Chapter 312 – Momoshiki: "Listen… Thank You."
"Big brother… things seem to be getting a little out of control."
While the ninja world was tearing itself apart, Hamura stood awkwardly beside his increasingly-traumatized elder brother inside the dimensional space.
In all his memories, he had never seen the Sage of Six Paths wear an expression like this.
And of course—
Hamura knew exactly why.
Because…
If you didn't know the real truth, then no matter how you looked at it, everything happening outside really did match what those kids of the ninja world were saying!
Even Kitagawa Gen believed it.
If he thought so, then everyone else thinking the same wasn't surprising.
To be honest, even Hamura himself had started to wonder if…
maybe all of this was true.
But he would never say that aloud—
not after seeing the terrifying look Hagoromo gave him moments earlier.
"Big brother's reputation… seems completely ruined now."
Hamura was trying very hard not to laugh.
But watching the chaos unfold outside made the corners of his lips freeze.
If this kept going, the entire ninja world's elite force might end up relying solely on Edo Tensei at this rate.
"Shouldn't we do something?
If we don't act soon, the situation might get even worse."
"…I know."
The Sage finally replied—
after an uncomfortably long silence.
His mind was still buzzing.
He could not comprehend how events had spiraled into this.
How had he suddenly been stripped of his "humanity,"
reduced to some cold, cruel, merciless "divine will"?
At this rate, he might as well be officially labeled:
"The Ultimate Puppet Master of the Ninja World—
The Father of Ashura and Indra—
Founder of Ninshū and the Pure Land—
And a Ruthless, Inhuman Monster:
The Sage of Six Paths."
"…Did I really… think like that back then?
Is that why I acted that way…?"
For the first time in a thousand years,
the Sage doubted himself.
"Big brother, you know we have to move.
So shouldn't we get going?"
Hagoromo gave one absent-minded answer, then fell back into silence again.
Hamura massaged his temples.
"Can't you just… I don't know, show up and explain?
Now isn't the time to brood about your public image!"
"Explain… in person?"
Hagoromo winced.
Could this mess even be explained?
Still—
Hamura had a point.
This was not the time to dwell on such things.
"…Maybe I truly do need to appear.
The final battle is close.
I may have to summon certain souls.
But… it is not time yet."
"Not time?"
Hamura raised a brow.
The Sage nodded.
"Their trial isn't complete.
They haven't reached the brink between life and death.
I cannot hand Ashura's and Indra's power to them so easily—
not before the Ōtsutsuki reveal themselves."
It was a dangerous power.
To give it prematurely could do more harm than good.
"Huh…?"
Hamura clearly didn't agree.
But after thinking about it, he hesitantly asked—
"Big brother… when you say 'their trial isn't complete'…
you mean… you're actually—?"
"Hiss—!"
Hagoromo nearly choked.
Here we go again?!
"And you said you needed to 'summon souls'…
so the Pure Land really is—"
"…"
"Big brother…
you really DID do it."
"…"
Hagoromo went silent.
For a brief moment, he wondered if he should just walk up the "Path to Godhood" and leave this chaotic world behind.
After all, the past was beautiful.
But the present…
"Hmm?"
Just as he prepared to mentally check out, both brothers sensed something—
their eyes widening.
Outside, Kitagawa Gen—still battling Obito, Kimimaro, and Nagato—also paused, raising a brow.
SPLASH—
In the next heartbeat, a wave of pitch-black chakra shot toward Nagato like spilled ink.
"What—?!"
Nagato's expression hardened.
Before he could react, the black chakra had latched onto him.
In the blink of an eye, half his body was stained jet-black.
"What is happening?!"
Ninjas around them panicked.
None understood this sudden assault.
"Isn't that… Madara's follower?"
Minato recognized the figure.
Kakashi, after skewering an Edo ninja with a Chidori Kunai, also turned.
"Yes.
But what is he doing?"
"You—"
Kimimaro stared, confused.
Even Obito frowned.
"…Has it begun?"
Obito at least understood one thing:
Nagato was the key.
The Rinnegan on his body was the trigger for the Ten-Tails.
"What are you doing?!"
Nagato tried to resist—
but his body no longer obeyed him.
"Don't panic.
This must be done."
Black Zetsu's hoarse voice echoed as he smiled,
but his eyes never left Kitagawa Gen—
fearing Gen might strike at any moment.
Yet Gen simply watched with a playful smile.
No intention to stop him.
Black Zetsu hesitated, confused.
Then spoke:
"Kitagawa Gen…
you don't look surprised at all.
Seems you know quite a bit."
"I know enough."
Gen shrugged lazily and chuckled.
"If I'm not mistaken,
Nagato is also a descendant of the Sage—
of Ashura's lineage, to be precise.
And the Rinnegan should never have appeared on him naturally."
"Ashura's lineage…"
Nagato froze for a moment.
After the earlier reveal of the "true history of the ninja world," he had already learned plenty.
The Ashura lineage…
That meant Senju Hashirama's line.
Then what about himself—?
"Correct. Those Rinnegan were never yours to begin with."
Black Zetsu's half-darkened face twisted into a cold grin.
"Since Lord Madara has already explained the truth of Indra and Ashura, why didn't you consider the difference between the Uchiha and the Senju?"
"Difference…?"
Nagato struggled against the black chakra binding him, but that single word jolted something inside him.
"You mean—the eyes?"
"Of course. Indra inherited the ocular power of the Sage of Six Paths.
And you—an Ashura descendant—how could you possibly possess those eyes?"
Black Zetsu's laughter deepened.
He had already seized control of Nagato.
"These eyes belonged to Lord Madara.
You, Nagato, were nothing more than a vessel—
a caretaker to nurture the Rinnegan and execute Madara's plan!"
"You—!"
Nagato's teeth clenched.
He tried to resist, but the binding force was overwhelming.
And yet…
Black Zetsu himself wasn't as relaxed as he looked.
His Yin–Yang chakra came from Kaguya.
It could affect even an Ōtsutsuki through ambush.
Nagato being able to resist at all was already abnormal.
But Black Zetsu had no time to think about that.
He had to stay wary of Kitagawa Gen while crushing Nagato's spirit to maintain control.
"I'll admit you're unusual.
You carry both Uzumaki and Senju blood.
That alone made you suitable."
"Madara feared the Rinnegan would lose vitality after his death.
So while you were still a child, he implanted them into you."
"Your life force nourished the eyes.
Your chakra sustained the Demonic Statue."
"And to keep you on the 'correct' path, I've worked tirelessly
—manipulating you from the shadows."
"You think your parents' deaths were coincidence?
You think your meeting with Yahiko was fate?
You think forming the first Akatsuki was your own will?"
"No.
All of it was my doing."
"And I must express my gratitude to Shimura Danzō and Hanzo the Salamander.
Their greed made them easy tools."
"They created the perfect opportunity for Obito and me
to exterminate your entire group."
"Only through suffering—
only through despair—
would you obediently walk the path we prepared."
"That is why the Akatsuki exists today."
Each word pierced Nagato like a blade.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Not only him—
everyone present was stunned.
None imagined Nagato's life had been written in advance.
"A life… pre-scripted from beginning to end?"
The weight of such a fate pressed heavily on every heart.
After learning the "truth of the world,"
they could not help feeling a chilling empathy.
Their own destinies had long been influenced by the Sage of Six Paths.
Compared to that, Nagato's tragedy was even more ruthless.
"What… what are you talking about?!"
Nagato could barely breathe—
not only from Black Zetsu's control,
but from the horror of the revelations.
"You bastard—stop spouting nonsense!"
"It's the truth."
Black Zetsu shook his head, voice dripping with malice.
"Your entire existence was orchestrated.
The Rinnegan, your life, your path."
"You really thought you were a 'god walking among mortals'?"
"How laughable."
"You were never a god—
just a chess piece."
"Your only purpose was to guard the Rinnegan,
feed the Demonic Statue,
and finally…"
"To resurrect Uchiha Madara."
Nagato's world collapsed.
He had never imagined such a cruel truth.
His breathing turned ragged.
His Rinnegan trembled violently with dark emotion.
At last, he whipped his head toward Kitagawa Gen—
"Kill me!
I refuse to accept this!
Kill me now!"
"Gen, can you act?"
Tobirama frowned deeply, lowering his voice.
"We absolutely cannot let him revive Madara.
This cannot be allowed to happen!"
"Unfortunately…"
Black Zetsu's rasping voice rose again—
this time thick with pride.
"You're too late."
"Earlier, perhaps you could have stopped me.
But now everything is set. Because—"
"Because you've misunderstood something."
Kitagawa Gen cut him off with a soft chuckle.
His calm voice sliced through the chaos like a blade.
"You really think all of this is going according to your plan?"
He stepped forward, gaze settling on Obito, Black Zetsu, and Nagato.
"Do you remember what I asked you once?"
"You really believed this so-called 'evolution'
was the evolution you imagined?"
"What… do you mean?"
Obito's expression darkened.
Black Zetsu's face twisted—
a sudden surge of panic rising.
Because—
Nagato's power was growing.
Rapidly.
Alarmingly.
Black Zetsu felt it instantly:
Nagato… was slipping out of his control.
"And here's the most important part—"
Kitagawa Gen's gaze sharpened,
locking onto Obito.
"Did you truly think this power… belonged to you?"
"AHHH—!"
Nagato roared.
The black markings on his body flared, expanding rapidly.
Something pushed up from his forehead—
a horn.
His breathing deepened.
His aura twisted.
He reached out, seizing Black Zetsu with one hand.
His Rinnegan gleamed with a cold, alien cruelty.
"Indeed…"
A voice that was not Nagato's spoke through him.
"This power never belonged to you lower lifeforms."
"Lower… lifeforms?"
Obito stiffened instantly.
Black Zetsu's eyes filled with horror—
he couldn't move.
Before he could even scream—
"Also…"
The voice continued calmly.
"Thank you."
"Otherwise…"
"I wouldn't have awakened so soon."