Chapter 306: Assemble
Mount Myōboku.
The Great Toad Sage stared silently into the crystal sphere before him, his entire massive body radiating a solemn heaviness.
Around him, several giant toads stood rooted in place, not daring to make a sound.
Even the boisterous, short-tempered Gamabunta—normally swaggering and loud—stood rigid and obedient.
As for Gamaken and Gamahiro, who were far more timid by nature, they hardly even breathed.
"Dad… what's going on?"
After struggling for a long moment, Gamakichi finally asked, unable to contain his nerves.
"Is the Great Sage acting like this because of that chakra?"
That eruption of chakra from the outside world had been so overwhelmingly massive that it shook even the tranquil realm of Mount Myōboku.
Gamakichi had grown up—his size now rivaling his father's—yet that wave of power still left a primal fear clawing at his gut.
"What was that…?"
He muttered under his breath, only to be met with a fierce glare.
"Shut it. This is not the time for idle speculation!"
Gamakichi swallowed whatever words remained.
Even Gamabunta was confused, but he could tell something was seriously wrong—
so he remained perfectly still and unusually obedient.
"Just wait for the Great Sage's instructions. This time… something big is coming."
"…Oh."
Helpless, Gamakichi nodded and focused fully on the ancient sage before them.
"Are they all here?"
Only after what felt like an eternity did the Great Toad Sage finally speak.
His ancient, drowsy eyes were now clear—completely stripped of their usual sleepiness.
"All present, Great Sage."
Fukasaku replied immediately, earning a small nod.
"Has Jiraiya responded yet?"
"Not yet. He is likely still fighting. But—"
"Continue contacting him. He must be informed of the gravity of this situation."
"Yes, understood… but Great Sage, what is going on exactly?"
Even Fukasaku couldn't suppress his curiosity.
He glanced at the gathered toads, then voiced the question on everyone's mind:
"And that chakra—what was it?"
"…I may as well tell you all. At least you'll be mentally prepared."
The Great Sage let out a long, weary sigh.
His voice was steady, but heavy.
"What we just felt… may well be the greatest crisis the shinobi world has ever faced."
"That chakra, without a doubt—
came from the Ten-Tails."
"WHAT?!"
"The Ten-Tails?!"
"The legendary Ten-Tails?!"
Shock rippled through the cavern.
The toads of Mount Myōboku knew far more than ordinary creatures—
and they understood very clearly what it meant for the Ten-Tails to reappear.
"Great Sage… you're certain?"
Shima asked, voice tight.
The Great Sage nodded helplessly.
"Yes. That was the Ten-Tails.
And that is why I've summoned you all."
His gaze grew distant, then resolute.
"The Ten-Tails' existence threatens the entire shinobi world.
With war erupting across all nations—greater in scale than ever before—
we can no longer remain observers."
"For the sake of peace…
for this world's survival…
we must be ready to act."
"War, huh?"
Gamaken blinked stupidly, but showed no fear.
Gamahiro nodded beside him, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Tch. What a pain… but fine. We just have to crush whoever's causing trouble."
Gamabunta grumbled around the pipe clamped in his mouth—annoyed, yet undeniably eager.
"Protect the world, huh…"
Gamakichi's eyes widened with excitement.
He had grown up hearing tales of battles and heroes—
and now even he felt the thrill rising in his chest.
Across the cavern, excitement flickered through the gathered toads.
If the Great Sage himself declared it—
then this was no ordinary conflict.
This was something monumental.
"War…"
The word echoed softly through Mount Myōboku.
Only Fukasaku and Shima sensed that something was terribly wrong—but since the Great Toad Sage did not speak of it, they dared not ask.
"Prepare yourselves.
Once Jiraiya summons us… we depart."
After saying this, the Great Sage closed his eyes to rest.
Yet even he failed to notice that his ancient body was trembling—ever so slightly.
"Those three beings… the ones already treated as stepping stones for Path to Godhood…
their Ōtsutsuki aura has appeared again—and it's growing stronger."
"And the sealed one—the Goddess of the Rabbit, who nearly destroyed the world—Ōtsutsuki Kaguya…"
"And now, a Ten-Tails whose presence feels even more terrifying than the one from ancient times."
"And hidden somewhere in this world… a hunter of Ōtsutsuki, preying on his own kind—Ōtsutsuki Genshiki!"
"What… has become of this world?"
The toads of Mount Myōboku were steeped in fear—
and not just them.
The entire shinobi world had begun to lose control.
Meanwhile, in the Pure Land, the two brothers—Hagoromo and Hamura—were equally shaken.
The Ten-Tails was something they understood better than anyone.
They had faced their mother, sealed the beast, and Hagoromo himself split the Ten-Tails into what became the tailed beasts.
But now a Ten-Tails stronger than the original had appeared.
How could they not panic?
"Don't look at me. I… have no idea."
Hagoromo rubbed his temples.
He felt like the phrase he'd spoken most in recent years was:
"I don't know either."
And it wasn't his fault.
He truly had no idea what was happening.
He didn't even know how Kitagawa Gen got his first Ten-Tails—
and now, judging by the chakra erupting from Gen's clone,
the boy might have captured another one.
"Maybe… when he awakened his bloodline, he naturally came with a Ten-Tails?"
With nothing else to explain it, Hagoromo began making up theories just to comfort himself.
"And earlier, you saw it too—he opened a dimensional gate and entered another space.
And in that place…"
"…there was a second Ten-Tails—belonging to those other Ōtsutsuki?"
Hamura's eyes widened as he followed the logic—only to become even more confused.
"You're saying he fed one Ōtsutsuki's Ten-Tails… to his own Ten-Tails?"
"…I truly don't know."
Hagoromo looked defeated.
"Instead of trying to figure out the impossible… we should focus on what matters.
That chakra surge has drawn everyone in the living world.
They're already converging on one point."
Hamura's expression sharpened.
"Oh?
Brother—you're finally going to act?"
"Mm. We must. Things have gotten completely out of hand."
Hagoromo stood, gazing toward the distant world below.
"I trust Gen.
His bonds in this world hold him steady.
But I still hope we can guide things to a smoother resolution—
and perhaps settle an unresolved matter of a thousand years."
"A thousand-year wish?"
Hamura blinked, then realized what he meant.
"You mean… Indra and Ashura?"
"Yes. A millennium has passed.
This era is the most suitable time for an end."
Hagoromo nodded heavily, though his eyes were complicated.
He genuinely wanted to understand what Gen truly intended.
But asking directly seemed rude.
Better to appear while dealing with Indra and Ashura's reincarnations—
and then find a chance to speak with this new Ōtsutsuki born of the shinobi world.
He trusted Gen—
but even so, Gen had grown too overwhelming.
"…Shall we go together?"
After thinking for a moment, Hagoromo looked at his brother again.
"You've already awakened. Care to stretch your legs?"
"With pleasure."
Hamura smiled faintly.
"I still have descendants in the shinobi world—pure Byakugan carriers.
And… I want to confirm one thing."
"…What thing?"
"I want to see whether your thousand years of manipulation—your will, your doctrine, built upon mountains of corpses—
actually accomplished anything."
"…"
"And I want to see how Indra and Ashura react when they learn the truth about you."
"…"
"Oh, and one more thing—
Mother and Kitagawa Gen.
I'm very curious how they will react to seeing you."
"…"
Hagoromo drew a deep breath.
He deeply regretted waking his little brother.
For a moment… he even considered strangling him on the spot.
---
Meanwhile — Inside Isshiki's "Daikokuten Realm"
"…It really is him.
The body of Ōtsutsuki Shibai…"
The shinobi world was in chaos, and even Hagoromo was preparing to descend—
yet within Isshiki's sealed space, Kaguya was staring blankly at the god-like corpse hidden in the depths.
What terrified her even more was—
Kitagawa Gen was preparing to take it.
"You're insane! What are you doing?!
Do you understand what he is?!"
"Of course I do.
So what?"
Gen looked genuinely puzzled at her panic—
though his hands never stopped.
He knew exactly what Kaguya meant—
but he didn't care.
Because in truth:
Isshiki had already committed this sin long ago.
In fact, Isshiki had been the first to "do it."
Yes—
Isshiki had already experimented on Shibai's body.
He had extracted Shibai's blood.
Conducted endless research.
Even copied fragments of Shibai's God techniques and grafted them into others.
And Shibai—
this being who transcended the Ōtsutsuki—
never reacted once.
Which meant:
Shibai had moved far beyond mortality.
His discarded shell was meaningless to him.
He had ascended to a higher dimension—
becoming a true god.
"So if Isshiki could do it—
why shouldn't I?"
Gen smirked.
This was a crucial step in his own Path to Godhood.
There was no universe in which he would let this opportunity slip.
"You really think Isshiki sealed this body here out of… respect?"
Gen transferred Shibai's corpse into his own space with casual ease.
"He kept it because he wanted to use it.
So why wouldn't I?
You think I'm joking?"
"You—you're sure he actually would—?"
Kaguya hesitated.
Her voice trembled.
Gen paused.
…Right.
Isshiki technically hadn't done it yet.
But there was no time to think.
Because at that moment—
Gen noticed his God Tree Core had grown into a towering giant once again.
Its branches scraped the heavens, radiating an overwhelming presence.
At its peak, the once-tightly closed bud had begun to open—
revealing a faint, ominous red glow.
"It's already reached this stage?"
Gen couldn't help but smile.
"Good.
Time for the second Ten-Tails."
"Everything outside is gathering…
It won't be long now."
Kaguya opened her mouth—
then froze completely.
The colossal God Tree.
Shibai's corpse.
Gen's bottomless hunger and merciless ambition.
She dared not utter another word.
Her heart was now filled with nothing but fear.
And she finally understood:
"Even Shibai's remains… he dares to use them…"
"Hagoromo—
so you gave up for this reason after all."
---