Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 45: Grand Entrance

In the thousand-year history of the Shinobi world, even the mighty Senju Hashirama and those with noble bloodlines like Indra and Ashura could not escape literal death. Before today, who had ever risen from the dead and lived again? No one!

Today, Hagoromo Gengetsu created an unprecedented feat. 

Although it might not match the flawless resurrection of Uchiha Madara through the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu, the significance and difficulty of Hagoromo Gengetsu's resurrection, without the use of the Rinnegan, far surpassed that of the overpowered Uchiha Madara.

“Hashirama, Byakuren, Reto, A, Ishikawa, and the wicked Tobirama. All of you, just watch me live again in the Afterworld with awe!”

“The Shinobi world, here I come!”

Hagoromo Gengetsu's eyes shone brightly. Then, he suddenly turned his head and looked towards some increasingly closer black dots on the horizon, with a smile on his lips:

“Celebrating alone is not much fun. Perfect timing! The witnesses have arrived as expected.”

The news of Samui's team being attacked, with only her returning gravely injured, quickly reached the ears of the Fourth Raikage, A. Upon learning that the attacker was Hagoromo Gengetsu and that the incident occurred in the Valley of the Fallen God, the Fourth Raikage A, without doubting the authenticity of Samui's information, put down his barbell, donned his Raikage cloak, and commanded his secretary Mabui in a firm voice:

“Mabui, prepare the Heavenly Transfer Jutsu!”

“Yes,” Mabui sighed slightly, knowing it was unnecessary but also that she couldn’t go against the Raikage's will. After all, this Raikage would personally lead raids into other countries' ninja villages to obtain coveted secret techniques, heedless of his title's reputation, quite different from the politically astute and more politician-like Third Hokage.

Soon, Mabui prepared the ritual for the Heavenly Transfer Jutsu. As a space-time ninjutsu typically used to transport objects rather than people, the Fourth Raikage A was among the few humans who could withstand its side effects.

With a flash of white light, the Fourth Raikage A vanished from the Raikage's office and reappeared in a secret Cloud Ninja base near the border of the Land of Fire.

“Oh~ yeah~ Big Brother, why are you here?” noticed Killer B, who was enthusiastically working on a new rap song. Under normal circumstances, the Fourth Raikage A might have lectured Killer B to focus on training rather than indulging in his obsession with rap. But now, with a more important goal, he said gravely, "This time, I will personally lead the mission."

Cloud Ninjas, unified and efficient compared to other villages, promptly responded to the news of Hagoromo Gengetsu's appearance. Besides dispatching teams to gather information, they also had an elite squad led by the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, ready to strike with lightning speed upon locating the target.

But the Fourth Raikage decided to join this time.

"Set off! To the Valley of Fallen God!" the Fourth Raikage A ordered.

“Yes!”

All the elite Cloud Ninjas, including Killer B, complied without question, accustomed to missions led personally by the Raikage.

As previously mentioned, the Valley of the Fallen God, located in the Land of Fire, was near the border with the Land of Water, which in turn was close to the Land of Lightning. The Cloud Ninja unit, already waiting nearby, set off with the Raikage and would soon reach the Valley of the Fallen God.

They were fast, but Hagoromo Gengetsu was faster. Having everything ready, he needed a warm-up to reacquaint himself with his body and announce his return to the Shinobi world. Just as he had set the stage, the curtain rose on cue.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

The urgent sound of thunderous footsteps echoed through the Valley ofthe Fallen God.

Standing in the sunlight, Hagoromo Gengetsu lifted his eyelids and surveyed the area: “Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, and the Fourth Raikage A. The A-B combo is here in person, truly worthy of Cloud Ninja.”

Hagoromo Gengetsu didn’t expect such a grand lineup from the Cloud Ninjas. After all, in others' eyes, he was merely an Reanimation, far from his former strength.

But the Cloud Ninjas took this seriously, bringing their top forces right from the start.

"Very well. Let me see if the Fourth Raikage is tougher than the First Raikage."

The mountain wind howled, making the black cloak on Hagoromo Gengetsu's body billow.

At the same time.

*Boom!*

Strong and powerful legs stomped on the ground. Wearing a white cloak, with a wide belt and heavy gauntlets, the Fourth Raikage led the Cloud Ninja squad to confront Hagoromo Gengetsu.

In the next moment, the Fourth Raikage A, with his cloak fluttering, glared at the person seemingly waiting for them and said coldly: “You killed my people and are now waiting here for us. Hagoromo Gengetsu, a man long dead, do you still think you're the one who once stood shoulder to shoulder with the gods?”

“Shoulder to shoulder with gods? No! My dream has always been to surpass the gods!”

Hagoromo Gengetsu, full of emotion, slowly lowered his black hood, revealing a face well-recorded in the archives of the major ninja villages, familiar to the Five Kage.

“Surpass the gods? Such big talk! Just with—”

Wait!

The Fourth Raikage A's eyes scanned Hagoromo Gengetsu's face, about to continue speaking, but he noticed something off. Pausing, he stared again at Hagoromo Gengetsu.

A few seconds later.

He finally noticed the oddity.

Staring intently at Hagoromo Gengetsu's face without any cracks, looking like a living person, the Fourth Raikage A was filled with surprise:

“Isn’t the Reanimation supposed to look different from a normal person? Could it be…”

The Fourth Raikage suddenly thought of an unbelievable answer.

No, it’s impossible!

Maybe it's just a very high-level transformation jutsu?

The Fourth Raikage A quickly instructed the sensory ninja beside him. The sensory ninja didn’t slack off, rapidly forming hand signs.

Soon, he shook his head at the Fourth Raikage, indicating no signs of transformation jutsu.

The Fourth Raikage A’s face turned somber.

The slower Killer B, not understanding what was happening, noticed the oppressive atmosphere around his brother.

He was about to ask when the Eight-Tails, inside him, suddenly spoke in an unprecedentedly serious tone:

“B! Be very cautious of that man!!”

“He’s extremely! Extremely! Extremely dangerous!”