Off-topic for a moment…
I've seen a lot of readers feeling bad that Yoruha didn't end up with Konan.
Honestly… I get it.
I like Konan too.
Totally understand where you're all coming from~
But here's the thing. The current pacing and plot just don't suit Konan as a potential romantic interest. It wouldn't be easy to write in.
And no—genjutsu wouldn't help.
Konan isn't like Samui.
As I've explained before, genjutsu can't fundamentally alter someone's nature. In the story's setting, Samui's personality is cold on the surface but warm inside. She also lived a full life in her past life.
So when Yoruha used illusion on her, it resonated with her subconscious. It worked.
But Konan? Her personality is far more defined. I can't just rewrite her entire character.
So illusion won't make her fall for Yoruha.
Forcing it would feel… wrong.
I know, I know—it would be exciting!
But come on. Yoruha's character just isn't that kind of forceful, overbearing type.
So, in the end, I let Jiraiya's team handle it. Gotta keep the tone consistent with the humorous "divination" subplot.
Yoruha stared down at the two bodies lying on the ground.
His expression darkened.
Killing Nagato was one thing.
But why kill Konan too?
She was… such a kind girl.
Who would do something so insane?
Uchiha Obito?
Probably not.
Sure, Obito's Kamui made him a legend in the ninja world—but he's all about flashy entrances and dramatic flair.
Instantly killing both Konan and Nagato like this?
Highly unlikely.
"…Otsutsuki Agarwood?" Yoruha muttered, stroking his chin.
It would make sense.
Black Zetsu had been lurking in the shadows for a thousand years. He was cunning, patient, and ruthlessly calculating.
After Nagato used both Super Shinra Tensei and True Planetary Devastation, his body would've been completely spent.
In Black Zetsu's eyes, Nagato had outlived his usefulness.
And he'd definitely want to avoid letting Yoruha get his hands on those Rinnegan eyes.
So yeah—striking first? Not out of the question.
With a quiet sigh, Yoruha walked over to Konan and gently closed her eyelids.
Her body was still warm.
He was just about to take both corpses back with him when—
WHOOOSH!
A sudden gust of wind blasted through the trees.
And from a distance came a voice, passionate and full of youthful fire:
"DAY TIGER!!"
"…The hell?!" Yoruha's eyes widened. "Who the hell is using the Eighth Gate here?!"
Without hesitation, he activated Flying Thunder God and blinked out of the way—just in time to avoid being disintegrated by the incoming blast.
A second later, the entire Kai Squad—yes, the often-forgotten Team Guy—came crashing into the clearing.
"Ah! Yoruha-kun?!" Kai exclaimed, stunned.
He turned and glared at Neji. "Neji! What the hell are you doing?! How could you not recognize Yoruha?!"
Kai's face turned pale.
He'd almost kicked Konoha's biggest monster into next week.
"…What the hell are you doing?" Yoruha asked, voice dead flat.
"Uhh… well…" Kai scratched his head awkwardly. "It's like this…"
Apparently, their squad had just wrapped up a mission and was passing by the area.
Neji spotted two chakra signatures hiding in a tree hollow—Konan and Nagato.
And well…
Kai had been through this before.
Without hesitation, he opened the Seventh Gate and charged in, one-shotting Konan… and accidentally kicking Nagato's eyes out of his head and into the bushes.
They'd wanted to collect the Rinnegan—those eyes looked important.
But no matter how hard they searched… they couldn't find them.
Then Neji detected someone approaching the bodies.
Assuming it was an Akatsuki backup, Kai panicked and launched Day Tiger.
"So let me get this straight…" Yoruha pinched the bridge of his nose. "You kicked them both to death?"
These were vital characters.
And they didn't even leave a single survivor?!
Plus—those Rinnegan!
Now that they were missing, Yoruha could only assume Black Zetsu had already made his move and taken them.
This was supposed to be a win.
He'd planned to permanently eliminate the only known pair of Rinnegan in the world—and maybe even hand Konan over to Jiraiya for redemption.
But now?
All ruined.
"Yoruha-kun…" Tenten said meekly. "It was just a small mistake by Master Guy. It's not that bad, right…?"
"Oh…?" Yoruha sighed, shaking his head. "You have no idea how bad this is."
"Wait, corpse?" Tenten suddenly stammered, turning red. "Y-Yoruha-kun… t-that's a little…"
Yoruha blinked. "Huh?"
Why was she blushing?
He was just going to take their bodies back for intel gathering!
What was she imagining?!
On the way back to the village.
Yoruha sighed in frustration.
This entire thing had turned into a loss.
Thankfully, he had received the Rinnegan upgrade as a reward earlier.
The Rinnegan was the same class as the Rinne-Sharingan.
Once awakened, it didn't just unlock signature jutsu—it also refined the chakra in his dantian.
In that moment of awakening…
Yoruha's chakra had condensed into a liquid state.
"…So the so-called Six Paths power isn't just about Yin-Yang release or Otsutsuki eyes," Yoruha realized. "It's about a qualitative shift in chakra itself."
Kaguya, after all, didn't have Rinnegan or even Byakugan at times.
But her strength undeniably surpassed the Six Paths.
Nagato had the Rinnegan for years. He was strong.
But not at the true Six Paths level.
So what defined Six Paths power?
It wasn't the jutsu.
It was the energy.
The chakra.
The eyes, the powers—they were just expressions of that energy.
"…It's a shame I can't maintain liquid chakra permanently," Yoruha murmured. "But what if I could upgrade my chakra further?"
In its raw state, chakra was gaseous.
Compression would cause it to bubble, condense… until it reached a true liquid state.
Once that happened, he'd officially reach the level of the Sage of Six Paths.
But then what?
What came after liquid?
Solid chakra?
Golden Core?
Would his chakra eventually condense into a true elixir at the center of his being?
"Once you form the Golden Core, your life belongs to you."
All things return to the same origin.
Yoruha couldn't help but wonder—if he could forge a Golden Core in the Naruto world…
He'd be truly untouchable.
By the time they reached Konoha, the four-person wrecking crew trailed behind Yoruha like guilty school kids.
The village was in the middle of post-battle repairs.
Thanks to Yoruha, Nagato's attack had done minimal damage. A few casualties, sure—but Konoha had faced far worse in the past.
The villagers remained calm.
There was no panic.
No destruction.
Because Konoha had a protector now.
One who moved like thunder.
And stood like a god.