Chapter 209: New Power, New Mission
"68%… and it's increased this much?"
Gen Kitagawa stared at his interface in disbelief.
Over the past three years, he had been studying diligently. Side missions were completed, but only casually.
No dedicated missions, nothing particularly special—so his progress hadn't been fast.
Although he had strengthened himself in other areas—like understanding Yin and Yang Release, mastering the Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, fusing bloodline limits, and experimenting with integrating bloodline powers—his bloodline development itself had remained slow.
"Still… this is better. The Divine Tree Core's absorption is insane, but…"
He lifted his gaze toward the massive tree, so huge that "blocking the sky" was the only way to describe it, and nodded.
The benefits it brought him were undeniable.
"Tailed beast powers?"
As the thought crossed his mind, a surge of unique energy manifested throughout his body.
Golden chakra spread across him, making him resemble Naruto in his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!
At the same time, he raised his hands, and chakra spheres appeared instantly in his grasp.
One glowed blue-black, another twisted white and black, while the others shimmered in various hues.
These spheres condensed the powers of the tailed beasts. At this moment, Gen could fully wield these tailed-beast-infused abilities!
"Not bad. My arsenal as Ōtsutsuki Genshiki is finally expanding."
The body of Ōtsutsuki Genshiki had been powerful but limited in attack variety. Repeatedly relying on techniques like the Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, even combined with his Ōtsutsuki strength, felt monotonous.
Even with the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, the technique was reserved for finishing blows. He needed other offensive methods.
Now, with tailed beast powers at his disposal, he had more attacks and even additional special effects. This pleased him greatly.
"Besides that, my ocular power and control have improved significantly."
He clenched his fists, and his eyes glowed with a deep, flowing blue. The surroundings warped instantly.
Golden sand on the ground began moving strangely, defying gravity, flipping in every direction.
As Gen amplified his focus, the particles seemed drawn to a unique force.
In an instant, the grains spread out evenly, forming a precise pattern in front of him.
"Not bad."
Such control made him smile. Though the area wasn't massive, at close range, even a true Ōtsutsuki would find it fatal.
The Divine Tree Core's enhancements were impressive, and the bloodline development also contributed heavily.
Aside from strengthening his base Ōtsutsuki abilities, his bone absorption had slowed slightly, becoming more manageable.
"Hmm… can this power really 'hatch' without full bloodline integration?"
Gen hesitated. Even without reaching the level of All Killing Ash Bones, his bones combined with his Ōtsutsuki physiology were already absurdly durable.
He now understood why Jigen could shatter a Susanoo with a single kick after activating the Kāma. The Ōtsutsuki body's strength was terrifying.
"Next, I'll test this on Uchiha Madara… and later, on Uchiha Itachi."
Gen looked toward the massive, still-unbloomed bud of the tree, feeling its constant absorption and the resonance with the eye on his forehead. A thought struck him.
"If I want… could I eventually use Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
"But next, I need to focus on bloodline integration."
"And those other Ōtsutsuki!"
---
Meanwhile, Konoha Village
Deep in the night, the moon cast a silvery glow. Black Zetsu peeked cautiously, observing Konoha.
Noticing the Uchiha were searching for something, he exhaled quietly in relief.
Over three years, he had sent Gen many items, guiding him while simultaneously strengthening him.
Yet this guy…
"He's learned plenty, but barely explored anything! Do you expect me to hand answers to you?!"
Black Zetsu struggled but had no choice but to continue devising ways to subtly guide Gen.
Seeing someone searching around the southern Naka Shrine area gave him hope.
"Why isn't he doing it himself? Isn't it better to keep such secrets under his control?"
He couldn't understand Gen's thoughts but decided not to interfere further. At least progress was being made.
"Next, I need to ensure he finds something related to the Senju clan."
Silently, Black Zetsu melted back underground, heading toward the Hyūga clan. His visit was not just to check on Gen or his plans but also to monitor the Hyūga movements.
"That Kaguya-Maruo… such a pain."
He knew exactly why. Maruo had been constructed using Kaguya's chakra! Over the years, Zetsu had maintained his stability—but just enough to keep him alive.
"With Madara's new body almost complete, I have no choice but to prepare some precautions."
He sighed. Even if he didn't want to, some preparation was necessary.
"Even fully restored, he wouldn't stand a chance against Ōtsutsuki Gen."
Zetsu understood the limits of Maruo's power, knowing that even by awakening the Byakugan, the raw strength would be mitigated, not exceeded.
"Fine. If he wants answers, I'll handle the investigation. And…"
Suddenly, Zetsu realized something: he had always suspected Gen might be from the Moon.
"So… could I manipulate this?"
With that thought, he fell silent. For now, saving his mother justified any method.
---
The Next Morning, Konoha Village Gate
"Good morning, you two are early!"
Gen, Kakashi, and Jiraiya strolled lazily to the meeting point. Sasuke was fine, but Naruto struggled to stay composed.
"Too slow! Kakashi-sensei and Gen, fine, habitual latecomers, but you, pervy sage, too?!"
"Hey, the time isn't even up. Why rush?"
Jiraiya didn't mind. Though Minato and Kushina were inside Naruto, he was the teacher.
"Besides, Takigakure is boring. We've been there already."
"True."
Gen stroked his chin. "That village is mediocre. Smaller than Konoha, fewer people, and last time wasn't pleasant."
"Was it because of the Akatsuki?" Kakashi asked, flipping through a book.
"Exactly. Not a fond memory," Gen replied.
"Also, this time, our team is incomplete."
He shrugged, sighing. "Last time, the Fourth Raikage was involved too…"
Kakashi and Jiraiya nearly lost balance, staring at Gen in disbelief.
"Just pretend to care," Gen muttered, indifferent.
Jiraiya rubbed his temple in mild frustration, while remained serious and composed.
"No, I just think the shinobi world is poorer for losing someone so resilient. But back then… he didn't trust me, so I suppose he got what he deserved."
"Didn't trust you? Wait… didn't you still had the Flying Thunder God mark on him? If he didn't trust you, wouldn't that be his mistake?"
"Exactly. He judged people too well. And wasn't that hinted at by the Hokage? Didn't he say—"
"Stop. Don't say another word. Can't you see Naruto and Sasuke are right here?"
"And besides, the cat crying over the mouse isn't fake mercy—it just pressed on its tear glands while eating."
Jiraiya had no idea what Gen meant by calling someone a "debater for the sake of arguing," but by now, he didn't even want to talk.
"Well…"
Fortunately, Kakashi spoke up just in time to save Jiraiya from further embarrassment.
"Sasuke, how's the search for the stone tablet going?"
"Not found yet," Sasuke replied, though a little disappointed he couldn't watch Gen continue to banter with Jiraiya. Still, he quickly composed himself.
"Since it's a secret mission, even the ANBU haven't been mobilized. It's all on us. And the monuments aren't just at the South Naka Shrine—they're scattered elsewhere too, so…"
"Gather them all in one sweep, huh? That's typical of him."
Gen nodded. The actions of Senju Tobirama were always meticulous, leaving no chances behind. And with Senju Hashirama himself unsure whether the Senju clan had left anything, Tobirama could only cautiously rely on his older brother's memory.
"It doesn't matter. By the time we return, we should have the results. Let's get going."
"Huh? No Sakura?"
Naruto's curiosity got the better of him as they prepared to depart.
But noticing Sasuke's glance, he simply pursed his lips. Sakura was still part of their team, but by now she had been distanced from this mission. Some tasks just weren't suitable for her.
"Alright, let's go."
Gen shook his head and thought for a moment before giving a reminder.
"There's a reason we didn't bring Sakura. Every time Kakashi-sensei, the pervy sage, and I go out, trouble always seems to find us."
"???"
Kakashi and Jiraiya froze for a second—trouble that they brought? Could it be… they were walking disasters?
"So, for safety, the team must be small, efficient, and capable."
"…"
"And always be ready in case we encounter the Akatsuki."
"…"
"After all, with Kakashi-sensei and the pervy sage around, the chance of running into them is extremely high!"
"…."
As his words ended, Gen's eyelid twitched. In an instant, he realized something:
[New Side Mission Acquired]
[Three years… do you know what I've experienced in those three years?]
[Crush the invading enemies and show them what you've endured all these years.]