"Minamoto!"
With a spatial distortion accompanied by a roaring surge of chakra, Kitagawa Minamoto appeared steadily within the ranks of the Ninja Alliance. His arrival immediately caught Naruto's attention, prompting the boy to shout loudly.
"Senior!"
"Minamoto!"
"Lord Fifth!"
Naruto's shout drew countless eyes toward Kitagawa Minamoto. Expressions of excitement spread across their faces—his presence here could only mean one thing. Nagato, Obito, and Kimimaro, the three members of the Akatsuki, had been dealt with, and the Ōtsutsuki hidden within them had been completely released!
Though they had already sensed the changes in energy earlier, without Kitagawa Minamoto's direct confirmation, they couldn't be certain. Now, seeing him in person, how could they not feel reassured?
"Senior, are you alright?" Ino couldn't help but step forward and ask softly. Hinata and Neji stood together, their eyes fixated on Kitagawa Minamoto. Not just them—all the Hyūga clan ninjas instinctively activated their Byakugan to observe him closely. After all, according to their ancestral relics, this man shared their "source," a true inheritor of the Hyūga's power!
"Minamoto, are you okay?" Tobirama quickly approached, examining Kitagawa Minamoto carefully before speaking with fervor.
"Minamoto, look! The Sage of Six Paths has descended!"
"..."
Kitagawa Minamoto looked at Tobirama with a puzzled expression. What was with this guy's fanaticism?
"Indeed, the Great Sage has truly descended," Hashirama couldn't help but add, while Naruto smiled broadly, raising his hand to wave cheerfully.
"And the old man gave us some new powers! We can finally join the fight!"
Joining the fight—this was Naruto's greatest goal. He didn't want to sit idle and do nothing.
"Idiot, you almost died and you're still saying that," Sasuke, though secretly agreeing with Naruto, shook his head in exasperation.
"Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki is no joke. Even with newfound power, we can't afford to be careless."
"Exactly..." Hashirama clenched his fists, nodding firmly.
"We must not be careless. Every Ōtsutsuki is extremely dangerous..."
As he spoke, he suddenly froze, sweat forming on his forehead as he quickly added.
"Except for the Sage of Six Paths. He truly fights for the ninja world!"
"..."
Kitagawa Minamoto's expression turned slightly awkward. Why did Hashirama seem so nervous and apprehensive? What was even more intriguing was that, after Hashirama's words, countless others echoed his sentiment.
"Exactly! The Sage of Six Paths fights for the ninja world!"
"The Sage of Six Paths is different from other Ōtsutsuki!"
"Yes, yes! The Sage of Six Paths is unique, different from the rest of the Ōtsutsuki!"
"..."
Such voices rose one after another. Kitagawa Minamoto found it hard to suppress his amusement as he glanced at the Sage of Six Paths floating in the air. Coincidentally, the Sage of Six Paths also looked at him, his gaze filled with complex emotions—a mix of melancholy and pain.
For a moment, the two silently stared at each other. Finally, Kitagawa Minamoto broke the silence with an awkward smile.
"Sage of Six Paths, hello there."
I am not okay!
The Sage of Six Paths felt even more aggrieved. So many things, so many conspiracies surrounding him—all traced back to this man! If it weren't for him stirring up trouble as an Ōtsutsuki, would his entirely blackened younger brother have gone mad? Would there be such bizarre relics? Would Tobirama, with his conspiracy-obsessed mind, be left to his wild imaginations? It was all because of you, all because of you! And yet you act like nothing happened—is this really appropriate?
"Hello, Kitagawa Minamoto. I've known of you for a long time..." Despite his inner turmoil, the Sage of Six Paths dared not pursue the matter further. With a great battle imminent, he couldn't afford to act recklessly. The ninja world's educational system had already collapsed—otherwise, it wouldn't have produced someone like Tobirama. Tobirama was the emblem of the ninja world's educational failure! And Kitagawa Minamoto, an Ōtsutsuki emerging from such a broken system—if he decided to abandon them, it would spell disaster.
"Meeting you for the first time is truly an honor."
"Huh?"
Naruto, Sasuke, and the other ninjas were stunned. Even the observing ninjas froze in place. Was this the same Sage of Six Paths who was brutally ruthless, manipulated his brother, tormented his sons, and even tried to kill his mother? Why was he being so polite?
"Yes, we should have met long ago." Kitagawa Minamoto smiled, though his courteous tone made the Sage of Six Paths unusually serious.
"Indeed. We should have met long ago." The Sage of Six Paths sighed, his voice tinged with melancholy as he spoke.
"Your uniqueness and extraordinary nature are truly unimaginable."
"Um, what's going on here?" Naruto couldn't make sense of the situation. The Sage of Six Paths seemed vastly different from what they had imagined. Even Black Zetsu was stunned, unable to reconcile this cruel and cold-blooded elder brother with the reverent demeanor he now displayed toward Kitagawa Minamoto.
"Still, all is well. Even though events have deviated somewhat from their original trajectory..." Ignoring everyone else, the Sage of Six Paths sighed as he looked at Kitagawa Minamoto.
"The priority now is to deal with the current crisis. I hope we can have a proper conversation once everything is over."
"Yes, indeed." Kitagawa Minamoto nodded decisively. For now, he was merely a clone—any meaningful discussion would have to wait for his main body. Besides, with so many people present, this was hardly the time to delve into other matters. Especially since three enraged and vengeful Ōtsutsuki had already confronted his main body. He didn't want to complicate things further.
"Let's deal with the enemies first. The ninja world has suffered long enough."
"..."
The Sage of Six Paths raised an eyebrow, while Zetsu looked at Kitagawa Minamoto in confusion. But the ninjas clenched their fists, nodding vigorously. The ninja world had indeed suffered far too long. Now, it was time to end it all!
"Alright, let's prepare for battle!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, clenching his fists as he shouted.
"Let's defeat these Ōtsutsuki and bring this all to an end!"
"Defeat them, and protect the ninja world!"
"This painful chapter must end here and now!"
Led by Naruto, the Ninja Alliance erupted in a thunderous roar. Having learned the "truth of the ninja world," their pent-up frustration reached its peak. Though the Sage of Six Paths bore some responsibility, the true culprits were the "heavenly beings." Only by defeating them could this tragic saga truly come to an end!
"And we must protect the Sage of Six Paths' mother! We absolutely cannot let her be devoured by Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki!"
Just then, someone shouted unexpectedly, causing both Kitagawa Minamoto and the Sage of Six Paths to freeze in surprise.
"..."
"Exactly! Besides defeating the Ōtsutsuki, we must also protect her!"
"..."
"Absolutely! We cannot let her fall into the hands of Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki! We cannot let those Ōtsutsuki do as they please!"
"..."
As the Ninja Alliance prepared for battle, on the other side of the battlefield, the three Ōtsutsuki had arrived at Kitagawa Minamoto's position.
"Momoshiki..."
In the sky, the three Ōtsutsuki hovered in midair. Their Byakugan eyes fixed intently on Kitagawa Minamoto, their gazes dark and ominous.
Resurrection was not a pleasant experience for them. For an Ōtsutsuki, being forced to resurrect through "Karma" was already a sign of failure. What made it worse was that their resurrection process had been extremely difficult. Their "vessels" had been killed, causing them to lose vast amounts of energy before they could fully resurrect. This was the ultimate humiliation for them!
Yet, the one who had beaten them into resurrection hadn't given them any time to react. Almost the moment before their resurrection, he had chosen to leave, and they could feel themselves being locked onto by Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's chakra. Under these circumstances, they couldn't afford to pursue that "Kitagawa Minamoto" anymore.
For them now, the most important target was undoubtedly Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki! The one who had defeated them one by one, who had treated them as "food," who had driven them all to the brink of madness!
"You damned bastard..." Momoshiki was the most enraged. Being ambushed by a lower life form had already pushed him to his limits. Now, seeing "Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki," his fury became uncontrollable.
"I've been waiting for this day for so long!"
"No need to get so excited. I've been waiting for you too." Kitagawa Minamoto remained perfectly calm, raising his head as his eyes, shimmering like stars, fixed on Momoshiki.
"I always believed that Senior Momoshiki shared my beliefs, but sadly, you disappointed me. So..."
He paused briefly, his aura growing even more powerful before continuing softly.
"This time, Senior, you'd better be prepared. I won't give you any more chances."
"Such arrogance! Do you think this time will be like before, with us facing you individually?" Urashiki spoke up, his Byakugan locked onto Kitagawa Minamoto.
"Now, there are three of us. How dare you be so cocky!"
Three of us...
As soon as he said this, Urashiki froze, then fell silent. Three against one, yet they still seemed terrified—this was hardly something to boast about. No matter how thick-skinned Urashiki was, no matter how badly he had been beaten by Kitagawa Minamoto before, he felt embarrassed after saying those words.
"Momoshiki, though we're reluctant to do this, the harm you've caused is simply too great." Isshiki spoke up, changing the subject. His gaze fixed on Kitagawa Minamoto as he hesitated before asking.
"I've always been curious about something. Would you be willing to answer me?"
"Senior Isshiki, please ask." Though a great battle was inevitable, Kitagawa Minamoto maintained his "elegance."
Of course, he was also waiting for Kaguya to complete her descent so he could extract the Ten-Tails.
"Senior Isshiki has been of great help to me. Whatever your question, I'll try my best to answer."
"What are you doing?" Kaguya couldn't help but ask.
"Why be polite to them now? Shouldn't you seize the opportunity to attack?"
"I'm waiting for you, and the Ten-Tails." Kitagawa Minamoto casually replied in his mind, but his words choked Kaguya.
Still thinking about the Ten-Tails at a time like this?
And waiting for her?
Though their "alliance" was meant for her to confront the Ōtsutsuki, her current concern wasn't about fighting them. Rather, she worried whether she might also become a target.
Kaguya fell silent, but Kitagawa Minamoto continued to watch the three Ōtsutsuki. Isshiki finally spoke in a low voice.
"Did you know my true identity from the beginning? When we first met, did you already know?"
Isshiki really didn't want to ask this question, but he had too many doubts. If he didn't ask now, he feared he might never get the chance. While "Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki" still lived, he needed to clarify these issues.
"I remember clearly that when we first met, you already revealed my true identity. But why did you do that? Or did you already..."
"Know the secret of 'Ascending God's Long Path'?"
Kitagawa Minamoto smiled, feeling the channel in the sky as he slowly pushed his chakra through it, while calmly replying.
"Actually, if you want to understand it that way, there's no problem."
"No problem?" Isshiki's eyes widened slightly. Was this man simply admitting it? Was he deliberately targeting him from the beginning? Was he just toying with him?
"You... knew all along?" Urashiki and Momoshiki also perked up, their eyes fixed on Kitagawa Minamoto. They too had questions.
"Or is it that 'Ascending God's Long Path' always existed?"
"It has always existed, just sealed away." Kitagawa Minamoto declared confidently. For him, this was all true. Besides, he had long planned to wreak havoc on the entire Ōtsutsuki clan, so the more brutal, the better.
"Have you ever wondered why we must be strictly limited to cultivating Divine Trees for advancement? Why, after such a long time, only Ōtsutsuki Shinju crossed that threshold?"
Ōtsutsuki Shinju...
Isshiki's face darkened. Ōtsutsuki Shinju's remains were supposed to be his. But he didn't believe for a second that Momoshiki would have left them untouched after finding them!
Momoshiki and Urashiki, however, grew excited. These questions were indeed worth exploring, and they were curious to hear what this crazed clansman had to say.
"Because, for us, the best path to advancement is actually through our own clan members." Kitagawa Minamoto sighed, putting on a sad and pained expression.
"The Ōtsutsuki are so different, so extraordinary, completely distinct from other races. And their energy consumption is beyond imagination."
"Indeed..." Urashiki nodded. He himself didn't know how many years, how many "pills" he had consumed to achieve his Kekkei Mōra. Their advancement required an enormous amount of energy!
"But why must we use such a slow method to advance?" Kitagawa Minamoto continued his fabrication, his voice growing "heavier."
"Why must our fruits be surrendered? And why are there so many 'newborn Ōtsutsuki,' while stronger Ōtsutsuki are so rare?"
"Stronger Ōtsutsuki?" Isshiki, Momoshiki, and Urashiki all grew solemn. They weren't entirely sure of the distinction between "newborn Ōtsutsuki" and "stronger Ōtsutsuki." But since Momoshiki had mentioned Ōtsutsuki Shinju earlier, that must be what he meant.
But...
People like him, or approaching his level, did seem extremely rare.
"Could it be that something truly different existed in the past, causing terrible events to unfold?"
In that moment, all three seemed to realize something. Isshiki and Urashiki couldn't help but glance at Momoshiki beside them, then back at Kitagawa Minamoto. These two had both done it!
"Don't look at me..." Momoshiki felt annoyed, then asked in a deep voice.
"'Ascending God's Long Path' is indeed effective. Consuming Kinshiki did significantly boost my energy, but it's not enough..."
"Because it's too little." Kitagawa Minamoto interjected calmly.
"Before setting out to find Isshiki and Kaguya, I accidentally discovered a book in our clan's territory, or rather, an ancient text."
"Ancient text?" Momoshiki frowned. Isshiki and Urashiki also looked grave—this was likely the key!
"What did it say?"
"This ancient text was sealed. I spent countless years deciphering it." Kitagawa Minamoto shook his head with a smile, continuing.
"But what it recorded was fascinating. It detailed the past deeds of the Ōtsutsuki clan, and..."
"The long-concealed, little-known civil war within the Ōtsutsuki!"
At this point, Kitagawa Minamoto paused, looking calmly at the three.
"Civil war?"
The three Ōtsutsuki seemed dazed, even... excited!
"I guessed right!"
The thought simultaneously flashed through their minds, their fists unconsciously tightening. They had suspected something like this all along!
"Civil war—indeed, an unimaginable civil war erupted back then!"
"And the root cause was likely that so-called 'Ascending God's Long Path'!"
"No wonder it was sealed away, no wonder we couldn't see it, no wonder all 'pills' were distributed proportionally to all clan members."
"So there was such a great war, and the Ōtsutsuki originally had a different path to advancement!"
"So that's why there are so few people close to Ōtsutsuki Shinju's level—they all died!"
Kitagawa Minamoto's words energized the three Ōtsutsuki! Despite the numerous holes in his story, despite his lack of evidence, at that moment they all chose to believe him. After all, Kitagawa Minamoto's strength was undeniably overwhelming, as if he had completely surpassed them.
And Momoshiki had done it!
He admitted he had gained a significant boost, though not to the extent he desired. But what if the quantity was greater?
"Well, gentlemen, I've said enough. Now..." Kitagawa Minamoto glanced at the sky, suddenly smiling.
"Before Kaguya descends, we should settle our issues. I believe you now understand the true meaning of 'Ascending God's Long Path.'"
"For us, evolution is not a choice but an inevitability. Stagnation equals death, so..."
Truth-Seeking Orbs transformed into a golden longsword, pointing skyward at the three! But the three now wore expressions of gravity mixed with excitement.
BOOM—
In an instant, Urashiki and Momoshiki erupted with terrifying chakra. The earth-shaking energy immediately darkened the night sky with dense clouds, the terrifying power continuously surging around them. From their bodies, a billowing steam rose, instantly spreading across the entire battlefield!
"What's... happening?" In the distance, the Ninja Alliance had completed their formation, but this frightening chakra eruption instinctively filled them with dread. Naruto raised his head to look into the distance, while Sasuke gritted his teeth. As the fierce wind swept across, his bangs were blown aside, revealing a pair of Rinnegan eyes in his sockets!
"They're about to fight." Kitagawa Minamoto's Divine Tree clone remained perfectly calm, merely smiling as he spoke.
"The troublesome part probably starts now..."
As the chakra continued to roar, Momoshiki and Urashiki underwent massive transformations. The bone scales on Urashiki's forehead, originally resembling a headband, had now become two fan-like antennae. His face was covered with black markings that appeared during "Karma" release, and his entire aura had changed dramatically.
Momoshiki was equally impressive. The horns on his forehead had transformed into two massive, backward-curving horns. His hair had grown longer and bushier, and his face, body, and horns were covered with the same black markings as Urashiki. Moreover, at the center of both their foreheads, a thin crack appeared. As their chakra continued to expand, this crack suddenly opened, revealing a golden Rinnegan eye within!
Their auras underwent a tremendous transformation.
"That's right—for us, stagnation is death!" Urashiki spoke in a low voice, while Momoshiki's eyes remained locked on Kitagawa Minamoto.
"No matter how strong you are, today you die!"
"Now this is interesting. Otherwise, it would be as boring as before." Despite the situation, Kitagawa Minamoto remained perfectly calm. He even turned to look at Isshiki with a smile.
"So, Senior Isshiki, what about you?"
"?"
Isshiki was momentarily confused, not understanding Kitagawa Minamoto's meaning.
"They've both transformed. Aren't you going to transform too?" Kitagawa Minamoto continued smiling, the Truth-Seeking Orbs in his hand already formed into a golden sword.
"..."
Isshiki's face darkened—he truly didn't have such abilities.
"Since you have no other techniques, then..." Kitagawa Minamoto's voice grew steady, and in the next moment, his figure vanished!
"It's my turn!"
BOOM—
Almost instantly, Kitagawa Minamoto appeared beside the three. The massive golden sword in his hand swung out. In that moment, a tangible shockwave erupted, the countless energy waves instantly engulfing the entire battlefield...
🔥 Want to read the next 50+ chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]