Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 46: Flowers and Applause

As the Eight-Tails, the perceptive Hachibi used the word "extremely" three times to warn Killer Bee, indicating the deep-seated fear it felt.

Killer Bee was stunned.

It was the first time he had heard Hachibi speak with such gravity.

Even in the face of his older brother, Hachibi's assessments were only slightly less harsh than those of the Third Raikage, who had once severed one of Hachibi's horns.

Despite this, Hachibi had never been as apprehensive as it was now.

Yes.

Incredibly apprehensive.

As close partners, Killer Bee could sense that although Hagoromo Gengetsu stood there motionless, Hachibi's inner turmoil was palpable.

Killer Bee couldn't understand why Hagoromo Gengetsu, despite his past fame, was now merely in a Reanimation state. With the strength of him and his brother, there seemed to be no reason for such fear.

Why was Hachibi reacting so strongly?

"Look at his appearance!" Hachibi advised.

Killer Bee glanced over.

Surprisingly young.

And handsome, like himself.

What’s the problem?

Killer Bee was about to ask this aloud.

Suddenly!

An idea struck him.

Killer Bee rubbed his chin.

"I seem to remember that people in the Reanimation state are supposed to have cracks all over."

"Eh? Why does this guy look completely different from what the information described?"

Killer Bee finally realized, clapping his hands and pointing at Hagoromo Gengetsu with surprise.

"You've figured it out."

Hagoromo Gengetsu shifted his gaze from Killer Bee to the Fourth Raikage.

Noticing the somber expression, Hagoromo Gengetsu smiled slightly and said, "Still deluding yourself? Forget about the name 'A'; thinking of old friends, I'll call you Fourth Raikage instead. Deep down, you already know the answer, don't you? Fourth Raikage."

"No! This is impossible!"

The Fourth Raikage clenched his massive fists, his eyes piercing as he scrutinized Hagoromo Gengetsu, missing no detail.

"You've been dead for over fifty years! How could you come back to life? No one can do that!"

If Hagoromo Gengetsu had really revived, it would be a tremendous shock to the ninja world.

The Fourth Raikage hoped such a thing would not happen.

Yet sometimes, things never go as one wishes.

Scanning the ranks of cloud ninjas, who wore the same expression as the Raikage, Hagoromo Gengetsu shook his head and calmly said, "The reason people are called 'mortal' isn't because their limits are fixed, but because they set those limits for themselves."

"Just because others can't do it doesn’t mean I can't."

"After all, I am... Hagoromo Gengetsu!"

With the utterance of "Hagoromo Gengetsu," the Valley of the Fallen God fell into a profound silence.

"Bee! You need to get A to retreat immediately! With just you guys, completing the mission is impossible." Hachibi spoke solemnly to Killer Bee.

Although Hachibi had never personally faced Hagoromo Gengetsu, through this person, it was reminded of someone it had always remembered vividly.

Senju Hashirama.

A beast once seen as a symbol of destruction and calamity was easily handled by this person.

Hachibi, who had experienced this firsthand, was unwilling to face another legendary figure of the same era as Senju Hashirama.

Upon hearing this, Killer Bee rarely became serious.

But instead of persuading his older brother, he simply gripped his sword handle, ready for orders.

As expected.

Although shocked by the news of Hagoromo Gengetsu's resurrection, the Fourth Raikage was not one to be easily frightened into fleeing. Such a reaction was not the style of the Raikage or the Cloud Ninjas.

The white cloak was dramatically thrown into the air.

Revealing the Fourth Raikage’s muscular, dark-skinned body, his face was filled with iron will and battle intent as he shouted at Hagoromo Gengetsu:

"Whether your revival is real or fake, I’ll send you back to where you belong right now!"

"Is that so?"

Hearing this, Hagoromo Gengetsu tilted his head and casually replied with three words:

"Do you even qualify?"

"Attack!"

The Fourth Raikage’s eyes flashed with cold light. He ordered the elite Cloud Ninja team to launch their attack.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Pillar!"

Immediately, several Cloud Ninjas performed hand seals, emitting a strong electric light that covered Hagoromo Gengetsu's vision.

This technique, seemingly a visual obstruction jutsu, was actually a cover for an illusion that made it easy for the enemy to fall into a trap.

Many ninjas who didn’t understand this technique could easily be caught.

Hagoromo Gengetsu laughed softly: "Not bright enough, increase the intensity."

The intense light grew even stronger.

At the same time, a massive figure, with an aura of fierce lightning, charged forward.

Still, it was that familiar heavy-streaming explosion.

Looking at this, Hagoromo Gengetsu's eyes flashed with a hint of nostalgia.

Then—

*Smack!*

A steel-colored hand firmly caught the incoming massive elbow.

"The Raikage... is always impulsive and inherited."

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at the Fourth Raikage, now very close, and calmly said:

"Since you guys arrived first, I’ll consider it a gift."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

The Fourth Raikage, confused, was about to unleash another wave of Lightning Style chakra.

Hagoromo Gengetsu suddenly moved, shoulder-throwing the Fourth Raikage forcefully away.

The next moment, he turned, flipped his hand, and a kunai appeared in his grasp. He intercepted, with a series of clinks, the incoming blades from various tricky angles.

"Yo yo~ Can you block this? Then how about seven blades? Show me your magnificent dance!"

Strange sounds came from Killer Bee as he arrived.

Seeing the two blades were ineffective, he shuddered, and seven ninja blades shot out instantly.

By interlocking the blades with his body, Killer Bee spun around, using an unusual body technique to maneuver the seven blades with unpredictable speed and angles toward Hagoromo Gengetsu.

*Rip!*

A tear appeared in the black cloak as one of the kunai narrowly missed Hagoromo Gengetsu, who commented:

"Good blade technique."

"But the dance isn’t enough."