Chapter 115 – The Power of the Tenseigan
(Massive Chapter – Please Support!)
Hidan's words left everyone present in utter shock.
Especially Kakuzu, who stared at Hidan with a disbelieving expression.
He simply couldn't comprehend why this lunatic would ask such a ridiculous question at a moment like this.
Even on Konoha's side, Kakashi gave Hidan a dead-fish stare, while Kitagawa Gen's shadow clone looked momentarily dumbfounded.
Might Guy, though already aware of Hidan's insanity, hadn't expected his condition to be this severe.
"You guys… don't you know him?" Guy asked after a long pause, clearly in disbelief.
Hidan's eyes lit up with excitement. "You do? Tell me! Who is he?!"
"Looks like—" Guy began, only to be interrupted by a voice echoing from the distance.
"Sasori! So it really is you!"
At that voice, Sasori raised an eyebrow and turned toward the distant figure.
Moments later, he sighed and muttered, "Granny... It's you."
The approaching figure was none other than Chiyo, whose mastery over the desert terrain made tracking anyone almost effortless.
She had originally been suspicious upon seeing Kakashi's team heading toward the ruins of Rōran, unsure if Konoha was interested in the area or if members of the Akatsuki were present.
But upon sensing the massive chakra signature from afar, she rushed over—only to find Sasori himself.
He was not using Hiruko this time. After Kitagawa Gen had destroyed it, he hadn't yet found a replacement.
So his true form—his original face—was laid bare before everyone, unaltered by time. As she looked at her grandson, Chiyo couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
"I heard… it was you who assassinated the Third Kazekage?"
After a long silence, she finally asked, her voice tinged with sorrow.
Sasori rolled his neck casually and smirked. "Yeah, that was me. He's one of my artworks now."
"You've changed completely," Chiyo said, a deep sadness filling her expression as she looked at the grandson who had clearly walked down a dark path.
"Maybe I never should've taught you puppetry."
"How fragile… I don't think I've ever seen you make that face before," Sasori replied indifferently, though a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes.
"Looks like age is catching up with you. Even your mind is softening."
"It's only natural," Chiyo replied, taking a deep breath and steadying herself. "After all, it was by my own hands that you turned into what you are. It's only right that I be the one to end this."
With that, she tossed a signal flare onto the ground—clearly unwilling to let anyone interfere in what was to come.
"How amusing," Sasori sneered. "If you hadn't planted the seed, would I ever have followed this path?"
The smirk faded from his face, replaced with cold indifference.
"I never stopped moving forward. But you've changed. One of those people by your side is Hatake Sakumo's son, and the other inherited his blade. How can you stand beside them?"
"…"
Chiyo fell silent. In truth, she had never stopped either. She had even crossed a forbidden line—for the sake of resurrecting her son and daughter-in-law, she had developed the "Self-Reincarnation Technique."
But the technique's cost—and the possible consequences of its exposure—had made her realize:
If made public, it could bring disaster not only to Sunagakure but to the entire Land of Wind.
"Let's go," she said solemnly. "Show me how strong you've become."
"Hmph. The current me…"
Sasori unfurled a scroll with a jerk. The reconstructed Third Kazekage puppet appeared in a flash—and the jet-black Iron Sand surged into action.
"…has long surpassed you in puppetry!"
BOOM—
BOOM—
BOOM—
The clash between the two puppet masters erupted instantly, the deafening blasts echoing through the desert.
"Move!" Kakashi shouted, pulling Guy out of the way while calling out to Gen.
"Dispel your clone and focus on the battle over there—also, let your real body know what's going on."
"Understood," the shadow clone replied with a nod. "Kakashi-sensei, Guy-sensei—you both have my marked kunai. If you're in danger, just call me."
Right before vanishing, the clone added, "Be careful."
POOF—
With a puff of smoke, the shadow clone dispersed. Kakashi and Guy turned toward the approaching Kakuzu and Hidan.
"Tch, just a clone," Kakuzu grunted. "That means the real one is fighting elsewhere—probably against Orochimaru. What a shame. I wanted to kill him myself."
"Orochimaru…"
Kakashi's face darkened, though his trust in Kitagawa Gen remained absolute.
After all, if Gen really wanted to, he could return to their side at any time.
"There's nothing to worry about there. For now, let's take care of you."
"Hmph. Arrogant fool."
Kakuzu's chakra flared violently. "I may not be at full strength yet—but I don't need to be to deal with you!"
He charged forward, and Kakashi met him head-on, kunai in hand.
"Hmph. Looks like it's just you and me again, Kappa-man," Hidan sneered, pointing his scythe at Guy.
"So? Are you gonna tell me now?"
"Beat me, and I'll think about it."
Guy didn't bother responding to this lunatic anymore—he was already thinking about how to deal with him.
Also… he was trying to remember—who was that dead-last from back in the day again? Wasn't it some guy with spiky hair?
"Fine by me," Hidan laughed, leaping forward eagerly. "Let's go!"
---
Meanwhile, at an oasis in the Wind Country desert…
Over twenty Cloud shinobi lay hidden, some meditating, others scanning the surroundings from the shadows, clearly operating with elite coordination.
Even in a foreign land, their caution was absolute.
"Captain, what's our next move?" a shinobi quietly asked Troy, their squad leader—a powerful ninja with the rare Magnet Release kekkei genkai.
Their unit had crossed a vast distance to arrive here unnoticed, but they were running into difficulties.
The Wind Country's harsh terrain and sparse population made finding their targets nearly impossible.
"Any updates from the ANBU?"
Troy rubbed his temples. "Didn't they say Konoha forces entered the area? So why haven't we heard anything?"
"We've tried contacting them multiple times, but nothing—it's like they vanished."
"Could they have been discovered by Suna?" someone asked.
"No way to tell. We'll have to rely on ourselves now," Troy replied grimly.
Though the Fourth Raikage had told them to prioritize safety, this mission was a matter of honor for Kumogakure. They were prepared to die if necessary—whether for intel or for a shot at killing Konoha shinobi.
But they couldn't even find the enemy. That wasn't sustainable.
"Captain! Movement!"
A sensory ninja suddenly rushed over. "South of here—a massive chakra disturbance. Also, a group of about thirty shinobi is heading in that direction."
"Thirty? South, you say…"
Troy narrowed his eyes and made a decision. "Everyone, get ready to move. Whatever's going on, we'll check it out!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Cloud ninja mobilized quickly—finally, a lead.
---
At the same time, another group was moving: a secret Suna unit.
"Lord Yura, has Lord Sasori begun his battle already?" one of the shinobi asked.
They were all Sasori's subordinates, each activated through brain manipulation—part of his human puppet art.
"Not sure," Yura responded after a pause. "But we need to be careful—Chiyo's headed that way too."
"Strange she hasn't used a signal flare. We should hurry—Lord Sasori must not be kept waiting."
"Yes, sir!"
---
Back at the Rōran ruins, the battle between Kitagawa Gen and Orochimaru was only growing fiercer.
The sealing tower of the Dragon Vein had already been reduced to rubble. Their clash now surged across the open desert, wind and sand churning in violent waves.
"What's going on with this kid?!"
Orochimaru swung his sword again, gritting his teeth.
"Every time I get a clean strike, something pulls or diverts me. Is this… some kind of technique?"
He had already noticed: Gen's raw power was absurd, but he was still a fresh graduate. His battle experience couldn't compare to Orochimaru's.
So Orochimaru had tried to exploit that—only to find his attacks subtly deflected each time.
"It's like an invisible force is interfering. Just like… back then, when I fought Pain…"
But Gen's entire body was cloaked in purple lightning, making it impossible to tell.
And then—
"You're getting distracted."
Gen's voice rang out behind him.
Orochimaru's eyes widened. He swung his Kusanagi blade in a wide arc—but Gen's White Fang Short Blade was faster.
SHING—
Orochimaru's arm was sliced clean off. But as it fell, Gen spotted something.
An explosive tag.
"Hah!"
Orochimaru grinned. The severed limb detonated immediately, the shockwave sending even him flying—but he used the blast to escape.
Landing with difficulty, his right arm gone, Orochimaru scanned the battlefield. His left hand was already forming a jutsu sign.
"There you are!"
He gathered his chakra rapidly, lungs inflating unnaturally.
"Fire Style: Multiple Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Massive fire dragons erupted from his mouth, crashing toward the earth.
At that moment, Gen reappeared. With narrowed eyes, he brought his blade down.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—
Scorching flames exploded outward. Orochimaru was blasted back, his body in tatters—one leg gone, his shoulder almost sheared off, face half-peeled to reveal a stranger's bloody visage underneath.
Still, his eyes stayed locked on the battlefield.
Because the flames had suddenly dispersed—something had shattered them.
From within the storm, Kitagawa Gen reappeared, standing unscathed.
"I knew it…"
Orochimaru was battered, but his eyes burned with manic fascination.
"No wonder my attacks were always diverted. You really do have some kind of special jutsu."
"Truly worthy of the title of one of the Three Legendary Sannin," Gen said, genuinely impressed. "Your decisiveness… is terrifying."
Orochimaru had used his own arm as a trap, sacrificing it without hesitation.
And not only that—knowing Gen might have marked him with Flying Thunder God, he'd intentionally detonated a jutsu point-blank.
"You flatter me," Orochimaru rasped, licking his lips. "Few people have ever injured me like this. But if I'm not careful…"
He opened his mouth unnaturally wide—and a new Orochimaru, covered in mucus, slithered out.
Though his chakra was nearly depleted, he still wouldn't back down.
With a raspy laugh, he said—
"Let's continue…"
Kitagawa Gen lightly twirled the ninja blade in his hand, then raised his head to gaze at the moon. A faint smile curved his lips.
"Well, this works too. It's the perfect chance to test things out."
---
"Dammit, you damn kappa! Why are you still such a freak?!"
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Kakashi and Guy stood back-to-back, panting heavily as they stared down Kakuzu and Hidan in the distance.
This duo had put immense pressure on them. They had to remain sharp, fully alert.
Across from them, Hidan was cursing loudly as he twisted his neck and arms, clearly still shaken from Guy's earlier focused assault.
"That lunatic's regeneration is off the charts," Guy muttered, watching Hidan warily. "And we absolutely cannot let his weapon touch us—I'm sure it's poisoned."
"I know. That guy's manageable... but Kakuzu from Takigakure..." Kakashi said grimly, "His heart's recovered. Taking him out won't be easy."
"Got any ideas?"
"A few techniques to try... but I'll need some time."
"No problem," Guy nodded without hesitation. He had unwavering trust in his old friend.
---
"Hidan, keep him busy at the front. I'll attack from the rear. Get ready!" Kakuzu ordered, wasting no words. Neither Kakashi nor Guy were easy to handle, and their teamwork was beginning to overwhelm even him.
Still, at least it wasn't like facing Kitagawa Gen—there was no constant threat of Flying Thunder God jutsu here.
"Got it!" Hidan grinned, having re-aligned his broken bones. "Time to die, punks!"
He charged forward. Kakashi immediately threw several kunai in response.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Kakuzu slammed his hands onto the ground, raising a defensive wall behind Hidan. The kunai themselves weren't a concern—but the explosive tags on them certainly were.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The wall crumbled under the blasts. Hidan charged through, spinning his scythe menacingly.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Guy shouted and launched a powerful kick. Hidan was ready, blocking with his scythe—but Guy had already opened the Sixth Gate. His strength was on another level.
The impact sent Hidan flying, but Kakuzu's jutsu came in hot.
"Fire Style: Flame Mask Explosion!"
A sea of flames roared toward Guy. Kakashi had no choice but to counter.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A fierce wind surged out. It held the fire back for a moment—but wind also fueled fire. In an instant, the flames became even more ferocious!
Thankfully, it was just enough time for Guy to pull back. But Hidan wasn't finished.
"Kappa freak! I'm back! Don't forget to tell me who the real dead weight is before you die!"
"You're insane..." Guy muttered, baffled by Hidan's obsession. Still, he charged forward once more, undaunted.
"Now!"
Kakashi took a deep breath, his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning rapidly. He pulled out a kunai.
"Hidan's manageable. The real threat is Kakuzu. Take him down, and we win."
Zzzzt...
Lightning flickered across the kunai. Kakashi focused his chakra until it surged with electricity—and something darker, more ominous, began to pulse within it.
He hurled the kunai with incredible force.
Whoosh—!
It flew, cloaked in lightning—and embedded within it was a trace of black chakra, dancing wildly.
"Guy, move!"
Kakashi shouted, already feeling drained.
"Hmph!" Guy landed a solid punch to Hidan's gut, sending him flying, then leapt aside.
The kunai shot past him—straight at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu's eyes widened. Even with his reflexes, the lightning-infused kunai was too fast!
He twisted, throwing up an arm to block—but then his expression changed dramatically.
The kunai exploded with unnatural suction, threatening to tear him apart.
"Did it work?" Guy asked, returning to Kakashi's side, watching as Kakuzu's form distorted under the force.
"I don't know... but it should've."
Kakashi's Mangekyō was shut tight, his breathing heavy. The technique was something he had developed recently—immensely powerful, but costly.
"ARRRGH!"
Space twisted. Kakuzu roared in rage as three grotesque creatures burst from his body—his reserve hearts—sucked into the void and erased by the distortion.
But in that brief opening, Kakuzu managed to leap free, narrowly escaping.
"Damn you!"
He glared murderously at Kakashi and Guy. The hearts he had just regained... were gone again.
"You're all dead men!"
"This is bad," Kakashi muttered, staring at the furious Kakuzu and the lurking Hidan. "Really bad."
---
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Suddenly, thunderous explosions erupted across the barren desert.
Dust filled the air, thick enough to blot out the moonlight.
"What the hell?"
Kakashi turned toward the source, face darkening.
"Is Gen in trouble?"
"Hey... Kakashi..." Guy said uncertainly, glancing up.
"Is it just me, or is the moon a little too bright tonight?"
---
Elsewhere on the battlefield...
Sasori stood surrounded by the Third Kazekage and countless puppets. He looked down at the exhausted Chiyo, who had few puppets left.
"Looks like you've truly aged, Granny. You had several chances to strike—but you hesitated. The old you wouldn't have."
"Maybe. People soften with age. But it's too late—my useless grandson is beyond saving."
Chiyo stared at the iron sand in her mechanical arm. It interfered with her control—iron sand from the Third Kazekage. And now, there was nothing she could do.
"A loss is still a loss. People have to move forward... especially when they have a goal."
Sasori looked up, emotionless, though his gaze flickered toward the distant chaos.
A massive serpent-like shadow rampaged, each twist of its body like an A-rank Earth Style jutsu.
The desert trembled with each move. The rising sand clouds echoed like the wails of the land itself.
"Can't believe that wretched snake's getting his moment to shine."
Sasori scoffed, glancing up.
"Beautiful moonlight tonight. Even with all this dust... bright as ever. Might be the perfect time to bury you, Granny."
"Don't you think so?"
---
Near the ruins of Rōran, the Cloud ninja stared at the massive serpent in the distance.
Some swallowed hard. They recognized their opponent.
"That's Orochimaru, right? From the Akatsuki. And he's fighting someone from Konoha."
Troy remained calm. He watched the purple figure dancing across the sand—he knew that was the same brat who had hurt the Raikage.
"This is our chance. We strike now and eliminate them all. No survivors."
He glanced at the sky, eyes narrowing.
"After all, they're all Konoha ninjas. And all suspected of attacking the Raikage. Killing them serves our interests."
"Understood!"
None of the Cloud shinobi hesitated. Troy turned back to the battlefield.
"Weird… the moon's really bright tonight. Perfect day for a funeral."
---
Meanwhile, the Sand ninja had also arrived.
"That's... Orochimaru?"
Yura muttered, then shook his head.
"Get ready. Tonight, we send them all to the afterlife!"
"Yes!"
These Sand shinobi were all fanatics—devoted to Sasori. For him, they would do anything.
---
On the battlefield, Orochimaru stood atop Manda's head, drenched and bloodied, scanning the surroundings.
He had new wounds—evidence of just how troublesome Kitagawa Gen had been.
"That repulsion... that suction... what kind of technique is this?"
He stared intently at Kitagawa Gen below.
Earlier, Gen had scattered a dozen kunai and launched a Flying Thunder God-style blitz. Even Manda had struggled.
Orochimaru had been caught off-guard several times, nearly decapitated.
"This brat... I didn't expect him to be this much trouble."
He cursed internally. Facing Jiraiya would've been easier.
Then—his eyes narrowed.
From both flanks, large groups of shinobi were charging toward them.
His brows furrowed. But before he could react, the two forces opened fire—on him.
"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"
"Wind Style: Wind Blade!"
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
A barrage of ninjutsu poured toward them like a meteor shower, along with countless kunai.
Orochimaru clenched his teeth.
"Gen-kun... looks like we've got unwanted company."
He formed hand signs quickly. A massive earth wall rose.
Across the field, Kitagawa Gen did the same.
Despite his anger, Orochimaru smirked through clenched teeth.
"Looks like our battle is over, hm?"
"Actually..." Gen clapped the dust from his hands and stood tall, staring at the incoming forces.
Cloud. Sand. He didn't recognize many—but their intent was clear.
"...this is just perfect."
"It's been an honor to fight you, Orochimaru. Your tactics might not suit me, but your combat instincts taught me a lot."
BOOM!
Ninjutsu and explosions ripped into the earthen walls, beginning to collapse under the onslaught.
Behind them surged waves of frenzied shinobi.
---
"Which is why..."
In the swirling dust, Gen slowly rose into the air—Orochimaru's eyes widened in disbelief.
"...Flying?! How?!"
Even Manda growled uneasily, trying to retreat—but Orochimaru held firm.
"I've prepared this for so long, Orochimaru-sama. Wouldn't it be a shame if you didn't appreciate it?"
Gen, breathing hard, looked up.
The moonlight pierced through the choking sand, illuminating the battlefield.
Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat.
Something was descending with the moonlight—a force invisible yet suffocating, light yet heavy.
And in that instant, a flash of brilliance erupted.
For Orochimaru... there was only one sensation:
The sky was falling.
The earth was collapsing.
---