"Naruto: The Ōtsutsuki Bloodline"Chapter 193: The Lunar Pathway
The celebration lasted late into the night.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't stepped in to call it off, it might have gone on until dawn.
This was entirely understandable, though. Kumogakure had long been infamous in the ninja world.
Not only were the smaller nations resentful of Kumogakure, but Konohagakure had suffered greatly at their hands as well.
For Kitagawa Minamoto and his team to bring Kumogakure to its knees this time was truly exhilarating!
Of course, the finer details of the mission weren't shared openly by the leadership of the three factions.
After all, they were allies, and leaving some room for diplomacy was necessary.
After the festivities, Kitagawa Minamoto headed straight home, but Terumi Mei and Deidara weren't so lucky.
"How exactly did you manage this?"
Late at night, in the guest quarters of Konohagakure, Genjō stared at Terumi Mei with a grave expression.
"Kumogakure may have lost its Raikage, but... I've heard rumors that Wood Release appeared?"
"It's even more shocking than you think, Elder."
Terumi Mei sighed bitterly, recounting the events of their mission.
"Wood Release did indeed manifest, and I think I finally understand why the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was hailed as the 'Ninja Who Ended the Warring States Era.'"
In private, there was no need for secrecy, so Terumi Mei detailed everything that had transpired.
She described the thousand-meter-tall Buddha, whose fist was as large as a Tailed Beast, and its attacks that seemed capable of destroying the heavens and the earth.
She spoke with vivid detail about the terrifying True Thousand Hands technique.
Genjō fell into a long silence.
He had lived through that era and was well aware of the terror those two individuals—Hashirama and Madara—had once inspired.
He never expected Konohagakure to produce someone like that again.
"Elder, I believe we must maintain good relations with Konohagakure."
After finishing her account, Terumi Mei spoke solemnly.
"It's not just about them helping us capture Obito Uchiha or our current tentative alliance. We need to strengthen our ties further."
"Yes... you're absolutely right."
Genjō nodded in agreement, though he still wore a dazed expression.
After a moment, he chuckled bitterly.
"To think someone's casual remark would come true—Konohagakure really is returning to its former glory from decades ago."
This phrase had originally been spoken by Ōnoki, but now Genjō couldn't agree more.
Meanwhile, someone else who shared this sentiment, and even felt it more strongly, was Ōnoki himself.
"Old man, that's the gist of it."
In another room, Deidara finished recounting the mission to Ōnoki.
Ōnoki sat frozen in place, unable to utter a word, while Akatsuchi scratched his head, struggling to picture a thousand-meter-tall Buddha.
"That big? You're not exaggerating, are you?"
Kurotsuchi couldn't help but interject, skeptical of Deidara's story.
"Tch, what do you know?"
Deidara snorted, crossing his arms in disdain.
"I saw it with my own eyes. The mountain in Kumogakure was completely flattened. You're such an idiot!"
"Enough, stop arguing."
Just as Kurotsuchi was about to retort, Ōnoki rubbed his temples in frustration and interrupted.
"You can't comprehend Hashirama Senju's power. The battles between him and Madara Uchiha reshaped the very geography of the ninja world."
"Huh?"
Kurotsuchi's face was filled with disbelief, while Deidara nodded as if it were nothing surprising.
However, he couldn't help but ask curiously:
"By the way, old man, who's stronger—Minamoto or the First Hokage?"
"Don't ask such pointless questions. Just know that they're both Hokage-level, and that's enough."
Ōnoki dismissed the question, finding it silly to compare two people from the same village.
Even so, he couldn't help but sigh.
"It seems we need to reassess our relationship with Konohagakure. I never thought things would turn out like this."
As he sighed, a thought suddenly struck him.
"But if that's the case, perhaps Kitagawa Minamoto really can deal with Ōtsutsuki Minamoto!"
Ōnoki couldn't shake the memory of Minamoto's destructive power.
Especially since Minamoto was elusive, overwhelmingly strong, and obsessed with Tailed Beasts.
If no one could stop him, it would spell disaster for the entire ninja world!
"But..."
Ōnoki's expression twisted as he glanced at Deidara, who was once again goofing off with a grin.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness.
Why were other people's students so exceptional, while his own was such a slacker?
His fists clenched involuntarily.
"Why can't you work harder, you idiot!"
While Ōnoki and Genjō struggled to sleep, Kitagawa Minamoto enjoyed a peaceful night's rest.
He had originally planned to sleep in, but he was unexpectedly woken up early the next morning.
And it wasn't by Hiruzen Sarutobi or anyone else from the village.
"Hey, blondie, what are you doing?!"
"I'm watering the flowers. Wait, are you seriously trying to take over?"
"Shut up! I told you ages ago that I'd handle this!"
"Look at how you're watering them—the flowers are dying!"
Hearing the commotion outside his window, Kitagawa Minamoto rubbed his temples.
He had thought he could avoid certain blonde and red-haired individuals, only to be woken up by their antics first thing in the morning.
"Don't you two ever sleep? What's all this noise about so early?"
Kitagawa Minamoto opened the window, looking at Naruto and Karin with an exasperated expression.
He couldn't understand why these two, both from the Uzumaki Clan, couldn't get along.
"Good morning, senpai!"
Karin immediately changed her demeanor upon seeing Kitagawa Minamoto, while Naruto gave her a deadpan look.
"Hey, Minamoto, she killed your flowers."
"..."
Kitagawa Minamoto glanced at his potted plants, now thoroughly overwatered to death.
"What are you two doing here so early? Shouldn't you be training or reporting to the medical department?"
"Tch, Pervy Sage isn't even awake yet."
Naruto snorted, clearly annoyed, while Karin became unusually obedient.
"Lady Tsunade said I could go in late today, so..."
"..."
Kitagawa Minamoto understood.
These two had probably partied too hard last night and were now skipping their responsibilities.
He couldn't help but feel that Konohagakure was starting to resemble a disorganized mess.
"What's wrong with this village? Skipping work after just one celebration—what's next?"
Kitagawa Minamoto thought to himself that Konohagakure's administrative system needed serious reform.
"You look half-asleep, Minamoto."
Naruto studied him curiously, prompting an irritated response from Karin.
"Idiot, senpai just returned from Kumogakure and hasn't fully recovered. Stop bothering him!"
"Tch, why are you suddenly so nice to him?"
Naruto scowled at Karin before turning his attention back to Kitagawa Minamoto.
"And you—how could you leave me out of something like this? If I had gone, it would've been a piece of cake!"
"Oh, shut up. You can't even pass the Chūnin Exams."
Karin retorted, causing Naruto to lose his temper.
"I will pass, you'll see!"
"I doubt it."
"Hmph! At least I'm taking the exam—you didn't even bother!"
"That's because I don't need to. Senpai didn't take the exam either, and he still outranks you."
"What?! You little—!"
"Because you're weak..."
Watching the two bicker again, Kitagawa Minamoto couldn't help but chuckle.
They were both so full of energy, unlike him—he was exhausted.
"Last night was a bit intense, but at least it ended well."
Hiruzen Sarutobi had wanted to question him about certain matters, but the lively atmosphere had made it difficult.
Since Kitagawa Minamoto was staying in the village, Hiruzen decided to let him relax for the night.
After everything settled down, Kitagawa Minamoto returned home and immediately began investigating the lunar pathway.
His eyes had absorbed as much Chakra as they could, and the "new awakening" sensation confirmed his current state.
While he could wait for his eyes to evolve naturally, he wasn't inclined to be patient.
The moon, with its massive eye, had been waiting for him for years.
Now that he was so close, how could he wait any longer?
Last night, after returning home, he used his Tenseigan to link with the moon once again.
This time, he not only gained deeper insights but also "saw" more.
Through his Tenseigan, he glimpsed the moon's interior for the first time.
He saw three elderly men with white hair, a vast library, and a young boy without eyes.
"Toneri Ōtsutsuki."
Kitagawa Minamoto was certain of the boy's identity—there was no mistaking it.
"But they're sharp. The moment they sensed my presence, they severed my connection."
Kitagawa Minamoto rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He wasn't surprised by their reaction.
If they could merge the clan's eyes to create the Tenseigan, they would naturally have measures to control it.
His possession of the Tenseigan allowed him to resonate with the giant eye and seize partial control.
But that didn't mean the Ōtsutsuki on the moon were powerless.
"Too bad for them—I'm not afraid anymore. Besides, I've almost pinpointed the pathway. A little more searching, and I'll achieve my goal."
During his exploration, he not only spied on the moon's inhabitants but also identified several potential spatial pathways using the giant Tenseigan.
Once his "Divine Tree's Source" stabilized further, he planned to act decisively and launch an all-out assault on the moon's interior.
"It's time for my eyes to evolve."
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