Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 244: Do You Want Konoha to Be Destroyed?

Konohagakure.

Recently, the frequent movement of ninjas has left the village quieter than usual.

Experienced elders, worried, have started stockpiling food supplies.

The current scene is very similar to what they remember before the Great Ninja War.

"Is there going to be another war?"

Voices filled with fatigue and confusion occasionally echo through the streets and alleys.

Now, the people of Konoha are changing, emotions are changing, and the atmosphere is changing.

But one thing remains the same.

Konoha's two gatekeepers still stand firm at their posts.

The last time someone from the Uchiha clan invaded, they weren't punished.

After all, even if other Konoha ninjas had been at their posts, the outcome wouldn't have been better.

Moreover, with Konoha currently short-handed, they can't afford the luxury of having a Jonin guard the gate.

So, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki continue to occupy their positions.

Due to the high frequency of Konoha ninja entering and exiting, their workload has increased significantly.

As Izumo was about to stretch and get a new registration book after filling up a thick one, a hand suddenly grasped the top of his head.

"Enemy."

Izumo's expression changed, instinctively wanting to fight back, but he found himself unable to move.

As he was about to lose consciousness, he glanced at Kotetsu beside him, who was similarly being held by a hand wearing a ring.

Izumo's last sight was of that ring.

Who was it?

With deep confusion, he passed out.

"Has Naruto Uzumaki not left the village recently?"

Hagoromo Gengetsu's voice sounded from behind the two.

At this moment, he was holding their heads, using the Human Path's Mind Reading Technique to fully extract the memories of the two gatekeepers.

Soon, after learning that there had been no news of Naruto's movements for a long time from their memories, he released his grip.

Letting the two slump onto the table, Hagoromo Gengetsu looked toward the village.

Having noticed Naruto's absence in several missions of Team 7 and the Konoha 12, it seemed Konoha was consciously protecting him.

But where could they hide him?

Hagoromo Gengetsu's form flickered, moving through Konoha so quickly that he was almost undetectable.

Encountering Iruka along the way, he appeared behind him and, before Iruka could notice, grabbed his head to read his memories.

"Still haven't seen Naruto for a long time."

Thud.

Iruka fell unconscious.

Hagoromo Gengetsu appeared again, now in Ichiraku Ramen.

"Welcome—huh? Where'd he go?"

Teuchi was just about to greet him warmly but found the person gone.

Before he could rub his eyes, he too lost consciousness.

Hagoromo Gengetsu swiftly removed his hand from Teuchi's head.

"The same, Naruto hasn't visited Ichiraku Ramen for a long time. This is very unusual for him."

"There is only one explanation."

After a gust of wind, Hagoromo Gengetsu stood on the cliff of Hokage Rock, overlooking the densely packed buildings of Konoha. With a sweep of his Rinnegan, he confirmed his analysis:

"Naruto Uzumaki is not in Konoha."

"As for where he went..."

Though Konoha and the Cloud ninjas had joined forces, they hadn't yet reached the point of sending the Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails to Turtle Island to avoid capture.

Especially since the location of the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer Bee, was already known.

As for Naruto going on a secret mission alone, rather than with his companions, it's unlikely that the Hokage or his team leader would agree, given Naruto's character.

So, it's almost certain that he's training at Mount Myōboku.

"He's been there longer than expected, but there's no trace of the Nine-Tails' chakra in the Konoha area. That can only mean one thing, right, Kakashi Hatake?"

Hagoromo Gengetsu asked without looking back.

Behind him, hidden behind a large rock several dozen meters away, Kakashi was about to retreat quietly to alert the village. Upon hearing this, he shivered and instinctively reached for a flare to signal an alarm.

Snap.

A hand gripped his wrist.

Hagoromo Gengetsu appeared in front of Kakashi, glanced at the flare in his hand, and said calmly:

"Do you want Konoha to be destroyed?"

In another timeline, when Pain invaded Konoha, he initially only sought Naruto, not intending to level the entire village.

However, Tsunade's sharp words provoked Pain into using his full power, even at the cost of chakra and lifespan, to unleash a massive Shinra Tensei, causing the village to experience true pain.

Without this attack, even if Naruto had returned, he would have struggled against Pain in his full strength.

In a sense, Konoha paid a heavy price for Naruto to become a hero.

Hagoromo Gengetsu, while more lenient than Pain, would not tolerate any hindrance to his mission to capture the tailed beasts.

Especially since using a large-scale Shinra Tensei wouldn't have the same consequences for him.

The difference between human nature and beast nature is that the former is bound by rules, while the latter breaks free from all constraints.

Having undergone rigorous education, Hagoromo Gengetsu had always suppressed the beastly desires within his immense power, acting with humanity.

But now, on the brink of achieving his lifelong goal, he couldn't guarantee his restraint if someone tried to stop him.

Some things, one must obtain no matter the cost.

So, some actions are best not taken.

Kakashi understood Hagoromo Gengetsu's warning and the truth in his words.

Crunch.

He crushed the flare in his hand, swiftly drew a kunai with his other free hand, and attacked Hagoromo Gengetsu.

Hagoromo Gengetsu flicked his fingers, easily deflecting the incoming kunai.

Kakashi used the opportunity to counter, then stepped forward, unleashing a flurry of punches, elbows, knees, and kicks.

Thud, thud, thud.

Amid the flurry of blows, Kakashi struggled to keep pace, barely managing to block and quickly retreating.

Once he steadied himself, he looked at Hagoromo Gengetsu, whose clothes were unruffled, particularly noting his purple, swirling eyes.

"Those eyes... their perception surpasses even the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

Seeing Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan activated, his heart sank.