Eye as a base. An hour later, he had not succeeded, but he was not discouraged.
He stood up, stretched, and in the next instant, appeared on the roof of his house. The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant strokes of red. Genichi's cells acted like a sponge, madly absorbing electromagnetic waves and the power of the planet's magnetic field to replenish his energy.
Just as his stamina was nearly restored, he heard the voices of his children. They were home from the Academy. Little Marin was out for a walk with Shizune. The three older children immediately took the Cube to the training ground behind their house to play. The novelty of their new companion had not yet worn off. If he didn't have to leave it for his little sister, Chisato would have taken it to school with him.
After soaking up the last of the sun's rays, Genichi made his way to the training ground. He found Chisato leading his brother and sister in a mock assault on the Cube. He didn't interrupt, simply watching from the side like an invisible spectator.
The three children worked in concert, attacking first with taijutsu. Their coordination was good, but the Cube handled their three-pronged attack with ease. It had been created as an all-in-one sparring partner, teacher, and protector. As it parried their blows, it also pointed out their mistakes.
After several dozen exchanges, the children retreated.
"Cube, we're using ninjutsu now!" Chisato declared.
"I am ready," the Cube replied.
Chisato flew through hand seals, shouting, "Aoba!"
Aoba nodded and began his own set of seals. One after the other, they completed their jutsu. Chisato unleashed a torrent of fire from his mouth while Aoba expelled a gale of wind. Fire and wind combined, roaring to life and surging towards the Cube as a sea of flames.
Karin wasn't idle either. Three Adamantine Sealing Chains erupted from the ground around the Cube, binding its arms and torso.
"Excellent coordination, Lady Karin," the Cube praised. "You have neutralized your opponent's ability to form hand seals, and the sealing jutsu is suppressing their chakra." Then, with a burst of electromagnetic power, the chains shattered, and a purple energy shield formed around its body.
The wave of fire crashed against the shield but failed to break through, splitting and flowing harmlessly around its sides.
"However, Lady Karin," the Cube continued, "while few shinobi can perform jutsu without hand seals, they do exist. Sharingan genjutsu is one such example. Furthermore, while sealing jutsu is a wondrous art, your Adamantine Sealing Chains are not yet strong enough. Their strength is determined not only by your chakra reserves but also by the power of your spiritual will."
Karin's eyes went wide. "Is that the power of Electromagnet Release?"
"Yes," the Cube confirmed. "It is a shield formed by an electromagnetic field. It can defend against all attacks and also possesses the ability to deflect energy."
"Cube," Karin asked, "is my genjutsu completely useless against you?" She had also been trying to use her mind-control Kekkei Genkai during the attack.
"Not at all. It simply lacks the required intensity and subtlety," the Cube replied. "If a genjutsu is not powerful enough, it must be cast without a trace. You don't need to aim for a powerful effect; influencing a single detail of the battle is often enough to change the outcome." In truth, its will came from Genichi himself, making it just as strong. Not even Kotoamatsukami could affect it, let alone Karin's genjutsu.
Karin listened thoughtfully.
Chisato wasn't satisfied yet. "Let's keep going!" he shouted. "We're going to use our Kekkei Genkai next, Cube!"
"Rest assured, Master Chisato," the Cube replied. "Unleash your full power. You don't need to worry about injuring me."
The primary abilities Genichi had given it were Lightning, Magnet, and Electromagnet Release, but its physical body alone was incredibly durable.
The three children then began to unleash a barrage of different ninjutsu, experimenting with various combinations and having the time of their lives. After they had exhausted their standard arsenal, they moved on to Wood Release, Ice Release, and Magnet Release.
Aoba's Magnet Release had no effect on the Cube; it was simply dissipated by its own Electromagnet Release. To the children's surprise, Chisato's Wood Release was equally useless. The Cube simply deconstructed the wooden vines at the molecular level.
After trying out all their abilities, the three siblings took a short break before starting again. This time, Aoba wore the Cube as armor and faced a combined assault from Chisato and Karin.
Genichi watched with a smile. It seemed he wouldn't have to be their daily sparring partner anymore. Still, he thought, it might be fun to let Chisato wear the Cube and fight him sometime.
He left the training ground as quietly as he had arrived and ran straight into his youngest daughter, Marin.
"Daddy~"
She opened her arms and ran towards him on her little legs, throwing herself at him. Genichi quickly knelt and caught his little treasure in a hug.