Kitagawa Minamoto was the kind of person who acted decisively. Especially now, with a new quest appearing—this only heightened his enthusiasm.
"Even though most quests don't hold much value for me anymore, a quest is still a quest."
Minamoto couldn't help but reminisce about the days when he wasn't as powerful, when quests would pop up frequently, like the time he nervously faced the "Delicious Sisters."
But now, quests had become scarce, and he felt somewhat unaccustomed to this change. The stark contrast made him question whether he was being overly sentimental.
"You're really bored, thinking about such random things," his Divine Tree clone couldn't help but mock him from inside Amenominaka.
"Focus on how we're going to coordinate later. The atmosphere is already set—if we don't fight, it'll feel like a waste."
"Do you believe I won't bash your head in?" Minamoto rolled his eyes and instinctively retorted, only to immediately realize his mistake.
"Damn it, I just insulted myself..."
"Doesn't matter. You'll feel the pain either way." His Divine Tree clone shot him a disdainful glance, then continued.
"Still, it doesn't really matter. Our thoughts are aligned, and you already know everything I can do. Ending in a draw shouldn't be an issue."
"That's the tricky part—how to make the fight seem real while still being effective." Minamoto sighed, his clothes now transformed into a white robe under the coating of Chakra.
"Forget it, let's take it one step at a time. Besides, you can use all powers except those belonging to Ōtsutsuki, including Yin-Yang Release."
"True, though I can only access about seventy or eighty percent of the power. It's still enough. Just don't go overboard."
"You don't need to tell me—I know what you're thinking."
"And you're thinking too." Minamoto shot a glare at his Divine Tree clone, feeling that its personality was somewhat problematic. Though, of course, this personality was his own.
Still, it wasn't a bad thing. When the two of them eventually "clashed," it wouldn't be a silent, wordless encounter. Getting accustomed to this dynamic beforehand was just right.
"Alright, pay attention. Once the battle starts, don't rush too much. I still need to collect the Four-Tails' Chakra."
With a subtle movement of his Chakra, the two left the realm of Amenominaka.
Standing outside, looking at the brightly lit ruins of Iwagakure in the distance, Minamoto shook his head lightly.
"What a tragedy. At least the next battle won't take place here."
"Got it." His Divine Tree clone tapped his temple. "Don't forget—we're connected in thought."
Minamoto nodded, slowly fastening his mask before activating his Chakra again.
Buzz—
With a surge of Chakra, he vanished instantly, reappearing atop a mountain peak. Closing his eyes briefly, he reopened them, his gaze now shimmering like starlight.
"Getting closer—this is good news." Minamoto's vision locked onto the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Rōshi, causing him to nod in satisfaction.
Before setting out, he had already used the giant Tenseigan on the moon to scan the entire Land of Earth and pinpoint Rōshi's location. But since Rōshi was constantly on the move, Minamoto had to confirm his position multiple times.
"Looks like the battle at Iwagakure drew him in. That saves me a lot of trouble." Minamoto thought to himself, his figure flashing again. This time, he was floating mid-air.
Seeing Rōshi rushing toward Iwagakure, Minamoto slowly raised his hand. In an instant, a Truth-Seeking Orb formed in his palm.
"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
Boom—
Driven by the Truth-Seeking Orb, a massive storm swept through the entire valley!
Under the relentless storm, the towering valley became fragile, its countless trees uprooted, and massive rocks sent flying. The debris was pulverized, and everything in the Chakra storm turned to dust. The vast valley was reduced to rubble in an instant!
The immense power continued to spread, heading straight toward Rōshi.
"Perfect distance." Minamoto assessed the distance and nodded in approval, pleased with his precise control over his power.
The timing was perfect—allowing Rōshi to react while still being hit by the energy, likely incapacitating him without killing him. After all, Minamoto was here to capture, not kill.
"Hmm?" Just as the Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion roared on, Minamoto froze for a moment.
He clearly saw space distort along the path of the explosion. Suddenly, a masked figure emerged from the distorted space.
In the next instant, Minamoto's overwhelming energy slammed into the figure.
"..."
Under the moonlit sky, silver light illuminated the earth.
In a clearing among the mountains, Black Zetsu slowly emerged.
"Lord Madara, Obito, we've found him." Black Zetsu spoke in a low voice, addressing the two figures before him.
"That individual isn't far from here, and he's heading toward Iwagakure, likely sensing the changes there."
Madara's rampage in Iwagakure had been intense, likely causing the entire Land of Earth to feel the energy waves emanating from that area.
Of course, this wasn't solely Madara's doing—Black Zetsu knew Kitagawa Minamoto had played a significant role as well.
"Still, that brat has already mastered Yin-Yang Release? Such talent..." Black Zetsu couldn't help but marvel inwardly, though his admiration was tinged with lament.
The ninja world had become chaotic in just a few short years, turning into something unfamiliar and increasingly incomprehensible to him.
"You've found him? Good." Madara nodded, having grown impatient after waiting for so long. Obito, however, couldn't resist asking a question.
"What about Iwagakure? Are there any signs of movement?"
"Not for now. Everyone is focused on rescue and cleanup efforts." Black Zetsu snapped out of his thoughts, but couldn't help glancing at Obito again. He felt that Obito seemed different somehow.
At this moment, Obito had put his mask back on, concealing himself completely, making it difficult for Black Zetsu to discern anything.
"The destruction was too severe, and it seems they haven't noticed the Four-Tails' return."
"Then let's move quickly and deal with the Four-Tails." Madara nodded, then turned to Obito.
"Are you going, or shall I?"
"Leave it to me. This isn't a big deal." Obito spoke in a low voice, his body beginning to distort before disappearing from sight.
"Hmph." Watching Obito's haste, Madara snorted coldly, then turned to Black Zetsu.
"You said he wasn't far—let's go check it out. I have some questions for you."
"Is it about Kitagawa Minamoto?" Black Zetsu followed Madara forward, curious about what Madara wanted to ask.
Of course, his greatest fear was Madara suddenly bringing up what Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki had said about "Kaguya's Chakra." Though he had managed to brush off the topic before, it still made him uneasy.
"Not him—Obito." Madara shook his head, his gaze growing more serious.
"That brat seems... strange."
"Obito, huh..." Black Zetsu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't about him, he didn't mind. Still, he had to admit Obito's situation was odd.
"Indeed, he's acting strange. He suddenly awakened the 'Power of All Creation.' He claims it's because he thought of Rin, and his Sharingan grew stronger as a result. But..."
Faced with Obito's explanation of "thinking about Rin," Black Zetsu couldn't help but feel speechless. Yet he had no idea what was truly happening—there was no precedent, no information, leaving him utterly baffled.
"Keep an eye on him. I have a feeling something's off about him." Madara wasn't angry about the lack of answers—after all, not knowing was normal.
"Figure out his situation. That brat feels... dangerous to me."
"Dangerous?" Black Zetsu was surprised. This was the first time he'd heard Madara express such concern, making him even more cautious.
"Understood. I'll monitor him closely and try to uncover his secrets."
"Good." Madara nodded, his gaze shifting to the horizon.
"Though he's not much of a threat, gaining power doesn't change his mediocrity. But power is power—better to be cautious."
Madara's disdain for Obito was clear, but he would never underestimate the potential danger Obito posed. After all, Madara was a seasoned warrior, forged in the blood-soaked battlefields of the Warring States Era.
"I understand." Black Zetsu nodded. Though working with Madara required extra caution, it also made him feel less strained.
"Let's move quickly and secure the Four-Tails before anything unexpected happens."
"Unexpected?" Madara raised an eyebrow, while Black Zetsu nodded helplessly.
"Lord Madara, you've surely heard that every mission carries the risk of unexpected events. While I don't fully believe it, it's still wise to prepare for the possibility."
"I sense it too. Encountering Kitagawa Minamoto was already an anomaly. Could there be more surprises—perhaps that..."
"Yes, exactly. What I'm most worried about is—"
Before Black Zetsu could finish, a deafening roar erupted from the distance!
The towering mountains seemed to vanish, as if erased, while immense energy swept toward them. The Four-Tails' furious roar echoed through the valley.
"..."
Black Zetsu was stunned, his mouth hanging open. For a moment, he genuinely wanted to slap himself. Even Madara froze in place.
The ferocious Chakra was beyond belief, even for him.
Looking up, Madara and Black Zetsu both turned their gaze skyward.
Under the moonlight, a blurred figure floated in the air, radiating divine might that spread in all directions.
"Is this..." Black Zetsu's breathing grew heavy, painful memories resurfacing. Madara murmured softly.
"Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki?"
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