Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 56: Sasuke: Naruto, Who Was That Just Now?!!

Tap. Tap. Tap. 

The sound of footsteps, though ordinary, seemed like the approach of death itself to Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, pressing down on them with immense pressure.

They were just three rookies who had barely graduated. Now, no longer in his reanimation state but truly resurrected, Hagoromo Gengetsu only needed to leak a sliver of the aura accumulated from countless battles to make their limbs tremble with fear.

It was similar to how their teacher, Kakashi, a Jonin at the time, had been paralyzed when he encountered Orochimaru, who had recently defected and was on the run. Orochimaru had only needed a single glance to immobilize him completely.

“By the way, I still have a side mission to complete,” thought Hagoromo Gengetsu as he passed by Naruto and the others.

But...

Hmm...

Sakura could be skipped.

Even if the mission needed to be completed, it couldn't go against his conscience.

Ignoring the two "chosen sons" of the Sage of Six Paths and the heroine who always seemed out of place with them, Hagoromo Gengetsu continued walking at his own pace, indifferent to their reactions.

A minute later, Hagoromo Gengetsu had disappeared from sight.

Under the curious gazes of the passersby, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura finally relaxed their tense bodies and let out a long breath.

Naruto was the first to recover. He jumped up and turned around, looking in the direction Hagoromo Gengetsu had left, his face full of unwillingness.

“That guy, how did he become so strong now?!”

Being somewhat dense, he hadn’t noticed the changes in Hagoromo Gengetsu. Additionally, having been busy in the Land of Tea, he was unaware of the recent major events in the ninja world.

“Naruto!!” 

Sakura quickly stopped him, fearing he would do something rash again.

She had been genuinely scared just now.

Sasuke, on the other hand, though still shaken, felt a surge of crazy thoughts he couldn’t suppress.

He turned to Naruto. Naruto’s reaction suggested he knew the man.

Without delay, Sasuke quickly asked, “Naruto, who was that just now?!”

“That guy... um...” Naruto scratched his head hard, thinking for a moment before saying, “I think he’s called Hagoromo Moon or something. He’s a bad guy like Orochimaru! Let me tell you, when I was with Pervy Sage looking for Lady Tsunade...”

Naruto animatedly recounted the events in Tanzaku Town to Sasuke and Sakura, emphasizing how despicable Hagoromo Gengetsu was.

Sakura listened attentively, intrigued by the unexpected story of the Fifth Hokage’s return to the village.

Sasuke, however, ignored the rest and focused on Hagoromo Gengetsu.

“Hagoromo Moon... No, it should be Hagoromo something. Why haven’t I heard of such a powerful person?”

As a member of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke should have a broader knowledge of the ninja world.

However, the massacre of his clan interrupted his elite education. Being deeply immersed in his quest for revenge, he had no interest in anything unrelated to increasing his power. Now, he regretted his lack of knowledge.

On the other hand, Sakura, who had scored perfectly in the Chunin Exam without cheating, had read many books about ninjas.

Seeing Sasuke’s interest in the man and hearing Naruto’s story, she deduced a lot.

“Sasuke, that man should be Hagoromo Gengetsu, who died many years ago but came to the present through some technique!” Sakura quickly informed Sasuke.

Sasuke looked up sharply. “Hagoromo Gengetsu? Died many years ago?”

“Yes, that’s him! The big moon! Even Pervy Sage called him senior!” Naruto’s eyes lit up as he confirmed it to Sakura, nodding vigorously.

Sakura pushed Naruto’s head aside and continued to explain to Sasuke based on what she had read.

As Sakura finished, Sasuke clenched his fist where they couldn’t see, glancing around before saying, “Let’s rest here and get some food.”

“But...” Sakura was still a bit apprehensive.

“Don’t worry. A person like him, since he spared us before, won’t do anything more,” Sasuke reassured.

Naruto, clutching his empty stomach, agreed eagerly, “Yeah, don’t worry, Sakura! Next time, I won’t be like that again!”

With two votes in favor, Sakura had to agree.

Soon, they found a place to eat and ordered some food.

While Sakura went to the restroom, she returned to find Naruto alone at the table.

“Where’s Sasuke?” Sakura asked.

“He went to the bathroom,” Naruto replied casually.

‘Went to the bathroom?’ Sakura thought, puzzled. The men’s and women’s restrooms were next to each other, so she should have seen him on her way back.

Maybe he left earlier?

Thinking this, Sakura sat down to wait.

Ten minutes later, all the food had arrived, but Sasuke was still absent.

“That guy, Sasuke, is he having stomach trouble?” Naruto muttered, having tried to start eating several times but being stopped by Sakura.

Sakura, feeling something was off, finally told Naruto, “Naruto, go check the bathroom.”

“Huh? The bathroom?”

Reluctant but unable to refuse, Naruto complied.

He soon returned, complaining, “Sasuke isn’t there. Did he go somewhere else?”

“No!”

Sakura slapped the table, standing up abruptly.

Naruto jumped, “Sakura, what’s wrong?”

“Sasuke is acting strange!” Sakura said seriously.

She replayed Sasuke’s recent expressions in her mind.

Suddenly realizing something, she grabbed Naruto and rushed out, “Naruto! We need to find Sasuke!”

“Sasuke is a big boy... Hey, wait! We haven’t paid!”

In the end, Naruto left the untouched food and money, following Sakura to find the missing Sasuke.

“How are we supposed to find him in such a big place?” Naruto wondered, unfamiliar with the town.

Sakura pointed in the direction Hagoromo Gengetsu had gone, her fear replaced by determination.

“There!”

Naruto and Sakura began searching the town.

Sasuke, indeed, had slipped away with a plan, sprinting towards where Hagoromo Gengetsu had gone.

Ten minutes later, he found his target at a street stall selling takoyaki.

“Huh?”

Hagoromo Gengetsu turned, holding a hot takoyaki, looking surprised.

“Uchiha Sasuke... Heh, interesting.”