Chapter 124 – Nothing More Than Inferior Creatures
The Mangekyō Sharingan was already considered the pinnacle of what the regular Sharingan could evolve into.
Yet despite its power, the trio now found themselves facing an overwhelming sense of pressure from this mysterious stranger.
Those glowing, radiant eyes shimmered with an unnatural brilliance, making it hard for them to breathe, as though an invisible weight was pressing down on their chests.
"What... is this feeling?"
All three of them had the same thought, especially Uchiha Obito, whose expression turned grim.
Even when facing someone like Nagato, he'd never felt anything this unsettling.
"Who exactly are you?" Obito demanded again, his voice low and tense, trying to shake off the unease creeping through him.
The man's response was as calm as ever.
"There's no need to repeat the same question. I heard you the first time."
Kitagawa Gen had seen them coming long ago. After all, his Tenseigan—an evolved form of the Byakugan—retained many of its original traits, including enhanced perception.
And the moment he laid eyes on Uchiha Itachi, he more or less guessed their purpose for being here.
"They're here for the artifact, huh?"
It seemed his hunt for the Nine-Tails had drawn them in, but that was fine. Better to deal with them now than later.
The only thing that concerned him was chakra signature recognition.
After clashing with these people several times already, he feared they might eventually piece together his identity. But on second thought, the sensory capabilities in the shinobi world weren't as terrifying as they were often portrayed—aside from unique cases like Kagura's Mind's Eye.
And of course, there were Black Zetsu and White Zetsu. He hadn't forgotten about them, but he had contingencies prepared.
Whether it was relying on the Tenseigan, utilizing yin-yang release, or even unleashing the full power of the Giant Tenseigan, he had options.
"Worst case... I'll just switch aliases and stop using those abilities so recklessly."
While these thoughts swirled in his mind, outwardly he simply shook his head.
"Who I am is none of your concern. I've only come to reclaim what belongs to me.
Descendants of Indra... do you really think you can stop me?"
"Indra?" Kisame muttered, confused, casting a sideways glance at the two Uchiha.
But Itachi and Obito's faces had turned visibly darker.
They had read the stone tablet. They knew what "Indra" meant—and what kind of lineage that name implied.
"So... he really isn't ordinary."
And more importantly...
"They're after the Nine-Tails' chakra?"
Both Uchiha were now ready to strike. Whether it was the mention of Indra's bloodline or the Nine-Tails, there was no avoiding this confrontation.
"Looks like you've made your decision. Good," Gen murmured, eyes narrowing.
"At least I won't have to worry about you interfering later when I go for the artifact."
"Attack!" Obito barked.
Without hesitation, he weaved signs, and the space around him distorted as he unleashed:
"Katon: Bakufū Ranbu!" (Fire Release: Blazing Storm Dance!)
Flames, enhanced by spatial warping, roared toward Kitagawa Gen. But just as they were about to touch him—
Hummmm—
A ripple of invisible chakra burst forth, and in an instant, the flames were completely shattered, reduced to drifting embers that scattered harmlessly to the ground.
"What...?" Obito's breath caught.
"That technique... it's just like Nagato's!"
"Your attack was underwhelming. Let's see how you handle mine."
Gen casually swung the black rod in his hand, and instantly, the shattered debris from the ruined temple around them lifted into the air under his control.
The next moment, they rained down toward the trio like a meteor storm.
"Suiton: Bakusui Shōha!" (Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!)
Seeing the incoming barrage, Kisame's face paled. He leapt back, weaving hand signs rapidly.
A massive surge of water exploded forth, forming a tidal wave to intercept the debris. But that wasn't all—he kept moving.
"Suiton: Daikōdan no Jutsu!" (Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!)
With a final seal, a colossal shark-shaped water bullet surged from the waves, hurtling toward Gen.
"You're not getting away!" Obito roared.
At the same time, his figure blurred, slipping through space and reappearing at Gen's flank.
Itachi had already anticipated this, his form manifesting like a ghost behind Gen.
They struck in perfect synchrony—an elite ambush from three angles.
"What a beautiful combo..." Gen murmured, eyes gleaming with eerie calm.
Gen's tone remained calm, but inwardly, he couldn't help but complain.
"Uchiha Itachi really is the definition of cunning."
He had long noticed that Itachi had used a shadow clone as a decoy, while his real body had stealthily circled behind, lying in wait for an opportunity to strike.
"If I didn't have these eyes, most people wouldn't stand a chance against that level of subterfuge."
And despite fighting individually, these elite ninjas still managed to coordinate surprisingly well, launching seamless attacks when the opportunity arose.
"Luckily, even without my Lightning Chakra Mode or Sage Mode, my speed might be limited, but my eyes can still keep up."
With both modes deactivated, his fighting style had naturally shifted. Until now, he had been holding back on using the full power of his eyes.
But now—
As the massive Great Shark Bullet closed in, a glowing blue barrier suddenly flared up around his body. The moment the shark made contact, it began to disintegrate.
"What the—my jutsu!?" Kisame's expression changed instantly.
Standing closer, Obito immediately understood what had happened.
"Those eyes… they can absorb chakra? Like the Rinnegan?"
But there was more. The moment Gen made his move, a mysterious gravitational force twisted the trajectory of Obito's attack—redirecting it toward Itachi.
"Damn it, this guy—!"
Itachi's face darkened as he saw Obito's strike coming. But with no time to pull back, he adjusted. His eyes spun wildly, and as he dodged Obito's attack, he launched a kunai straight toward Gen.
"Hmph?"
Gen seemed to have anticipated it.
Without even changing posture, he simply turned slightly. As the kunai brushed past him, his black rod swept out.
Buzz—!
The rod's swing coincided perfectly with Obito's charge. But just as Obito's hand reached Itachi, it turned intangible, passing harmlessly through him.
Meanwhile, Gen's black rod didn't miss—it slammed hard into Itachi's side.
Boom—!
The impact was brutal, the sound jarring. Itachi was sent flying like a cannonball, smashing into the ground with a loud crash.
The earth cracked. Dust exploded.
"Impressive reaction speed," Gen noted, raising an eyebrow.
Just before impact, he had seen a familiar red chakra flaring around Itachi.
"Susanoo, huh."
He wasn't surprised. This wasn't the first time he'd forced Itachi to activate that defense.
"Die!"
At that moment, Kisame burst from a nearby stream, brandishing Samehada. His sword sliced through the air where Gen had just been.
"Crap! That fast?!"
Missing his mark, Kisame attempted to dive back into the water—but Gen's voice rang out.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Buzz—!
A howling black rod came swinging at his back. Kisame could only raise his blade to parry.
Boom!
As rod met sword, a shockwave exploded outward, causing waves to surge around them and the distant ground to tremble violently.
Crack! Crack!
Even the ground beneath the water fractured from the force.
Kisame tried to overpower him—he wasn't afraid of a clash of weapons—but then his face twisted in shock.
"How does my chakra taste?"
Gen's voice echoed behind him.
Suddenly, Kisame realized the figure in front of him was an afterimage. Before he could react, a powerful force struck his back.
Bang—!
Pain exploded through his spine as he was sent flying—hurtling toward Itachi's position.
"Tch!"
At the last second, Kisame managed to stabilize himself. Obito appeared beside him.
Behind them, a shaken Itachi rose to his feet, red chakra still flickering across his body.
"I must say, you three are a bit more entertaining than the monks here."
Gen looked them over with mild amusement, then glanced up at the sky.
After a brief pause, he shook his head slightly and smiled.
"But that's all. Indra's eyes really are fascinating—one of you can manipulate space, another can use Susanoo… such a pity."
"Pity?" Obito growled, teeth clenched. He still couldn't shake the feeling that this man was familiar—yet he couldn't place it.
But that didn't matter now. The only priority was taking him down.
"Who the hell are you? What's your goal!?"
"You shouldn't sound so hostile. The more aggressive you are, the more you show your weakness."
Gen still spoke with that casual, almost friendly tone—like he was chatting with old acquaintances.
But slowly, the pressure in the air began to shift. That unique, overwhelming aura surrounding him grew stronger and stronger.
"This guy…"
Obito and the others looked visibly disturbed. Was he not even using his full power earlier?
Who was this man?
"I didn't want to fight. But you just had to push me."
Gen shook his head regretfully. The pressure radiating from him now felt oppressive—almost godlike.
Then he chuckled softly.
"But it doesn't matter. Whether it's one speck of dust or two… wiping them away makes no difference to me."
"You've been asking who I am, haven't you?"
He raised his head, eyes gleaming like starlight, as the oppressive aura surged to a climax.
"Then remember this well, inferior beings carrying the diluted blood of Kaguya."
"My name is…"
In the blink of an eye, he vanished and reappeared right in front of them—his black rod already mid-swing.
His voice was cold now, emotionless, echoing like a judgment:
"Ōtsutsuki Genshiki."
--