Chapter 204: Orochimaru's Urgency
Back in the Hidden Leaf Village, Kinoshita Genichi first went home to drop off the scroll containing the Demonic Statue's arm, then used a body flicker to appear at the Hokage's office.
"Genichi?" Shizune looked up from her work, surprised. "Weren't you heading to your lab? It's not time for dinner yet, is it?"
Tsunade, who had been lost in thought, let out a quiet, almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
"I have some business with the Fourth," Genichi said, nodding toward Tsunade.
Tsunade was already on her feet, her expression unreadable. "Come to the meeting room. Hayate," she called out, "go and inform Minato and the Third."
Gekkō Hayate, who was on standby in the next room, acknowledged the order and departed immediately.
Genichi followed Tsunade into the empty meeting room.
"You're not injured, are you?" Tsunade asked, her tone cold and clipped.
Genichi nodded. "Of course not. Not a scratch."
She's clearly worried, but she still has to put on that tough act, he thought with a private smile.
"Relax," he said, his voice casual. "I barely had to lift a finger. My clones did most of the fighting. Nagato's strength was a little surprising, but he was well within my ability to handle."
Tsunade gave a slight nod. "Did you finish it?"
Before Genichi could answer, a knock came at the door, and Minato Namikaze entered.
"Lady Fourth."
"Genichi!" Minato greeted him with a warm smile. Though Hayate hadn't specified, he had guessed Genichi was back. Fast as ever, he thought, taking a seat beside his friend.
Genichi turned to him with a grin. "Minato-san, don't you think it's about time to start thinking about a second child?"
Minato chuckled, a little embarrassed. "We've had the thought, but Naruto is quite a handful, you know."
Stroking his chin, Genichi mused, "In that case, maybe a daughter would be better next time? Girls are usually quieter, after all."
Minato couldn't help but scratch his head. "I… don't think we can just decide that, can we?"
Watching their awkward chat, Tsunade felt a flicker of confusion. When did this little punk get so interested in kids? I never saw that side of him before.
A few moments later, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived. Once the Third Hokage was seated, Tsunade got straight to the point. "Genichi, report on the situation with the Rinnegan."
Hiruzen's gaze settled on him. "You've already been to Amegakure, Genichi?"
Genichi nodded. "Yes. I just returned. I engaged the Rinnegan's wielder, a man named Nagato." He began his report. "In terms of overall power and ability, he has undoubtedly surpassed the current Kage of any village. Yahiko, the former leader of the Akatsuki you once met, Fourth-sama, and even Hanzō, the former leader of the Hidden Rain… their corpses have been turned into puppets, controlled by the Rinnegan."
Minato's eyes widened. "Hanzō is dead?"
"To think things had already progressed that far…" Hiruzen murmured, equally shocked. The man who had once challenged the authority of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the legendary "Hanzō the Demigod," had not only been killed but had his body desecrated.
"It seems the Hanzō that Kakashi encountered before was one of Nagato's puppets," Tsunade concluded grimly.
"Exactly," Genichi continued. "He controls six of these puppets in total, and each one represents a different system of abilities."
Genichi then gave a detailed breakdown of the Six Paths of Pain and their individual powers. By the time he finished, Tsunade, Minato, and Hiruzen were all silent, their faces etched with deep concern.
"Such abilities are truly beyond conventional warfare," Hiruzen said, breaking the silence. "Even with complete intelligence, fighting them would be an incredibly difficult task."
Minato gave a wry smile. "Lord Third, that technique that repels all attacks… there's no easy way to counter it." Even with the power he wielded, a technique like Wind Release: Rasenshuriken would be useless against the Almighty Push Genichi had described. If Nagato unleashed a large-scale version, his only option would be to escape with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Hiruzen turned to Tsunade. "Lady Fourth, we must disseminate this intelligence. Our shinobi need to be ordered to avoid combat with these individuals at all costs." One of the puppets was bad enough, but six… anyone below a Kage would be throwing their life away.
Tsunade nodded. "I know. We also need to formulate a new village defense plan in case Nagato ever decides to invade."
"Have Minato and the others learn the Four Red Yang Formation," Hiruzen suggested.
Tsunade agreed, then looked back to Genichi.
"Besides the Rinnegan," Genichi went on, "he also summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. According to the Nine-Tails, this is the original body—or husk—of the Ten-Tails."
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe. "So, the nine Tailed Beasts truly were separated from the Ten-Tails by the Sage of Six Paths?"
"At least, that's what the Nine-Tails says," Genichi confirmed.
"I never thought we would come so close to the figures of myth and legend," Minato remarked with a sense of awe.
Genichi almost wanted to laugh. If only you knew that your own son is the reincarnation of Asura…
"Then we can be certain that Nagato's goal is to capture all the Tailed Beasts," Tsunade said, her brow furrowed. "Should we inform the other villages? If he succeeds, it could be disastrous." She was worried. Genichi could defeat Nagato now, but what if Nagato had the power of seven other Tailed Beasts at his disposal?
Minato's expression was grave. "If Nagato attacks another village to capture their jinchuriki, I doubt they'd be able to stop him."
BAM!
Tsunade slammed her fist on the table. "The best solution is to gather all the jinchuriki in one place to protect them!" But just as quickly, the fire in her eyes died down. She knew it was impossible. No village would agree unless they had already been destroyed.
"Given the current situation, I doubt Nagato will use such aggressive tactics, at least not at first," Minato reasoned. "It wouldn't be wise."
"Minato is right," Hiruzen agreed. "And with the villages trusting each other so little, the idea of gathering the jinchuriki for protection is simply not feasible." Even their ally, Sunagakure, would never hand over the One-Tails' jinchuriki to Konoha, let alone Kumogakure or Iwagakure.
Genichi agreed with them completely. People had to learn the hard way. Besides, Konoha had no need to take on that kind of trouble right now. The bigger picture was important, but Konoha's picture was the most important one.
"For now, it seems our only option is to share the intelligence and let the other villages fend for themselves," Tsunade said, clearly frustrated.
"Lady Hokage," Minato said seriously, "we must also prepare for the possibility that Nagato will succeed in capturing the other jinchuriki."
This was Tsunade's greatest fear. She turned to Genichi. "If Nagato captures all the Tailed Beasts except for the Nine-Tails, how strong will he become?"
That… was a difficult question.
Genichi thought for a moment, trying to find a benchmark. The closest comparison was Obito after he became the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki. But Nagato would be far stronger. His willpower dwarfed Obito's, and his Uzumaki body was a far more suitable vessel. Willpower was a critical component of mastering that power.
After a moment of consideration, he gave his assessment. "If he becomes the jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails, even one missing the Nine-Tails, his power will be beyond your imagination. The first person to do so was the Sage of Six Paths himself." He paused. "I can't give you specifics, as even the Nine-Tails doesn't know everything. But I can say this: neither the First Hokage at his peak, nor Madara Uchiha with the Nine-Tails, could have defeated him alone."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "And if they fought together… they would likely still lose."
Seeing the heavy expressions on their faces, Genichi offered a small smile. "There's no need to be so grim. The enemy is getting stronger, but so are we. We aren't standing still. At the very least, Nagato can't defeat me as he is now. Shinnosuke, Kakashi, and the others are all growing stronger. The future is bright."
"You say that," Minato sighed, "but it's hard not to worry. Still, you're right. As long as we all work together, we can overcome any enemy." He finished with his signature warm, determined smile. It wasn't just a slogan; it was something he truly believed.
Watching him, Hiruzen felt a sense of pride.
Tsunade, however, looked at Genichi's relaxed demeanor with a hint of suspicion. She had a nagging feeling that he was hiding something from her.
After the meeting, Genichi returned home. In his private meditation room, he deactivated the Mirror Eye. A flood of information regarding the Rinnegan poured into his mind, and he immediately became engrossed in analyzing it.
Hours passed. When Genichi opened his eyes again, evening had fallen.
"As expected of the Rinnegan," he murmured, frowning slightly. "Simply analyzing it like this gives me zero chance of awakening it on my own. It's not like my Mirror Eye, which was a fluke." He considered his options. "However, if I could obtain the chakra of both Indra and Asura, I might be able to force an awakening."
He didn't have Madara's cells, but he had obtained some of Sasuke Uchiha's and was currently attempting to cultivate them.
"To be safe, I should just 'acquire' a pair of Rinnegan from the future when the opportunity arises. That would be best for my research."
He knew that a transplanted Rinnegan, like Nagato's, could never be used to its full potential. But if he could understand its secrets and awaken it naturally in a clone body, the possibilities would be enormous. It would also be a critical step toward mastering Truth-Seeking Orbs, and by extension, the Kekkei Mōra. One step led to the next.
He took a mental inventory of his current arsenal.
"Five Kekkei Tōta: Ice, Wood, Dust, Scorch, and Electromagnetic Release."
"Ten Kekkei Genkai: Storm, Steel, Explosion, Heaven's Eye, Mind Control, Kyōka Suigetsu, Mirror Eye, Sharingan, Dark Release, and Shikotsumyaku."
Even he had to admit the list was ridiculously impressive. It was a testament to his unique ability and the power of his Mirror Eye. But despite his vast collection of powers, he hadn't lost sight of his true goal: fusing all of them to achieve Kekkei Mōra. His current arsenal looked flashy, but compared to someone like Kaguya Otsutsuki, he would be crushed in an instant.
"My next few sessions will focus on the development of Electromagnetic Release. That's top priority," he decided, his expression serious. The chakra mode he used against Nagato was a simple application. His true goal was far more ambitious: to use electricity and magnetism to radically empower his physical body to an unbelievable degree. But such experiments were incredibly dangerous; past attempts had often resulted in cellular damage. It was the perfect project for a "future session."
He also needed to keep improving his Mirror Eye and Heaven's Eye. His sensory abilities had to be pushed further to counter threats like Madara's Limbo, which couldn't be perceived by normal Sage Mode or even by sensing negative emotions.
He planned everything meticulously. Despite his overwhelming power, he still felt he wasn't prepared enough. What if the Sage of Six Paths decided to show up one day and eliminate him? It wasn't impossible.
After finalizing his short and long-term plans, Genichi stood up. He wasn't hungry, but eating had become a simple pleasure for him—a warm, shared time with Shizune, Ina, and Tsunade.
As he left his room, the smell of cooking food greeted him. He walked to the kitchen and was surprised to see Tsunade there as well. The three women, each in an apron, presented a charming and heartwarming sight. He leaned against the doorframe, content to just watch for a moment.
"Oh! Genichi, when did you finish your training?" Uzumaki Ina was the first to notice him, her voice a pleasant mix of surprise and a smile.
Tsunade and Shizune turned to look.
"Just now," Genichi said with a smile. "Do you need any help?"
Tsunade brandished the spatula in her hand. "Does it look like there's room for another person in here? Get out of the way and stop bothering us!"
Ina and Shizune couldn't help but giggle. "Go and wait, Genichi-sama," Ina said gently. "Dinner will be ready soon."
Genichi nodded. "Alright, I'll leave it to you then." He paused at the door. "By the way, are we drinking tonight?"
The question hung in the air. Instantly, all three women blushed crimson. Tsunade's head snapped toward him, her eyes practically shooting daggers. Genichi immediately turned and fled, not wanting to be on the receiving end of her domestic violence. He knew she wouldn't hold back, since she could just heal him afterward.
Five minutes later, they all sat down for dinner. The atmosphere was a little tense. Under Tsunade's cold glare, Genichi, Ina, and Shizune could only communicate through furtive glances and secret smiles. Tsunade's face darkened. Do these three think I'm blind?
After the meal, Tsunade stood up abruptly. "Shizune, you're coming with me. We're training the Strength of a Hundred Seal!"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade!" Shizune replied, giving Genichi and Ina a quick wink before scurrying after her master.
Ina let out a long sigh of relief. "For a second there, I really thought Lady Tsunade was going to hit someone."
Genichi chuckled. "She has to maintain the dignity of the Hokage, at least a little."
Ina blushed and gave him a playful look. "You can be so wicked sometimes, Genichi-sama."
"Come on," he said, taking her hand. "Let's go for a walk."
They strolled through the village for an hour before returning home. Later that night, Shizune still hadn't returned, leaving Genichi and Ina to explore the mysteries of life together.
Land of Rice Fields – Orochimaru's Lair
Orochimaru was cleaning his lab equipment when he suddenly turned his head. A small white snake slithered in, coiled up his leg, and came to rest on his shoulder, hissing softly.
As he listened, a look of surprise crossed Orochimaru's face. "Genichi-kun went to the Hidden Rain Village, you say? And he didn't capture Nagato… It seems the power of the Rinnegan is quite formidable indeed."
He quickened his pace, finishing his cleanup before leaving the lab to find his subordinate.
"To Konoha? Now?" Kabuto asked, surprised to be leaving so suddenly in the dead of night.
Orochimaru's tongue flickered out as he smiled. "A major event has just occurred. I must return to Konoha to obtain a certain piece of intelligence."
"Intelligence so important that you must go yourself, Lord Orochimaru?"
"Information on the Rinnegan's wielder, Nagato," Orochimaru said, turning to leave.
Kabuto understood immediately. No wonder he could practically feel his master's excitement. He hurried to catch up. "Lord Orochimaru, who won the battle? Or was it a draw?"
"That," Orochimaru said, his voice laced with anticipation, "is what we will find out in Konoha." His snake spies could only gather so much. For the details, he needed better sources.
Genichi-kun, he thought with a mix of admiration and envy, your progress is truly astonishing.
For the first time in a long while, Orochimaru felt a pressing sense of urgency.
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