Chapter 144: I'm Not Growing Horns, Am I?
When it came to Nagato's fate, Kitagawa Gen honestly didn't want to think too much about it.
He had already played the role of the "Crow Brother" once—what happened next would just have to play out on its own.
That said... Nagato did drop something really valuable!
"So this is the Yin chakra of the Rinnegan?"
Gen rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This stuff was genuinely important to him.
The potential in his eyes might actually surpass even that of Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan.
So far, the abilities he'd awakened were steadily piling up—each one powerful, practical, and increasingly synergistic.
"And I get the feeling... my eyes are on the verge of evolving again."
He could sense changes within them.
After absorbing a small amount of Nine-Tails' chakra, the speed at which his eyes pulled in chakra had drastically increased.
And with the appearance of the Divine Tree's Core, his eyes had undergone explosive progress.
They were still in that "high-speed absorption" state, but he could tell it was slowing down, entering a brewing phase—
just like before their first evolution.
"Come on... the second stage of the Tenseigan—I've been waiting a long time for this."
While Gen was fantasizing about power-ups, Kakashi, meanwhile, looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown.
"Are you sure the Hidden Grass Village is okay?"
Kakashi had been eerily quiet ever since hearing the "bad news."
But after teleporting via Flying Thunder God to Gen's battlefield and seeing the wreckage, he looked like he'd seen a ghost.
"Even if the Hidden Grass had its issues—and yeah, they did help Iwagakure during the war—they're still... kind of... our unofficial allies now. You..."
"I don't know anything!" Gen immediately blurted out a high-quality deflection.
After pausing to think for a moment, he continued.
"That Pain guy dragged me all over the place. I had no idea where he was going."
"You didn't realize the Grass Village was nearby?"
"I suck at geography."
"Nonsense. I remember you being good at everything except math!"
Kakashi facepalmed. He didn't even want to glance toward the Grass Village.
The outskirts looked like a natural disaster had just passed through—he couldn't even imagine the state of the village itself.
There was only one thought in his mind:
Let's get out of here. The Hokage can deal with the aftermath...
But before he could spiral any further, Gen suddenly pointed toward the distance.
"Found it. Over there."
"That chakra trail is moving in that direction. If we hurry, we might still catch up."
Sigh...
Kakashi sighed deeply and saw that Gen was already dashing ahead. He quickly followed.
Despite his anxiety, Kakashi couldn't help but feel a little proud.
He had witnessed Kitagawa Gen's growth every step of the way.
Back when Gen graduated, he was already talented—but still obviously green.
Now? He was practically one of Konoha's pillars.
"He's grown so much… almost too much. It's unbelievable."
Well... except for his knack for attracting chaos.
As he followed Gen into a field of rubble—scorched earth, craters, lingering flames—Kakashi could tell the battle's aftershocks hadn't faded yet.
Then, amid the ruins, he spotted a figure in the distance.
"That her?" Kakashi asked.
Gen nodded.
"Yeah. I sensed her chakra during the fight—it felt… unusual. Kinda like Naruto's."
"Naruto's? And… her hair color…"
Kakashi paused, realization dawning.
"She's from the Uzumaki clan, isn't she?"
Actually, encountering a descendant of the Uzumaki clan in the ninja world wasn't too unusual.
After the fall of the Land of Whirlpools and the destruction of Uzushio, the clan had scattered far and wide.
Although there had been an alliance with Konoha—to watch over and protect each other—
Konoha had been overwhelmed during the war. They couldn't even protect themselves, let alone an ally.
As time passed, the promise had been mostly forgotten.
To most Konoha ninja, the Uzumaki were just another clan—
especially since the "legitimate" Uzumaki line had always been in Konoha, from Mito to Kushina, and now Naruto.
"So you think she's special?" Kakashi asked, not dismissively, but genuinely curious.
"Yeah. A little." Gen nodded.
"Her chakra resembles Naruto's. And she came from the Grass Village, so it's easier to explain things if we bring her back."
"Didn't you just say you didn't know anything about the Grass Village?"
"…"
"Say something."
"…Let's just focus on catching her."
The brief exchange ended, and the two quickly closed the distance toward Karin.
Meanwhile, Karin had long noticed the chakra signatures pursuing her.
She was already on edge, knowing she had to escape the Grass Village—anywhere would be better!
But now? She was being hunted.
And the one leading the chase—
"That chakra… it's him!"
Even though his chakra had changed a bit, she knew it was him.
And that meant she was completely doomed.
Especially now that both were speeding up—
Karin could only slow down bitterly.
Can't outrun them. It's hopeless!
Soon, a lazy-sounding voice reached her ears.
"Yo. I thought you were gonna keep running."
"Guess not. Saves us the trouble."
Trouble? I'm the one in trouble here!
Karin trembled as she turned around.
Two white-haired men were walking toward her.
The older one gave her a gentle look and asked curiously:
"What's your name?"
"I-I… I'm Karin…"
"No need to be so scared. We're Konoha shinobi," Kakashi said, baffled by her reaction.
"You're from the Hidden Grass, right? Konoha and Grass have decent relations—"
"I'm not! I'm not!" Karin cut him off, clearly panicked.
She knew Konoha and the Grass Village got along.
But that's exactly what terrified her.
If they send me back… I'm finished!
"…"
Seeing Karin trembling like that, Kakashi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Is she a rogue ninja?"
Having dealt with the Akatsuki so many times—and especially with Obito's betrayal—Kakashi had absolutely no fondness left for defectors.
"P-please don't kill me!"
But at that moment, Karin seemed to sense something. Terrified, she instantly crouched down and wrapped her arms around her head.
"What incredible sensory ability," Gen murmured to himself. He had a pretty good idea why she was reacting this way.
After all, she had given the wrong answer… and he knew exactly what kind of power she possessed.
"Kagura's Mind's Eye, huh?"
From what Gen remembered, that was one of the most powerful sensory techniques in the ninja world—capable of detecting targets from dozens of kilometers away, locking on with chakra alone.
And beyond that—
"This ability can even perceive someone's emotional state through chakra…"
He recalled how Karin had immediately sensed Naruto's warm, kind-hearted nature the very first time they met—all thanks to Kagura's Mind's Eye.
"Kakashi-sensei, calm down and look at her arms."
Gen nudged Kakashi, and the latter tilted his head toward Karin's exposed arms.
"…Bite marks? Injection scars?"
"She might have some unique healing ability, and I doubt the people from Grass Village treated her kindly."
"So that's what it is…"
Crouched with her arms over her head, Karin's sleeves had slid down, revealing her scar-covered arms. Kakashi now understood why this girl was so desperate not to go back.
"High-level sensory capabilities… and potentially some unknown healing power."
Gen stroked his chin, speaking matter-of-factly.
"Also, she probably knows what happened in Grass Village. If we bring her back, it'll help us explain everything."
Turning to the terrified girl, Gen flashed her a charming smile.
"Don't be scared. We're the good guys."
"…"
Good guys? With that look and that smile? Are you kidding me?
"We more or less understand your situation," Kakashi said, trying to soften his tone. "We won't harm you. Can you tell us what happened with you and Grass Village?"
"M-my blood has healing properties… My mother died at their hands, so… Grass Village… was destroyed. I took the chance to escape—"
"Hold it. Didn't you just say you weren't from Grass Village? Be more specific—what happened there exactly?"
"I-I was passing by… I saw you fighting some enemies… and the battle accidentally spread to the village…"
"Stop. Think carefully before you speak."
"…It was your enemies who attacked Grass Village! They planned it. You stepped in and saved everyone!"
"Perfect." Gen nodded with satisfaction. "You just happened to be passing by, saw Grass Village under attack, and I swooped in to save the day. That's the correct answer."
"You're unbelievable!"
Kakashi had completely lost it now. His dead-fish eyes stared daggers at Gen.
"Who even taught you to do this?"
"But… that is what happened," Gen replied innocently, then turned to Karin.
"Right, Karin?"
"Y-yes! That's exactly what happened!"
Karin nodded rapidly. Despite how terrifying he looked, she could sense that this man meant her no harm.
In fact, his chakra felt oddly comforting—like a strange but familiar warmth laced with unquestionable authority.
"…Forget it. Let's just go."
Kakashi sighed heavily and scratched his head.
"We'll figure out the official explanation later. With her sensory and healing abilities, she might actually be useful."
---
A few days later…
Gen's group finally returned to Konoha.
"Kakashi-sensei, I'll leave the rest to you. I'm not getting involved in the paperwork."
The moment they entered the village, Gen turned to leave.
"Hey! You're a jonin now!"
Kakashi gave him an annoyed glare. "You're the one who brought her back—you should at least report in properly!"
"I have a feeling the Hokage probably doesn't want to see me right now…"
"…Just go, then."
Kakashi had nothing to say to that. He nodded in defeat.
As for Gen's report… it could wait until the Hokage's health improved.
With a flicker, Gen disappeared and reappeared at his home.
He immediately set up a barrier, created a shadow clone, and eagerly summoned his system.
"Use the Yin Release Chakra of the Rinnegan!"
He had waited so long for this—now he could finally enjoy the reward he'd earned.
The moment the overwhelming Yin Release energy flooded his body, he felt his eyes swell with pressure.
Chaotic chakra surged into his eyes and rapidly spread through his entire body!
The sensation of blood boiling returned—more intensely than ever before.
"This feeling…"
Gen's eyes widened in awe. It was just like that last time—when his skin and hair turned white.
He knew this power-up wouldn't be minor.
But then, a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait a second… am I going to grow horns this time?"