"Is this… Senpai's true power?"
As Jiraiya prepared, Sasuke beside him watched with fervent eyes, unable to stop himself from muttering softly.
This trip to Iwagakure had been far too extraordinary for him. He had originally thought that by killing Uchiha Itachi, he had already achieved growth.
But now, it seemed that compared to Kitagawa Gen and the others, Uchiha Itachi was nothing more than someone by the roadside.
He was still far, far behind!
"Tch… have I already been left this far behind by that guy?"
Naruto's gaze was somewhat complicated, but he quickly became firm once more.
Having someone to chase after was always better than being lost!
Besides, Kitagawa Gen had always been the one he chased after.
"How terrifying."
Within his body, the Fourth Hokage couple also fell silent.
Such a battle had already gone beyond their comprehension!
"Kitagawa Gen… is actually that strong?"
Not far from the battlefield, Uchiha Obito swallowed hard.
Taking advantage of the clash between those two, he had pulled the head-only Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu into Kamui.
Clenching his fist, his face was full of disbelief, and at the same time, of grief and anger.
He simply couldn't understand—why were they so strong?!
And what did that "evolution" mean?
"Indeed, far stronger than expected. No wonder he managed to beat you all so badly."
Holding Uchiha Madara's head, Black Zetsu was also filled with astonishment, but soon let out a sigh.
"It's just that he probably still isn't Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's match. That guy doesn't even seem to be serious yet…"
"I'm even more curious now—what exactly does that 'evolution' in Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's mouth mean?"
Uchiha Madara also stared into the distance. That kind of battle stirred an intense yearning deep within him.
But beyond that yearning, what intrigued him even more were Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's words.
"What's so special about that Kitagawa Gen that he could make someone that arrogant take a second look?!"
"I don't know."
Black Zetsu shook his head, utterly perplexed.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder—could it be that Kitagawa Gen, that 'descendant of Hamura,' had already set foot upon some unimaginable path?
"'Evolution,' he actually used that word?"
Isshiki was muttering to himself at this moment as well, his expression growing increasingly solemn.
In his eyes, Genshiki, that lunatic, was walking the 'Divine Ascension Path' of devouring one's own kind.
Then everything Genshiki had done must have a purpose behind it!
And that word—"evolution"…
"Could it be… that's what it means?"
All of a sudden, a thought flashed through Isshiki's mind.
But just as he was deep in contemplation, a golden radiance once again flared in the distance, as an even more terrifying power began to erupt.
...
Kitagawa Gen and Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's battle grew increasingly fierce.
Their exchange was no longer limited to taijutsu—chakra overflowed, and all sorts of techniques began to erupt one after another.
At that moment, it seemed as though the entire Land of Earth had been caught in the crossfire!
Of course, their ferocity was only what outsiders saw.
In truth, even as the original and the clone fought, their exchange of words had never truly stopped.
"Go easier—I'm about to be smashed to pieces!"
"It's fine. If you break, I'll just summon another one."
"Hey, doesn't it hurt? And have you figured out how to wrap this up yet?"
"Don't rush me. The stimulation to Isshiki isn't enough yet."
Explosive chakra continued to surge as "Kitagawa Gen" suddenly pulled back a short distance, then raised one hand upright.
"Yin–Yang Release: Grand Dragon Fire Technique!"
A torrent of golden flames roared forth in an instant, lighting up the entire night. Those surging flames gathered into a massive dragon.
It roared toward the heavens before charging straight at "Ōtsutsuki Genshiki"!
"Your Yin–Yang Release isn't bad."
Ōtsutsuki Genshiki gave what seemed like a faint chuckle, and behind him, his Truth-Seeking Balls flashed out, merging into a colossal shield.
[Boom—]
The violent dragon instantly dissipated into nothingness, but in that very instant, "Kitagawa Gen" had silently appeared behind him.
In his hand was a black-and-white chakra sphere, within which several smaller chakra orbs revolved.
"Rasengan: Uzuhiko."
"Kitagawa Gen" struck in an instant—but at that very moment, the "Ōtsutsuki Genshiki" before his eyes vanished without a trace.
Simultaneously, high above the heavens, a golden radiance once again illuminated the sky. A colossal blade thousands of meters long swung down in an instant!
"Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
With one strike, the heavens tilted and the earth slanted!
Two immense forces met in that instant, and a tremendous roar erupted.
Even within the distant Iwagakure, many felt their eardrums tremble; some even had blood trickle from their ears.
A single glimmer appeared at the moment of collision, then suddenly expanded—heaven and earth themselves seemed to quiver beneath that power.
Yet both Kitagawa Gen and his God Tree clone vanished quietly from the scene, heading toward Uchiha Obito's location.
"Was that a bit too reckless?"
Although they were far apart, their voices resounded within each other's minds.
"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki—will he really fall for it?"
"I don't know. This battle was already a forced confrontation. Since that's the case, we might as well maximize the profit."
"True. Obtain the Four-Tails' chakra, complete the mission, and at the same time give the others some confidence so they won't keep doubting everything. It's just that Isshiki is a bit troublesome."
"Whether he's troublesome or not doesn't matter. Anyway, with that giant toad as precedent, trying it once won't hurt."
Communicating with his God Tree clone, it might have looked like he was talking to himself—but what Kitagawa Gen intended to do this time was exactly as he said.
Maximize the profit!
By using the identity of "Ōtsutsuki Genshiki," he had truly scared the shinobi world into a state of panic.
Not only the great hidden villages—even Black Zetsu was the most typical example.
For three years, it had kept sending him things, guiding him to investigate the "truth," all because of "Ōtsutsuki Genshiki."
Aside from that, Mount Myōboku had also sent him quite a few things.
The purpose was the same—to "try it out."
"The atmosphere is already in place—it'd feel wrong not to have a fight."
That statement was absolutely true, so Kitagawa Gen decided to give it a small test this time.
He just hadn't expected to encounter a "not too big, not too small" surprise—Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
Having long planned to target the Ōtsutsuki clan, he naturally wouldn't let this guy go easily.
It was just that Obito's Kāma had yet to hatch. The last time he had extracted chakra from that Kāma, he'd awkwardly discovered he still couldn't absorb it.
Since that was the case, he decided to slow down a little and wait for Obito.
But while waiting, there was no way he'd simply do nothing.
"The giant toad and Black Zetsu have both sent me things—so should I try it with Isshiki too?"
Although everything belonging to Isshiki in the future was already completely reserved by him, that didn't stop him from taking something in advance from this guy!
"Besides, I've always been cautious—Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's chakra is constantly covered by the Tenseigan, while Kitagawa Gen is always concealed under Sage Mode."
Unless it was someone like Karin who already understood the true nature of his chakra, otherwise, at his current level, no one else could even think about probing it!
[Boom—]
[Boom—]
[Boom—]
Their battle continued, the unleashed energy surging and sweeping across the Land of Earth.
Although they were both "performing," and each knew when the other would make a move, the power they used was entirely real.
Under the shockwaves of chakra caused by their battle, the once unbroken mountain range continuously shattered.
The collapsing rocks scattered chaotically across the ground, and the impact of the falling boulders produced constant rumbling.
The entire landscape had been utterly transformed by the two men's battle.
Everywhere in sight were deep craters of varying size and interwoven ravines.
And once the two began using jutsu, the raging mountain fires and rolling smoke intertwined with one another.
Everything before their eyes looked exactly like hell itself!
...
"Little Jiraiya, is that Ōtsutsuki Genshiki?"
The two sages Fukasaku and Shima had already been summoned by Jiraiya, assisting him in his preparation for Sage Mode.
But watching the distant battle, both felt deeply unsettled—how could this possibly be a human fight?
"That child can actually fight Ōtsutsuki Genshiki to such an extent?"
"Gen fused Yin–Yang Release with his own power, and he also possesses Sage Mode."
Jiraiya fixed his gaze on the distance, watching the two flickering figures, and that dazzling golden longsword that seemed to illuminate the night.
And that one strike capable of splitting a mountain in two, the cut surface smooth as if meticulously polished by hand.
He pursed his lips slightly, then finally spoke.
"However, Ōtsutsuki Genshiki's power is beyond imagination. His strength seems endless—we must be ready to provide reinforcements at any moment."
"I just worry that if we go, we'll only interfere with the Fifth Hokage."
Ōnoki simply changed his wording; after all, Kitagawa Gen would indeed be the Fifth.
"Besides, regarding Ōtsutsuki Genshiki—didn't you listen carefully? He probably won't go for the kill."
"Evolution?"
Deidara raised an eyebrow, and those words made Sasuke and Naruto exchange a glance.
"What does he mean by 'evolution'?"
"Who knows, that cryptic guy."
Jiraiya shook his head, but his eyes glanced to the left and right, at the two toad sages standing on his shoulders, Fukasaku and Shima.
Not only him—the others' gazes also couldn't help but turn toward them, which made the two toad sages feel a bit of a headache.
"Don't ask us—you'll have to go back and ask the Great Toad Sage about that."
Sage Fukasaku shook his head, but Sage Shima thought for a moment.
"This matter truly isn't simple. That child is a 'child of nature,' able to freely use Sage Mode, and even wields Yin–Yang Release. It's truly something extraordinary."
"All right, enough talk—they're coming this way."
Jiraiya shook his head, cutting off everyone's thoughts.
"Two sages, we should get ready as well. If it really comes to that point, no matter what, we must create a chance for Gen to get away!"
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---