Chapter 219 – Brothers? Did Ashura Jealousy Arise from Indra Receiving the Sage's Favor?
"Uchiha Itachi… is dead?"
"Yes."
"Damn it! Why did you kill him?!"
"..."
"You could have just broken his limbs and dragged him back, let him suffer! Wouldn't that have been better?"
"..."
"Now look what you've done—we even have to worry about his Edo Tensei resurrection! Sasuke, I am beyond disappointed in you!"
Inside Konoha's ANBU base, Sasuke kept his head lowered as Tobirama Senju scolded him relentlessly. His lips pressed together, half in guilt and half in annoyance.
He knew his teacher Tobirama liked to lecture him. The reason was unclear, but no matter how sharp the words, Sasuke couldn't deny that he always learned something from them. Maybe this was Tobirama's version of tough love?
Still… why did it sound so eerily familiar?
Not just him—even Kakashi and Jiraiya remained silent, exchanging a glance before both turned toward Gen, who stood nearby with arms crossed.
These two… really were cut from the same cloth.
"Enough. He's dead already. What's the point in dwelling on it?" Hashirama finally spoke, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Besides, no matter how you look at it, it's a tragedy. If only—"
"Shut it! Don't make this worse!" Tobirama snapped, cutting his brother off before he could say more. The last thing he wanted was Hashirama adding fuel to the fire—especially with Sasuke, a Uchiha who wielded the Mangekyō, standing right there.
"I know your eyes have evolved," Tobirama continued, fixing Sasuke with a sharp gaze, "but don't grow arrogant. Your path is still long. That said… you've proven you can stand on your own as a true shinobi."
"Yes. I won't grow arrogant," Sasuke replied seriously, voice steady. "My mission isn't over while Itachi's Edo Tensei remains. Besides, with Senior Gen as my example, I have no reason to feel proud."
His sincerity drew approving nods from the others.
Of course, if Sasuke was going to use Gen as his role model… hopefully, he'd choose the right traits to imitate.
"Keep working hard. We all believe in you." Gen patted his shoulder, then after a moment's thought added, "But your eyes remain a problem. The more you use the Mangekyō, the greater the risk. We have solutions, but—"
"You mean Madara Uchiha?" Tobirama interrupted, reading Gen's mind instantly.
"Indeed. Madara's Mangekyō was… unusual. His eyes underwent a transformation. And it was connected to someone else."
"You mean… Izuna?" Hashirama's eyes lit up as the memory surfaced.
"Yes. Madara once claimed his eyes were his brother's. His brother… was—"
"Enough! Must you always ramble?" Tobirama cut in again, shooting his brother a withering glare. Hashirama's habit of staring at Sasuke as he spoke wasn't helping either.
"In the Warring States era, life was constant battle," Tobirama went on grimly. "Survival demanded sacrifice. Yet Madara's case gave us a clue…"
"You mean…" Sasuke's brows furrowed.
"You want me to take Itachi's eyes?!" His voice rose sharply. "No! I refuse! I'll never use that man's eyes!"
"Sasuke, wait—"
"My eyes are fine as they are! We'll find another way. I won't let that bastard keep watching me from beyond the grave!"
His rejection was absolute, the disgust in his tone unshakable.
Tobirama exhaled heavily, rubbing his temple, unsure what to say. Kakashi and Jiraiya kept silent, knowing it wasn't their place. Tsunade wasn't paying attention at all—she was already thinking about which izakaya to visit later.
"Then… let's leave this for now," Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up at last, smoothing things over like always. At his age, he was simply waiting out his time until retirement.
"I agree," Gen said with a shrug. He clapped Sasuke's shoulder again, then added with a dry chuckle, "Still, it feels like a waste not to squeeze out every last drop of value. But then again—Konoha's education system, huh…"
"...?"
Everyone fell into awkward silence at that remark—everyone except Tobirama, who only sighed.
Really, of all people, Gen was the last one who should be saying that.
But Gen didn't linger on the subject. Instead, curiosity sparked in his eyes.
"By the way, while we were out on mission, did you find the Uchiha Stone Tablet?"
"Yes. All of them," Tobirama confirmed. "We recovered every piece. With you back, it's the perfect time to study them. Especially the one we found in the underground chamber."
"Perfect. Sasuke, Kakashi—you two should take a look. See what you can uncover."
Gen's interest wasn't in the tablet itself but in how it might expose Black Zetsu's manipulations. Still, he was curious enough to observe.
Of course, he thought wryly, I don't even need the Sharingan to read it. Why should I be any less capable than Black Zetsu—especially when I possess the Tenseigan?
Even without looking, he already had a good idea of what was inscribed.
Moments later, they arrived in the deserted Uchiha district. Empty streets, silent homes… Sasuke paused, whispering almost to himself:
"I did it. Everyone… I finally did it."
Killing Itachi had carried a weight of unimaginable meaning for him.
"Let's start with this one." Tobirama led them to the hidden chamber of Naka Shrine. "It was hidden the deepest, and matches Madara's claims. Study it closely."
"Yes."
Sasuke and Kakashi activated their Mangekyō and began examining the inscriptions. Jiraiya peered curiously from the side, while Gen quietly observed, already picking up subtle inconsistencies in the carved text.
"Wait… this is…"
Both Sasuke and Kakashi froze, their expressions turning strange.
"What is it?" Tobirama pressed.
"There are sections—several parts," Kakashi murmured. "And… it seems to have been left by the Sage of Six Paths."
Sasuke took over: "The first part reads like a myth. It speaks of the Rabbit Goddess who threatened the world, and how the Sage, together with his brother, sealed her away."
"The Sage of Six Paths… had a brother?" Shock rippled through the room.
"Yes," Sasuke confirmed with a nod. "Though the details are incomplete, the record is clear."
"And the second part?" Tobirama urged.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "It speaks of the Sage's two sons—Indra, who inherited Yin Release, and Ashura, who inherited Yang Release."
"What?!"
The revelation left everyone stunned—except Gen, who remained calm.
Even Hiruzen and Jiraiya, who had lived through wars, had never heard this. But Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged a glance, Tsunade frowning faintly.
"Wait…" Hashirama muttered, "our records say… our ancestor was Ashura?"
"You idiot," Tobirama groaned, pinching his forehead. "Yes, according to the texts. But I didn't think it was this literal."
The truth hit like a hammer. For centuries, their lineage had been dismissed as myth. But here, the proof was carved in stone.
"And if that's true…" Tobirama muttered grimly, "then the Uchiha's progenitor was Indra. Our ancestor's brother."
"No wonder!" Hashirama's eyes gleamed. "No wonder I always felt something whenever I faced Madara—"
"Stop talking!" Tobirama snapped before his brother could embarrass himself further.
Sasuke's expression hardened, the words brother against brother echoing in his mind. He had just killed Itachi… and now this truth threatened to shatter his resolve.
"Is fratricide… our fate?" he whispered, his thoughts consumed.
"Then what comes after?" Hashirama pressed eagerly.
"The inscription goes on," Sasuke replied after a pause. "It reveals the Sage's fears regarding Indra and his descendants. And… a new solution he envisioned. But beyond that… I couldn't read further."
Both Sasuke and Kakashi closed their eyes, the strain too much. The weight of what they'd uncovered was overwhelming.
"So you couldn't finish," Tobirama mused.
"It's likely the eyes," Gen said. "Remember, Madara's Mangekyō underwent a transformation. Which suggests…"
"That there's a level beyond the Mangekyō?" Hashirama finished, eyes widening. "A stronger set of eyes—like Madara's own?"
Tobirama nodded grimly.
All eyes turned toward Sasuke, who shifted uncomfortably under their stares.
"Enough," Gen intervened smoothly. "Even if the details on Otsutsuki are scarce, what we've learned is already astonishing. Who would've thought the Senju and Uchiha shared such origins?"
"Unbelievable…" Hiruzen murmured, shaking his head. For a man who had lived through the worst of their clan wars, the irony was staggering.
"Truly… incredible," Jiraiya whispered, while Kakashi remained pensive.
Gen, rubbing his chin, broke the silence with a smirk:
"I heard the Senju and Uzumaki are distant kin. Which means… doesn't that make Sasuke and Naruto brothers?"
"What?!" Sasuke's eyes bulged. "Me and that idiot… brothers?!"
He couldn't explain why, but somehow… it felt like this wasn't so bad.
"I don't know, but who can say for sure about things like this?"
Tobirama Senju's face twisted with discomfort. He clearly didn't want to continue this topic.
"But at least we've found a lead," he muttered. "The Sage of Six Paths' new plan—we need to figure out what it is."
"And maybe we should also look into his younger brother," Gen added. With the stone tablet revealed, it would be a shame not to make use of it.
After all, the more chaos spread across the shinobi world, the better it was for him.
"On top of that," he continued, "we should also dig into why the Senju and Uchiha ancestors fought in the first place."
"True, that does warrant an investigation!" Hashirama chimed in with his usual enthusiasm.
"Hmph."
Tobirama gave a sharp, disapproving grunt, clearly annoyed.
"I'll tell you why," he snapped. "It must have been something the Uchiha ancestor did to bring about such a result!"
"Hmph."
Sasuke let out a quiet snort, voicing his silent objection.
"By the way," Gensuddenly tilted his head, a curious look on his face, "shouldn't we also be searching for the Senju's records? If the Uchiha have theirs, surely the Senju do too?"
"Uh…"
Hashirama fell into deep thought, while Tobirama frowned. Before either could answer, Gen spoke again.
"The Sage of Six Paths wouldn't have been that biased, would he? Leaving something only for the Uchiha, but nothing for the Senju?"
"…!"
Tobirama's face darkened. What nonsense was this kid spouting now?
"Or… could it be that Ashura grew jealous of the Sage's favoritism toward Indra? That maybe this whole feud between their descendants started because of that?"
A sharp hiss echoed as everyone present sucked in a breath.
"If that's true… then it's terrifying."
The weight of Gen's words froze the group. Their eyes flickered with disbelief.
Even Tobirama himself wavered for a moment, unsettled by the reactions around him.
Especially Sasuke, whose widened eyes shone with both excitement and certainty. Seeing that expression only made Tobirama's face grow darker.
"Don't spout nonsense!" he roared. "I'll uncover the truth and prove it to you!"
But even as he shouted, Tobirama realized he had no idea what to say next.
Tonight's revelations had shaken him to the core.
The Uchiha and Senju… were brothers?
The Sage of Six Paths had a younger brother?
And the wars between their clans… could they really have started because of something so absurd?
"No. Impossible. Absolutely not!"
Grinding his teeth, Tobirama swore he would dig until he unearthed the truth. And if he couldn't… then he'd just rewrite history, claiming the records were lost.
"…Well then, you all look busy. I'll leave you to it."
Stretching lazily, Gen gave a wide grin and turned to leave.
With the stone tablet now revealed, the shinobi world was bound to change in ways none of them could predict.
And he was more than happy to sit back and watch the chaos unfold.
Still, what excited him most at this moment was his own reward—he had been waiting far too long for the power of Yin–Yang Release.