As Fumori Masaki planned to seize the Bashōsen, he was already considering how to wield this treasure of the Sage of Six Paths. He recalled that both Darui and Tenten had used this weapon in the manga and anime, though it nearly drained their chakra reserves. This was particularly significant given that Darui, who possessed a formidable chakra capacity, could barely manage to use the fan a few times without collapsing from exhaustion.
The canonical explanation is that using the Sage's treasures requires an immense amount of chakra, which is why ordinary mortals struggle to wield them. Only those with a powerful chakra, such as the brothers Kinkaku and Ginkaku —believed to be descendants of Asura— can utilize these treasures with ease. Despite the intense demands of using the Bashōsen, the brothers showed no signs of weakening even after multiple uses. This left Masaki wondering if there might be more to the fan than just its chakra demands.
Fumori Masaki remembered a concept from another world—an idea that certain legendary weapons might recognize and favor the bloodlines of their true masters. Could the Bashōsen, as an inheritance of the Sage of Six Paths, respond similarly to his descendants? Perhaps the treasure consumed less chakra when used by those with the Sage's bloodline. If this theory held, it would explain why Kinkaku and Ginkaku could wield it with such ease, while others struggled.
With this in mind, after successfully retrieving the Bashōsen, Fumori Masaki immediately turned to Rimi. She, too, was a descendant of Asura, albeit with a chakra reserve not as vast as the Golden and Silver Brothers'. Regardless of whether his theory was correct, Masaki knew Rimi had a better chance of wielding the fan than most.
After grasping the Bashōsen alongside Rimi, they exchanged a look of understanding. Rimi nodded and began to channel her chakra into the fan, while Masaki added his Senjutsu chakra to the mix. As they activated the treasure, Masaki could feel his chakra being drained at an alarming rate, as if the fan would keep absorbing until he was completely depleted. However, the sensation passed quickly, and the chakra flow stabilized. With a swift motion, Rimi swung the fan, unleashing a powerful gust of wind.
"What the—!" Kinkaku's eyes widened in shock as the gale-force wind surged towards him. He hastily formed a lightning seal, but his thunder technique was shattered upon contact with the wind. The remnants of the attack slashed at his body, leaving him covered in cuts and wounds—wounds he largely ignored, trusting in the regenerative power of the Nine-Tails' chakra. What truly unsettled him was the sight of Rimi successfully wielding the Bashōsen.
"This... this can't be!" Ginkaku gasped in disbelief.
"No ordinary mortal can wield a treasure of the Sage. Even if they could, it would come at a terrible cost," Kinkaku muttered, his eyes narrowing as he studied Rimi. "Could this woman be a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths, just like us?"
Seeing that the fan had successfully unleashed its Wind Release, Masaki turned to Rimi and asked, "Rimi, are you okay? Did the chakra drain too much?"
Rimi shook her head. "No, it wasn't nearly as taxing as I expected. You mentioned this might be a treasure of the Sage of Six Paths, so I was prepared for it to be more demanding. But it wasn't."
Masaki nodded thoughtfully. It seemed his theory was correct—the treasure was indeed more manageable in the hands of the Sage's descendants. For them, what was a weapon of unimaginable burden for others was almost as simple to use as any ordinary tool.
"Let's try a lightning release next," Masaki suggested, shifting his focus back to the battle.
"Understood," Rimi replied, tightening her grip on the Bashōsen.
While Kinkaku and Ginkaku were still trying to process the revelation of Rimi's heritage, the rest of the Konoha team made their move. Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Rimi unleashed their combined elemental jutsu—fire, wind, and lightning—creating a massive, swirling power surge, surrounded by crackling arcs of electricity.
Kinkaku sensed the tremendous power in the combined jutsu and braced himself, channeling all of his chakra to create a bright red lightning spear. He launched it toward the pillar, but the impact was overwhelming. The force of the explosion sent both Kinkaku and Ginkaku flying backward, crashing through countless trees, which either shattered upon impact or were uprooted by the ensuing shockwave.
When the smoke and dust settled, Kinkaku, now stripped of the Nine-Tails' chakra, staggered to his feet, coughing heavily. He quickly scanned the area, but there was no sign of the Konoha ninjas. The scorched and cracked earth, along with the fallen trees, were the only reminders of the battle that had just taken place. Kinkaku's instincts told him that the Konoha ninjas had not hidden for a surprise attack—they had retreated.
Kinkaku was furious. Not only had he failed to kill a single enemy, but he had also lost one of the treasured weapons, an outcome that was humiliating for someone so proud of his heritage.
He then heard Ginkaku coughing nearby. Kinkaku turned and saw his brother struggling to stand, his anger boiling over. Without a word, Kinkaku stomped over and punched Ginkaku in the face, sending him crashing to the ground.
"N-Nii-sama!" Ginkaku stammered in shock, holding his bruised face.
"You idiot!" Kinkaku snarled. "How could you let them take the Bashōsen? Are you even my brother?"
Ginkaku, too afraid to respond, mumbled an apology, "I'm sorry, Nii-sama..."
"Sorry? What good is that?!" Kinkaku punched him again, harder this time, swelling Ginkaku's cheek. "How could I have such a useless brother?"
Ginkaku, usually so arrogant and domineering, could only nod meekly under his brother's fury. Though he bullied others, he was utterly submissive to Kinkaku, accepting his punishment as if it were deserved. Kinkaku, for his part, believed he was doing this for Ginkaku's own good—only pain would make him remember this lesson.
"Kinkaku-sama! Ginkaku-sama!" The voices of other Kumo ninjas called out. Kinkaku turned to see a squad running towards them. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. What took you so long?" Kinkaku growled, still seething.
The squad leader quickly explained that the Second Hokage had led the Konoha forces in a retreat. The Second Raikage, who had wanted to assist the Golden and Silver Brothers, chose not to pursue the fleeing Konoha ninjas. Instead, he helped the ambushed Kumo ninjas and took care of the injured. Once the barrier and rock walls were no longer needed, the Raikage, worried about the Golden and Silver Brothers, had sent the squad to check on them.
"Raikage-sama will be pleased to hear you're safe," the squad leader said with a smile.
"Pleased? Yeah, I'm sure he's laughing at us right now," Kinkaku sneered, convinced that the Raikage was secretly mocking them. With no interest in further conversation, he turned and walked away, Ginkaku trailing behind him.
A massive rock wall loomed before them as Golden Horn and Silver Horn emerged from the passage created by the Kumo Ninja team. The battlefield outside was just as grim, with the ground scarred by powerful ninjutsu. Some Kumo ninjas were tending to the fallen, while others stood vigil.
As Golden Horn and Silver Horn approached, the Kumo Ninja saluted hastily, one of them speaking up, "Raikage-sama wishes to see you both."
Golden Horn scoffed. He could already guess what the Second Raikage would say—likely holding him accountable for his unauthorized actions. If they had managed to capture Fumori Masaki and his team, the Raikage wouldn't have had much to criticize. But now—
Golden Horn shot a sidelong glance at Ginkaku. If not for his younger brother, Ginkaku would have been dealt with harshly already. The loss of the Bashōsen fan was not something Golden Horn could easily forgive.
With a heavy heart, the brothers made their way to meet the Second Raikage. At that moment, the Raikage was surveying the aftermath of the battle. The ambush set by the Konoha Ninja had left their forces battered, forcing the Raikage to intervene and halt the losses by ordering a retreat.
Despite the skirmish, the death toll wasn't overwhelming. However, the loss of the Kumo ninjas who had followed Golden Horn and Silver Horn was devastating. They were the most loyal supporters of the brothers, and their demise struck a severe blow to their faction. The Bashōsen fan, one of the treasured Six Paths artifacts, was also missing. The Raikage had heard of the mythical treasures but had never seen them until the Bashōsen fan appeared on the battlefield, showcasing its ability to wield all five chakra natures. Now, it was gone.
The Second Raikage noticed the absence of the Bashōsen fan immediately. He knew how zealously Ginkaku had guarded it, often flaunting it like a badge of honor. His voice was stern as he asked, "Ginkaku, where is the treasure of the Six Paths?"
Ginkaku's face darkened. Being robbed of such a treasure was humiliating enough in front of his brother, but now the Second Raikage, whom both brothers resented, was rubbing salt into the wound. Still, he couldn't deny the truth.
"It was taken by the Konoha Ninja..." Ginkaku admitted, each word a struggle.
"What!" The Second Raikage was stunned. The Kumo ninjas around them shared his disbelief. The idea that the Golden and Silver Horns could be stripped of the Sage's treasures was almost inconceivable.
Though shocked, the Raikage had no choice but to accept the reality. The mythic aura surrounding the Golden and Silver Horns had begun to fade, especially after this debacle. The heavy losses suffered by their faction, combined with the loss of the Bashōsen fan, diminished their influence. The other Kumo ninjas no longer revered them as they once did.
This could make it easier for the Raikage to implement his peace policies, but the loss of the Six Paths treasures was a severe blow. The Raikage's goal was to preserve Kumo's strength and negotiate an end to the war with minimal losses, but he had never anticipated that Golden Horn and Silver Horn would lose such invaluable assets. This was a needless sacrifice.
"Golden Horn, Silver Horn, your reckless actions not only led your comrades into a trap but also cost us one of the treasures of the Six Paths. This matter won't be overlooked," the Raikage declared sternly. "When we return to the camp, I will call a council of shinobi to decide your fate. You won't object to that, will you?"
"Hmph, no," Golden Horn responded coldly. He had no intention of arguing further, but he wasn't about to defer to the Raikage either. Without another word, he turned and left.
The Second Raikage sighed, hoping this would be the last of such incidents. Kumo had gained nothing from the recent battles, and with even the Sage's treasures lost, the war needed to end before the village suffered even more.
Meanwhile, Fumori Masaki and his team, who had managed to outmaneuver the Golden and Silver Horns, were making their way back to the Konoha camp. Once they confirmed that the Kumo ninjas were no longer pursuing them, they allowed themselves to relax a little and talk more freely.
"This time, we achieved our objective and managed to secure a powerful asset," Sarutobi Hiruzen remarked, glancing at the Bashōsen fan that Rimi now held. "That treasure caused us plenty of trouble on the battlefield. It's a relief to have it now."
"It's incredibly powerful," Rimi agreed.
"Masaki, this fan might truly be a treasure of the Sage of Six Paths," Hiruzen continued. "I overheard Golden Horn saying that only those with the blood of the Sage can wield it."
Though Golden Horn had only whispered it, Hiruzen, who was closest, had caught the words clearly. The news was so startling that he couldn't help but share it with the others now.
"The descendants of the Sage of Six Paths?" Rimi was taken aback. "But I've never heard of my ancestors being connected to the Sage."
After thousands of years, the lineage of Asura, the Sage's son, had become the foundation of the Senju clan, though the connection had long been forgotten. Neither the Senju nor the Uchiha were aware of their true ancestry until Madara Uchiha discovered it through an ancient stone tablet.
"Could it really be that we're descended from the Sage of Six Paths?" Rimi wondered aloud. "I always thought our clan was descended from a powerful follower of Ninshū, but the Sage himself..."
"It seems likely," Fumori Masaki said. "When I tried to use the fan, I felt my chakra being drained rapidly, but you seemed to wield it with ease. That has to mean something—it's probably the Sage's bloodline at work."
"It's hard to believe," Rimi admitted, still trying to process the information.
"This isn't something we can figure out here," Danzo suggested. "We should inform sensei when we return. As the current head of the Senju clan, he might know more."
Everyone agreed, eager to uncover the truth. They hurried back to the Konoha camp, where the troops were regrouping. When they arrived, the camp was abuzz with activity. As soon as the news of their return spread, the commander set aside his duties to greet them.
Seeing the team safe and sound, the commander's stern expression softened. "It's good to see you all back in one piece," he said warmly. "You've done Konoha proud."