"Āo, have you discovered anything?"
"Not for the time being."
In the Land of Water, Terumi Mei and Āo were currently leading a small team as they continuously searched for something.
That peculiar chakra fluctuation had erupted in the Land of Water, so naturally they would not ignore it.
Even though they were not very clear about what other, even more special information this chakra concealed, they still knew how powerful this chakra was.
"Not even a single trace?"
Chōjūrō could not help muttering softly, and he appeared somewhat nervous.
"Could it be those people from Akatsuki? After all, over in Iwagakure…"
"We still can't be certain."
Āo shook his head, though he also glanced at Terumi Mei.
"However, I think we can notify Konohagakure first. After all, we are allies."
When saying this, Āo actually felt somewhat ashamed in his heart.
As one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, encountering trouble—especially when it involved Akatsuki, their irreconcilable enemy—
His very first thought was actually to notify Konohagakure, who had been their greatest enemy for the past few decades?
If the older generation of shinobi heard of this, they would probably 'rise from their coffins'.
But the era was different now, and their actions had to be different too.
"Notify Konohagakure?"
Terumi Mei pondered for a moment, then finally nodded.
"We can, but before that, we should still search a bit more first. We can't rely on them for everything."
"True."
Āo rubbed his brow, then gave a somewhat helpless smile.
"Honestly, the current shinobi world is getting harder and harder to understand."
"Exactly. It always feels like we're being eliminated. The vast Iwagakure was actually taken down by a single person."
Chōjūrō could not help speaking up, and then he seemed to recall something.
"But the most terrifying one might be that Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure…"
The moment Kitagawa Gen was mentioned, everyone fell silent.
This Fifth Hokage was truly strong to the point of not seeming human!
Especially Terumi Mei—she knew even more, and was far more aware of how terrifying this person was.
"Alright, let's stop talking about him and continue the mission."
After quite a while, she finally shook her head and spoke, and the group immediately nodded.
"Yes!"
The moment Kitagawa Gen was mentioned, everyone present lost their interest somewhat.
The gap between them was simply too great; if they kept talking about it, they themselves would not be able to hold it together.
When it came to this kind of person, it was better to talk about him less.
...
"Any discoveries?"
Likewise in the Land of Water, Kisame could not help asking Biwa Jūzō and Kurosuki Raiga beside him.
As former members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, they naturally could not avoid Kirigakure's missions.
"Nothing for now. Who knows where that brat Utakata has gone."
Biwa Jūzō shook his head, while Kurosuki Raiga at the side was somewhat curious.
"And also, what was with that chakra just now? It just feels a bit off."
"You two dead men are afraid of this kind of thing?"
Kisame's face was full of strangeness. Looking at the two of them, he bared his teeth in a grin.
"Even if you die, you don't need to worry. Anyway, someone will summon you back. Come to think of it, I really am jealous of you two."
"Then why don't you go die?"
Biwa Jūzō and Kurosuki Raiga looked at Kisame with gloomy eyes, which even made Kisame pause for a moment.
"As long as I can live, I'm not going to go looking for death."
"Then what are you talking so much nonsense for?"
Kurosuki Raiga snorted coldly, while Biwa Jūzō instead laughed.
"Speaking of which, on this mission we might very well run into Kitagawa Gen. Maybe this time you really will be done for."
"That's not necessarily the case."
Unlike the others, who all shuddered when they heard Kitagawa Gen's name, Kisame was behaving completely normally.
"Don't forget, didn't Orochimaru send reinforcements over? If anyone dies, they'll be the ones to die first."
"Hmph, Orochimaru."
The moment Orochimaru was mentioned, both Biwa Jūzō and Kurosuki Raiga could not help letting out a cold snort.
As for the one who had used Impure World Reincarnation on them, they were truly extremely displeased in their hearts!
Moreover, those people might very well save Kisame's life, which made them even more displeased.
...
"Tch, we actually came back here again."
On the other side of the Land of Water, Hōzuki Suigetsu spoke with some irritation.
"That bastard Zabuza who took my sword isn't here, so I really don't know what we came running back for."
"Naturally, to carry out a mission. Also, keep it down."
Jūgo cast a glance at Suigetsu and could not help offering this bit of advice, which made Suigetsu very displeased.
"Don't talk to me about that. Honestly, you clearly promised to help me find my sword, yet it's always been one insignificant matter after another. It's really infuriating."
"Are you looking for death?"
However, Suigetsu's words made Kimimaro, who had been walking silently in front, halt his steps.
In an instant, he turned his head, and those pale eyes stared fixedly at Suigetsu.
"If I hear you complain about Orochimaru-sama again, I will definitely kill you!"
Looking at Kimimaro at this moment, Suigetsu could not help swallowing a mouthful of saliva. This guy's killing intent was anything but ordinary!
Although Suigetsu had an impulsive personality, he was also meticulous in thought, and even somewhat timid. Naturally, he would not butt heads with Kimimaro.
"Say less nonsense, and don't complain carelessly."
Seeing that Suigetsu had quieted down, Kimimaro withdrew his gaze.
"If you have that much energy, it would be better to focus on the mission. And here's a reminder."
"We will very likely encounter Kitagawa Gen during this mission, so save some strength to deal with him."
Kitagawa Gen had no idea that, in many people's eyes, he had already become synonymous with a 'calamity star'.
At this moment, he was still inside Konohagakure and had not made any rash moves because of the chakra erupting in the Land of Water.
To him, Kisame was already in the Land of Water, so it would be extremely convenient for him to go over.
Besides, Uchiha Obito was the key. That guy had not arrived yet, so he had no need to be anxious.
'Especially that 'White Kāma'—I have already locked onto him. He is still in the Land of Water, so there is nothing to worry about.'
With that giant Tenseigan, Kitagawa Gen could easily lock onto many key targets.
He could even, if he wanted to, fire a 'space-based cannon' in advance and blast them!
The convenience brought by the giant Tenseigan was simply too great.
"This body is truly unbelievable."
While his thoughts were drifting, Senju Tobirama suddenly spoke.
"The boost this body provides is beyond imagination. My current strength is probably even greater than when I was alive. Big Brother, how do you feel now?"
"Very impressive."
Senju Hashirama could not help speaking as well. He clenched his fist before continuing.
"But the period of adaptation is still a bit short. The power within this body—I have not fully mastered it yet."
The White Zetsu that Kitagawa Gen had provided was extraordinary, a body that possessed the power of Yin–Yang Release. For Senju Hashirama, it indeed was not easy to handle.
Moreover, he was still in a dead state right now, so when it came to many 'fine controls' over the body, he naturally could not compare to when he was alive.
"As for comparing my current state to when I was alive…I cannot make a definite judgment."
"Don't worry about so much. Just get more familiar with it."
Senju Tobirama did not concern himself with such things. He had long wanted to change his body, and now he had finally gotten his wish—this body was even better than before!
"Right, Gen, didn't you say you wanted to try the Fourth Hokage with Impure World Reincarnation? How is your understanding of it?"
Senju Tobirama was quite interested in the idea of 'five Hokage under one roof', so he paid particular attention to it.
"Do you want me to help you study it as well? That would make it better and faster."
"That won't be necessary. I've pretty much figured things out now."
Kitagawa Gen returned to himself, tilted his head slightly, and said with a smile.
"The information of the Uzumaki Clan has already given me the answer. What remains is simply to find suitable materials and carry out a proper round of verification."
"Your investigation speed is that fast?"
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen was somewhat surprised. He remembered that Kitagawa Gen had only stayed in that abandoned Mask Hall of the Uzumaki Clan for a few days, and he already had a result?
One had to know: that Mask Hall had been in Konohagakure for a very long time, and yet no one had discovered anything.
"Not bad. But what I'm most focused on right now is that kid Sasuke."
Kitagawa Gen smiled and did not explain further, but instead asked with curiosity.
"How is he now?"
"Kakashi is accompanying him. He has already undergone a comprehensive examination, and his eyes should be able to undergo some procedures."
This belonged to Tsunade's field, and she spoke up directly at this moment.
"But there is also some trouble. The issue is how exactly to perform the 'transplantation' of the Mangekyō eyes. This is a major problem. We have too little information."
"Indeed."
Senju Tobirama nodded. He frowned as he spoke.
"If it were just a matter of replacing eyes, Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna could have simply exchanged them directly, instead of waiting until Uchiha Izuna was dying to hand his eyes over to Uchiha Madara."
"That's right. When I fought Madara back then, I clearly felt that the power he erupted with had already changed."
Senju Hashirama could not help speaking as well. He sighed and said, "They were no longer his original eyes. They contained not only his own power but had also integrated Izuna's power. A very peculiar pair of eyes."
"I see."
Kitagawa Gen nodded. In fact, he also felt that the Uchiha Clan's eye replacement should not be that simple.
Just as Senju Tobirama had said: if replacing eyes could create the Eternal Eyes, then why did the Uchiha brothers Madara and Izuna not simply replace theirs?
But if it was not eye replacement, then why did the Kotoamatsukami that Uchiha Itachi had prepared for Sasuke produce an effect on Uchiha Itachi's own eyes in his memory?
'So, could the Eternal Eyes actually be a kind of fusion?'
Kitagawa Gen touched his chin. He had read this explanation a long time ago, and it had given him a hypothesis.
'The Mangekyō Sharingan—is it actually incomplete?'
Putting aside the Sage of Six Paths, look at Indra: from the moment he awakened his eyes, they were Eternal. There was no such thing as the more he used them, the worse they became.
But now, things were different. This was very likely the result of a thousand years of change, the bloodline of Indra continually being diluted.
In the end, at some point in time, the power that originally belonged to the Eternal Eyes had been split apart.
'And that is why there is the notion that the Mangekyō between brothers can form the Eternal Eyes?'
Of course, it did not necessarily have to be brothers—he simply remembered that it had always been brothers who achieved it.
'If my guess is correct, then what Sasuke needs to do is not 'transplant', but 'fuse'.'
Tilting his head, Kitagawa Gen was also somewhat curious as to how Sasuke would accomplish this. And at that very moment, his system chimed.
[Acquired Sasuke Exclusive Side Quest 3]
[The night has given me black eyes, but I let them turn red]
[Complete the fusion of Sasuke's Eternal Eyes]
[Exclusive side quests do not affect normal side quests]
[Accept?]
[Acquired new side quest]
[Before me, there are no enemies]
[Defeat all enemies, and make them realize: forget about eras of eyes, forget about eras of tattoos—now is the era of the Ōtsutsuki]
"…"
Seeing the suddenly refreshed quest, Kitagawa Gen fell into confused contemplation.
And at this moment, Obito had already appeared silently outside Konohagakure.
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