"Oh no, I've actually grown horns."
The moment Kitagawa Minamoto felt something growing on his head, he realized that things had escalated!
Although he had mentally prepared himself for this, knowing that for the Ōtsutsuki clan, the stronger their power and the purer their bloodline, the more likely they were to grow horns, it still gave him a headache when it actually happened.
After all, his continuous development of his bloodline had made this outcome inevitable. But now that it had truly happened, he couldn't help but feel troubled.
As his surging chakra gradually calmed down, Kitagawa Minamoto raised one hand, forming a water mirror in the air before him.
"It's real..."
Looking at his reflection in the water mirror, Kitagawa Minamoto fell silent for a moment. He could clearly see that he had indeed grown a pair of horns.
Perhaps because they had just grown, the horns weren't particularly large, nor were they positioned on his forehead like Obito Uchiha's.
Instead, they were set further back, much like the traditional horns seen on other Ōtsutsuki clan members. However, their position reminded him of something from a game he used to play before his transmigration.
"Why does this look so much like the Dragon Prince from Fantasy Westward Journey?"
After examining them for a while, he couldn't help but make the comparison. Though the shape was different, the resemblance was uncanny.
Looking at the horns, Kitagawa Minamoto's feelings were mixed.
On one hand, he was genuinely thrilled. This marked another significant leap forward in his progress.
At this moment, he could feel that his control and utilization of chakra had reached a new pinnacle.
Not only that, but his physical body had grown even stronger, and his sensory abilities had also improved dramatically.
Even the "Planetary Chakra" he had been longing for had become clearer to him.
Most importantly, his bones had begun absorbing chakra at an even greater rate.
"Maybe, just maybe, I'll soon be able to complete the All-Killing Ash Bones!"
In addition, he could feel an intense concentration of chakra gathering at the center of his forehead.
It was hard to say what might appear there in the future...
All these positive developments left him ecstatic, but amidst his excitement, he also felt a bit exasperated.
To be fair, growing horns wasn't particularly unusual in the ninja world. Even the Gold and Silver Brothers had them.
And let's not forget that true Ōtsutsuki clan members always had horns.
Even Uchiha Madara and Obito Uchiha, after absorbing the Ten-Tails and undergoing their "Ōtsutsuki transformation," had grown horns as well.
But still...
"I'm just not used to it."
He reached up to touch his horns. They didn't feel bad to the touch, though they were a bit hard.
He figured that with a little effort, he could probably pull off a stunt like Uchiha Madara and snap them off.
However, after some thought, he decided against it because he discovered something interesting.
"It seems I can control them to some extent."
As he pondered this, he lightly manipulated his chakra, and in an instant, the horns on his head vanished without a trace!
"It actually works?"
Looking at his reflection in the water mirror, now identical to his usual appearance, Kitagawa Minamoto finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although his aura had completely changed, this was actually a good thing.
"It feels a bit like Momoshiki's Jinchūriki mode, though..."
His expression turned slightly strange as he wondered about something.
Could other Ōtsutsuki clan members do the same?
But he quickly shook his head. Even if they could, the Ōtsutsuki clan's pride would never allow them to hide their iconic horns.
As so-called "superior beings," they would never do such a thing.
But Kitagawa Minamoto was different. He had no desire to walk around with horns on his head all the time.
However...
"When I transform into Ōtsutsuki Minamoto, these horns will definitely come in handy!"
[Name: Kitagawa Minamoto]
[Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (Development: 50%)]
[Dōjutsu: Tenseigan (Crescent Moon Eye)]
[Special Abilities: Divine Tree Source (Fourth Stage)]
[Special Skills: Ice Release, Magnet Release, Dust Release, Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, Tenseigan Chakra Mode, Karma]
Looking at the information on his Status Panel, Kitagawa Minamoto raised an eyebrow.
"So I've finally reached 50% development. No wonder the horns appeared."
He had anticipated this for a while, knowing that his horns would eventually grow.
But he hadn't expected it to happen only after reaching this level of development.
This made him curious.
"At 50%, I've only just fully unlocked all the traits of the Ōtsutsuki bloodline. So what will happen at 100%?"
He had long speculated that the potential of his "Blank Slate" bloodline was unimaginable.
But now that he had walked this path step by step, he truly understood just how absurd it was.
"More importantly, I still have a lot to collect."
By his rough estimate, he still needed the Four-Tails and Five-Tails from Iwagakure, the Six-Tails from Kirigakure, and the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails from Kumogakure.
On top of that, he had yet to acquire the chakra of Indra and Asura.
And he was still missing Storm Release to complete his Kekkei Mōra fusion.
"Though I remember Hiruko used Storm Release. I've memorized part of it, so with a little effort, I might be able to develop it myself."
Muttering to himself, Kitagawa Minamoto looked up at the sky.
"Most importantly, the eye on the moon is still waiting for me. My journey is far from over."
For Kitagawa Minamoto, a long journey wasn't a bad thing.
It was all potential waiting to be unlocked!
He was now considering something: once he had gathered everything, perhaps...
"Maybe I really can explore the concept of transcending dimensions and surpassing life and death!"
Apart from the changes in his bloodline, his Divine Tree Source had also evolved.
Originally at the "Third Stage," it had now advanced to the "Fourth Stage."
The influx of the One-Tail's chakra had clearly enhanced the Divine Tree Source significantly.
And this enhancement brought Kitagawa Minamoto something that left him both amused and speechless.
"Karma."
Karma was one of the Ōtsutsuki clan's divine techniques, and its effects were remarkable.
To put it simply, it was essentially a compressed "backup file" of an Ōtsutsuki.
When implanted into a host, the Karma would gradually overwrite the host's body and data, eventually resurrecting the original Ōtsutsuki.
In essence, it was the Ōtsutsuki clan's guarantee of immortality.
"But it's not without flaws..."
Kitagawa Minamoto suddenly thought of Isshiki, the unlucky Ōtsutsuki.
Jigen's body had been too weak to withstand the transformation, leaving Isshiki with little time to live even after resurrection.
And after being pummeled by Naruto and Kurama's Baryon Mode, his remaining lifespan had been completely depleted, leading to his true death.
"Still, it's a safeguard of sorts. Besides Karma, I've also gained some other benefits."
The integration of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path fragments had not only expanded the capacity of his Divine Tree Source but also granted him access to more "Divine-Tree Style" techniques.
"Looks like those Wood Release materials will finally come in handy."
This transformation had significantly boosted Kitagawa Minamoto's strength, and the techniques at his disposal were steadily increasing.
Rubbing his eyes lightly, he could feel that his eyes were now absorbing chakra at an even faster rate.
Perhaps once they were fully saturated, they would give rise to a new power!
"The future is always on my side."
As Kitagawa Minamoto marveled at his latest advancements, the chakra he had unleashed during his transformation began to spread across the sky, radiating outward.
In a remote and nearly deserted part of the ninja world, a monk-like figure suddenly froze.
His face filled with disbelief, he clutched his chest as a wave of intense pain surged through him.
Moments later, his expression turned solemn, and his aura shifted dramatically.
"Who... is this?"
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rice Fields, where Black Zetsu was investigating Otogakure, he suddenly felt his breath catch.
He looked up at the sky in shock, his body trembling slightly.
"Black one, what's wrong?"
White Zetsu, noticing the change, asked curiously.
But Black Zetsu didn't respond.
He continued to stare at the sky for a long time before gritting his teeth and muttering,
"Nothing. I just sensed something unsettling. Let's focus on the task at hand."
With that, he said no more, prioritizing the execution of his carefully laid plans.
But as he felt the strange chakra slowly dissipating from the sky, a question lingered in his mind.
"Why has he grown stronger again?"
Unfortunately, no one could answer him.
Taking a deep breath, he decided to stop dwelling on it.
"Let's just focus on what's in front of us. We will win."
At Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya sat with a frustrated expression as he faced the Great Toad Sage.
"Great Sage, I've explained the situation. Can you let me go back now? I'm still recovering, you know."
Jiraiya had been one of the unluckiest participants in the battle outside Konohagakure.
Caught in the crossfire, he had been injured so severely that even with Tsunade's help, he needed hospital care.
But before he could recover, he had been transported to Mount Myōboku, wrapped in bandages and unable to even flirt with the nurses.
"Little Jiraiya, you know how dangerous things are, so I had no choice but to bring you here."
The Great Toad Sage sighed, somewhat apologetically.
"I understand, I understand. That guy is terrifying, after all."
Jiraiya's eyes gleamed as he nodded, a plan forming in his mind.
"To deal with him won't be easy. Great Sage, could you share more information about him?"
"Information?"
"Yes. And remember Kitagawa Minamoto, the kid I told you about? His talent is extraordinary. The village has decided to fully support him, so..."
"I see what you mean. It's unfortunate he refused the contract, but I'll think of something. As for the information..."
The Great Toad Sage chuckled, intrigued by Kitagawa Minamoto.
But before he could decide whether to share the information, he suddenly sensed a peculiar chakra spreading through the sky.
This chakra instantly cleared his drowsy eyes, and his own chakra surged in response.
"Hm?"
Jiraiya, still waiting for an answer, was caught off guard as the Great Toad Sage's chakra exploded.
Before he could react, he was sent flying, crashing heavily into a wall.
(End of Chapter)
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