"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?"
Kitagawa Gen's figure flickered and silently appeared before them.
Looking at the three in front of him—especially the monk-like man—
A trace of vigilance surfaced in his eyes, along with a hint of delight.
'So he's showing up at this time?'
Gen actually knew that acting with such audacity would likely drag some of the "hidden characters" out earlier than expected.
This world wasn't a dead, stagnant place that simply followed a predetermined trajectory forward.
'Isshiki has always been in the shinobi world. Before, he didn't dare act recklessly, but as I continue to unleash my power, he's probably realized something. In that case—'
Gen sized up the monk before him. After a moment, a strange smile appeared on his face.
"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki? Or should I say, what identity are you using now?"
"…"
Jigen's face, which had still carried a faint smile, instantly darkened upon hearing that.
Right now, he truly couldn't be considered Isshiki in the strict sense.
"Forget it. Let's just say you're one of the clan."
But Gen didn't care in the slightest. He shook his head, his gaze turning indifferent.
"Since you barely count as kin, why are you stopping me?"
"You're too arrogant, Genshiki…"
Jigen frowned but ultimately took a deep breath to calm himself.
He knew his current condition; there wasn't much point in saying more. His goal, after all, was naturally the two people he had just saved.
His body was far too ruined—he truly needed a new vessel, and these two were perfect candidates.
Although one of them already seemed to possess a bloodline that had reached the level of their "clan," that didn't stop him from doing what he intended.
At worst, even that old man carried Ōtsutsuki blood.
Even if he was dying, as long as Jigen's power entered him, everything would be fine.
He would never allow his prey to be influenced by this "junior."
"Arrogant?"
Gen tilted his head slightly, his tone puzzled.
"Honestly, I think you're the arrogant one. You, in that pathetic state, still dare stand in front of me and block my kill?"
"That brat's bloodline has already reached our clan's level."
Jigen's brows furrowed even tighter; he really didn't want to continue this conversation.
"To hunt one of our own is a grave sin—you should know that rule. And you came here because—"
"To search for your kind and the fruit's whereabouts."
Gen nodded, though his brows drew together even more deeply in puzzlement.
"But if that's the case, why has this world already been eroded by the God Tree, yet you still haven't delivered the fruit?"
"That's because—"
Jigen finally let out a breath of relief, but Gen's next words made him suck in a sharp gasp.
"Don't tell me… you ate it, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?"
"Hiss—!"
Jigen stared at Gen in disbelief. What kind of upside-down nonsense was this?
"What nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Nonsense?"
As Jigen stood there, stunned, two black Truth-Seeking Orbs suddenly appeared behind Kitagawa Gen.
That surging chakra began to boil violently, and the oppressive aura made the ground beneath their feet start to deform!
"Or are you going to tell me it was eaten by your guardian?"
"…"
"You ended up like this because your guardian ambushed you?"
"…"
"You think I'd believe something like that?"
"…"
"A far more reasonable explanation is that you didn't give your guardian the chance to use the Kāma, and instead hid yourself through feigned death and the Kāma itself. Quite the calculation!"
"…"
Jigen was completely dumbfounded by Gen's words. What the hell was this bastard even talking about?!
But he didn't have time to say anything—Gen had already drawn his blade!
[Hum—]
The edge was incomparably sharp, its suffocating aura seeming capable of slicing through space itself!
"Damn it…"
Jigen cursed furiously as his body suddenly transformed.
The patterns of the Kāma spread across his entire form in an instant, and a horn-like protrusion appeared on his forehead.
He truly hadn't expected to be attacked by a fellow Ōtsutsuki!
But before being forced to use the Kāma, he had been a powerful member of the Ōtsutsuki Clan; faced with this, his reaction was still swift.
Even so, he didn't dare show the slightest carelessness—he directly entered his strongest state. This "junior" was no ordinary opponent!
[Clang—]
A burst of violent power erupted in an instant. Within a fraction of a second, a black staff appeared in his hand and blocked the slash.
"Are you insane?"
He stared at Gen in disbelief.
"Do you even know what you're doing?"
"Of course I know what I'm doing."
Though Gen was slightly surprised by his opponent's reaction speed, he didn't mind. Inside, he was thrilled!
That thrill wasn't just from meeting a "worthy opponent," but also because he had found a fine "specimen."
"I'm purging traitors. Ōtsutsuki Isshiki—I've heard your story, but I didn't expect you to be this ruthless!"
"This ruthless?"
Jigen was truly bewildered. Was this something he had done?
That was clearly Kaguya's doing, not his!
He swung the black staff fiercely, clashing once more with Gen's ninja blade.
A blast of unimaginable force tore through the surroundings, and countless stones exploded outward in an instant.
"Stop spouting nonsense. This benefits neither of us."
He pressed his black staff firmly against Gen's blade, his voice cold and detached.
"I advise you to stop right now—you're violating the rules!"
"I know exactly what I'm doing. I told you, I'm purging traitors."
Gen lightly shook his head, then suddenly kicked at Jigen.
However, to his surprise, the man seemed to have read his intentions.
Almost at the very instant Gen's foot moved, Jigen raised his arm to block—and at the same time, he struck out with a fierce punch of his own.
That chakra-fueled fist shot straight toward Gen's face!
[Pa—]
But Kitagawa Gen seemed to have anticipated it long ago. He raised his hand directly to block the punch, yet his leg was also caught by the man before him.
The two were locked in a stalemate, while Gen spoke leisurely.
"And are you even considered one of the clan now? You're just a reincarnated vessel unable to withstand the power of the Ōtsutsuki."
"You—"
Jigen's face grew even uglier. The man before him wasn't merely "arrogant"—he was a lunatic!
"I didn't do the things you said, all of that was—"
"Done by Ōtsutsuki Kaguya? The guardian who turned on the one she guarded?"
But Gen only sighed, his expression indifferent as he looked at Jigen, even the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Do you think anyone would believe that? Especially when you're Ōtsutsuki Isshiki."
[Boom—]
As he spoke, Gen's power suddenly erupted. That violent energy blasted Jigen away, and he once again charged forward.
"Damn it…"
Jigen cursed under his breath. He didn't even know whether to be proud of his reputation or lament that it had made him the target of suspicion.
Yet right now he couldn't even argue, because he knew—if he told others about this, few would believe him anyway!
"Wait!"
Dodging one of Gen's slashes, Jigen suddenly thought of something.
"You've been in the shinobi world for a while now. Haven't you heard those old legends?"
"Those stories, huh? The tale of the Rabbit Goddess?"
Gen kept up his assault, though he paused slightly upon hearing that.
"Who knows if those weren't made up by you."
"…"
Jigen felt utterly speechless, gritting his teeth as he shouted lowly, gathering his strength.
"You're violating the rules! You don't even understand everything that happened!"
"The rules, huh?"
Gen's lips curved into a faint smile at those words.
To Jigen, that smile felt cold and detached.
"Senior, you don't even follow the rules yourself, so why preach them to me?"
"Besides, I should sincerely thank you, because—"
[Hum—]
Gen's figure flashed, appearing right before Isshiki.
The ninja blade formed from the Truth-Seeking Orb swung down, its roaring power twisting everything around it!
"It's your actions that inspired me and made me realize something."
"These so-called rules…"
"…exist only for those who can't survive without following them. But as an Ōtsutsuki, my goal naturally is—"
"…to reach the very end of the rules!"
And at the very moment Gen and Jigen clashed, the battle within Konohagakure raged on without pause.
Especially the battle of the "Uchiha clan" had reached a white-hot intensity!
Three colossal Susanoo stood upon their battlefield, leaving the Konoha shinobi who had arrived as reinforcements utterly stunned.
"What in the world is that?"
"These chakra giants—what's going on?"
"Could this be…the true power of the Uchiha?"
These Konoha shinobi truly had no knowledge of Susanoo, but they could feel its overwhelming might.
Only Sasuke's expression looked somewhat strange. Out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but glance toward Uchiha Fugaku.
"Father also has the Mangekyō Sharingan? Then why, back then—"
Sasuke couldn't make sense of it. In the end, he could only suppress the question in his heart and wait until everything was over to ask.
Of course, he also had his suspicions—perhaps it had something to do with Uchiha Obito?
'We can't let Sasuke think too much!'
Although Uchiha Fugaku now looked hardly human, he still noticed Sasuke's gaze.
At once, a sense of urgency stirred within him. Sasuke's current state was excellent—far better than he had ever expected!
So they, the dead, must not hinder him any longer. What they should do, as the dead, was to create a better path for Sasuke.
He suspected that their resurrection through the Impure World Reincarnation—especially since the caster might be that future Fifth Hokage—was meant to test something.
[Boom—]
Without the slightest hesitation, he charged in even harder than Sasuke, striking even more ferociously!
"Father…"
Uchiha Itachi was already struggling to handle the assault of two Susanoo. If he weren't under the Impure World Reincarnation, he probably wouldn't have been able to hold on.
Perhaps it was seeing his parents again that threw his thoughts into disarray—or perhaps being under the control of the Impure World Reincarnation had dulled his thinking.
He looked at his father, who was hurling heavy blows at him, and for a moment couldn't understand it at all.
Why wouldn't his father say anything?
Was it because he was being controlled?
Just as that thought consumed him, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly spoke.
"Itachi, there's nothing left for us to say."
"…"
"Have you never regretted what you did back then?"
"…"
Itachi's eyes widened. This wasn't what he had expected at all!
And just then, an immense tide of chakra poured in from afar.
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