Chapter 258 – "Rin's Dream?" The So-Called "Gods"
Kitagawa Gen had always thought of himself as a good person.
And as a "good person," he'd always believed in sending people off properly—all the way to the end.
Take Uchiha Itachi, for instance—the first Akatsuki member he'd ever crossed paths with.
Didn't he fulfill Itachi's dying wish, letting Sasuke be the one to cut him down?
And after that, hadn't he even arranged things so Itachi could reunite with his family in the Pure Land, enjoying their afterlife together?
Or Uchiha Madara—he'd longed for Mokuton, hadn't he? And Gen had made sure he got to see it.
"I really am too kind. A man like me is far too rare in this world."
Gen sighed, feigning deep concern for the state of the shinobi world.
"What are you brooding about now, Gen?" Tobirama asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Nothing. Just… random thoughts." Gen shook his head with a smile.
By now, they'd returned to Konoha. Iwagakure's reconstruction had wrapped up astonishingly fast—unsurprising, really, with so many earth-style specialists among them.
Onoki had refused to let Deidara escort them home this time, even though the brat still remembered flying Gen and Jiraiya all the way to Konoha years ago. Iwa had suffered too heavily; letting Deidara wander off again was out of the question.
"Before we left, Ōnoki mentioned he wants to call a Three Kage Summit once things stabilize," Gen recalled aloud. "Personally, I think we should include Gaara too. He's the Kazekage now, even if Suna's not in great shape."
"Not in great shape?" Jiraiya snorted. "Better than Kumo at least."
Kakashi nodded. "They paid reparations, lost men, even had to move their entire village. Add our policies on top—they're dirt poor now."
"They hate us for it," Hashirama sighed. "If they had the strength, they'd have lashed out already. This isn't sustainable."
"Unsustainable?" Gen raised a brow. "They haven't revolted yet, have they? That means there's no real problem. Honestly, I think we've gone too easy on them."
Tobirama nodded. Sarutobi groaned. The two of them really were too much alike.
"They're already suffering," the Third said wearily.
"Come on, Grandpa, don't exaggerate," Gen countered. "The taverns are quiet, no one's rioting in the red-light district, and bread hasn't even hit fifty thousand ryō. That's what I call merciful."
"Merciful?!" Hashirama's face darkened. Even Tsunade, who'd been holding her tongue, snapped.
"You shut down half their taverns and gambling dens. You've strangled their entertainment. You think that's not painful enough?!"
Gen fell silent. The others, relieved, took it as progress. But then—
"…Or should we just wipe them out completely?" Gen mused aloud.
Everyone inhaled sharply. Tobirama, however, nodded thoughtfully.
"They are suffering. Putting them out of their misery might be kinder."
"Exactly!" Gen brightened. "A whole family should stay together. That way, they can reunite in the Pure Land. Nobody lonely on the road to the Yellow Springs."
"STOP."
Kakashi nearly choked. He'd heard this line before—last time from a scammer who conned them out of a mission.
"Enough," Sarutobi cut in quickly. "Let's move on to something more important—Edo Tensei."
"Yes," Hashirama agreed instantly. "Tobirama, Tsunade—what did you find?"
"Humanoid constructs," Tobirama explained. "Alive, in a sense. Refined technique."
"And frighteningly similar to grandfather's power," Tsunade added. "But… not identical."
She'd spent years in the medical corps—slacking and gambling aside, her research was real. "With Gen's hints, and the information from the stone tablet and bark fragments, we've connected it to the so-called 'Shinra Banshō no Chikara'—the Power of All Creation."
"Madara really did prepare far too well…" Hashirama muttered, solemn now.
Tobirama's eyes gleamed with a dangerous excitement. "If such bodies exist, then perhaps even Edo Tensei hosts can wield that power. Imagine it, elder brother—you could grow stronger even in this state. As could I."
He refused to remain anyone's burden again.
"And this 'evolution' Otsutsuki Genshiki mentioned—could it be tied to Yin-Yang Release?" he asked suddenly.
"…I have no idea," Gen admitted, scratching his cheek awkwardly. He'd just been talking nonsense back then.
"Well, forget it," Tobirama waved it off. "By the way… you're serious about reviving the real Fourth Hokage?"
"I'll need to study it carefully," Gen replied. "Every jutsu has its risks—even Edo Tensei. But risks can be overcome."
He was already planning a trip to the Uzumaki shrine, to investigate the Shinigami itself.
This world was bizarre: beings like the Ōtsutsuki and Sage of Six Paths coexisted with the Pure Land, death gods, and even "cults" like Hidan's.
But were those gods truly divine? The Shinigami could be tricked. The so-called "evil god" had let Hidan starve to death. Hardly all-powerful.
'Maybe they're not gods at all,' Gen mused. 'Just techniques… or rules given form.'
Either way, he intended to dig deeper. If there was even a chance to reach Rin—trapped between the Pure Land and the living world—it was worth it.
And in Kamui's void, Obito wrestled with despair. His defeat at Gen's hands still burned in his chest. No matter how much Rin's memory had driven him to grow, he remained powerless in the face of "evolution."
"If only I could evolve too," he whispered. "If only I could change… maybe then, I could create the world Rin and I dreamed of…"
As his mind slipped into a haze, Ishiki seized the opening. A voice of absolute authority filled Obito's head:
"Do you desire evolution?"
Obito's eyes went vacant. "Evolution… like Gen…?"
"Yes," Ishiki pressed. "Only through evolution can you transcend pain. Only then can you surpass everything. Only then can you stand above this world."
Obito's heart trembled. He saw flashes—Genshiki under moonlight, aloof like a god. Gen, walking step by step into impossible power.
He didn't care who the voice belonged to. He wanted it. He needed it.
"Tell me… how do I evolve?"
"Simple. Investigate Kitagawa Gen yourself. Fight him. Through battle, you will learn what cannot be learned otherwise. And seek out others who may hold the key. There are… White Kāma vessels scattered across the world."
Fragments of power. Bait for Genshiki. And now, tools for Ishiki.
When Obito woke, his head ached and his memory was foggy. But the instructions were etched into him like carvings on stone.
"I see now…" His Sharingan glinted with newfound resolve. "I'll do it myself. Evolution won't come from anyone else's words. I'll make it real—with my own hands. For Rin's world. For peace."
And somewhere in the void, Ishiki sneered.
"…Pathetic. But useful."
Obito, however, whispered one last thing under his breath—words that made Ishiki freeze in disgust.
"Thank you, Rin. It's always been you, guiding me forward."
"Man… hanging around with you is boring," Jiraiya muttered, stifling a yawn as he leaned against the wall.
"I should've gone to investigate Akatsuki instead."
"Oi, Pervy Sage, did I ask you to babysit me?" Gen shot back with a snort. "Besides, do you even realize what you're saying? You'd be walking to your death. Look at Obito now. Madara's alive again. And Nagato? He's no longer your student."
"Tch, don't underestimate me."
Jiraiya puffed his chest a little but didn't push the point. Even he had to admit, the "current version of the world" felt like it was leaving him behind.
"Damn it… ever since you tricked me into coming back, I've been stuck here for years. Too many messes to deal with—hardly any time left for writing."
"I could've sworn Icha Icha Paradise never stopped publishing."
"That's the only thing I've had time to write! Kakashi hounds me for updates every single day!"
"Or maybe," Gen smirked, "that's the only thing you write that actually sells. Everything else just flops."
"Shut it!"
Apparently, that jab hit a nerve. Jiraiya glared, his face darkening. After a moment, though, he stroked his chin and spoke with mock-seriousness.
"This sage still has plenty of talent. Believe it or not, I could whip up another bestseller right now."
"You?" Gen arched a brow. "A bestseller? You just wake up from a nap or something?"
"Heh heh…"
Jiraiya's grin turned sly, full of mischief.
"How about this—I'll write your biography!"
"…?"
"Think about it. Your story would sell everywhere except maybe Suna and Kumo. Everywhere else, instant bestseller!"
"…"
"Decided! We'll go fifty-fifty on the profits. People are dying to know your story anyway."
"…"
"As for the title… what do you think of 'How the Fifth Hokage Was Made'?"
"…Better yet, how about 'My Struggle'?"