Confession (Please Bookmark and Recommend)

Bang!

Kanzuki Chiba slammed face-first onto the floor.

Sarutobi Kazuhara and Uchiha Shinsui stared at Gengetsu in stunned disbelief. Are you even a man?

"I'm not!"

"I'm a boy!"

Gengetsu spread his hands with an innocent look. "I didn't do it on purpose. Do you believe me?"

Sarutobi Kazuhara and Uchiha Shinsui shook their heads in unison. On the floor, Kanzuki Chiba gritted her teeth, her fists cracking. "Bastard... this guy actually has no sense of romance at all!"

Leaping up from the floor, Kanzuki Chiba's long, sleek black hair nearly stood on end as she lunged at Gengetsu again. "Unforgivable!"

"Hey, lady! Lady!"

Gengetsu shouted as he dashed out of the house. More than a dozen Shadow Clones he had yet to dispel immediately blocked the doorway, but they still could not stop the enraged Kanzuki Chiba. Every last clone was blown apart by her fists and kicks.

"Hahaha, being young is wonderful!"

Watching the two rush out one after the other, Sarutobi Kazuhara could not help laughing. Then he turned to Uchiha Shinsui, who was smiling, and asked, "By the way, Shinsui, is there a girl you like?"

"Ah? Um..."

Uchiha Shinsui blushed and stammered, at a loss for what to do.

Sarutobi Kazuhara laughed. "Young man, if there is, go after her. Don't let cowardice make you miss your chance!"

The next day, the team left their temporary encampment and returned to Konoha.

"Ah... we're finally back! I have to soak in a hot spring!"

Seeing Konoha's gates right before her, Kanzuki Chiba could not help shouting.

"Yeah, we're finally back!"

Gengetsu smiled as well. They had spent more than half a month traveling there and back. After so long, he truly missed Kushina's cooking.

"Then we're dismissed. You have three days off!"

As they entered the gates, Sarutobi Kazuhara announced loudly.

"Yes!"

The three nodded together, exchanged farewells, and each used the Body Flicker Technique to leave.

When Gengetsu returned home, he found that Kushina and Minato were both there. By the time he had washed up, a lavish meal had already been set on the table.

"Come on, sit down and eat. Brother Minato made this one!"

Kushina said with a smile.

"Ah, thank you so much. But I still prefer the food you make, Sister Kushina!"

Gengetsu said with complete sincerity, then sat down and began eating.

Mm, delicious!

Not long after, Gengetsu had devoured every dish. Only then did Kushina ask, "Gengetsu, did the mission go smoothly this time?"

"Overall, it went fairly smoothly. There was just a small accident on the way there."

Gengetsu did not conceal what had happened. To him, Kushina and Minato were like parents who had given him a second life. They were the closest and most trustworthy people in Konoha—and in this world. There was no need to hide anything from them. Besides, he needed Kushina and Minato to back him up.

"Danzo again!"

Kushina immediately flew into a rage. Minato hurriedly soothed her, then frowned and asked, "Was it because of the Dragon Vein Energy?"

"Probably not."

Gengetsu shook his head. "Sister Kushina, Brother Minato, do you know about the experiments involving the First Hokage's Cells?"

Kushina and Minato's expressions both turned grave. The latter asked, "That matter has been sealed away and classified as top secret. How did you learn about it, Gengetsu?"

"Sealed away?"

Gengetsu feigned ignorance. "Lord Orochimaru is still conducting the experiments. I saw them while studying under him. And he has already succeeded halfway. Lord Orochimaru originally wanted me to fuse with the First Hokage's Cells, but I refused. And this time, their target was not just me. They also wanted Shinsui's Sharingan."

"The Sharingan!"

Minato was startled. He had not expected this matter to involve the Uchiha Clan as well.

"Mhm..."

Gengetsu nodded. After considering it, he felt that he could use this opportunity to reveal some of his secrets. He immediately said, "The Wood Release power within the First Hokage Cells is too strong for ordinary people to withstand. According to my Yin-Yang Four Symbols theory, there are two ways to fuse with them. One is to possess powerful Yang Release power or a powerful physique from the start, allowing one to withstand the First Hokage Cells' devouring. The other is to possess powerful Yin Release power or a corresponding physique, allowing Yin and Yang to balance each other."

Minato continued, "Both the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan possess powerful physiques, and you, Gengetsu, were born with Yang Release power. That is why Lord Orochimaru set his sights on you!"

"They don't know that I have also mastered Yin Release power. Otherwise, this time probably would not have gone so easily."

Gengetsu gave a soft snort.

"Then why did they set their sights on the Sharingan too?"

Kushina asked in confusion.

"Because the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan is the ultimate manifestation of Yin Release power. Moreover, the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan was inherited from the Sage of Six Paths' Sage Eyes, while the Senju Clan inherited the Sage of Six Paths' Sage Body. The former belongs to the bloodline of Indra, the Sage of Six Paths' eldest son. The latter, along with our Uzumaki Clan, are descendants of Asura, the Sage of Six Paths' Second Son."

"The Sage of Six Paths!"

Both Minato and Kushina showed shocked expressions. After Minato calmed down, he immediately asked, "Gengetsu, did you learn all this from Lord Orochimaru?"

"No. For the Uchiha Clan, the Senju Clan, and the Uzumaki Clan, these things are not really secrets. It is just that many people treated them as legends, and over time, no one knew about them anymore."

Gengetsu shook his head, but he could not help thinking, The truth behind many things has been lost to the past, or altered. Black Zetsu, that old scheming bastard, must have had a hand in it—just like the Uchiha Clan's stone tablet!

"Many things belonging to the Uzumaki Clan were lost outside the clan. When I was very young, I read an ancient book that told stories about the Sage of Six Paths. Back then, I truly treated them as myths and dreamed that one day, I could become someone like the Sage of Six Paths!"

Gengetsu made up his story, guilt filling his heart. But he had no choice. Without fabricating a story, there was simply no way to explain it.

Kushina and Minato did not doubt him. After taking a moment to process it, Minato asked, "Gengetsu, the Third Hokage may not know about the First Hokage Cells experiments. Are you planning to tell him?"

Even if the Third Hokage learned about it now, he would probably handle it quietly.

With that thought, Gengetsu honestly shook his head. "Brother Minato, what do you think?"

"If this matter were exposed now, it would inevitably cause enormous losses for the village. And for the sake of the bigger picture, the Third Hokage would probably..."

Minato did not continue. Kushina could not help snapping, "Are they supposed to sacrifice Gengetsu for their experiments?"

"Sister Kushina, that's not what Brother Minato meant!"

Gengetsu hurriedly came to Minato's defense, then said, "We do not need to expose this matter, but Danzo must be warned not to set his sights on me!"

Minato suddenly smiled. "Gengetsu, you probably already have your own plan, don't you?"

As expected of the future Fourth Hokage!

Cold sweat formed on Gengetsu's forehead as he honestly laid out his plan.

Without waiting for Minato to state his opinion, Kushina slapped the table. "Then that's what we'll do!"