Chapter 319 — The Otsutsuki Era Descends
"Yosh! Finally—I can move again!"
Naruto leapt to his feet, excitement lighting up his face.
He had clearly been waiting for this moment.
"Was it the Nine-Tails?"
Sasuke asked, curious.
Naruto nodded.
"Yeah. But his name is Kurama."
Just moments earlier, Kurama had yanked Naruto into the mindscape.
Why?
Because everything happening on the battlefield had terrified him.
The Ten-Tails' howls rattled even the ancient fox's instincts.
He knew all too well—
if he fused with the Ten-Tails again, he would cease to exist.
And then there were the Otsutsuki.
Their presence struck him with the same dread as the "old man" in his memories—
if not worse.
But Kurama couldn't out-stubborn Naruto.
Especially not with how fiercely Naruto declared that he would protect this world.
Naruto had also sensed Kurama's fear.
And he smiled at him:
"Don't worry. I'll protect you too."
"You brat… what nonsense are you—YOU protect ME?"
Kurama almost burst out laughing.
But Naruto remained stubbornly sincere.
"Really. I don't blame you for what happened back then.
It wasn't your fault—you were controlled by Obito."
"…"
"And honestly… I feel bad for you.
My life was rough too, sure—but I met people like Gen.
You…"
"…"
"So after this war, I already told Gen—
he doesn't care about keeping the Tailed Beasts.
And I think… maybe you deserve freedom more than anyone."
"…"
For a moment, Kurama went silent.
Was this kid broken in the head?
But looking at that bright, warm smile…
he realized Naruto meant every word.
And he couldn't deny another truth—
Gen truly didn't see the Tailed Beasts as anything significant.
"That guy… he's already something else entirely…"
Kurama sighed, then let out a soft laugh.
"Fine. I don't need your protection.
But this time… I'll lend you even more chakra."
He extended a massive fist.
"Link your chakra with mine."
"Eh?"
Naruto blinked.
"We're not gonna do that tug-of-war thing again?"
"Idiot. Not this time!"
Naruto grinned uncontrollably at the memory.
Sasuke sighed through clenched teeth.
"Can you finish already? We're kind of in the middle of something."
"Relax—I'm ready."
Naruto beamed, then froze.
"…Uh. Who are we supposed to go help again?"
"…IDIOT."
Sasuke marched ahead, already regretting every life decision that led him to know Naruto.
"You didn't get the intel?
All shinobi divisions are regrouping to wipe out the remaining White Zetsu and seal the Ten-Tails.
And we…"
His Sharingan eyes shifted toward the towering, armored Buddha in the distance.
"We're going to assist the First Hokage.
They're holding off Otsutsuki Genshiki to buy Gen time and gather intel."
"So our mission is…"
"To help seal the Ten-Tails."
---
Across the battlefield, every allied shinobi received the same order.
Jiraiya, after speaking with the Myōboku Elders, relayed everything to headquarters.
Tobirama, having made his decision, sent his own report.
The reactions were mixed—
some shinobi excited, most terrified.
After all… sealing the Ten-Tails was no small task.
And between them and the Ten-Tails stood waves of White Zetsu, revived Edo Tensei shinobi, and chaos.
But shinobi follow orders—
and the enemy before them would erase the world itself.
---
Meanwhile—
"Oi! Aren't YOU guys coming to help?
Your leader literally turned into an Otsutsuki! Hmm!"
Deidara barked at the Second Tsuchikage.
Silence.
For a moment, Mu seriously considered killing the blonde bomber.
But before he could respond, the Second Mizukage snorted:
"He's right, Tsuchikage.
Tobirama created this jutsu for moments like these.
I agree with blondie."
Deidara lit up.
"Ha! See?"
Mei fought the urge to bury her face.
She had endured this Mizukage's "sense of humor" before.
"But…"
The Mizukage suddenly shrugged.
"I can't control myself.
Kill the guy holding our leash first, then maybe we'll talk.
Besides—we're dead. Why should we join another war?"
"HEY! You greasy mustache—!"
Deidara sputtered, but the Mizukage ignored him.
"Have some faith in the living.
Now go.
When you die, come to the Pure Land.
I'll show you around."
"…I hate this."
Gaara grabbed Deidara before he exploded at someone.
"Focus on your mission.
The Third Tsuchikage is on his way."
"Tch. That old fossil…"
---
Elsewhere—
Tsunade and Jiraiya confronted Orochimaru.
His eyes gleamed with unsettling delight.
"Orochimaru, enough," Jiraiya growled.
"You've caused enough damage already."
"Just stop," Tsunade snapped.
"Don't make this worse than it already is."
Orochimaru chuckled, tongue flicking across his lips.
He glanced at the remaining Akatsuki, then toward the distant battlefield.
Only after a long pause did he speak:
"I know what must be done.
But before that…"
His smile widened.
"Tell me—aren't you even a little curious…?"
"The true power of the Otsutsuki?"
Jiraiya and Tsunade stiffened.
Orochimaru's laughter turned cold.
"One-Shiki…
you wretched creature…
how many sins have you left behind for us?"
Inside the mental nexus, Urashiki and Isshiki quietly observed the chaos unfolding outside.
Watching Kitagawa Gen take on all three hosts—Obito, Kimimaro, and even Momoshiki, who had already overtaken Nagato—and beat them into the ground…
their expressions darkened.
All three vessels were collapsing.
Their Karma marks were being forced into Stage Two, and Momoshiki's revival was already imminent.
That wasn't the problem.
The problem was what waited outside.
A monster more terrifying than any Otsutsuki—the one staring at their vessels with cold, predatory focus:
Otsutsuki Genshiki.
Urashiki felt a chill.
"Kitagawa Gen… he's also no ordinary human.
He's the planet's will incarnate—shaped by a millennium of war that you created, Isshiki.
Everything you set in motion… forged him into a blade pointed straight at us."
Isshiki's face twitched.
Urashiki was not wrong.
The so-called "Sage of Six Paths" was Isshiki's doing.
The thousand-year conflicts were Isshiki's doing.
The creation of an entire generation of reincarnated warriors capable of killing gods—
also Isshiki's doing.
And now?
It had all backfired beautifully.
"You didn't just awaken the devil in Genshiki," Urashiki seethed.
"You sharpened him.
Strengthened him.
And now he's using that power to carve us apart!"
If he could, Urashiki would have devoured Isshiki on the spot.
"Enough," Isshiki said suddenly, voice grave.
"We need to take control now."
Urashiki blinked.
Of all times—Isshiki wanted to work together?
Isshiki continued:
"Genshiki intends to kill our vessels to release us.
Obito and the others won't last.
If we let him kill them now, we'll lose too much energy."
A surge of chakra rippled through Isshiki as he prepared to forcibly manifest.
"Better to revive early.
We accelerate Karma ourselves—release faster—
and face him in a controlled state."
His voice grew harder:
"If we don't stop Genshiki now, he'll destroy everything."
Urashiki rolled his eyes.
You caused all this, he wanted to say.
Don't pretend to be righteous now.
But he nodded.
There would be time to settle his grudges later.
For now, the true threat was the Otsutsuki wearing a smile above them.
---
But then—something went wrong.
Momoshiki's vessel—Nagato—jerked violently.
"AHH!"
He collapsed, screaming, half his body suddenly swallowed by black goo.
Black Zetsu.
Isshiki and Urashiki both froze.
"What the—?!"
Momoshiki snarled through Nagato's mouth:
"You wretched parasite—what are you doing?!"
Black Zetsu's voice rasped, hoarse yet resolute:
"What must be done.
The only path left… is to transfer Nagato's Rinnegan.
And ensure that Madara takes the Ten-Tails."
Momoshiki's voice broke through again:
"STOP—!"
Black Zetsu ignored him.
"Gen was right.
Only Otsutsuki can kill Otsutsuki.
To prevent certain… complications… sacrifices must be made."
Nagato's hands moved against his will.
Rinnegan chakra surged.
Momoshiki roared:
"You miserable insect—!!"
But Zetsu simply whispered:
"Struggle harder, Nagato.
It helps."
He was right.
Nagato's violent resistance accelerated everything—
and coupled with Kitagawa Gen's relentless assault, the timing was perfect.
Energy burst from Nagato's body, streaking across the battlefield—
straight toward the titanic, armored Buddha where Hashirama and Madara battled.
---
Gen looked up.
Obito and Kimimaro had grown horns.
Nagato's energy twisted, the Karma patterns spreading like wildfire.
He felt it in the air.
A shift.
A change so deep it shook the world itself.
"These three… aren't just being overwritten," he murmured.
"They're resonating.
Synchronizing."
And then—
He smiled faintly.
"So… it's finally happening."
Across the battlefield, standing beside the colossal Buddha, his gaze hardened.
"The Otsutsuki era… is truly descending."