Chapter 224: The Path to the Rinnegan
After returning from the battlefield outside the village, Uchiha Obito and the others were still discussing it endlessly. Just seeing the battlefield was enough to bring a huge shock.
"Huh, doesn't that look like Kakashi?" suddenly, Ebisu said.
Everyone looked over and saw Kakashi standing in front of an open space. He formed hand seals, and in the next moment, vines and wood emerged from the ground, rapidly constructing a large wooden house.
This scene left everyone stunned.
"Wood Style!"
"When did Kakashi-senpai master Wood Style jutsu?" Mitarashi Anko exclaimed.
Those familiar with Kakashi, like Yūhi Kurenai and Shiranui Genma, weren't very surprised.
Shiranui Genma couldn't help but laugh, "Looks like camping on missions will be much more convenient from now on."
Kurenai nodded in deep agreement.
Just then, Uchiha Obito stepped forward, "Yo, Kakashi! Nice carpentry work!"
Kakashi's dead-fish eyes glanced lazily at Obito. "You have First Hokage cells too, don't you? There are still many people in the village without a place to live. As an elite of the Uchiha, are you just going to stand by and watch?"
Uchiha Obito snorted. "Kakashi, don't use such childish reverse psychology on me."
At that moment, the villager who had received the wooden house came forward to thank Kakashi, even intending to introduce his daughter to an elite shinobi like him.
Even though the villager's daughter was only fourteen.
Kakashi awkwardly ushered the villager into the house, wiped away some cold sweat, and then returned to his cool, sharp-tongued state. As he walked to the next spot, he said, "Obito, don't tell me you haven't mastered Wood Style at all?"
Obito, following behind, flushed red. It was another stab to the heart. But he immediately stuck his neck out. "I just haven't learned it yet! Hmph, if I were to learn it, I'd definitely be better at it than you!"
Kakashi stopped in front of a newly-cleared patch of rubble and turned to Obito. "Then watch closely... elite of the Uchiha."
Obito couldn't help but grit his teeth. That bastard, he was so infuriating every time he spoke! What did Rin even see in this dead-fish-eyed guy?
Hmph! I refuse to believe I can't learn it!
Uchiha Obito activated his two-tomoe Sharingan.
The two-tomoe truly didn't have a copy function, and even if it did, it couldn't copy Kekkei Genkai or secret jutsu. He just wanted to use his Sharingan to observe Kakashi's hand seals and the flow of chakra in his body.
"Hmph, I'll definitely learn it!" Obito stared intently at Kakashi.
Kakashi, meanwhile, formed his hand seals and once again used the Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Jutsu.
Boom!
Vines and wood burst from the ground, rapidly constructing a large house.
After accepting the villagers' thanks, Kakashi walked to the next spot.
Obito followed.
"You do this one."
After they arrived, Kakashi pointed to the cleared area in front of them and said to Obito.
"Fine by me!" Obito stepped forward, took a deep breath, and looked down, replaying the sequence of Kakashi's hand seals in his mind.
"Here I go!"
Opening his eyes, Obito's hands flew through the seals. When he completed the final "Serpent" seal, he couldn't help but shout, "Rise!"
Kakashi, standing to the side, focused his gaze. The earth in the clearing broke apart, a sapling emerged, and then it grew rapidly, weaving itself into a wooden house.
"It worked!"
Obito was overjoyed. He turned and looked triumphantly at Kakashi. "See? Not so hard, Kakashi!"
Kakashi watched, inwardly stunned: This guy... his talent for Wood Style is much higher than mine. He learned it just by watching once.
Though shocked, Kakashi's expression remained cool. He said flatly, "Sloppy."
And with that, he walked away.
Obito gritted his teeth in anger, but was immediately surrounded by the villagers. Their words of praise instantly made him beam like a flower.
After dealing with the villagers, Obito hurried to catch up with Kakashi. The two of them resumed their roles as architects, bickering all the while.
But Kakashi wasn't the only architect. Yamato was also at it, and even Tsunade, the Fourth Hokage, accompanied by Shizune and Uzumaki Ina, was building wooden houses as temporary shelters for the villagers who had lost their homes.
It was now winter, and houses were essential to protect against the cold.
...
At the same time.
In the northern continent, at the Mountain's Graveyard, deep in the underground base, Uchiha Madara was once again sitting on that stone throne.
But unlike before, he was no longer a frail, dying man.
Moreover, Madara's left eye socket had been filled—with Uchiha Tekka's Mangekyo.
"Madara-sama."
Tobi (White Zetsu) emerged from the ground, saying regretfully, "My deepest apologies. I couldn't find an opportunity to capture the One-Tail Jinchūriki."
"Konoha's defenses were too tight. The shelters not only had barriers, but also numerous shinobi on guard. That One-Tail Jinchūriki had people protecting him at all times. There wasn't a single chance. On top of that, Tobi himself was constantly under the watch of the Byakugan."
"He had no opportunity to act."
Madara had anticipated this, so his reaction was calm. "Konoha was extremely well-prepared. This is to be expected."
Tobi threw up his hands. "So what's the plan now? To seal the Tailed Beasts, we must start with the One-Tail."
Madara said, "Of course I know that. Which is why I already have a countermeasure. The body of the previous One-Tail Jinchūriki... can it still be found?"
Tobi laughed. "But of course. That's our specialty."
Black Zetsu, attached to Aloe Zetsu, said, "Madara-sama, are you planning to use the Edo Tensei to revive the previous One-Tail Jinchūriki?"
Madara smiled faintly. "Just as a backup, so as not to obstruct the Tailed Beast collection plan. The current One-Tail Jinchūriki is in Konoha, but he can't stay in Konoha forever. And Kinoshita Genichi can't stay by his side all the time."
Aloe Zetsu laughed. "In that case, could we also temporarily acquire the Nine-Tails this way? I remember that the Gold and Silver Brothers from Kumogakure also have Nine-Tails chakra!"
Tobi laughed exaggeratedly. "Madara-sama, did you foresee this day, and that's why you mastered the Edo Tensei jutsu in advance?"
Madara said, "Enough with the flattery. Get to it."
"As you wish, Madara-sama!" Tobi immediately sank into the ground.
Black Zetsu then asked, "Madara-sama, do you plan to capture the other Tailed Beasts personally?"
With Madara's current power, no other village besides Konoha could stop him.
Madara didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "What is the current status of the Akatsuki?"
Aloe Zetsu said, "Nagato is dead and Tekka is sealed. The only true core members left are Konan, Kakuzu, and Sasori of the Red Sand. The others are just pawns. However, under the circumstances, Konan will probably not side with us any longer."
Madara dismissed the woman, Konan. "Kakuzu... I remember that one tried to assassinate Hashirama."
Aloe Zetsu laughed. "He's certainly not simple, though he did suffer a bit of a loss at the hands of the Third Hokage last time."
"And then there's Sasori of the Red Sand, a rogue-nin from Sunagakure. He's the grandson of the Suna elder Chiyo. He actually turned the Third Kazekage into a human puppet!"
Madara raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? He took down the Third Kazekage all by himself?"
Madara was slightly interested, but only slightly. He then said, "First, gather all the intel on the Jinchūriki."
Aloe Zetsu replied, "It's already in progress. By the way, Madara-sama, are you planning to use Edo Tensei to revive some strong warriors to collect the Tailed Beasts for you?"
A smile played on Madara's lips. "A good method, isn't it? I must admit, that lesser Senju, Tobirama, developed quite a useful jutsu."
...
Hidden Leaf Village. At home, in the study.
Kinoshita Genichi was busy analyzing the secrets of the Rinnegan.
His greatest gain from today's battle was 'mirroring' Madara's complete Rinnegan with his Mangekyo Mirror Eye.
This was even more intuitive than researching the Rinnegan itself. As Madara used the Rinnegan, its secrets were displayed before his Mirror Eye, and they were mesmerizing.
Although some information would be lost after the jutsu was dispelled, the gains were still enormous. He was busy recording and analyzing this information.
"If the Sharingan is a Kekkei Genkai based primarily on Yin Release, then the Rinnegan is a Kekkei Genkai based on Yin-Yang Release, formed from the fusion of both extreme powers, with no bias toward either."
After he finished recording the information, Genichi couldn't help but marvel.
The Rinnegan was so powerful it was unlike a Kekkei Genkai. For other Kekkei Genkai, it was the person who was strong, which in turn made the Kekkei Genkai strong. But the Rinnegan? It itself represented extreme power.
Genichi put down his pen, subconsciously touching his own eyes. "Last time I tried to awaken the Sharingan, I overlooked a crucial point. Although the Sharingan is primarily based on Yin Release, Yang Release is just as important. The stronger the Sharingan, the more important Yang Release becomes."
"I don't have Uchiha blood, so when I tried to combine the same Yin Release nature with my optic nerves, a deviation occurred. The key was the Yang Release."
"The Mirror Eye and the Sharingan are similar, yet different. The key lies in my own constitution."
So, what about the Rinnegan?
Genichi stood up and paced the study, his hands behind his back. "The Rinnegan is not an evolution of the Sharingan. It's a completely different Kekkei Genkai. And it's not simply a matter of combining the Mangekyo Sharingan with Hashirama's cells. It requires the chakra of Indra and Asura."
"One of these represents the powerful Yin Release from the Sage of Six Paths, and the other represents the powerful Yang Release from the Sage of Six Paths."
"I'll describe them as the ultimate Yin and ultimate Yang, because as of now, there is no known Yin or Yang Release in the shinobi world that surpasses them."
Theoretically, if one possessed the same Yin and Yang Release natures, one could fuse them to awaken the Rinnegan.
But in reality, those who had awakened the Rinnegan so far were:
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, whose power came from the Ten-Tails God Tree.
The Sage of Six Paths, whose power came from Kaguya.
Uchiha Madara, whose power actually came from the chakra of Indra and Asura, which was to say, from the Sage of Six Paths.
"In the original timeline, when Uchiha Sasuke awakened his Rinnegan, it was part his own Indra chakra, part Asura chakra, and part from the Sage of Six Paths himself."
"That's why his was a six-tomoe Rinnegan, which, in terms of dōjutsu power, was stronger than an ordinary Rinnegan."
"Theoretically is just theoretically. Such powerful Yin and Yang Release... is impossible to achieve through one's own training."
Genichi frowned. "My Yang Release surpasses the First Hokage's, but it hasn't reached the level of Asura, or rather, the Sage of Six Paths' level. My Yin Release surpasses Madara's (before he awakened the Rinnegan), but it also hasn't reached the Sage of Six Paths' level."
One could also call it the 'God Tree' level.
"However, it's not that I can't reach it."
Genichi's eyes burned with intensity. "Sage Transformation. Complete Sage Transformation. The quality of my chakra might be able to reach the level of the God Tree, completely surpassing that of the Nine-Tails, the strongest Tailed Beast."
As of now, the boost he got from the Nine-Tails' chakra was already limited. It wasn't as good as his Sage Transformation.
"So theoretically, it is possible to awaken the Rinnegan through my own training. But for me, there is another way."
"The Tailed Beasts and the power of the Ten-Tails... both the Rinnegan and the Sharingan originate from there."
Genichi had the chakra of all nine Tailed Beasts.
And the Gedo Statue, the husk of the Ten-Tails... Genichi had that too!
Of course, he could also just transplant Hashirama's cells and Uchiha Sasuke's cells.
But Genichi had long ago vetoed this method in his current reality.
If he couldn't find a way to do it himself, he could try it in the future when he 'cheated' and 'overdrew' a hundred years.
He had two clear paths, but Genichi still felt the road ahead was difficult.
"I must have a hole in my head. I have the simplest method available, but I insist on using the hardest one." Genichi mocked himself.
However, what he needed wasn't just the Rinnegan. It was the foundation of knowledge, something that would allow him to innovate.
Just then, Tsunade appeared at the door.
Genichi returned to his senses. "Finished with work?"
Tsunade walked into the study. "It's already 10 PM. What are you so busy with?"
Genichi pointed at the scrolls on his desk. "Researching the Rinnegan."
Hearing this, Tsunade said, "Madara awakening the Rinnegan is related to my grandfather's cells... Was that fool Orochimaru's hypothesis completely correct? Combine the Mangekyo Sharingan with my grandfather's cells, and you get the Rinnegan?"
Genichi shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. The Rinnegan and the Sharingan are two different Kekkei Genkai. I'm very certain of this."
Tsunade frowned. "So that idiot Orochimaru's guess was wrong? Madara's Rinnegan has nothing to do with my grandfather's cells?"
Genichi smiled. "Yes... and no. It's definitely related to the First Hokage's cells. Madara started that war back then precisely to obtain them. This can be verified by the contents of the Uchiha stone tablet."
"Remember what I told you, about the origins of the Uchiha and Senju clans?"
Tsunade nodded. "They originate from the Sage of Six Paths. That's what's written on the Uchiha tablet."
Genichi said, "By combining two opposing forces, one can obtain the 'Power of All Things.' This 'Power of All Things' is the power of the Rinnegan. These so-called opposing forces are a powerful Yin Release and a powerful Yang Release. They correspond perfectly to the Mangekyo Sharingan and the First Hokage's powerful healing ability."
Tsunade said, "By that logic, Orochimaru's hypothesis should be correct."
Genichi asked, "Then, are there other people in the Senju and Uchiha clans with these same abilities? As I recall, Madara's younger brother also awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. And among the Senju, no one else reached the First Hokage's level, did they?"
Tsunade frowned. "No, they didn't. But that doesn't prove anything. Geniuses are always unique."
Genichi chuckled. "Alright, it seems I can't convince you. In any case, this point doesn't affect my research."
Tsunade was silent for a moment, then said, "You also possess a Mangekyo Sharingan. If you transplanted my grandfather's cells, you might also be able to awaken the Rinnegan. If you had the Rinnegan, wouldn't it be easier to deal with Madara?"
Genichi was slightly stunned, then smiled and pulled Tsunade into his arms. "Rather than awaken the Rinnegan by transplanting the First's cells, I'd much rather obtain it through my own research."
"Besides, judging from Madara's case, it takes a very long time to awaken the Rinnegan after transplanting the cells. It might not even be as fast as my own research."
Tsunade nodded slightly, then said, "Is it possible for Obito to awaken the Rinnegan? He was just using Wood Style with Kakashi."
Genichi laughed. "Obito? He's still a long, long way off."
"After the two-tomoe, there's the three-tomoe, then the Mangekyo, and then the Eternal Mangekyo. According to Orochimaru's hypothesis, you need an Eternal Mangekyo to even be qualified."
Tsunade sighed. "I'm suddenly starting to understand my great-uncle Tobirama's and Danzō's wariness of the Uchiha."
Genichi nodded. "After all, the Uchiha are too uncontrollable. They're prone to extremism."
You could say that every Uchiha is a potential psychiatric patient. No one can be certain where an Uchiha's mental state will go after awakening their eyes, or after their eyes evolve.
"Ah!" Suddenly, a gasp came from the doorway. Uzumaki Ina covered her eyes and ran off.
Tsunade quickly pushed Genichi away and turned to leave the study. "Let's go get something to eat."
...
While they were having a late-night snack, Tsunade suddenly asked, "Do you think Madara will begin collecting the Tailed Beasts immediately?"
Genichi pondered for a moment. "Probably not. Although he's powerful, he'll definitely do the necessary intel-gathering first. Secondly, he'll want to complete the collection at the fastest possible speed, which means he'll need help."
Tsunade frowned. "Rogue-nin? According to our previous intel, the Akatsuki has been gathering rogue-nin from all the villages."
Genichi smiled. "I'm afraid he doesn't need to anymore."
Tsunade, Ina, and Shizune all froze.
Then Tsunade realized, her expression turning ugly. "The Edo Tensei!"
Uzumaki Ina exclaimed, "Based on the intel, Madara knows the release-seal for Edo Tensei. That means he can also perform the jutsu. At the very least, it wouldn't be hard for him to learn it."
Shizune quickly added, "That White Zetsu can travel underground anywhere. It would be incredibly easy for him to collect genetic information from the dead. By the way, do you think he'll reanimate the First Hokage and the others?" After all, Madara himself has the First's cells.
Tsunade said, "We don't need to worry about that. That fool Orochimaru already tried it."
(End of Chapter)
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 400 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 40+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you!