Chapter 256 – The God Tree That Can Be Released
"White Kāma?"
The glowing words left Kitagawa Gen stunned for a moment. Then, his mind caught up—and he understood exactly what it was.
"So… it's that?"
His expression twisted oddly before his eyes lit up with excitement.
The White Kāma—purely a seal of power, a brand containing nothing but raw Ōtsutsuki strength.
There were two types of Kāma.
The Black Kāma recorded the entirety of an Ōtsutsuki—body, soul, and memory—serving as a means of resurrection. Gen himself had already tinkered with this concept; in fact, he had secretly placed one on Black Zetsu.
Of course, since Zetsu never fought, and Gen himself was very much alive, the seal remained dormant—no "release" needed. Still, it gave him a way to monitor Zetsu… and more importantly—
"I can lock onto your location and teleport to you at any time."
The White Kāma, however, was different. Unlike its darker counterpart, it carried no soul, no memories—only raw power.
"Weaker than a Black Kāma, sure… but…"
But for someone like him, such unadulterated energy was ideal.
"Wasn't that guy—Code, I think?—using a White Kāma too?"
The thought made his grin widen. For Gen, the White Kāma was a perfect fit, especially since it contained Ōtsutsuki power.
It would accelerate the development of his bloodline and grant him benefits far beyond ordinary means.
"The only trouble is… just like back when I first ran into Itachi—I'll have to hunt down the artifacts myself."
Gen wasn't overly fond of treasure-hunting. Even with the Uchiha's sacred relics, it had taken him ages to gather them.
And after all that?
He barely used them.
"The Totsuka Blade still comes in handy now and then, but Yata Mirror? Practically useless."
Three years ago, he had claimed Yata Mirror too—though Akatsuki had been lucky enough to avoid crossing paths with him during the process.
Now it just sat sealed away. A legendary divine shield… but redundant compared to what he already wielded.
After all, he had the Truth-Seeking Orbs.
They were the pinnacle of offense and defense combined. Against them, even Yata Mirror seemed inferior.
"I'll stick with the orbs. Especially since I have three of them."
Yata Mirror was tucked away for now. Maybe it wouldn't be used, but it was still his. And sometimes, just having something was enough.
"…So White Kāma, huh? High value for me. Maybe its original intent was for cultivating subordinates?"
Gen wasn't entirely sure how the White Kāma was meant to be used, but he didn't need to be. For him, it was perfect.
"Isshiki must've prepared a lot over the years. That 'Kara' organization may not exist yet, but he wouldn't plan his revival without backup measures…"
The thought only improved his mood. He had already strung Isshiki along once—why not rob him blind while he was at it?
"There's still more data in his chakra to extract. And the Ten Tails' dimension… I need to explore it further. Especially anything on Ōtsutsuki Shibai—his remains are priceless. I will claim them."
He exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"…But first, let's absorb the Bijū chakra."
Cross-legged atop the colossal tree, Gen drew in a breath and closed his eyes.
"This time I gathered chakra from the Four-Tails and Five-Tails. That leaves only the Six-Tails."
His absorption wasn't the fastest, but steady progress had brought him this far. Now, after years of collecting, only Utakata's beast remained.
Yet oddly enough, Mei Terumī rarely mentioned Utakata at all. Gen had barely heard his name, and rarely meddled in Kirigakure's affairs.
After all—one had to respect the sovereignty of allies.
"…Still, it's about time. With Akatsuki on the move, I just need them to keep working hard."
In truth, his rise had always been entwined with their toil.
As his thoughts drifted, the chakra of the Four-Tails and Five-Tails sank into the God Tree's core.
At once, the towering, sky-piercing tree shuddered. Waves of boiling energy rippled through the entire Heavenly Imperial Realm.
Even the Dragon Vein surged in resonance, weaving together with the fresh Bijū chakra inside the God Tree's roots.
Gen's eyes slipped shut as his body brimmed with power, energy hammering against his vision.
---
Elsewhere, in the Akatsuki's hideout
"…Gen really fought Ōtsutsuki Genshiki to a standstill?"
Nagato's face was frozen in disbelief. His Rinnegan flickered with excitement… but beneath it lay frustration and doubt.
Excitement—because this battle validated his theories.
Frustration—because he wished it had been him standing there.
"…But why? What exactly is this 'evolution'?"
"I don't know."
Black Zetsu's gaze swept over him, voice calm and direct.
"Most likely, it's because he gained the power of the Sage of Six Paths' brother. He's getting closer… too close. That's why."
"Power gained… getting closer… evolving…"
Nagato whispered, his voice full of longing.
Nagato's voice dropped into a faint murmur, his words trailing into the silence. At his side, Konan could only sigh softly.
Though she had long withdrawn from the frontlines to devote herself fully to managing the Land of Rain, she had never stopped worrying about Nagato. After all, ever since the repeated thrashings he'd suffered at the hands of both Ōtsutsuki Genshiki and Kitagawa Gen, his mentality had shifted—and that worried her.
"Don't dwell on it, Nagato. At the very least, this is a good result."
"…A good result, huh?"
Nagato shook his head, the words caught between his lips. Black Zetsu, noticing his hesitation, stepped in.
"Don't overthink it. What matters is that Gen can stand against Genshiki. More importantly, Yin–Yang Release has proven effective against even a being like that."
"Just Yin–Yang Release?"
Nagato clenched his fists. Before he could say more, Obito gave a sharp, derisive snort.
"Hmph. Instead of chasing empty words, we should focus on reviving the Ten-Tails. Once we have it, we won't ever be this helpless again!"
"The Ten-Tails is our hope," Black Zetsu agreed, his tone solemn. With the Ten-Tails came the God Tree, and with the God Tree, the Infinite Tsukuyomi to bring back their "mother."
But Nagato lifted his head, his voice low and probing.
"Can we uncover what this 'evolution' really means? And… can we reach out to Kitagawa Gen? If he's truly inherited the Sage's brother's power, then—"
"Hah! Don't be ridiculous."
Obito's voice dripped with venom. His jaw tightened, teeth grinding together.
"That man isn't on our side. He's Konoha's golden child—hell, the darling of half the shinobi world! He's nothing but an obstacle on my path."
Still, even Obito's bitterness couldn't dismiss the weight of Genshiki's words.
"…But," he admitted grudgingly, "understanding what he meant by 'evolution' is important. There might be something there we can use."
Nagato's eyes lit with a sudden spark. Evolution. The word was vague, almost illusory—but if it was tied to Gen's overwhelming power, then it was something worth craving.
After all, aside from a handful of names, they themselves already stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world.
If Kitagawa Gen could evolve… why not them?
"I'll look into it," Black Zetsu said quickly, though the intensity of both Nagato's and Obito's gazes made his scalp prickle. In truth, that had been his plan all along.
"But before that, we need to plan carefully. Edo Tensei still requires refinement—"
"The Bijū are ours to deal with. Edo Tensei can be left to Orochimaru."
Nagato shook his head, decisive. Obito's single eye then locked on Black Zetsu with sharp intensity.
"Gen's secret is what matters most. If we don't uncover it, how else can we remake this world into peace?"
"…"
Black Zetsu pressed his lips into a thin line. At last, he nodded.
"I understand. I'll push harder on this matter."
But inside, he was sighing. Evolution? Just because Gen managed it, doesn't mean the rest of you can.
"Idiots. Fooled so easily by Kaguya's chakra… did you really think uncovering some so-called 'secret' makes you equals? You'll never be like Kitagawa Gen."
From within Obito's consciousness, Isshiki observed, his expression cold and disdainful.
Lower creatures. Pathetic. Believing scraps of truth would let them climb higher.
Gen was different—but Isshiki knew what he needed to do.
Even if he once disdained the idea, the crushing pressure from that insane kinsman of his left him with no choice.
"Having this fool Obito reach out to Kitagawa Gen… it's necessary. The enemy of my enemy could be a stepping stone. And through him, I'll see more of Genshiki's plan."
Still, when his gaze drifted back to Obito, a pang of irritation stabbed through him.
"…Why is my luck so rotten? The last vessel had a body too weak, and now this one's brain is defective!"
He truly couldn't fathom how he kept ending up with such pitiful hosts.
But after a moment's silence, Isshiki exhaled and shifted his focus. No matter. If Obito could be steered, he would serve his purpose.
"Whether the meeting with Kitagawa Gen goes smoothly or not, it benefits me either way. If it fails, combat will accelerate the Kāma's progression, hastening my control. If it succeeds, I'll gain a chance to act even sooner."
A faint gleam touched his gaze.
"One more piece on the board… one more advantage. And if Genshiki's so-called 'path' is real, then Kitagawa Gen may hold far more value than even he realizes. In the end…"
His lips curved coldly.
"…It will all be mine."
---
Meanwhile, within the Heavenly Imperial Realm, Kitagawa Gen slowly opened his eyes. At once, a new stream of information flashed across his vision.
Name: Kitagawa Gen
Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (Development: 74%)
Dōjutsu: Tenseigan (Eye of the Full Moon)
Divine Art: Yomi-no-Tsukuni
Special Ability: God Tree's Source (Stage Eight) — Release Available