Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 312: Greetings, Old Friends

The setting sun bathed the sky in blood-red hues. As the sky darkened, a blood-colored full moon slowly emerged from behind the clouds.

Under this ominous, crimson light, the bloodier and more desperate battles continued to rage across the land.

Hagoromo Gengetsu, having torn through the second interception force of the Allied Shinobi Forces and thoroughly dismantled their formation, was now wreaking havoc on their reserve support units.

"Why can't we kill him?"

"He's just one person! He's not the Sage of Six Paths!"

"I refuse to believe it! Die already!!"

The Allied Shinobi soldiers on the front lines, much like their comrades before them, stared in disbelief and despair as they watched the man before them effortlessly fling one ninja after another aside.

Disconnected from the main base of operations, they had no idea what had transpired earlier. However, seeing Hagoromo Gengetsu suddenly appear before them, swiftly taking their lives, it didn't take long for them to realize the grim reality. The first and second interception forces stationed ahead of them had likely been annihilated.

With their current situation—unable to stop Hagoromo Gengetsu while struggling to contact headquarters—morale among the shinobi plummeted further.

With a clang, a Konoha shinobi dropped his kunai. Seeing the sharp blade approaching, he was about to close his eyes and accept his fate when a familiar voice shouted beside him:

"Enough already!"

A powerful gust of wind followed the voice.

With a loud crack, the incoming blade shattered into pieces.

The remaining force surged forward.

In the next moment, a long dragging sound was heard, accompanied by cheers from the nearby shinobi.

As the dust settled, Hagoromo Gengetsu, who had been forced back by the attack, planted his right foot firmly on the ground, quickly coming to a stop.

He straightened up, calmly dusted off his clothes, and then looked up, first at the one who had just punched him.

"Tsunade."

The golden-haired, brown-eyed Tsunade, with her imposing figure, had arrived.

Hagoromo Gengetsu's gaze swept over her calmly, then scanned the surroundings.

A heavy rumble of thunder echoed as the First Raikage A and the Fourth Raikage A followed suit, making their entrance.

A powerful gust of wind howled as the First Kazekage Reto and the Second Kazekage Shamon arrived.

The sky resounded with a sonic boom as the First Tsuchikage Ishikawa, the Second Tsuchikage Mu, and the Third Tsuchikage Onoki raced to the scene.

Waves crashed as the First Mizukage Byakuren, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki, and the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi arrived, riding the water.

Two slight distortions in space followed.

Tobirama Senju and Minato Namikaze, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, arrived just in time.

Finally, heavy footsteps echoed from behind the gathered Kages.

Dressed in red armor from the Warring States period, Hashirama Senju walked forward with a serious expression.

The previously chaotic battlefield fell into a deep silence.

Seeing the reinforcements, particularly the presence of the Kages from the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the shinobi present breathed a collective sigh of relief. They quickly retreated, leaving the battlefield center to the true powerhouses.

Standing at the center, Hagoromo Gengetsu surveyed the newcomers, not rushing to attack but instead smiling softly.

"We've been fighting for so long, only to end up facing the same old friends in the end."

Aside from a few exceptions, almost everyone standing before him had been participants or onlookers during the Battle of the Valley of the Gods. Old friends were reunited, but things had changed; they were now separated by life and death.

Looking at the cracked, lifeless appearances of his old friends and feeling the vitality of his own young body, Hagoromo Gengetsu's lips curled into a slight smile as he sighed.

"Everyone, it's been a while."

Upon hearing this, aside from the Hokage lineage, the other First and Second Kages instinctively glanced at Hagoromo Gengetsu's overly youthful face.

Although they had already been briefed on Hagoromo Gengetsu's current state and had mentally prepared themselves, seeing him in person was still a shock. His youthful appearance was almost painful to look at.

Everyone else had died, yet he alone had returned to life, and even more disturbingly, he was so young again.

It was annoying to even think about.

And now, he was saying, "It's been a while."

No matter how one listened, it sounded like he was boasting.

After a brief silence, the First Mizukage Byakuren, who had died at Hagoromo Gengetsu's hands long ago, was the first to speak, his voice cold:

"Long time no see, Hagoromo Gengetsu!"

"Byakuren, it's been a while."

Hagoromo Gengetsu shifted his gaze to the one-eyed, long-bearded First Mizukage and smiled.

"I regretted killing you first in that battle back then, not allowing you to witness what came afterward. Although I eventually lost, the entire process was quite spectacular. If you don't believe me, ask your old friends—they'll tell you it exceeded all expectations."

Byakuren's expression darkened.

Despite Hagoromo Gengetsu's claims of regret and eventual defeat, he could hear the mockery in the man's words, teasing him for being the only Kage to die during the fight.

Before Byakuren could respond, Mei Terumi, the Fifth Mizukage, coldly interjected:

"Hagoromo Gengetsu, I hope you'll still be in the mood to make such remarks in the coming moments."

Without even glancing at her, Hagoromo Gengetsu replied indifferently:

"When adults are talking, children should stay quiet."

Children?

I'm an older, unmarried woman!!

Mei Terumi's face turned red with anger. How had she not known Hagoromo Gengetsu's words could be so cutting?

She was about to retort, but Hagoromo Gengetsu had already turned his attention elsewhere, addressing the First Raikage A in a familiar tone:

"A, and I mean the First A. We meet again. I wanted to see your severed arm, but I see that the Reanimation Jutsu restored it. Though, seeing the Fourth A's arm will do. After all, both of you lost your arms at my hands."

"Bastard!!"

Both the First and Fourth Raikage A's were so enraged that lightning crackled around their bodies.

Hagoromo Gengetsu nodded in approval of their reaction, then continued to greet the remaining old friends.

"Reto, it seems like your successors were cursed. They kept dying one after another—though I did help a bit."

"Ishikawa, your village has been struggling to find successors, and Onoki is still serving as the Tsuchikage."

"As for Hashirama, we've seen each other enough times that there's nothing more to say."

Hagoromo Gengetsu finally glanced around at the First Kages.

For the first time, he had spoken so much, likely because he was truly reuniting with old friends.

As the last surviving member and the host in this current world, it was only proper for him to greet them, inform them of their descendants' current situations, and, of course, mention that he was doing quite well.

After his resurrection, Hagoromo Gengetsu had intended to visit the graves of his five old friends, lay flowers, sweep the tombs, maybe even dance a little.

But he had never found the time.

Luckily, he had now encountered them in person, and of course, he wanted to complete this long-held wish.

It was a dream come true.