Chapter 70: Genshin—Activated?
"This sensation..."
Kakashi wasn't calm either. Ever since being hit by Uchiha Itachi's genjutsu, he had felt something strange about his Sharingan.
And when he encountered Obito, the feeling intensified. It was as if a powerful force was sealed inside his left eye—something hidden, waiting to be awakened.
He had tried to investigate it in private, but no matter what he did, he could never tap into its deeper power.
But today felt… different. His direct clash with Obito seemed to stir something within the eye.
Especially the moment Obito's Kamui activated—the paralysis, the spatial distortion... With no other option, Kakashi made one last attempt to connect with his eye.
And, against all odds—it worked.
It was thanks to this eye that he managed to resist Obito's attack. And in that moment, information about this Mangekyō Sharingan technique flowed into his mind.
"I think I finally understand what this eye can do."
He was exhausted— the sudden transformation had drained much more chakra than usual.
But Kakashi was already adjusting his stance, ready to fight again. "Now… let's continue."
"Tch… troublesome."
Under the mask, Obito's face twisted. This guy actually awakened the Mangekyō? This was going to be more of a pain than he expected.
But Obito quickly calmed himself. He stared coldly at Kakashi and said, "Hmph. Even if a failure like you gains the eye's power, it changes nothing. Trash is still trash."
He lunged forward in an instant. Kakashi moved at the same time, Raikiri crackling in his hand.
"Obito!"
"Kakashi!"
Just as their attacks were about to collide—
A sharp, deafening roar echoed in the distance!
The next second—a massive, invisible shockwave blasted across the battlefield, engulfing them both…
---
Elsewhere...
"What the hell?! Who fights like that?!"
Hidan lay sprawled on the ground, gritting his teeth as he grabbed his twisted leg. With a loud crack, he snapped it back into place.
But before he could recover, Guy charged in— a powerful punch to the gut sent him flying again. Guy followed up by breaking one of Hidan's arms for good measure.
Landing roughly, Hidan stared at his mangled arm—finally unable to hold back, he roared in pain.
"It hurts like hell! Yeah, it feels good, but—damn it!"
"This psycho's got some serious strength… and a pretty twisted fighting style."
But Guy didn't respond. He was stroking his chin, deep in thought. "Breaking his limbs isn't enough to stop him... Then maybe…"
His gaze shifted to Hidan's head. What if I just knock it clean off?
So far, this battle hadn't been too troublesome for Guy. Hidan's taijutsu was decent, but compared to Guy—his strength and speed were sorely lacking.
And with Five Gates already opened to speed things up, Guy had been steamrolling him.
But this level of damage… still wasn't enough to end it.
"His regeneration is insane… no matter how I hit him, he just recovers."
"Looks like I need to turn up the youth."
Determined, Guy's expression turned serious. "Then… I'll take it up a notch!"
"Huh?"
Hidan blinked, confused for a moment. He was about to ask what the hell this weirdo was doing—until his face went pale.
Because once again, Guy's chakra exploded—this time, vivid green chakra surrounded his body.
In that instant, his speed and strength surged to an entirely new level!
"Now feel the full force… of YOUTH!"
"Too fast...!"
Hidan tried desperately to dodge—but he couldn't. He couldn't even raise his scythe or dagger in time.
WHAM—!
With a heavy thud, Guy launched Hidan like a cannonball. He rocketed through the air like a shooting star, hurtling straight into the trees behind.
"Huh—?"
But just then—
A massive, deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield.
And before Guy's wide eyes—
A shockwave struck Hidan mid-air, blasting him out of the sky...
---
"Damn brat!"
Within the swirling mist created by the clash of Water Style and Fire Style, Kakuzu crouched low, eyes sharply scanning his surroundings.
Behind him, two of his dark, monstrous masks were positioned closely—a defensive formation.
The recent fight had cost him another heart, and the pain of that loss was almost unbearable.
He hadn't withdrawn from the skirmish with Hidan earlier because he was afraid—but because losing one more heart would've been too costly. He already understood Hidan's abilities. Subduing him didn't require killing—there was no bounty on the man's head, after all.
But now—he hadn't expected to lose yet another heart!
"The intel didn't say anything about that brat using 'Lightning Release: Chakra Mode'… That was strange. And that purple lightning of his—especially when paired with Flying Thunder God…"
He recalled that moment—the kid's short blade suddenly came flying toward him. Kakuzu immediately blew it away with a Wind Style jutsu.
But in the next instant, the boy had teleported behind him— and a hand glowing with Purple Lightning pierced clean through his chest.
The agony had nearly driven Kakuzu insane. Finding a compatible heart wasn't easy!
---
"I think I've figured out your secret."
Through the mist, Kitagawa Gen, cloaked in flickering purple lightning, stepped into view—his figure blurred and ghostly.
"You survived a Flying Thunder God slash, and I saw one of those creatures re-enter your body to revive you. Those monsters… they're your hearts, aren't they?"
Kakuzu said nothing. But inside, his frustration reached its peak.
Damn it. He's got my intel?!
"No wonder your coordination with them is so seamless," Gen continued, casually flicking the blood off his White Fang short blade.
"Even without one element, your formation has no flaws. The teamwork between you and your masks is near perfect. Impressive."
There was no doubt Kakuzu was a true all-rounder—master of offense, defense, and strategy, with nearly no weaknesses. Even during combat, his masks could pair up and unleash powerful combined elemental jutsu.
If Gen hadn't had Eight Gates and Purple Lightning, he wouldn't have held the upper hand in close combat.
While Gen's raw ninjutsu power was superior, Kakuzu's fluidity and precision in battle were on a different level.
For the first time, Gen genuinely believed this man might have actually faced the First Hokage in battle. And it now made perfect sense why Kakashi had nearly lost his heart in the original timeline.
---
"But… lucky for me, I have the Flying Thunder God technique. And…"
As Gen murmured to himself, a new wave of chakra surged violently through his body.
Kakuzu was undeniably powerful—but unfortunately for him, Gen was a walking cheat code.
And through this battle against such a well-rounded opponent, Gen had finally sensed the awakening of his own bloodline's potential.
"I've opened up to the Fifth Gate… and I can feel it now. Something deeper is stirring."
---
BOOM—
As chakra roared within him, his blood seemed to boil even hotter than before.
The Purple Lightning flared brighter, and his body felt almost weightless—as if he could take flight at any moment.
In his enhanced vision, Kakuzu's movements slowed; everything around him became razor-sharp and clear.
"My senses, strength, speed, chakra… everything's evolved."
A strange thought suddenly crossed his mind:
"Wait a sec… Is this… Genshin: Activated?"
---
"What the hell is this brat doing?!"
Kakuzu had no idea what Gen was going through. But one thing was clear—it was time to run.
---
"I have to admit…"
Gen suddenly spoke up, his tone serious and respectful.
"You're the strongest opponent I've ever faced."
---
"So now… I'm going all out."
---
"?!"
Kakuzu's eyes went wide—but it was already too late.
By the time he finished constructing his defense, Gen's strike had already landed.
---
BOOM—
A deafening roar shook the air.
A brilliant flash of white erupted between them—swallowing both combatants in a blinding light.
The glow expanded outward in a violent surge, and an invisible shockwave exploded from the center, ripping through the battlefield.
In an instant, trees splintered, boulders cracked, and the terrain itself began to collapse under the force…