Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 332: The Dawn of Infinite Tsukuyomi

BOOM!

As Hagoromo Gengetsu closed in on the Divine Tree, Might Guy, who was rushing towards the same target, suddenly made a sharp turn. With a violent explosion, he appeared at Gengetsu's side in an instant.

The next moment, under the cover of the red steam, the enormous dragon head fiercely lunged at him, roaring.

"So fast!"

Facing the strongest Taijutsu technique of the Eight Gates, Night Guy's kick, Hagoromo Gengetsu intended to counter, but found the space around him twisting, making it impossible to move.

Seeing Might Guy's incredibly powerful kick distorting space even before reaching him, Gengetsu realized he could do nothing more.

At that moment, he completely understood what Uchiha Madara must have felt in the original story under similar circumstances.

"Such Taijutsu, truly unparalleled in history!"

As Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at Might Guy—whose body was now enveloped in a red aura, veins bulging, and cracks of searing heat covering his entire body—he couldn't help but marvel.

In the next moment, Might Guy's foot connected with Gengetsu's chest, sending him flying. With a deafening crash, Gengetsu's body, trailing behind the colossal red dragon, gouged out a deep trench across the ground before slamming into the Divine Tree.

The tree shook violently.

Soon after, where Gengetsu had been struck down, a massive mushroom cloud erupted, accompanied by a powerful shockwave that rippled out in all directions.

Not long after, a gust of wind blew away the lingering smoke, revealing a deep, straight trench leading directly to the Divine Tree.

At the center of the trench lay a charred body, as if burned by a great fire. Might Guy, his body riddled with scorching cracks and still emitting steam, lay completely still, barely clinging to life. He was like a candle in the wind, on the verge of being snuffed out.

At the end of the trench, Hagoromo Gengetsu, who had taken the full brunt of Night Guy's attack, slowly stood up with the help of the Divine Tree behind him. A massive hole was visible in his chest.

For a normal person, such an injury would be fatal, even with the ability to heal wounds without hand signs. Death would be inevitable.

However, instead of blood, Gengetsu's chest wound showed signs of rapid regeneration. He stood up, still breathing heavily.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Loud clapping echoed from Gengetsu's hands as he slowly applauded.

"It's been so long since I felt the edge of death."

Gengetsu fondly cracked his neck, glancing from the gaping hole in his chest to the motionless body of Might Guy nearby. With an enthusiastic smile, he said, "You should have aimed for my head."

As he spoke, the gaping wound in his chest rapidly healed. Within a few seconds, his body was as good as new.

The Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki possesses incredible regenerative abilities and lifeforce. Only Senjutsu and Six Paths Techniques can truly harm such a being.

While Taijutsu can damage the Jinchūriki's body, it will quickly regenerate.

Just like Gengetsu now.

This was the reason Hagoromo Gengetsu did not overly concern himself when facing Might Guy's Eight Gates.

Taijutsu is ultimately too straightforward.

Unless Might Guy's power was enough to completely destroy the entire body of the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki in one strike.

But there are limits to human strength.

For Might Guy, to achieve what he did in the original story by shattering half of Madara's body, or as he did now by creating a gaping hole in Gengetsu's chest, was already pushing his limits.

Falling short of a decisive finish may seem admirable, but in reality, that difference can be as vast as heaven and earth.

"It's over."

Hagoromo Gengetsu, his Six Paths robes fluttering in the wind, calmly declared as the seven Truth-Seeking Balls belatedly returned to his side.

Everything was as it had been at the beginning.

Except for the one human who dared challenge a god with nothing but his own strength.

Though he failed, his courage was commendable, and his power was respectable.

Hagoromo Gengetsu acknowledged Might Guy, who was on the brink of death, with a nod, saying, "Your Taijutsu, I recognize it. Of all those I've fought, and of all the shinobi in the past thousand years, none can match you in Taijutsu."

Might Guy did not respond, and it was uncertain if he could even hear the highest praise for his abilities.

As Gengetsu prepared to take further action, his expression suddenly shifted, and he turned to look at the Divine Tree behind him.

The recent attack had not caused any substantial damage to the Divine Tree.

On the contrary, the tree now signaled that five minutes had passed, and it was time to initiate the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

"At long last..."

Hagoromo Gengetsu spoke slowly.

"It has finally arrived!"

In a dark corner nearby, Black Zetsu, who was also aware that the time had come, could barely contain its excitement.

It had planned and waited a thousand years for this moment!

Though the choice of who would cast the technique was unexpected.

However!

As long as Infinite Tsukuyomi is cast, nothing else matters!

Once the technique is unleashed, no one will be able to stop the mother's arrival.

Black Zetsu couldn't help but recall the events that had just transpired.

Who could have predicted that a green-skinned Leaf shinobi, with his odd sense of aesthetics, could unleash the power of the Eight Gates, especially the final Night Guy technique, and temporarily hold his own against the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, even pushing Hagoromo Gengetsu to his limits.

It defied logic!

But in the end, Gengetsu proved his worth by subduing Might Guy, who had far exceeded Zetsu's expectations.

"Great! Now hurry and release the Infinite Tsukuyomi!"

Black Zetsu mentally cheered on Gengetsu.

But soon, it sensed something else and frowned, looking in another direction.

"Why does someone always have to interfere at the critical moment?"

"Bushy Brows-sensei!!!"

Naruto, who had been delayed by Sasuke's words, arrived at the Divine Tree as fast as he could, just as the dust was settling.

Without hesitation, Naruto rushed to Might Guy's side, using Yin-Yang Release to extend his life.

After completing this, Naruto looked at Gengetsu with a serious expression and declared loudly, "Hagoromo Gengetsu, I won't let your plan succeed!"

Gengetsu ignored Naruto and continued to ascend into the sky.

If Black Zetsu could sense Naruto, so could he.

The time had come, and Gengetsu had no interest in chatting with a revived Naruto.

Now, he had only one goal.

To release Infinite Tsukuyomi!

Naruto, of course, would not stand idly by.

As he prepared to act, Gengetsu glanced back at him.

"Shinra Tensei!"

A Six Paths-level repulsive force swept Naruto away in an instant, along with his Truth-Seeking Balls.

Gengetsu then turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Undisturbed, he continued to rise.

In a flash, he reached the top of the Divine Tree.

The flower bud on the tree had fully bloomed, and the Rinnegan-Sharingan was ready.

Everything was in place.

"Then... let it begin."

Suspended in the air, Hagoromo Gengetsu looked up at the blood-red moon that filled his entire vision. Without hesitation, he formed a hand seal and said:

"Infinite Tsukuyomi!"