Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 49: It's Not Me Who Should Tremble, But the Whole World!

Boom.

The ground shook as the colossal Eight-Tails launched another attack. 

Having just absorbed a large amount of chakra, Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't seem concerned about the Eight-Tails approaching him. 

While ordinary ninjas might fear the massive tailed beasts that can barely feel their attacks, someone of Gengetsu's level had plenty of ways to deal with such beings. However, rather than the tough-skinned tailed beast, he prioritized the Fourth Raikage, A. 

After all, he had promised to make a grand entrance, celebrated with flowers and applause. Now that the blood of the Cloud ninjas had turned into the brightest flowers, only the Fourth Raikage remained.

Moreover, it was time to finish things quickly. 

Feeling the pain throughout his body, with blood soaking through his black cloak, Gengetsu decided to wrap up. 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground was left cratered. With the help of the Eight-Tails, the Raikage, knowing Gengetsu wasn't in top form but still playing around, continued to engage in close combat. 

Finally, as the Eight-Tails' tentacle struck again, and with Gengetsu intentionally assisting, the dust kicked up was particularly thick. Yet, as always, the Raikage rushed forward. 

Through the thick dust, even with limited visibility, the Raikage's punch was aimed precisely at Gengetsu's head. 

As before, Gengetsu caught the Raikage's punch with one hand while thrusting the other forward. 

The Raikage tried to block him, but suddenly, a black rod extended from Gengetsu's palm, piercing through the Raikage's hand and chest before he could react.

The Raikage spat out blood, unable to believe what he was seeing:

"What is this thing?"

His reaction stemmed not only from the unexpected appearance of the black rod but also from feeling the chakra in the pierced areas becoming disturbed and temporarily unusable.

This worsened his already precarious situation.

Without explaining, Gengetsu released the rod, allowing it to remain lodged in the Raikage's hand and chest, before producing another from his palm and thrusting it at his chest. 

These black rods were a basic product of Yin-Yang Release. Unlike Pain, who could mass-produce them with the Rinnegan's help, Gengetsu, having experienced a near-death experience, found his understanding of Yin-Yang Release had deepened. Though not capable of creating life or objects from nothing, he could now craft these black rods. 

Using them for the first time, he caught the Raikage off guard, causing severe injury.

Everything happened so quickly. 

In the dust raised by the earlier impact, Killer B hadn't yet noticed his brother's plight. 

Seeing another black rod flying at him, the Raikage, with his chakra disrupted and both hands pierced, managed to place one hand in the rod's path. 

Riiip.

Blood spattered. 

In the next moment, the Raikage's other hand was also pierced by the black rod. 

With both hands incapacitated, he was no longer able to fight.

Gengetsu raised his other hand, emitting a blinding light as the sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the air.

"Brother!"

Noticing something was wrong, Killer Bee lashed out with an octopus tentacle. 

The Raikage, without a word, began to retreat. 

But Gengetsu was faster.

With a flash of lightning, he sliced through the incoming tentacle and continued his assault. 

The Raikage remained calm, making a quick decision.

It was as if time reversed.

In Gengetsu's eyes, the Raikage's arm was cut off at the elbow.

Looking ahead, he saw an octopus tentacle taking the severed arm and the Raikage away. 

"Chidori Senbon."

With a wave of his hand, Gengetsu unleashed a barrage of lightning chakra senbon, swiftly striking the retreating Raikage. 

In an instant, the Raikage was covered in blood.

Gengetsu was about to press the attack.

At this moment, the Eight-Tails, having recognized the dire situation, began rapidly forming miniature Tailed Beast Balls in its mouth.

A barrage of miniature Tailed Beast Balls shot toward Gengetsu.

Unlike before, these balls exploded prematurely, keeping Gengetsu at bay.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The powerful explosions forced Gengetsu to halt his advance.

When the dust settled, he looked up again.

Realizing the situation, Killer Bee, now back in human form, was carrying his severely wounded brother away. 

Cough, cough!

Suddenly, Gengetsu began to cough heavily.

He covered his mouth, and when he looked at his hand, it was covered in blood.

"Is this my limit?"

The battle at the Valley of the Fallen God had left him gravely injured under Hashirama's massive attack, making recovery without the ability to heal without seals difficult in a short time.

Having just gone through another high-intensity battle, he was reaching his limit. 

Gengetsu straightened up, wiped the blood on his hand on his cloak.

They were lucky.

Watching the two black dots fade into the distance, he shook his head and chose not to pursue.

No matter what, he had delivered on his promise.

Looking at the Cloud ninjas who had turned into flower petals and the Raikage's severed arm, the flowers and applause were complete, and the grand opening ceremony was finished. 

Now, it was time to see how the ninja world reacted.

At the end of the Warring States period and the beginning of the ninja villages, alongside Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, the leader of the Hagoromo clan, a man comparable to the gods, and the one who caused the death and injury of the Five Kage at the Valley of the Fallen God...

The man only mentioned in history and texts had returned from the underworld, once again stepping onto the grand stage of the current ninja world.

Upon hearing this, the Five Great Nations and other forces would surely be "slightly" shocked.

Gengetsu looked forward to it.

As for secretly reviving and avoiding attention...

That had never crossed his mind.

Perhaps it would align more with a tyrant's approach, like Madara Uchiha, who survived for decades after the Battle in the Valley of the End, eventually gaining the Rinnegan and setting up a series of schemes.

But that wasn't his style.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have slaughtered so many just to clear his mind, causing the real rulers of this world—the daimyo and nobles—to hate him so much that they pushed the Five Great Nations to act against him.

It's safe to say these people played a significant role behind the scenes in the battle at the Valley of the Fallen God.

People remain young at heart even until death.

Despite the hardships, Gengetsu didn't want to change his mindset.

After all, it's the world that's wrong, not him.

Besides...

Now, it's not me who should tremble.

It's the entire ninja world!!!