Awaken the Tenseigan, Become the Mastermind of the Shinobi World

Chapter 164: Chapter 164: What Is an Enemy, What Is a Friend



Jiraiya had known Naruto would reject his suggestion.

"No," Naruto said firmly. "According to reliable intel, Hyuga Gakuya possesses a jutsu called the Truth-Seeking Orbs. It renders all ninjutsu ineffective—only senjutsu and taijutsu can harm him."

"That's why I want you to go to Mount Myōboku and train in Sage Mode," Jiraiya continued. "Only with Sage Mode will you have a chance of defeating Hyuga Gakuya."

Of course, Jiraiya had two motives behind his words. One was as he said—to help Naruto learn senjutsu and gain the power needed to defeat Gakuya. The other was to get Naruto out of the line of fire, safely tucked away in Mount Myōboku while Akatsuki hunted for him.

Naruto immediately understood the weight on his shoulders. Clenching his fists, he nodded without hesitation.

"Don't worry. I'll master Sage Mode, no matter what."

Tsunade, standing nearby, finally voiced the question that had been gnawing at her.

"Then what happened after that?"

"It was Obito… Obito saved me," Jiraiya said after a pause, his voice low.

Everyone was stunned.

"What's his goal?" Tsunade frowned deeply, unable to wrap her head around the situation.

Sure, it was good that Jiraiya had survived. But Konohagakure and Obito were enemies. Why would he rescue one of his enemies?

No matter how she looked at it, it didn't make sense.

Seeing their confusion, Jiraiya explained, "According to him, it was to retaliate against Hyuga Gakuya. They used to be allies. Gakuya joined Akatsuki at Obito's invitation."

"But later, Gakuya and Chiba Mokushū formed their own alliance. They, too, desired the power of the Ten Tails—and turned against Obito in secret."

"A few years ago, Obito's true identity was exposed, and Nagato drove him out of Akatsuki."

"Later, the Federation requested intel from us in exchange for cooperation to hunt down Obito. Gakuya appeared during that operation and nearly killed Obito. Both incidents were orchestrated by Gakuya and Chiba Mokushū working together."

"Obito's no longer a match for Gakuya. That's why he saved me—someone who knows the truth—hoping we could work together."

Tsunade's eyes burned with fury. "So we've been used… played right into Gakuya's hand."

Jiraiya gave a bitter smile. "That's right. In a twisted way, it's thanks to all this that I managed to uncover the truth."

Kakashi's eyes widened. "So... Gakuya's been playing us this whole time. No—he's been playing the entire shinobi world."

Shikaku spoke up with calm analysis.

"This suggests that while Gakuya's two personalities are distinct, they're capable of cooperating when it suits their plans."

Naruto fell silent for a long time, his thoughts in turmoil. He had once hated Obito with every fiber of his being—the man responsible for his parents' deaths.

And now, that same man had saved Jiraiya-sensei and was willing to ally with Konoha to fight a greater enemy.

He thought about Gakuya too. Once a trusted friend, now turned into the most terrifying enemy imaginable.

Everything felt like it was spinning out of control. Naruto's belief in right and wrong, in who he could trust, was starting to crack.

He didn't know what to believe anymore—or how to face any of this.

Jiraiya noticed Naruto's turmoil but had no comforting words to offer. He could only sigh and continue.

"Let me tell you what happened next."

Everyone held their breath, hanging on every word.

"Behind both Obito and Nagato… there's another, even more dangerous manipulator. That man is Uchiha Madara."

The name sent a ripple of shock through the room.

Tsunade's brow furrowed. "Uchiha Madara? He's dead. We proved that it was Obito impersonating him."

Jiraiya's expression turned grave.

"Yes, Madara did die. But before that, he planned everything. Obito and Nagato were merely pawns on his board. Even Gakuya and Chiba Mokushū's schemes might have been anticipated by him."

"He didn't die at the Valley of the End. Instead, he stole the First Hokage's flesh and, combined with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, awakened the Rinnegan before his death."

Shikaku swallowed hard. Hearing about these legendary shinobi and their plans felt like trying to play a losing game against a god.

"That explains everything," he said. "The Sage of Six Paths' bloodline split between the Senju and the Uchiha clans… and Madara rediscovered that ancient truth."

"He replicated the Sage's power—but with his life nearing its end, he passed his eyes and dreams to Nagato and Obito, entrusting them to finish what he started."

Tsunade was the first to object.

"No. That can't be all. Madara must have a greater plan. The Ten Tails is likely just one part of it. A crude plan like Nagato's couldn't possibly be Madara's design. The man who helped my grandfather found the shinobi system wouldn't come up with something so sloppy."

Kakashi's tone was serious. "Then what is his goal?"

Jiraiya took a deep breath.

"Whatever his goal is, it's clear our enemies aren't just Nagato and Gakuya. Madara is still pulling the strings from the shadows."

"Obito told me all of this hoping I could convince Nagato to join us in fighting Gakuya."

"But I failed. Nagato has already allied with Gakuya. Together, they intend to use the Ten Tails' power to reshape the shinobi world."

"After that, Obito brought me back to Konoha. He should be at the Memorial Stone right now."

...

When Jiraiya finished speaking, everyone was left with a heavy, soul-crushing sense of helplessness, like being swept away by an unstoppable tide.

Every single person Jiraiya had mentioned was an overwhelming threat on their own. But now, not only were they appearing one after another in a relentless cycle, they were starting to join forces.

And this wasn't even counting Uchiha Obito, who—for now—was aligned with Konoha.

Only after hearing all this did they finally begin to grasp the full scale of the situation.

Yet the more clearly they saw the truth, the deeper their despair became.

Because what they saw was not a battlefield they could fight on—but an intricate, monstrous game board, where countless powerful hands were shamelessly manipulating every piece in play.

Once, they had believed they were key figures in the fate of the shinobi world.

Now, they realized they were merely some of the larger pieces on a vast chessboard.

Like cultivators who had trained for a thousand years to ascend to a higher plane—only to discover, in the moment of ascension, that it was all a trap.

The so-called "ascension" had been nothing but a scheme, and those who pursued it with hope were merely food—fuel for a foreign power's greed.

Shikaku mulled it over for a moment and said gravely, "If this is true, then the situation we're facing is far more dire than we ever imagined."

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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