Chapter 193 – The Lunar Passage
The celebrations went on deep into the night.
If not for Hiruzen Sarutobi finally stepping in to put a stop to things, the party could have easily lasted until dawn.
But no one could blame them.
The Hidden Cloud had long been infamous throughout the shinobi world.
Small nations despised them, and Konoha especially had suffered greatly at their hands.
Now, Kitagawa Gen and his two companions had actually brought Cloud to its knees.
That alone was more than enough reason for Konoha to celebrate.
Of course, the higher-ups of the allied villages didn't share all the messy details—alliances still required saving face, after all.
When it was over, Kitagawa Gen slipped back home.
Terumi Mei and Deidara, however, weren't so lucky.
---
That night, in Konoha's guest residence, Elder Genji sat across from Mei, his expression grave.
"How exactly did you manage all this?
Cloud may have lost its Kage, but even so… And I've heard rumors of Wood Release reappearing?"
Mei let out a weary laugh, recalling the battle. She sighed.
"Elder, it was even more unbelievable than you imagine. Yes—Mokuton manifested. And in that moment, I finally understood why the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was called the ninja who brought an era of chaos to peace."
In private, she held back nothing.
She described everything in detail—especially the colossal figure that had appeared: a thousand-armed Buddha, each fist as large as a Tailed Beast, every strike carrying the force to shake heaven and earth.
Genji fell silent, lost in thought.
He had lived through that era.
He knew firsthand the terror of the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha.
Never did he imagine that Konoha would produce such a figure once more.
Finally, Mei spoke again, voice firm:
"Elder, I believe we must strengthen our ties with Konoha. Not just because they helped us against Uchiha Obito or because of our vague alliance. It has to be more than that."
"Yes… you're right."
Genji's voice was dazed, but he agreed wholeheartedly. Then, a bitter smile.
"To think Ōnoki's words turned out prophetic—Konoha really has returned to its glory of decades past."
And he wasn't the only one thinking that.
If anything, Ōnoki felt it even more strongly.
---
Meanwhile, in another room, Ōnoki listened to Deidara's account of the mission.
The Tsuchikage sat stunned, speechless.
Beside him, Akatsuchi scratched his head, unable to picture a thousand-meter-tall Buddha.
"No way it was that big. You're exaggerating!"
Kurotsuchi blurted out, suspicion plain on her face.
"Tch, what do you know?" Deidara scoffed, arms crossed.
"I saw it with my own eyes! A mountain in Cloud was flattened by a single strike. Idiot, hm!"
"Enough."
Ōnoki massaged his temples, his voice heavy.
"You can't begin to comprehend Hashirama's power. When he and Madara fought, they reshaped the very landscape of the shinobi world."
Kurotsuchi's jaw dropped.
Deidara, however, nodded, as if he'd expected as much. Then, curiously, he asked:
"Old man, between Gen and the First Hokage… who's stronger?"
"Pointless question," Ōnoki grumbled.
"They are both of Konoha—that alone tells you enough."
But despite his dismissal, Ōnoki sighed.
"It seems we have no choice but to reframe our relationship with Konoha. I never thought things would come to this… But maybe, just maybe, Kitagawa Gen truly can stand against that Ōtsutsuki Genshiki."
Just the thought made him uneasy.
The destruction Genshiki was capable of… his uncanny, overwhelming strength… and his obsession with the Tailed Beasts—if unchecked, he was a disaster waiting to engulf the entire shinobi world.
Ōnoki's fists clenched, bitterness rising as he glanced at Deidara laughing on the side.
Why was everyone else's "child" so capable, while his own student was such a troublesome slacker?
"Why can't you work harder, you idiot…"
---
While the elders fretted, Kitagawa Gen slept peacefully.
He might have even managed to sleep in… if not for the racket outside his window the next morning.
"Hey, blondie! What do you think you're doing?!"
"I'm watering the flowers! What, even this you want to hog?!"
"Cut the crap—I told you, this is my job from now on!"
"What kind of watering is that?! You're drowning them, you moron!"
Gen rubbed his temples at the noisy bickering outside.
He had hoped to avoid running into a certain blond and a certain redhead, but fate wasn't so kind.
Sliding the window open, he called down with a sigh:
"Don't you two ever sleep? What's with all this racket so early in the morning?"
"Morning, senpai!"
In an instant, Karin's face softened sweetly when she spotted him.
Naruto, on the other hand, just gestured at the potted plants with exasperation.
"Gen, she killed your flowers."
"…Great."
Gen looked at the wilted plants with deadpan eyes. So much for that.
"And what exactly are the two of you doing here instead of training—or reporting to the medical corps, Karin?"
"Tch. The Pervy Sage isn't even awake yet," Naruto muttered.
"And Tsunade-sama said I could come in late today," Karin added, suddenly meek.
"…Figures."
Gen shook his head. After last night's wild celebration, half of Konoha seemed to be skipping work.
He couldn't help but mutter to himself:
"Is this what Konoha's come to? One night of partying and suddenly nobody bothers showing up. I don't even want to imagine what's next."
Kitagawa Gen felt that Konoha's administrative system could really use some tough discipline...
"Hey, what's with you? You look half-asleep."
Naruto eyed him curiously, while Gen muttered inwardly to himself. This instantly made Karin snap in irritation.
"Idiot, Senpai just came back from the mission at Kumogakure. He hasn't fully recovered yet. Stop pestering him."
"Tch. Why are you suddenly defending him?" Naruto shot her an annoyed glance, then turned back to Kitagawa with equal frustration.
"And you—damn it, how could you leave me out of that? If I had gone, things would've been way easier!"
"Shut it. You can't even guarantee passing the Chūnin Exams!" Karin shot back without hesitation, which only made Naruto explode.
"Damn it! I'll pass, you'll see!"
"I'm not so sure about that."
"Hmph, at least I'm actually taking the exam. You? I don't recall seeing your name."
"That's because I don't need to. Senpai didn't take the exam either, and look where he is now."
"What?! You little—!"
"Face it. You're just not good enough."
Watching the two bicker, Gen couldn't help but chuckle. The two of them were overflowing with energy—unlike him, who honestly felt drained...
"Last night might've been a bit too intense, but at least the outcome wasn't bad."
Hiruzen had originally wanted to press him for details after the celebration, but the atmosphere was too lively. Since Gen was in Konoha anyway, Hiruzen decided to let him rest for one night without being bothered.
And after returning home, the very first thing Hen did was to probe deeper into the Moon's mysterious passage.
His eyes had stopped absorbing chakra, and that "stirring within" was proof of their current state.
He could simply wait for them to mature on their own—but he had no patience for that.
The Moon, with its giant eye, had been sitting there all this time. He had already waited years to reach this point. Now that he was here, there was no way he would just sit idle.
So last night, he decisively used his own eyes once more to connect with the Moon.
This time, not only did he sense more—he actually saw more.
For the first time through the Tenseigan, he glimpsed the Moon's interior.
He saw three elderly white-haired men, a massive library, and—most striking of all—a boy with no eyes.
"Ōtsutsuki Toneri."
Kitagawa was certain of the boy's identity. There was no mistaking him.
"Sharp, aren't they? The moment they noticed me watching, they immediately cut off the link."
Gen stroked his chin, though he wasn't particularly surprised.
If they could create the Tenseigan by merging the Hyūga clan's eyes, then of course they would also have methods to control it.
It was only because he possessed the Tenseigan himself that he could resonate with the Moon's giant eye and even seize partial control. But that didn't mean the Ōtsutsuki had no countermeasures.
"Too bad for them—because I'm no longer afraid. And now, I've basically locked onto their location. A little searching, and I'll find the way."
Through this probing, not only had he spied on the people living on the Moon, but he also pinpointed several areas that seemed to be space-time gateways.
All he needed to do was stabilize the "God Tree's Core" within him, and once that was complete—
He would launch a full-scale strike into the Moon itself!
"My eyes... it's time for another evolution."