Chapter 230 – Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion
"Father!"
On another battlefield, after calming Hinata and Hanabi, Neji rushed over in a hurry.
Seeing the two men locked in combat, he finally shouted aloud.
Although many years had passed, the memories of his father remained vivid. There was no mistaking him—he would never forget.
"Neji?"
"Neji…"
Both brothers froze for a moment at Neji's sudden appearance. But while Hizashi continued to attack relentlessly, Hiashi nearly stumbled.
Fortunately, Hiashi was no weakling—he quickly steadied himself, then shouted toward Neji.
"Neji, you must leave—now!"
"That's right, Neji! Get out of here!"
Though dazed, Hizashi also recognized his son. Excitement welled up inside him, but it was tinged with sorrow.
"I'm sorry… I can't control my body. I'm only causing you trouble."
"No—this is no trouble at all."
Blocking his brother's strike, Hiashi couldn't help but smile.
"Hizashi, you've already sacrificed too much for the clan and the village. If anyone is the burden, it's me."
"…But what am I now?"
Hizashi's eyes dimmed as he looked at Neji in the distance.
"Once sworn to protect the Main Family, now I stand as its enemy. Perhaps this is punishment for the hatred I once bore…"
"Father…"
Neji's eyes widened. Words stuck in his throat, but Hizashi pressed on.
"In the end, even the will that made me choose death for the village has been denied. Is this the fate of the Branch Family…?"
"No! Such things will never happen again!"
Before Hizashi could finish, Hiashi cut him off firmly.
"Have you forgotten what you told me back then? You asked me to tell Neji you chose death to protect him and the village! Why say such things now?"
"…To protect Neji… and the village…"
Neji stared at his father in shock. Even though he had read the farewell letter long ago, hearing it again made his heart tremble.
Hiashi took a deep breath, his voice resolute.
"And on that same night, I made my own decision. I vowed to change everything—the divide between Main and Branch.
What began as a way to protect the Byakugan twisted into something else entirely. I want the Hyūga of the future to no longer be bound by bloodline chains.
Only comrades shielding one another in battle—that is the Hyūga I strive for!"
His words left the surrounding Hyūga shinobi stunned. None of them had ever expected such a declaration from their clan head.
"Is he… joking?"
"Impossible… could it be true?"
"Lord Hiashi, he—"
Murmurs of disbelief spread, while both Hizashi and Neji's eyes widened in astonishment.
"…Will such a time truly come?"
After a long pause, Hizashi gave a faint smile.
"Then, Brother—you had better succeed."
"I will. Neji, and everyone else, will see it."
Hiashi knew the weight of his words—but they were his true feelings.
"Now then… hmm? Neji, you—"
Just as he was about to resume fighting, Neji stepped forward and assumed a stance.
"Neji! Leave at once!"
Hizashi froze, but Neji shook his head.
"Clan Head… didn't you just say we are comrades?"
"This…"
Hiashi was momentarily at a loss, but Neji continued.
"And this time, it is a mission given to me by Senior Gen. Father… under his guidance, I have already changed!"
"Senior Gen?"
Hizashi, having died too early, had no idea who Neji was referring to.
"He is the one who defied fate itself—and the one who gave me direction."
Neji's voice was unwavering as he tightened his stance.
"I promised Senior Gen I would come as reinforcements. I will not let him down!"
Hizashi stared blankly at his son, then slowly smiled.
He didn't know who this "Senior" was—but he could see his son's transformation clearly. Perhaps, through this battle, he could learn more about Neji… and give him something in return.
"…In that case—let's fight together."
He nodded lightly. But in that instant, a deafening roar split the skies.
A tidal wave of chakra surged in from outside the village, reverberating through the air as if the entire world shook.
"What is that?!"
The shinobi fighting Akatsuki froze, their eyes turning toward the distance. Even Jiraiya frowned in curiosity.
"Oi… look at them!"
Kakashi's sharp gaze noticed something—the Edo Tensei shinobi. Their faces were changing.
"No way…"
"Don't tell me—it's him?"
"Damn it… it really is him?!"
Most of these resurrected shinobi had fallen to the same man. Their reactions were immediate, visceral.
Some even abandoned their current opponents, drawn toward the source of that overwhelming chakra.
"That power… could it be him?"
On a high cliff, Orochimaru licked his lips. That surge reminded him of only one figure.
"Ōtsutsuki Genshiki?"
Meanwhile, in Konoha's ANBU base, Uchiha Obito froze mid-step.
"This chakra… there's no mistake. It's him! No wonder the moon felt strange…"
His fists clenched as painful memories flooded his mind.
Why was it that every time he acted—either Kitagawa Gen or Ōtsutsuki Genshiki appeared?
"Damn it… what is that bastard planning now?!"
Obito didn't know Genshiki's true intentions, but he knew he had to leave.
He already had the "Senju Bark." He couldn't linger—what if that was Genshiki's true target?
"Damn bastard…"
As Obito vanished, Tobirama cursed bitterly, glaring at his elder brother.
"This is your fault! If we had switched to a better vessel sooner, would we have let that cursed Uchiha brat succeed?!"
Hashirama said nothing, but the fire in his eyes betrayed his anger.
And then he noticed something else.
"That boy… he carries much of my power. Could it be…?"
"…What now?! We were actually played like fools by the likes of him?!"
Tobirama was still fuming, humiliated beyond words.
"What we lost—we'll take back ourselves."
Hashirama inhaled deeply and rose, gazing toward the distance.
"Now isn't the time to dwell on this. That brat Gen definitely left a Flying Thunder God marker on the relic—he knew we'd need it. For now, we focus on the greater threat."
"The greater threat…"
Tobirama sensed the energy too.
"You think it's really Ōtsutsuki Genshiki?"
"There's no doubt."
Hashirama nodded firmly, striding toward the exit.
"I want to see with my own eyes—what kind of 'god' he really is. That way, we'll be ready for the battles to come."
The entire village was shaken. Many shinobi even ran to the gates to witness the phenomenon.
But the Uchiha family, locked in their deadly clash, didn't so much as pause.
Whatever was happening outside had nothing to do with them. Sasuke and Fugaku continued their assault against Itachi with all their might.
And outside the village, the battle between Kitagawa Gen and Isshiki only grew more terrifying.
Their clash was nothing short of cataclysmic—every strike warping the air, every shockwave threatening to collapse mountains. Their speed and power were far beyond human comprehension.
"…Are you really an Ōtsutsuki?"
Even while attacking relentlessly, Gen couldn't resist a mocking taunt.
"If this is all you can muster, I'm disappointed. Why not revive properly and face me head-on?"
"Damn you!"
Isshiki glared at this so-called "Ōtsutsuki Genshiki." He knew—the man before him was a true madman.
Not only had he falsely accused him, but now he sought to consume him as energy.
After all, when the 'guardian' is endangered, it is their role to sacrifice themselves—to fuel the one they protect.
This was the mission of the Guardians, the privilege reserved only for the "upper echelon" of the Ōtsutsuki clan. But to raise his hand against him—this was more than just excessive.
"You're truly insane!"
Isshiki roared, his power surging to its absolute limit.
"Have you even considered the consequences of breaking this rule?"
"Consequences?"
Kitagawa Gen sneered, shaking his head in disdain. All he desired was Isshiki's energy—and the secrets this man was hiding.
"You killed Princess Kaguya, devoured the fruit, and concealed it all… aren't you afraid of the price you'll pay?"
"..."
Isshiki nearly coughed up blood in fury. This bastard just wouldn't let up!
"Condensing the planet's energy into a Chakra Fruit—that is the rule! And besides, I never swallowed that damned fruit!"
"Sigh..."
Upon hearing this, Kitagawa Gen let out a faint sigh. He looked at Isshiki, shaking his head slowly.
"You speak of rules again and again. But tell me—have you never broken them yourself?"
"..."
"I admire you, truly. But rules are our greatest weakness. Battles have always belonged to those willing to break them."
"..."
"I've wondered often—do we fight to evolve, or do we evolve just to fight?"
"..."
"And for that answer, I must thank you."
For a fleeting moment, Isshiki faltered. The words almost sounded reasonable.
But in an instant, clarity returned—this was nothing but twisted sophistry! He hadn't done any of the things he was being accused of. This was simply a false charge—a crime Gen had long prepared to pin on him!
"Then, as my thanks to you..."
Kitagawa Gen's expression shifted into one of solemn respect. In his hand, the Truth-Seeking Ball transformed into a radiant blade, its golden brilliance blazing.
"Allow me to show you my power. Consider it my final tribute to our shared dream."
"Secret Art—Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
With a thunderous roar, golden light devoured the heavens. Night was torn apart, the darkness eclipsed—until the world gleamed as bright as day.