Boom! Boom! Boom!
Deafening roars shook the entire Forest of Death. Surging spiritual power caused this dense forest that had stood for decades in Konoha to vanish utterly amidst a field of white light.
Scorching heat consumed everything. The violent energy erased everything shrouded in white mist. The ground cracked and collapsed. The blast's aftershock turned into a hurricane, sweeping away more than half of Konoha, a level of destruction no less than the calamity of the Nine-Tails!
As the white brilliance faded, silence fell. Under this nuclear-like explosion, the forest lived up to its name—completely dead.
The dreamy white mist still blanketed the area as Hōzuki Gengetsu's figure slowly materialized, overlooking the wasteland that had once been the Forest of Death.
At the center of the massive crater below, a battered figure lay collapsed and powerless, barely clinging to life.
"Still breathing?"
A flicker of surprise flashed in Gengetsu's eyes. With wounds of this magnitude, an ordinary recipient of Hashirama's cells should not have survived.
And yet, Danzō still lived—his body rapidly regenerating.
"So it seems Yukiko Fuyuna's research wasn't wrong. Once a being reaches the Six Paths level, they transcend the limits of life itself and become chakra lifeforms."
"This guy Danzō hasn't reached that stage yet, but he's infinitely close. That's why even wounds like these can slowly heal."
"But alas… Without reaching the Six Paths, chakra can never rival spiritual power."
Looking down at Danzō's recovering form, Gengetsu calmly raised his palm.
"Black Coffin!"
With Genshin Hōzuki's low voice, several straight black lines shot through the air, completely enveloping Danzō lying on the ground.
These lines carried a strange, paradoxical aura—pure black, yet shimmering with a dangerous violet glow. A torrent of crushing gravity surged within, threatening to grind even space itself into fragments, swallowing Danzō completely.
"Black Coffin… An offensive technique mastered by you Shinigami, ranked number ninety."
A sudden voice came from behind Gengetsu Hōzuki after the Black Coffin had formed. Then, a loud sound suddenly rang out from the giant Black Coffin.
A giant black box fell from the sky and heavily smashed onto the Black Coffin, causing it to let out a deafening tremor.
Cracks spread rapidly across the pitch-black walls before they split apart and shattered.
"What?!"
Gengetsu's pupils shrank in shock. With an ear-piercing crack, the giant coffin collapsed entirely.
Hovering in midair was a figure, holding the half-dead Danzō in one hand.
"Second Mizukage, Sixth Division Captain of the Soul Society, Hōzuki Gengetsu…"
Jigen spoke slowly, his voice calm yet heavy:
"You are indeed quite an interesting man. But this one still has his uses—I can't allow you to destroy him."
Gengetsu's gaze hardened, his eyes locking onto Jigen . his monk, who had been heavily recorded in the Kirigakure, was now covered in black patterns. According to information from Yuki Yoru, these patterns symbolized the first stage of power awakening within this 'Celestial being.'
"Ōtsutsuki…"
"Oh?" Jigen looked at him with faint surprise before nodding in sudden understanding.
"So, that one has been probing into me. To think you were able to find traces left within the meager scraps of a thousand years of history… That is rather amusing."
"So you're the one behind Danzō and Uchiha Obito!"
Gengetsu quietly stirred his spiritual power, trying to transmit the message outward.
But the very instant he moved his energy, a black shadow fell from the heavens, engulfing him whole.
Gengetsu instinctively tried to dodge, but the shadow was like a binding barrier blotting out the sky. Without even a chance to use Shunpo, the shadow had already fallen.
"How could—"
Buzz!
Everything happened too quickly. In just an instant, Gengetsu Hōzuki was sealed inside.
After the sealing, a piercing knocking sound came from within the black, teapot-like sealing vessel.
THUMP!
The black sealing kettle trembled slightly.
Jigen narrowed his eyes. The knocking sounds grew faster and faster, each blow flowing into the next until it became a continuous vibration. Yet even so, the sealing kettle remained utterly unshaken.
"Among these lower creatures, you are indeed one of the more impressive."
A slight smile touched Jigen's lips. His palm moved slightly, and the giant sealing kettle shrunk until it vanished.
"Cough… cough…"
After sealing Genshin Hōzuki, Jigen infused a stream of chakra into Danzō's body. The near-dead man's injuries began healing at an astonishing rate. Within just a few breaths, Danzō opened his eyes.
Seeing Jigen holding him, Danzō instantly understood what had happened.
Looking around at the barren wasteland, his expression darkened to the extreme.
He had thought that after completing the Chimera Technique ritual, his power had reached perfection—surpassing even the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and rivaling the "Shura of the Shinobi World," Uchiha Madara.
Even if he could not compare with Yuki Yoru, he still believed himself to stand among the strongest of this world.
Yet to his shock, he had been utterly defeated—by nothing more than Yoru's subordinate, the Sixth Division Captain of the Soul Society! And not just defeated… crushed.
"Hiruzen could overpower Tsunade, the Captain of the Fourth Division… yet I…" Danzō clenched his fists, unwillingness burning in his eyes.
"No need to brood over it," Jigen said calmly. "From what I know, the Fourth Division is a medical corps. Hiruzen beating Tsunade is one thing, but Gengetsu was already a formidable powerhouse, famed for decades. His Bankai alone is nothing to scoff at. Losing to him is no disgrace."
Those words eased Danzō somewhat. Yes, the Fourth was a healing squad, whereas Hōzuki Gengetsu was an old-guard kage-class veteran. The difference in combat ability explained his defeat.
Danzō took two deep breaths, stabilizing his emotions, and looked at Jigen.
"How about on your end? Did you deal with the Hyūga girl?"
"More or less."
"More or less?" Danzō frowned.
"I sealed her inside this space." Jigen produced a miniature black cube and explained, "Her power is highly unusual. She can reflect every bit of damage she receives back onto her attacker. …And besides, she is not our true target. Instead of wasting effort dealing with her, why not hand such a nuisance over to others?"
"Complete reflection?" Danzō's pupils shrank. "Such a monstrous ability actually exists in this world?"
"Not just that." Jigen shook his head. Based on his calculations, the girl's ability went far beyond simple reflection. If it were that simple, he had countless ways to deal with her easily.
But it was precisely that strange sense of foreboding that made Jigen stay his hand.
"A troublesome one indeed. Passing her off to someone else is the best course," Danzō agreed, then gave Jigen a curious look. "But why? You usually keep yourself shrouded in mystery—why strike so openly today?"
Normally, Jigen was as mysterious as one could be—always concealing information, hiding his tracks, never exposing even the slightest trace.
But today was different. Not only had he stepped out to lend direct aid, he had even personally captured Hinata.
Danzō's question drew Jigen's eyes to him.
What do you expect? You were about to get flattened by a single division captain. Of course I had to act.
"Opportunities vanish in the blink of an eye. We can't afford to miss them," Jigen said calmly. "Contact Uchiha Obito immediately. Hand Hyūga Hinata over to him. I don't know what Yuki Yoru is plotting, but we must seize time—seize opportunity."
"Understood!"
After leaving Hinata in Danzō's care, Jigen returned to his dimensional base to check on the Ten-Tails.
With more and more "blood-nourished chakra" being fed into it, the Ten-Tails' growth was remarkable. Chakra from the Six Paths' bloodline descendants benefited it far more than ordinary chakra. Though the Ten-Tails was still in its infant form, compared to before, it had grown immensely.
The monstrous beast slumbered in the pitch-black void. At the twisted roots of the giant tree below it, a small girl's figure was bound tightly.
She was very young—six, maybe seven at most. Jagged spikes from the Ten-Tails pierced through her back and head, connecting her to the beast. From time to time, streams of chakra were also being transmitted from the Ten-Tails into her body, making her little face occasionally furrow in pain.
Jigen floated down and came in front of the young girl. He gently lifted her tightly closed eyes.
Pure white eyes immediately came into view.
No, it was more than just that.
Compared to a normal Byakugan, these eyes looked a little too pure, so pure that they gave off an extremely strange feeling.
"Incredible… To think such a lowborn creature with tainted blood could have this kind of potential—to give birth to an evolving eye."
Looking at this pair of abnormally pure Byakugan, Jigen seemed to have seen some incredible treasure. He raised his hand with some obsession and gently stroked the young girl's eyes:
"A pity. Hinata Hyūga's potential seemed even greater… but her power is troublesome to deal with. Never mind—you'll do. I wonder, though, just what kind of eyes you'll awaken."
"If Obito cannot serve as my vessel… perhaps you have that potential."
Jigen's hand slid from her eye to the top of her head. As the Ten-Tails' chakra surged into her, a strange current of information also seeped into her body.
The girl's body convulsed violently—but with the Ten-Tails' chakra stabilizing her, the tremors soon subsided.
Seeing this, Jigen smiled.
"Now then… let's see what move you'll make, Uchiha Obito."
...
Just as Danzō and Jigen made their move and took down Hinata and Gengetsu Hōzuki.
In the Kirigakure office, Yuki Kiri also sensed something amiss, her expression grave.
"The Second's spiritual pressure has vanished… and Hinata as well. Could Konoha be hiding someone even the Second can't handle?"
Kiri knew something was wrong with Konoha. That was why she had wanted to use Danzō's invitation to probe for intelligence—sending Hōzuki Gengetsu along for that very purpose.
In terms of battle strength, Gengetsu ranked among the top Captains of the Soul Society. Only the late Second Division Captain, Uchiha Shisui, had ever been able to overpower him outright. Others could at best fight him to a stalemate—none could claim victory.
At full power, with his Bankai unleashed, Gengetsu could bring forth destruction on a scale that could erase landscapes. Even Yuki Yoru himself had admitted Gengetsu's strength.
That was why Kiri had him escort Hinata: to leverage his might to extract information.
But instead of intelligence, what returned was Gengetsu's "silencing."
"Mangetsu!"
Her tone was cold, her face severe. Staring at the man before her, Hōzuki Mangetsu, Kiri gave her order:
"Mobilize a Sternritter squad immediately. Head to the Land of Fire and investigate the anomaly in Konoha. Remember, at the first sign of trouble, prioritize transmitting intelligence!"
"Yes!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Hōzuki Mangetsu nodded in acceptance and vanished from the spot.
"Kisame."
Through spiritual communication, Yuki Kiri's voice reached Kisame's ears, startling him just as he was enjoying a peaceful moment at home with his wife.
"I apologize for disturbing your vacation, but the village needs you," Kiri ordered in a grave tone. "I need you to select three members of the Sternritter, plus fifty skilled Quincy, and form a patrol squad. You'll coordinate with the Pakura Squad to conduct a full-scale sweep of the entire area within a hundred li around Kirigakure!"
"Yes, understood..."
Kisame accepted the order without question.
Kiri continued issuing orders, mobilizing every available fighter in the village—whether on leave or idle. Among them were even Shinigami such as the Second Kazekage, Shamon.
The death of Hōzuki Gengetsu had set her on high alert. With Yuki Yoru not yet returned to the village, she had no choice but to ensure its safety and maintain stability at all costs.
Still, what sort of force could Konoha possibly harbor that was capable of defeating Gengetsu?
Gengetsu's might, paired with Hinata's unique Schrift, should have been enough to make even Obito hesitate.
"A storm is coming…"
Kiri's expression grew heavier.
At present, Kirigakure's military strength was formidable. At the peak stood nine Division Captains—including the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh—along with thirty Schrift Quincy like Uchiha Hikari, Miroku, and Kimimaro.
Beneath them were dozens of Vice-Captain-class Shinigami, a hundred Seated Shinigami, and ten thousand Quincy in total.
And that wasn't counting the Quincy already spread across the shinobi world. In truth, Kirigakure's combined might had already reached the apex of the shinobi world. If Obito's so-called Fourth Shinobi World War were waged here, even if he brought a new army every single day, it wouldn't be enough for Kirigakure to break a sweat.
But Kiri's concern had never been the forces of the shinobi world. No—her concern was what Yuki Yoru had once spoken of:
The Sages and the Celestial Beings.
Against those kinds of entities, no matter how much power she had, it would never feel like enough.
And now, the only thing weighing on her heart… was the mysterious force lurking behind Konoha.