"At long last, things are calm again."
In Konohagakure, Hiruzen stood atop the Hokage Residence, gazing out over the bustling village below, a rare smile on his face.
"And it's been a while since both of you have come back. Looks like we can finally have a proper New Year."
"Shame we're still missing one person."
Jiraiya nodded, then glanced at Tsunade. After a brief silence, he couldn't help but mutter.
"…"
Sarutobi suddenly felt his fists tighten. Seriously? You just say whatever's on your mind, regardless of the timing, huh?
Still, he didn't respond. Deep down, he felt the same heaviness.
Jiraiya and Tsunade had returned to the village for their own reasons. But Orochimaru… was likely never coming back.
"Old man, I'm not trying to kill the mood, but what's the deal with that Uchiha Obito?"
Leaning against the railing, Tsunade looked down at the street below, her tone annoyed.
"I know the village once reopened my granduncle's research… but didn't you shut it down back then? Why does Uchiha Obito have that kind of thing?"
"We're still investigating that. Truth is, we've always had our suspicions."
Hiruzen wasn't thrilled about discussing this now, but Tsunade's questioning left him no choice. He sighed and said gloomily: "There's a high chance it was Orochimaru. Back then, he and Danzō were the ones conducting that research together. And he…"
"Him?"
Jiraiya didn't sound convinced. He stroked his chin.
"Doesn't seem likely. Orochimaru's ideology is totally different from Uchiha Obito's. Even if he was manipulated, he wouldn't turn out like that."
"Exactly. That's why I've never spoken about this until now."
Hiruzen nodded as well. Even though Orochimaru had changed, he still understood some of his former comrade's intentions.
Orochimaru had once sought to master every jutsu. But over time, that desire shifted—he began yearning to uncover forbidden powers, to attain a longer life.
And compared to that, Uchiha Obito's hysterical obsession with reshaping the entire shinobi world… the difference was night and day.
"Those two are completely different. So the person behind Uchiha Obito can't possibly be Orochimaru. Though that Wood Release… it might be related to him in some way."
"Tch. That guy's damn near impossible to catch."
Tsunade couldn't help shaking her head. She knew Orochimaru well—and Jiraiya let out a sigh too.
"We've run into him twice. Got crucial intel each time, but still couldn't take him down. But old man, he used to work with Danzō, right? Then maybe Danzō could—"
"Danzō's still trying to get in touch with Hanzō of the Salamander. But yes, it's worth considering."
Hiruzen stroked his chin and pondered for a moment.
"They've worked together before, and Danzō has even located Orochimaru in the past. In that case, let him handle it."
When it came to Hanzō of the Salamander, Danzō had been diligent but completely ineffective. Mostly because he didn't dare set foot in the Land of Rain.
All he did was send subordinates to gather intel or attempt to deliver messages into Amegakure—but none had ever returned.
Hiruzen didn't truly want to force Shimura Danzō into retirement. The man's work had its merits. Since that was the case, he might as well give him more responsibility.
"All right, enough of that. Let's just enjoy the New Year."
Hiruzen shook his head, smiling as he looked down at Konoha.
"There'll be plenty of headaches later. For now, let's rest. Oh, and I remember Gen's birthday is coming up. Jiraiya, bring him a gift for me, will you?"
"No problem. I'll go get it ready now."
Jiraiya nodded without hesitation. He wasn't about to turn that down.
But after agreeing, he didn't leave right away. Instead, he stood there looking puzzled at Hiruzen—who found it a bit odd.
"Didn't you say you were going to get it? Why are you still here?"
"Old man… you didn't give me any money. How am I supposed to buy it?"
"…"
...
"There really were a lot of gifts today."
Late at night, Kitagawa Gen finally finished everything and returned home.
He had received quite a few gifts today—from former classmates and teachers who had taught him in the past.
Naruto had dragged the other nine of the Konoha 11 to give him something. Even Guy, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and the Third Hokage himself had brought him gifts.
"Looks like I'm pretty popular in Konoha."
Looking at the mountain of presents, Kitagawa Gen couldn't help but smile.
He realized that life in Konoha had truly become comfortable. Things used to be tough, sure—but now, everything was different.
"Right now, I'm a legitimate heir to the Hokage line!"
Come to think of it, he'd made the Sixth Hokage eat dirt, tricked the Third and the Seventh into losing ramen, and even helped bring the Fifth back to the village.
With that level of 'purity,' if he ever seriously went for it, Naruto might end up in tears!
"Well, let's see what the main quest ends up being. There's still more than half a year left. I should be finishing the jōnin exam by then."
He set the gifts down, not in a rush to open them. He could take his time going through those later.
What he was more curious about now was—what kind of reward he'd receive after completing the jōnin path.
And beyond that…
"What comes after jōnin? Am I really going to make Naruto cry?"
A strange look crossed Kitagawa Gen's face. Resting his chin on his hands, he couldn't help but think it over. But just then, an odd sensation washed over him.
"…What is this?"
He lifted his head slightly and looked up at the sky—staring into the bright full moon overhead.
For some reason, he could feel a mysterious power within that moon… as if it were drawing him in.
And that very power stirred something in his eyes—resonating in a unique, inexplicable way with the force dwelling within them.
Of course, Kitagawa Gen knew that the power stirring his eyes was none other than the Tenseigan on the Moon.
He could clearly feel the immense force it held—and alongside it, a strange sense of familiarity.
"But this familiarity… it feels more like a resonance born from a shared origin."
Their power stemmed from the same source—at its core, it was all Ōtsutsuki.
Such a phenomenon wasn't exactly rare. Still, Kitagawa Gen was curious about one particular thing.
"Why didn't I feel anything like this when I faced Nagato?"
Even though Nagato had been at a considerable distance at the time, there was no way he had been farther than the Moon, right?
"Could it be that the eyes didn't match—or maybe the power hadn't been fully activated?"
After all, the Rinnegan wasn't originally Nagato's. He was just Uchiha Madara's vessel.
"Of course… it probably also had to do with the fact that my own eyes hadn't evolved back then."
Kitagawa Gen murmured to himself and then quietly focused his senses on the eye embedded in the Moon.
Gradually, his expression grew odd.
Because he realized—the eye on the Moon was actively transmitting information to him.
And that information… appeared to be various ways to wield the Tenseigan's powers.
"You can use it like that?"
Kitagawa Gen found it hard to believe—but the more he thought about it, the more it started to make sense.
Whether it was the Tenseigan, the Rinnegan, or even the Sharingan—their abilities all lay dormant within the eye itself.
Only the true wielder of those eyes could access that buried knowledge and fully awaken the power sealed inside.
"Otherwise, wouldn't it end up like with Kakashi or Nagato? Eyes brimming with power... yet unable to perceive it?"
Kitagawa Gen finally understood.
He immediately began deepening his focus—though, to be honest, he was also starting to feel a bit anxious.
He still wasn't entirely sure what kind of people resided on the Moon… but this was a rare opportunity. There was no way he'd let it slip by.
"At the very least, I need to pinpoint its location."
As his focus intensified, the chakra within him surged wildly. His entire body began to radiate with a chakra glow.
It was as if he were being wrapped in a tidal wave of power—one that lifted him steadily into the air.
[Buzz—]
In the next instant, his eyes snapped open.
At that moment, they had transformed into brilliant, azure Tenseigan.
And right then, even the Moon seemed to respond—distorted slightly by the silent ripple of an invisible chakra.
From deep within Kitagawa Gen's shining blue irises, a faint trace of golden light began to emerge.
...
"…It's happening again!"
Inside the temple on the Moon, the Second Elder—stationed there on guard—suddenly opened his eyes.
Not far from him, the golden Tenseigan pulsed with vibrant chakra. The dazzling radiance spread outward, illuminating the entire temple in its glow.
"It's happening again…"
The First Elder and Third Elder quickly arrived, both of them standing solemnly before the eye, their expressions grave as they watched the golden Tenseigan pulse with renewed life.
"This time, the reaction seems stronger than the last."
"Indeed. And the Tenseigan's chakra appears to be leaking out."
The First Elder immediately sensed something was off. His Byakugan remained locked on the Tenseigan.
But unfortunately, he couldn't grasp any critical detail. Nearby, the Third Elder couldn't help but curse.
"Looks like someone from the lower world really can stir the Tenseigan. Damn those inferior beings… We haven't even settled the score for the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and now this?"
"Forget that for now. Cut off the chakra transmission—immediately."
The First Elder shook his head and stepped forward, raising his hand as he spoke in a low voice.
This was the first time he had encountered something like this. During the incident with the Demonic Statue, it had vanished without so much as a ripple. They hadn't had the chance to react.
But this time, someone was actively siphoning the Tenseigan's power—right in front of them. There was no way he would allow the thief to succeed.
"Understood."
The Second and Third Elders both nodded and quickly formed hand seals.
As their chakra surged, the Tenseigan began to respond to the sealing technique. Its activity gradually diminished.
The radiant glow around it faded bit by bit. And finally—through their combined effort—it came to a complete halt.
However, all three of them now looked visibly exhausted. Even just severing the Tenseigan's chakra flow had drained them.
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