Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 303: Hagoromo Clan Grounds, Hagoromo Senpai's Drip

Water from the cave seeped through cracked stone slabs, dripping into the ancient underground passage, adding to the dampness of the place.

Hagoromo Gengetsu stepped into a water puddle, creating ripples with a "splash" sound. He lifted his head to survey the dilapidated passage that had long fallen into disrepair.

This was the Hagoromo clan grounds.

Not the flourishing, prosperous Hagoromo clan grounds of the Limited Tsukuyomi world, but the real-world version.

After the battle at the Valley of the Gods and the dispersal of the Hagoromo clan, the once expansive clan grounds had fallen into complete disrepair. Additionally, opportunists had come to rummage and dig around.

When Hagoromo Gengetsu arrived, he could hardly recognize the clan grounds from his memories. Standing silently for a few minutes at the ruins, he made his way through the remnants of walls covered in moss until he reached this secluded place.

This was where many important members of the Hagoromo clan had been buried throughout history.

Upon arrival, he noted that even this place had been visited by skilled individuals of the ninja world. Knowing they couldn't find anything significant, he walked through the underground passage eroded by cave water and entered a spacious hall.

Hagoromo Gengetsu summoned several fireballs to fully illuminate the hall. The walls and ceiling were covered with intricate carvings depicting the glorious past of the Hagoromo clan. Apart from a high seat with the clan's emblem at the far end, the hall was empty.

Any tomb raider expecting treasures would leave disappointed. However, Hagoromo Gengetsu knew that this place held the clan's greatest treasure.

His firm footsteps echoed as he approached the high seat. He looked at the emblem on the backrest before turning around and sitting down.

After a minute of silence, he gazed at the empty space before him and spoke:

"Apologies for disturbing the rest of my predecessors. Hagoromo Gengetsu here."

"Now is the critical moment for the survival of the Hagoromo clan. If this step is correct, the clan will ascend to the pinnacle of the ninja world. If wrong, we face utter ruin."

"As the current clan leader, I request the help of my predecessors."

His deep voice echoed throughout the hall. As the echoes faded, Hagoromo Gengetsu's eyes flashed, and he stomped his right foot. Chakra spread out in a special rhythm, drawing forth certain existences.

Soon, a corpse wrapped tightly in black runes emerged from the ground. This was just the beginning. Under his watchful gaze, more corpses with the same appearance surfaced.

Before long, the hall was no longer empty. The bodies of numerous predecessors of the Hagoromo clan filled the hall. He glanced at the black runes covering them, recognizing the technique used.

Forbidden Technique: Eternal Breath.

This was a contingency he left after the battle at the Valley of the Gods, crucial for his revival plan.

Unlike his use of this technique for revival, his predecessors had used it to preserve their bodies for eternal rest. The bodies before him were those of clan members who had reached the end of their lives or were fatally wounded and chose to use this life-sacrificing technique.

Only the clan leaders who had mastered the backdoor of this technique could sense them, just like Hagoromo Gengetsu could now.

He hadn't intended to disturb their rest. But with Orochimaru's unexpected revival and the Five Great Ninja Villages using his hand to resurrect historical warriors, he felt pressured.

The Divine Tree's blooming required time, creating a window for the Allied Shinobi Forces to strike. Hagoromo Gengetsu needed more manpower, and the example set by the Five Great Ninja Villages inspired him.

Unfearing death and powerful in life, the reanimated warriors were a perfect choice. The villages might think their legacy deep, but the Hagoromo clan's true legacy was far deeper, spanning a millennium.

Among the buried were former clan leaders, whose reanimation would nearly restore their original strength. As the clan leader, he could collect their DNA samples without breaking the technique.

He approached the nearest body, apologizing before using his finger, covered in black runes, to extract a DNA sample seamlessly. With the sample in hand and the reanimation jutsu perfected by Disonasu, he was ready.

Although control over reanimated beings was typically an issue, it was not for him. These were his predecessors, who needed no control.

Furthermore, reanimation would override the Eternal Breath technique, allowing them to rest again afterward, provided they won the upcoming battles.

"Predecessors, please lend me and the Hagoromo clan your strength," he concluded with a clap of his hands.