"Father!"
On another battlefield, after Neji had calmed Hinata and Hanabi, he rushed over in haste. Seeing the two figures engaged in fierce combat, he finally shouted loudly. Although many years had passed, the memories from back then remained vivid. Even though he was puzzled as to why his father was here, he would never mistake him for someone else!
"Neji?"
"Neji..."
Both men froze upon seeing Neji's arrival, but the difference was that Hizashi continued his attack, causing Hiashi to nearly stumble. Fortunately, Hyūga Hiashi wasn't weak either. He quickly steadied himself and shouted toward Neji.
"Neji, leave now!"
"Yes, Neji, leave this place immediately."
Although momentarily dazed, Hizashi also recognized his son, feeling both excitement and a hint of regret.
"I'm sorry, I can't control my body and have caused you trouble."
"No, this isn't trouble at all." Hiashi blocked his brother's punch, but couldn't help but smile. "Hizashi, you've sacrificed so much for the clan and the village. If anyone has caused trouble, it's me."
"But what does this make me?" Hizashi's expression turned somewhat forlorn, his gaze shifting to Neji in the distance as he let out a sigh. "I was supposed to protect the main family, but now I've become their enemy. Is this my punishment for once resenting the main family?"
"Father..." Neji's eyes widened, momentarily at a loss for words. But Hizashi continued speaking.
"In the end, even my will to voluntarily sacrifice myself for the village was denied. Is this the fate of the branch family?"
"No, such things will never happen again!" However, before Hizashi could finish his words, Hiashi interrupted him. "Have you forgotten what you asked me to tell Neji? That you made your choice to protect him and everyone in the village? Why are you saying this now?"
"To protect me and everyone in the village..." Neji stared blankly at his father. Even though he had already read the farewell letter, his heart still surged with emotion.
Hiashi took a deep breath and spoke resolutely. "Moreover, on that night, I made a decision as well. I vowed to change everything—the main family and the branch family."
"Although the initial intention was to protect the Byakugan, in the end, it became distorted. What I hope for more is a future where the Hyūga no longer maintain relationships solely for the sake of bloodlines."
"What I want is the mutual support between comrades, and I've been working tirelessly toward that goal!"
Hiashi's words left the surrounding Hyūga ninja stunned. They never expected to hear such sentiments from their clan leader.
"Is this a joke?"
"Is this for real?"
"The clan leader, he..."
The surrounding Hyūga ninja were incredulous, and both Hizashi and Neji displayed expressions of disbelief.
"Will such an era truly come?" After a while, Hizashi finally smiled faintly. "Then, brother, you must work hard."
"Of course I will. Neji and everyone else will see it." Hiashi knew exactly what he had said, but it truly reflected his inner thoughts.
"Well then, now... Hmm? Neji, you..." Just as he was about to resume fighting, he noticed Neji approaching, also assuming a battle stance.
"Neji, leave now." Seeing this, Hizashi froze for a moment, but Neji shook his head.
"Clan leader, didn't you just say we are comrades?"
"This..." Hiashi was momentarily speechless, and Neji continued.
"Besides, this time it's a mission from Minamoto-senpai. Father, under Minamoto-senpai's guidance, I've long since changed!"
"Minamoto-senpai?" Hizashi had died early, so he had no idea who this "Minamoto" Neji was referring to.
"He's someone who broke free from fate, and someone who guided me toward a new direction." Neji spoke with utmost seriousness, his battle stance unwavering. "I also promised Minamoto-senpai to come here and provide support. I won't let him down!"
Hizashi stared blankly at his son for a long time before finally smiling. Although he didn't know who this "Minamoto-senpai" was, he seemed to truly see the change in his son. He also hoped that through this battle, he could learn more about his son and bring him something meaningful.
"In that case, let's..." Hizashi nodded lightly, but at that moment, a massive roar echoed through the sky. A surge of chakra rushed in from outside the village, its reverberations affecting the entire village!
"What's going on over there?"
Those engaged in fierce battles with the Akatsuki members froze, their gazes shifting to the distance. Even Jiraiya furrowed his brows in curiosity.
"Hey, look at them..." Kakashi suddenly noticed something unusual and alerted those around him. Naruto and the others then noticed the strange expressions on the faces of the resurrected individuals.
"Could it be..."
"That guy?"
"Damn it, is it really him?"
Most of the resurrected individuals had been killed by the same person, so their reactions were particularly intense. They even abandoned the Konohagakure ninja before them, thinking of heading toward the outskirts of the village.
"Such overwhelming power—could it be that person?" High on a cliff, Orochimaru couldn't help but lick his lips. The surge of chakra reminded him of someone. "Ōtsutsuki Minamoto?"
Meanwhile, in the Konohagakure ANBU base, Obito Uchiha also froze in his tracks.
"This power... It's unmistakable—it's him! I knew something was wrong with the moonlight!" Obito clenched his fists, painful memories flooding his mind. He couldn't understand why every time he tried to accomplish something, either Kitagawa Minamoto or Ōtsutsuki Minamoto would show up!
"Damn it, what's happening now? What's that guy planning this time?" Obito didn't know what Ōtsutsuki Minamoto's intentions were, but he knew he had to leave. He had already obtained the "Senju Bark" and didn't want to stay any longer, fearing that Ōtsutsuki Minamoto might be after the same thing.
"Damn it, that bastard..." Watching Obito vanish instantly, Tobirama Senju cursed angrily, glaring at his elder brother. "It's all your fault! If we had switched to suitable bodies earlier, would we have let that evil Uchiha brat succeed?"
Hashirama Senju didn't respond, but his expression revealed his genuine anger. Moreover, he noticed something else. "That guy possesses many of my powers. Could it be..."
"Now what? Damn it, we were outplayed by such a guy!" Tobirama Senju remained furious, unable to believe how humiliated he felt.
"We'll retrieve what we lost ourselves." Hashirama Senju took a deep breath, standing up and looking into the distance. "Now isn't the time to focus on this. Minamoto must have left a Flying Thunder God mark on the relics, making it easier for us to find them. For now, let's focus on other matters."
"Other matters?" Tobirama Senju pondered for a moment, understanding his brother's intentions.
"This power—do you think Ōtsutsuki Minamoto has arrived?"
"It's definitely him..." Hashirama Senju nodded, heading toward the door. "I want to see what this so-called god is like. It'll prepare us mentally for future battles!"
Everyone in Konohagakure was drawn to the battle outside the village. Some even rushed to the village walls to watch. Only the "Uchiha family," standing united, paused momentarily upon sensing the surge of chakra. Then, they resumed their fight as if nothing had happened. Outside events seemed irrelevant to them, as Sasuke and Fugaku Uchiha continued to deliver heavy blows against Itachi Uchiha!
Meanwhile, outside the village, Kitagawa Minamoto and Isshiki's battle grew increasingly intense. Their clash could only be described as "cataclysmic," with the aftermath of their attacks distorting the surrounding space. Even distant mountains showed signs of collapse under their abilities—their speed and power far exceeded human comprehension!
"Are you really Isshiki?" Kitagawa Minamoto launched relentless attacks, while taunting Isshiki. "At this level, I'm somewhat disappointed. Why won't you resurrect properly and face me directly?"
"Damn you..." Isshiki glared furiously at this "Ōtsutsuki Minamoto," knowing this man was a true lunatic! Not only was he accusing Isshiki of outrageous crimes, but he also seemed intent on consuming Isshiki as "energy."
The "guardian" sacrifices themselves to elevate the "protected one" in times of crisis. This is the guardian's mission, a privilege of higher-ranking Ōtsutsuki. But attacking him was beyond excessive!
"You're truly insane!" Isshiki growled, his power pushed to its limits. "Have you considered the consequences of breaking these rules?"
"Consequences?" Kitagawa Minamoto sneered, his only desire being Isshiki's energy and whatever he was hiding. "You killed Kaguya, consumed the fruit, and hid yourself—aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
Isshiki felt like he was about to cough up blood. Was this lunatic ever going to stop? "The energy of the planet condenses into a fruit—that's the rule. And I didn't consume that damn fruit!"
"Sigh..." Kitagawa Minamoto sighed, shaking his head at Isshiki. "You keep talking about rules, but haven't you broken them yourself?"
Isshiki remained silent.
"I admire you. Rules are our greatest weakness, and fighting is always for those who break them."
Still no response.
"I've often wondered, do we fight for evolution, or do we evolve for the sake of fighting?"
Isshiki's jaw tightened.
"Thanks to you, I've found my answer!"
Kitagawa Minamoto's words momentarily stunned Isshiki, as they seemed almost reasonable. But in an instant, he realized it was all nonsense! He hadn't done anything—these accusations were baseless, clearly fabricated by this lunatic!
"Well then, to show my gratitude, I'll give it my all and send you off." Kitagawa Minamoto's expression shifted. With a look of respect, he stared at Isshiki, while the Truth-Seeking Ball-formed ninja blade in his hand gleamed with golden light. "Please evaluate my power carefully, as a contribution to our shared dreams."
"Secret Technique: Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
With a roar, golden light engulfed the sky, turning the night into day.
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]