Early morning.
Kitazawa slowly opened his eyes. Almost immediately, he felt a soft and warm sensation resting within his arms.
Lowering his gaze, he saw Kurenai lying there, her expression weary and slightly exhausted.
In order to make it up to her, he had truly given it his all last night. He had even skipped going to Tsunade in the latter half of the night.
The result was obvious: Kurenai had been completely satisfied, pushed to the brink of an alternative near-death experience.
Kitazawa raised his hand and gently placed it on her forehead. Pale green Chakra flowed steadily from his palm.
A moment later, Kurenai's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly woke up.
The instant her eyes met his, a faint trace of fear flashed subconsciously within them.
Although she had grown much stronger than before, it still was not enough.
The gap between her and Kitazawa felt like the distance between heaven and earth. She could not even estimate how far apart they truly were.
Kurenai could not help but recall Tsunade's suggestion. If she refused to cooperate… it would indeed be difficult for her to endure him alone.
"Good morning." Kitazawa smiled gently.
"I'm too tired… I don't want to move." Kurenai glared at him, though there was no real anger in her tone.
"Then I'll help you get dressed." Kitazawa leaned down, kissed her cheek, and then rose from the bed.
Kurenai slowly sat up. Her long, snow-white legs extended lightly as she remained seated by the bedside, watching him.
Kitazawa finished changing into his clothes, then picked up bandages. He carefully wrapped them around her thighs and wrists.
After finishing, he lightly patted her thigh, signaling her to stand.
Kurenai rose to her feet. At that moment, only the bandages covered her body.
Kitazawa unconsciously swallowed.
"Does it look good?" Kurenai curled her lips slightly.
"Do you even need to ask?" Kitazawa picked up her clothes and smiled. "It looks incredibly good."
"Smooth talker." Kurenai raised her arms slightly, acting like a clothes rack.
"I'm just telling the truth." Kitazawa patiently helped her put her clothes back on.
"I'll go help Mrs. Rina make breakfast." Kurenai pushed open the door and walked toward the kitchen.
After washing up, Kitazawa returned to the living room.
Karin was already there. Tsunade, however, was nowhere in sight.
"Is she still asleep?" Kitazawa muttered to himself as he walked toward Tsunade's room.
He pushed the door open without hesitation.
The next instant, Tsunade's figure entered his sight. She was lying spread-eagled across the bed.
Though she wore a nightgown, the neckline had slipped open slightly, revealing a generous curve of fair skin.
Her chest rose and fell gently with her breathing.
Kitazawa stepped forward and casually slid his hand beneath her nightgown. Warmth greeted his fingertips.
Tsunade's eyes snapped open instantly. She grabbed his wrist and glared at him in displeasure.
"It's time to eat, Tsunade-sensei." Kitazawa blinked innocently.
"I'm already retired. Can't I sleep in?" Tsunade sat up and kicked him lightly.
"Even if I didn't wake you, Shizune-senpai would have," Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"…." Tsunade found herself speechless.
She stood up and removed her nightgown without warning. Caught off guard, Kitazawa could not help but inhale sharply.
There was no denying it, Tsunade's figure was voluptuous, and the visual impact was overwhelming.
Tsunade shot him a glance and began dressing leisurely. While putting on her clothes, she occasionally made subtle, teasing movements.
Especially when she bent down to pick up her tea-green haori from the floor, giving it a deliberate shake.
Kitazawa felt his scalp tingle. But he could only endure it.
After all, Kurenai, Shizune, and the others were already awake and preparing breakfast. He could not afford to delay.
"Just wait for tonight." Kitazawa left behind a firm warning before stepping out of Tsunade's room.
Tsunade snorted softly.
Far from being intimidated, she felt a trace of anticipation. After all, she had spent the entire night alone in an empty room.
After breakfast, Kitazawa brought Kurenai, Shizune, and Uzumaki Rina to the Hokage Building.
After exchanging brief greetings, they separated and headed to their respective offices.
"Good morning, Konan." Kitazawa entered the Hokage Office casually.
Konan rose and walked toward him.
Kitazawa wrapped an arm around her slender waist. He lightly kissed her rosy lips, then gave her soft hip a playful pat before letting her go.
Konan licked the corner of her mouth slightly, as if wanting more.
"Are there any important documents today?" Kitazawa asked as he took his seat behind the Hokage's desk.
"There is one." Konan picked up a document and handed it over.
Kitazawa opened it and read through its contents. The report concerned the Five Kage Summit.
The Fourth Raikage had already arrived in the Land of Iron, accompanied by Mabui and others.
Ōnoki, Rasa, and Mei Terumī had all departed from their respective villages. Only Konoha Village remained without movement.
After finishing, Kitazawa set the document aside calmly.
Mabui, Baki, and the others had already been influenced. All that remained was to wait.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in." Kitazawa had already guessed who it was and stood up.
"Kitazawa-sensei." Hinata and Neji stepped inside.
"Konan, I'll be going out for a while." After informing her, Kitazawa took Hinata and Neji with him to the Forest of Death.
In the original history, there existed a path within the Ninja World that led directly to the Moon.
However, its exact location had never been specified.
Kitazawa had no interest in searching for it. He intended to use the most direct method: Double Kamui.
Double Kamui could open a spatial tunnel across dimensions.
[Current Mission: Defeat Ōtsutsuki Toneri.]
[Mission Reward: Ōtsutsuki Clan bloodline concentration increased by 40%.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. He accepted without hesitation.
With this 40% added to the previous 30%, his bloodline concentration would soon approach completion.
When that time came, he would likely possess a true Ōtsutsuki Clan bloodline.
Kitazawa snapped back to his senses and immediately activated Double Kamui.
Space distorted in an instant. Soon, a peculiar door formed out of thin air before them.
"Prepare yourselves for battle." Kitazawa's voice was calm yet firm. "After passing through this door, there's a high probability we'll be attacked."
Hinata and Neji swiftly drew out their bows.
Kitazawa stepped forward and entered the doorway.
His vision blurred briefly, and in the next moment, he stood upon the barren surface of the Moon.
However, unlike the Moon from his previous life, this place was not a vacuum. One could breathe here freely.
After all, the Moon of the Ninja World had been created by the Sage of Six Paths. Before he created it, there had been no such concept as a Moon.
"This is the Moon," Kitazawa spoke casually.
Hinata and Neji immediately revealed expressions of astonishment and disbelief.
They had truly arrived at the Moon, a place separated from the Ninja World by an unimaginable distance.
"Our mission target… is here on the Moon?" Neji quickly reacted, his tone filled with shock.
"They're here." Kitazawa narrowed his eyes slightly.
A dense swarm of puppets was flying toward them. These were the puppets controlled by Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
Hinata and Neji activated their Byakugan at once.
Through their all-seeing vision, they immediately locked onto the incoming puppets.
Suppressing the shock within their hearts, they drew their bows and pulled the strings in unison.
Multiple Arrows!
Countless Yin Release arrows burst forth. Explosions rang across the sky one after another.
Although the puppets possessed considerable strength, they were far from capable of standing against Hinata and Neji.
Inside the Moon Palace.
Ōtsutsuki Toneri slowly raised his head, directing his attention toward Kitazawa and the others.
Though he had been born without eyes, his perception far surpassed ordinary sight.
"How did they suddenly appear on the Moon?" A faint frown formed upon his face.
He clearly sensed that the passage between the Ninja World and the Moon had not been used.
"Since they've come to my doorstep, there's no need for courtesy." Ōtsutsuki Toneri's tone remained indifferent.
Though the three individuals seemed powerful, he did not feel threatened. Because he possessed the Giant Tenseigan.
Turning around, Ōtsutsuki Toneri entered the main hall. At the center stood a massive purple eyeball—The Tenseigan.
He stepped before it and slowly turned his head toward the hall's entrance. Soon enough, Kitazawa, Hinata, and Neji arrived outside.
"Someone actually resides on the Moon?" Neji observed Ōtsutsuki Toneri with curiosity.
However, his attention was quickly drawn toward the Giant Tenseigan. A familiar yet foreign ocular power emanated from it.
Could it be related to the Byakugan? Doubt surged within Neji's heart.
"Hinata… it has been a long time." Ōtsutsuki Toneri spoke, completely ignoring Kitazawa and Neji.
Hinata's expression froze in confusion. She had no recollection of ever meeting him.
"It's natural that you do not recognize me," Toneri spoke lightly. "I met you only once, when you were still a child."
Kitazawa was not surprised in the slightest.
In the original timeline, when Hinata was merely three years old, Ōtsutsuki Toneri had visited the Ninja World once.
It was precisely because of that encounter that he later sought to capture Hinata and make her his bride.
"Hinata, your Byakugan possesses extraordinary purity. You do not belong in the Ninja World."
Toneri continued calmly. "Remain here on the Moon. Stay by my side."
"I refuse," Hinata answered without the slightest hesitation.
"It does not matter. You will agree." Toneri raised his hand and pressed it against the Giant Tenseigan.
In an instant, countless purple Chakra spheres manifested.
They shot toward Kitazawa and the others like feathered arrows. These were Chakra Spheres capable of controlling their targets.
"He truly is… confident." Kitazawa shook his head faintly.
From beginning to end, Toneri had not spared him or Neji even a glance.
Kitazawa raised his hand, expression indifferent. Shinra Tensei!
An invisible repulsive force surged outward. All the Chakra spheres were instantly repelled and sent flying back.
"How do you possess the Rinnegan?!" Toneri's heart trembled violently.
Without delay, he activated the Giant Tenseigan.
A flash of purple light erupted. The Giant Tenseigan absorbed both the Chakra spheres and the incoming repulsive force.
"Who exactly are you?" A trace of unease surfaced within Toneri.
"The one who's going to kill you," Kitazawa replied calmly.
Danger bells rang within Toneri's mind. Without hesitation, he poured an immense amount of Chakra into the Giant Tenseigan.
A dazzling purple radiance erupted, in the blink of an eye, five beads, or rather, Truth-Seeking Orbs, materialized before him.
Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!
The Truth-Seeking Orbs spun rapidly, forming a luminous halo. From within it, a terrifying storm burst forth.
"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion?" Kitazawa immediately activated Tenseigan Chakra Mode.
"Why do you possess both the Rinnegan and the Tenseigan?!" Toneri's face was filled with disbelief.
Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion! Kitazawa raised his hand.
Nine Truth-Seeking Orbs appeared from nothingness. An even more violent storm surged toward Toneri.
The two storms collided like raging beasts.
The entire palace trembled violently. It endured only a brief moment before shattering into fragments.
"Damn it!" Toneri clenched his teeth, frantically channeling more Chakra into the Giant Tenseigan.
The purple glow intensified, shining like a blazing sun. The storm bearing down upon him was forcefully dispersed.
Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!
Amid the stalemate, a golden blade of light extended forth, slicing through the raging storm like a divine sword.
Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!
Kitazawa grasped the golden blade of light firmly and slashed forward.
The two golden lights collided.
An immense explosion erupted. In that instant, heaven and earth seemed to collapse.
The already crumbling palace was reduced entirely to ruins. As far as the eye could see, nothing remained intact.
The sole exception was the Giant Tenseigan.
Meanwhile, Ōtsutsuki Toneri stood before it, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily.
"This Giant Tenseigan… is indeed not bad." A faint smile appeared on Kitazawa's lips.
"This is impossible!" Ōtsutsuki Toneri shouted as he stared at the completely unharmed Kitazawa.
He could not believe that someone could withstand the power of the Giant Tenseigan so effortlessly.
Even if Kitazawa possessed the Tenseigan, under normal circumstances, the power of the Giant Tenseigan far surpassed that of a single Tenseigan.
After all, this was formed by pooling together the ocular power of the entire Ōtsutsuki Clan on the Moon.
"The testing ends here. Now… It's time to get serious." Kitazawa calmly brought his hands together and entered Sage Mode.
"That was merely testing?" A powerful sense of crisis surged within Ōtsutsuki Toneri's heart.
Sage Art: White Rage Technique!
A crimson dragon materialized before Kitazawa. In the next instant, the red dragon exploded.
Blinding light erupted outward, accompanied by invisible yet overwhelming sound waves.
Just as Ōtsutsuki Toneri attempted to activate the Giant Tenseigan, his body froze in place.
A sharp, searing pain shot through him. He instinctively clutched his head and let out a miserable scream.
Kitazawa walked forward steadily.
He raised his hand and activated the Preta Path's Chakra Absorption.
In the original history, Nagato had once used Chakra Absorption to devour Killer Bee's Tailed Beast Cloak, restoring his own youthful appearance.
Kitazawa's objective, however, was simple. He intended to drain Toneri's Chakra completely.
"No!" Ōtsutsuki Toneri felt the Chakra within his body rapidly dissipating.
Yet under the suppression of Sage Art: White Rage Technique, he was unable to move. He could only helplessly watch as his Chakra was siphoned away.
Moments later, once his Chakra was exhausted, the absorption began to devour his life force.
Toneri's screams gradually weakened. Until finally, they ceased entirely.
His body collapsed backward. In mere seconds, he withered into a mummified corpse.
Hinata and Neji exchanged bewildered glances. From beginning to end, they had been filled with confusion.
They did not know who Ōtsutsuki Toneri truly was. Nor did they understand the deeper significance of the Tenseigan.
Kitazawa did not absorb Toneri's Chakra into himself. Instead, he compressed all of it within his palm.
Then, his gaze shifted toward the Giant Tenseigan.
Kitazawa extended his left hand and placed it upon its surface. His perception expanded outward.
A faint glimmer of surprise flashed in his eyes. The ocular power contained within the Giant Tenseigan was sufficient—
To allow two members of the Hyuga Clan to awaken the Tenseigan.
Now, he no longer needed to worry about Hyuga Hanabi being unable to awaken it in the future.
[Current Mission: Help Neji and Hinata awaken the Tenseigan.]
[Mission Reward: Ōtsutsuki Clan bloodline concentration increased by 30%.]
[Accept?]
A trace of astonishment appeared on Kitazawa's face. Could it truly be this simple to raise his Ōtsutsuki Clan bloodline concentration to 100%?
After a brief thought, it seemed reasonable.
After all, the difference in strength between Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and Ōtsutsuki Hamura was not overwhelmingly vast when compared to Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
"Neji, come here," Kitazawa called calmly.
"Kitazawa-sensei." Neji stepped forward immediately.
"Do not resist." Kitazawa raised his right hand.
The Chakra he had condensed from Ōtsutsuki Toneri surged toward Neji's eyes.
Neji instinctively shut his eyes tight. A wave of intense discomfort followed.
He endured it, faintly sensing that his eyes were undergoing some kind of transformation.
What exactly is happening? Numerous questions surfaced within Neji's mind. But this was not the moment to ask.
"Your tolerance has its limits." Kitazawa quickly noticed the issue.
It did not take long before Neji's expression twisted in pain. His body could not fully receive and digest such a massive amount of Chakra at once.
After a moment of thought, Kitazawa performed a Sealing Technique.
He sealed the excess Chakra directly within Neji's eyes.
Once finished, he took out medical bandages and carefully wrapped them around Neji's eyes.
"It will take approximately one month to develop." Kitazawa reminded him.
"What… is developing?" Neji could not hold back his question.
"The Tenseigan," Kitazawa explained calmly. "This is the ultimate evolution of your Hyuga Clan's Byakugan."
Neji froze momentarily. Their Byakugan… could evolve?
Before this, he had long felt envy toward Uchiha Sasuke. The Sharingan could evolve—from a single tomoe all the way to the Eternal Mangekyō.
Now, he finally understood. The Hyuga Clan's eyes were not inferior.
"Hinata," Kitazawa called once more.
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei."
Hinata had already understood his intention from the earlier exchange and expressed her gratitude sincerely.
"Endure the pain a little." Kitazawa smiled faintly and gently pinched her cheek.
"Mhm." Hinata closed her eyes.
Kitazawa extended his hand once more.
The Giant Tenseigan trembled violently. A stream of purple light was drawn out and poured into Hinata's eyes.
Just like Neji, it did not take long before Hinata reached her physical limit.
Kitazawa once again used a Sealing Technique to seal the excess ocular power within her eyes.
He then wrapped medical bandages around them carefully. After losing half of its ocular power, the Giant Tenseigan's glow noticeably dimmed.
Kitazawa retrieved a summoning storage scroll and sealed it inside.
Hyuga Hanabi was still too young. For her to awaken the Tenseigan now would impose an immense burden upon her body.
It would be better to wait a few years.
"I will send you back." Kitazawa activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In the next instant, he transported Hinata and Neji back to the Hyuga Clan compound.
"Hokage-sama." Hyuga Hiashi noticed their arrival and quickly stepped out of his study.
But the moment his gaze fell upon Hinata and Neji—both with bandages wrapped around their eyes—he froze.
"Do you know about the Tenseigan?" Kitazawa looked at him calmly and asked.
Hyuga Hiashi pondered for a brief moment, then slowly shook his head.
"It is the evolution of the Byakugan," Kitazawa replied with a faint smile.
"What?" Hyuga Hiashi's eyes widened in disbelief. "The Byakugan… has an evolution?"
In the past, just like Neji, he had envied the Uchiha Clan's Mangekyō Sharingan. But who could have imagined that the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan also possessed a higher form?
"It's a long story." Kitazawa briefly recounted what had transpired on the Moon.
Like Ōtsutsuki Toneri, the Hyuga Clan were descendants of Ōtsutsuki Hamura.
Because of this lineage, when the Byakugan was combined with Ōtsutsuki Chakra, it could give birth to the Tenseigan.
"I never knew such a thing existed." Hyuga Hiashi stood there, utterly stunned.
Kitazawa's lips twitched faintly.
In the original history, the Hyuga Clan truly knew very little, and their presence had been minimal.
Unlike the Uchiha Clan, who possessed a stone tablet left behind by the Sage of Six Paths, ensuring they remained at the center of many events.
"Then Hinata and Neji are…?" Hyuga Hiashi suddenly snapped out of his daze, excitement surging through him.
Kitazawa would not speak of the Tenseigan without reason. Combined with the bandages over Hinata and Neji's eyes, the answer was obvious.
"In one month, they will awaken the Tenseigan," Kitazawa answered plainly.
Hyuga Hiashi instinctively clenched his fists. He felt an overwhelming urge to laugh toward the heavens.
The Hyuga Clan had finally caught up to the Uchiha Clan once more!
More importantly, with the Tenseigan, both Hinata and Neji would possess the qualifications to contend for the position of the next Hokage.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!" Hyuga Hiashi spoke with complete sincerity.
Kitazawa nodded calmly and accepted his gratitude.
After all, the emergence of two Tenseigan within the Hyuga Clan was unquestionably a qualitative transformation.
"For this month, neither of you is to use the Byakugan," Kitazawa instructed Hinata and Neji before turning and returning to the Hokage Office.
[Current Mission: Defeat Ōtsutsuki Toneri.]
[Mission Reward: Ōtsutsuki Clan bloodline concentration increased by 40%.]
[The host has completed the mission. Rewards are being distributed.]
Kitazawa stood still, quietly sensing the changes occurring within his body. His Chakra had increased by approximately one-fifth.
In other words, even with a 100% Ōtsutsuki Clan bloodline concentration, his total Chakra would increase by less than three-fifths overall.
It sounded modest on the surface. But in reality, it was an enormous enhancement.
After all, his Chakra reserves were already approaching infinity. What concerned Kitazawa more was another matter entirely.
Would reaching 100% bloodline concentration grant him new ocular techniques?
In the original history, members of the Ōtsutsuki Clan possessed numerous unique ocular abilities.
It was worth noting that they did not possess the Tenseigan.
The Tenseigan appeared to be a mutation unique to the descendants of Ōtsutsuki Hamura.
What the true Ōtsutsuki Clan possessed were the Byakugan and the Rinnegan.
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki also wielded a peculiar dōjutsu commonly referred to as the Black Eye.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had arrived in the Ninja World alongside Ōtsutsuki Kaguya to plant the God Tree.
However, he had been ambushed by Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and forced to parasitize a monk named Jigen in order to survive.
In other words, he was still alive.
To Kitazawa, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was undoubtedly a hidden threat. However, he had yet to reveal himself.
There would be ample time to deal with him after the Fourth Great Ninja War concluded.
The sun gradually sank in the western sky.
---
Capital of the Land of Iron.
The Fourth Raikage, Rasa, Mei Terumī, and Ōnoki sat around a circular table. Their gazes instinctively drifted toward the empty seat.
"Has there been any news from Konoha Village?" Mei Terumī asked after a prolonged silence.
"No," Ao replied.
"We have received nothing either," Baki added.
"The worst-case scenario has occurred. Kitazawa has no intention of attending the Five Kage Summit." Mabui spoke in a low voice.
"Does he truly intend for one hidden village to challenge the four of us?" Rasa slammed his hand against the table, dissatisfaction clear in his tone.
"With Konoha Village's current strength… they very well could." Mei Terumī sighed softly.
"We cannot lose the Tailed Beasts." Ao frowned deeply.
"Without the Tailed Beasts, even if the Fourth Great Ninja War does not occur now, it will happen eventually," Kitsuchi spoke in a heavy voice.
Ōnoki instinctively glanced at him.
He had not expected Kitsuchi to voice such a conclusion so suddenly. Yet the reasoning was sound.
Konoha Village now possessed all nine Tailed Beasts. Their military power already surpassed that of the other villages by a wide margin.
If Kitazawa did not start a war, what about the next Hokage? Or the one after that?
One day, a Hokage of Konoha Village would no longer restrain themselves.
"But none of us can defeat Kitazawa." Mei Terumī stated the cold reality without hesitation.
"Must we admit defeat without even attempting to fight?" Ōnoki snorted coldly.
"The combined number of shinobi from our four villages is precisely four times that of Konoha!"
"Kumogakure possesses a method to counter the Tailed Beasts." The Fourth Raikage suddenly spoke. "The Chakra Cannon."
Mei Terumī and the others exchanged glances.
In the original events, the Chakra Cannon had appeared during the conflict with Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
When Toneri summoned colossal meteors in an attempt to annihilate the Ninja World, Kumogakure deployed the Chakra Cannon and destroyed them.
With sufficient Chakra, its power could even shatter the Moon.
It was not inferior to a Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Our four villages can combine our resources and construct as many Chakra Cannons as possible."
After explaining the weapon's capabilities, Mabui calmly offered her proposal.