Chapter 136: The Ever-Evolving Golden Wheel Tenseigan, A New Era in the Ninja World  

The Land of Rain bordered the Land of Grass, which had already been conquered by the Sun God Kingdom. 

Due to its constant rainfall over many years, the Land of Rain had formed an inland sea large enough to serve as Jiraiya's final resting place. 

Nagato had now learned the truth about his eyes and was still processing the information. Meanwhile, Konan was overjoyed to see Nagato back on his feet and in good health. If Jiraiya were to come investigating the Akatsuki now, both Nagato and Konan would likely welcome the chance to have a proper conversation with their former teacher. 

Unfortunately, ever since his brief talk with Konan in Konohagakure, a guilt-ridden Jiraiya seemed to have realized that his students had completely diverged from his ideals. He gave up competing for power with Fugaku in the village and instead began to rethink his legendary ninja story. 

Unlike before, when he advocated for mutual understanding, he now emphasized perseverance as a core trait of a ninja. His beliefs had shifted, and as for the prophecy from Mount Myoboku about Hyuga Hitoshi being the root of disaster, he had stopped mentioning it ever since the Sun God Kingdom crushed the entire ninja world and held the Ninja World Summit to establish a clear path forward. 

After all, the ninja world was improving. This didn't align with the disaster the Great Toad Sage had foretold. Maybe he himself—the one who once preached mutual understanding—was the real outlier. 

--- 

On the vast sea in the Land of Rain, Hyuga Hitoshi stood at the bow of a small boat, hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. The boat moved steadily forward, carrying only him and a single rower guiding the way. 

After all, it was just a prison. There wasn't much worth seeing there, so Tsunade, Pakura, and the others had no interest in going to Hozuki Castle. If they wanted to see the ocean, they would rather visit Terumi Mei instead. 

In the Land of Water, plans for maritime development were already underway. With the combined efforts of countless Water Release and Earth Release users, a miniature seaside resort had nearly been completed. Compared to Hozuki Castle, they would much rather vacation in the Land of Water. Hyuga Hitoshi himself wasn't going there for sightseeing, either. 

Hozuki Castle, introduced in the movie "Blood Prison," was located near the Land of Grass, surrounded by the sea on all sides. It housed some of the most dangerous criminals and rogue ninjas, and had reportedly appeared again in another story. 

Rumor had it that Admiral Kakuzu of the Akatsuki had once been imprisoned there. Kakuzu himself, however, denied it. After all, as someone who had fought the First Hokage, how could he possibly have ended up in prison? 

"How strong is Mui, the warden of Hozuki Castle?" 

Hyuga Hitoshi tilted his head slightly and looked at the man rowing the boat—none other than Kakuzu. 

Yes, the one tasked with leading Hyuga Hitoshi to Hozuki Castle was the very man who had once served time there. Nagato had given the order that morning, and though Kakuzu had agreed, he had originally planned to flee as soon as possible. Unfortunately for him, Hyuga Hitoshi caught him before he could escape. 

"His overall strength is average, but his ninjutsu is tricky. He seems to have a technique that can seal chakra." 

Kakuzu, rowing with all his might, wiped the sweat from his forehead as he answered. 

"How did you escape?" 

Hyuga Hitoshi asked, curious. 

Once inside Hozuki Castle, prisoners were usually sacrificed to the Box of Ultimate Bliss, feeding it with their chakra. 

The Box of Ultimate Bliss—an ultimate weapon left behind by the Sage of Six Paths. 

Hyuga Hitoshi's goal this time was to retrieve that very ninja tool.

"He didn't understand the unique nature of Earth Grudge Fear and used a fake death to escape." 

Kakuzu answered honestly. 

"Hmm, so are you interested in working at the Sun God Kingdom's Ministry of Finance?" 

? 

The question seemed completely out of nowhere. Kakuzu tilted his head, confused, taking a moment to process it. 

Uh... 

Did he hear that right? Was His Radiance, the Sun God, actually inviting him to the Sun God Kingdom? 

Though to be fair, hunting down rogue ninja was pretty much what he did in the Akatsuki anyway. 

"Of course, the job won't involve hunting down rogue ninja anymore. You'll start from the basics—learning business and finance." 

Hyuga Hitoshi emphasized again. 

"And don't worry about benefits. I'm well aware of the unique nature of Earth Grudge Fear. Minister Orochimaru has done extensive research on artificial hearts, and each one is guaranteed to have chakra compatibility and vitality." 

"There are even artificial hearts with Kekkei Genkai." 

"Just imagine—your five hearts could be Lava Release, Ice Release, Scorch Release, Storm Release… and maybe even Dust Release~" 

At that moment, Kakuzu was certain—his heart was moved. No, actually, all five of his hearts were moved. 

Of course, he knew that the Kekkei Genkai from Earth Grudge Fear wouldn't be as strong as the real thing and would likely consume more chakra. Even if he had Scorch Release, he'd never reach Pakura's level. But still, Kekkei Genkai was Kekkei Genkai. His strength would receive an insane power boost. 

And all he had to do was work for the man in front of him—doing the same job he was already doing in the Akatsuki. 

Well then... 

"The hearts aren't the important part. The real reason is that, Boss, you're good-looking and kind-hearted. Plus, I truly love this job. So, Boss, when can I start?" 

A veteran like him had to maintain some dignity. If it were Black Zetsu, he'd probably be bowing and calling Hyuga Hitoshi "Father" by now. 

Hyuga Hitoshi had had his eye on Kakuzu for a while. He had even brought it up to Nagato before. Nagato had no objections—after all, he himself was planning to work for the Sun God Kingdom in the future. As long as Kakuzu agreed, there was no issue. 

And so, Kakuzu naturally became the Sun God Kingdom's official boat-rowing escort. 

The Akatsuki also had other talented individuals. Take Sasori, for example. Though Orochimaru didn't particularly like him, even the Snake Minister had to admit that Sasori's skill in puppetry and mechanical engineering was unmatched. 

In fact, the luxury carriage used by Hyuga Hitoshi and the royal family was built by Orochimaru, inspired by Sasori's puppet techniques. 

But Sasori himself commented that if he had designed it, he could've made it even more advanced, luxurious, and functional. 

And so, Sasori was now officially working as a special consultant for the Sun God Kingdom's engineering department. 

Hyuga Hitoshi also promised him that once he completed the luxury carriage, he'd provide Sasori with a puppet blueprint that would completely captivate him. 

Though Sasori was skeptical at first, once Hyuga Hitoshi pulled out schematics for a Gundam's leg, the "eternal artist" was instantly hooked. 

Some things in the world were just universally appealing. 

As for the Gundam schematics, Hyuga Hitoshi had obtained them from another dimension after making the right choice at some point. With such blueprints in hand, and considering how ninja technology was already a bit off-track, combined with the fact that high-quality steel wasn't an issue, replacing the original power core with chakra energy and building a ninja-themed Gundam wasn't that far-fetched. 

In short, Hyuga Hitoshi's trip to the Akatsuki was a massive success. 

Next, once Deidara matured a little more, he planned to visit Iwagakure and recruit him for the infrastructure department's demolition team. He was sure Deidara would love the new job. 

As for Hidan, he was even more valuable. With his immortality, he could play a key role in future battles against the Otsutsuki. 

This was the importance of placing people where they fit best. Whether it was the Sun God Kingdom or the Akatsuki members, everyone would have a bright future once they joined the family. 

And Kakuzu, now with a new job and something to look forward to in life, was rowing the boat with extra enthusiasm. 

He even used Wind Release and Fire Release to boost the boat's speed, shortening the originally long journey. 

Before long, they arrived at Hozuki Castle.

The relaxed atmosphere suddenly came to an end. 

After docking the small boat, Kakuzu quickly bent down in an overly eager manner, respectfully inviting Hyuga Hitoshi to step ashore. Then, spotting Mui and the others approaching to receive them, his expression turned sharp. 

"As the representative of the Sun God, this welcome from Hozuki Castle is a little too cheap! Where's the person in charge? Get over here, now!" 

He had already slipped into his role, speaking with an obvious double standard. After all, Hyuga Hitoshi hadn't arrived with much of an entourage, so it was only natural that the reception was just as simple. Now, it was up to the others to interpret the situation. 

But Mui the young warden standing in the distance, didn't react to Kakuzu's words. Instead, he simply scrutinized Hyuga Hitoshi with a cold gaze. 

In truth, ever since Hozuki Castle bet on the Five Great Nations and struck a deal with them, their actions had already gone against the laws of the Sun God Kingdom. Calling them traitors wouldn't be an exaggeration. 

Looking at the list of those sentenced at the Shinobi World Conference, it was clear that the higher-ups of Hozuki Castle had no chance of being forgiven. 

So their current attitude was actually expected. 

In fact— 

As soon as Hyuga Hitoshi set foot inside Hozuki Castle, standing in silent opposition to Mui and his men, Mui and the other senior members of the castle simultaneously began forming hand seals. 

Boom! 

A white mist dispersed, revealing the Box of Ultimate Bliss, engraved with four faces expressing joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure! 

There was no unnecessary talk, not even an attempt at negotiation. Without hesitation, Mui waved his hand, and his son Muku, along with three other fanatical remnants of Hozuki Castle—or rather, the last remnants of the former Kusagakure Village—rushed toward the four corners of the box. 

Bright red blood and chakra were instantly drained by the Box of Ultimate Bliss, and within mere seconds, their bodies shriveled into dry husks before everyone's eyes. 

A strange aura began spreading from the box, while black energy surged out, continuously pouring into Mui's body. 

At that moment, as Mui's body started to swell, the legendary ultimate weapon that once nearly conquered the entire shinobi world under Kusagakure Village finally revealed its monstrous form! 

"So this is the gift you prepared for me, Hagoromo?" 

With Kakuzu stepping in front to shield him, Hyuga Hitoshi let out a cold laugh and took a step forward. A dazzling mix of blue and golden light flashed in his eyes as he fearlessly locked eyes with Mui, who had now lost all traces of humanity and turned into a complete monster. 

The creature before him was different from the one in the movie version. While it had the same long legs as "悟" (Satori), it also had an extra pair of pitch-black wings—four in total—creating violent gusts of wind as they flapped, sending a storm of deathly energy surging toward Hyuga Hitoshi. Even Kakuzu, standing nearby, instinctively retreated from the overwhelming aura. 

"I had been wondering—if Mui really wanted to use the Box of Ultimate Bliss to fulfill his wish, why would he openly make deals with the Five Great Nations? As the warden of Hozuki Castle, he should have been more cautious." 

"Now I understand. The Box of Ultimate Bliss was originally Hagoromo's creation. Even in the Pure Land, you can still use it to send messages, can't you? Mui must have fallen under your influence long ago." 

Even as a spirit, the Sage of Six Paths wasn't truly immortal—he still needed certain methods to absorb energy and sustain himself. 

From Hyuga Hitoshi's previous analysis, the faces on the Box of Ultimate Bliss served that exact function, similar to how Moryo absorbed negative energy. It was essentially the same mechanism. 

To ensure that the box remained active, the Sage of Six Paths had spent centuries manipulating people into opening it, leaving behind destructive energy to create monsters that guarded it. 

Mui had clearly been one of his victims. 

And now, with Hyuga Hitoshi standing here, it must have made the Sage feel like his secret had been exposed. 

So, was he trying to use an upgraded monster to get rid of him?

A thousand years may have passed, but Hagoromo still managed to come up with some interesting things. He's probably still connected to Mount Myoboku even now—otherwise, Gamamaru wouldn't have labeled him as the source of disaster. 

"So, they really underestimated me, huh?" 

With a mocking smirk, Hyuga Hitoshi's gaze turned sharp. Dealing with a creature that could analyze human emotions was tricky. Since it was driven by emotions, destroying it the usual way would be difficult. 

But no matter how careful the schemer was, he still left a flaw. Hyuga Hitoshi didn't need to destroy the creature—he just had to take away its energy core, the Box of Ultimate Bliss, and let the Tenseigan absorb its power. Once that happened, the creature would collapse on its own. 

A golden Tenseigan projection appeared behind Hyuga Hitoshi, and in an instant, a terrifying pressure spread in all directions. The towering monster, as if struck by a crushing force, fell to its knees. 

After multiple evolutions, the power of the Byakugan's pressure was now on a completely different level. When focused on a single target, it was unbelievably overwhelming, suppressing the soul, mind, and body all at once. 

With the creature pinned down, Hyuga Hitoshi controlled the golden Tenseigan to start absorbing the power within the Box of Ultimate Bliss. 

As expected, the moment the box was threatened, the creature began struggling desperately, attacking without hesitation even as its body was torn apart. But Hyuga Hitoshi wasn't about to go easy on it—he kicked the monster straight into the air and drained the box's energy in one go. 

At that moment, even across the barrier of reality and the Pure Land, Hyuga Hitoshi could feel the fury of the Sage of Six Paths. And it made sense—after all, the Box of Ultimate Bliss was one of the few energy sources the Sage could rely on. Now, Hyuga Hitoshi had completely redirected that energy to the golden Tenseigan. 

Just like when he absorbed the fragments of the Shinigami, after taking in the box's power, Hyuga Hitoshi realized that the Tenseigan could now absorb not only negative emotions sensed by Moryo but also the emotions naturally released across the ninja world. These emotions were refined by the Tenseigan and fed back into his own power. 

It was a fascinating feeling. Hyuga Hitoshi enjoyed it. He didn't know what he would become if he kept evolving the golden Tenseigan, but his instincts told him he was on the right path. Its power was constantly growing, and at this point, even if someone told him the Tenseigan would eventually form a world of its own, he wouldn't be surprised. 

But for now, he was still far from that level. Absorbing the Box of Ultimate Bliss had merely given him more ways to take in energy. 

Thinking about it, even Hyuga Hitoshi himself never expected that the golden Tenseigan he obtained from the moon would evolve to this extent. Such a mutation was unprecedented in ninja history. Judging by the expression of the Rabbit Goddess, even within the Otsutsuki clan, the Tenseigan remained a mystery. 

What started as a collection of Byakugan, formed from a thousand years of Otsutsuki accumulation, had now merged with Hyuga Hitoshi's pure Tenseigan. It provided him with an endless supply of ocular power, granting both terrifying destructive ability and an incredible force of regeneration, brimming with life.

Right now, the Golden Wheel Tenseigan had become Hyuga Hitoshi's signature trump card, aside from his powerful body. Everyone in the ninja world knew that when the Sun God made a serious move, a strange golden aura would appear behind him. 

Absorbing the Box of Ultimate Bliss had put him in a good mood, but he figured the schemers in the Pure Land wouldn't be happy about it. That ominous, lingering malice only seemed to grow stronger. 

Not that Hyuga Hitoshi cared. If the Sage of Six Paths could do anything to him, he would've acted already—why wait until now? The Sage must've paid a heavy price to maintain his soul's existence in the Pure Land, which was probably limiting him. 

Of course, that was just an optimistic guess. But even if there were no restrictions, Hyuga Hitoshi wasn't afraid of a mere soul like the Sage of Six Paths. He had all the necessary countermeasures stored in his personal space, so there was no need to worry about pushing the Sage too far. 

"When I get the chance, I'll take you to see that unfilial son of yours." 

Hyuga Hitoshi withdrew his presence and opened his eyes again. He grabbed the silent Rabbit Goddess, who had been watching the whole time. 

See? He wasn't even afraid of the Sage's mother. Why would he fear the Sage himself? 

"Hagoromo." 

Kaguya's expression was complicated. She had sensed Hagoromo's power inside the Box of Ultimate Bliss, but after hearing Hyuga Hitoshi's suggestion, she simply shook her head. 

She didn't even know what she would say to Hagoromo. In the end, he was just a fragment of her chakra. Maybe, when he chose to seal her away, the bond between mother and son had already been severed. 

"Boss, are you alright?" 

With the crisis over, Kakuzu ran over with a serious expression, looking like a loyal subordinate who regretted arriving too late. 

"What a shame, boss! You acted too fast just now. I didn't even get a chance to step in! Otherwise, I could've taken down both Nameless and that monster on the spot!" 

So full of energy. 

Hyuga Hitoshi patted Kakuzu's shoulder approvingly. "No worries. There's always the next stop. The ninja village in the Land of Bears seems to have a problem with our Sun God Alliance. They keep claiming that they should be the ones leading the Ninja World Conference, and they've even openly attacked our merchants conducting trade there." 

"Their Hoshikage is yours to handle." 

The Star Village had the credentials to act high and mighty. After all, their history stretched back two hundred years—before Konohagakure was even a thing, let alone the Sun God Kingdom. 

But they picked the wrong target to provoke. In the end, they would pay for their arrogance. That meteorite of theirs? They weren't worthy of keeping it. At first, Hyuga Hitoshi had only planned to study it a little, not take it outright. But now that they had chosen the path of destruction, there was no need to be polite. 

With the Box of Ultimate Bliss fully absorbed and the Hozuki Castle affair settled, Hyuga Hitoshi activated his phasing teleportation, dragging along a visibly uncomfortable Kakuzu. He had already experienced the joy of drifting across the ocean—now it was time to get things done. 

As the Sun God stepped onto the path of strengthening his Tenseigan, the ninja world entered a period of rapid development. War came to an end, villages began rebuilding and recovering at full speed, and the Sun God Kingdom moved forward according to Hyuga Hitoshi's grand plan. 

Time passed. 

As Konohagakure's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, grew stronger—knocking out the kids who dared to call him a demon fox with a single punch… 

As Asuma, wandering the ninja world, discovered a disturbance in the old sealed grounds of the Sarutobi clan… 

As Danzo became more and more skilled in the art of Edo Tensei… 

The prologue to a new chapter in the ninja world had begun.

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