Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 305: The Fourth Great Ninja War Begins!

Boom!

A deafening explosion reverberated through the sky, distorting space as if it were tangible. Under the sunlight, countless paper fragments fluttered continuously.

At this moment, Hagoromo Gengetsu held the neck of a middle-aged man named Hagoromo Li without any regard for respecting the elderly, lifting him effortlessly. He said calmly, "Do you submit?"

Hagoromo Li, unable to break free and momentarily dazed, heard Gengetsu's words. He instinctively looked around. The battlefield was a mess, with many of the reincarnated individuals missing limbs, waiting for the paper fragments to repair them. In contrast, Gengetsu stood before him without a single injury. Seeing his own state, once a peerless warrior of his era, now easily subdued by a young man centuries his junior, Hagoromo Li, after a moment of dismay, nodded in resignation, "I submit!"

Previously arrogant, Hagoromo Li was now thoroughly subdued in front of Gengetsu. Not only him, but after witnessing Gengetsu's overwhelming strength in a one-against-a-hundred battle, the reincarnated predecessors also fell silent. It became clear why Hagoromo Mu believed Gengetsu was the strongest in a thousand years and why Gengetsu dared to confront the entire ninja world. The young man indeed lived up to his claim: not only was he the strongest in the Hagoromo clan, but he was also the strongest in the ninja world over a millennium.

Now, no predecessor viewed Gengetsu merely as a junior. Strength commands respect, and even the elders sincerely obeyed his orders. Gengetsu, dropping any pretense of modesty, issued commands swiftly, outlining the current state of the ninja world and the impending challenges.

Hagoromo Mu, listening to Gengetsu's account, was surprised. "To think the Senju clan is down to a single member! The Uchiha clan is almost the same, yet they remain our allies."

In his time, the Senju and Uchiha clans were at their zenith. The Hagoromo clan had lost much face in numerous confrontations with the Senju. But times have changed dramatically, a fact that filled him with both surprise and joy.

"Haha! Who would have thought the once mighty Senju clan, who opposed us for decades, is now but a shell! How delightful!"

"And the proud Uchiha, who looked down on everyone, are now residing with us! I'd love to go back and see the look on their faces."

"The Taketori clan has been wiped out? A pity, I was looking forward to taking a few of their heads this time."

People's experiences of joy and sorrow differ greatly. Hearing about the decline of their long-time rivals while the Hagoromo clan now stood poised to dominate the ninja world, the predecessors couldn't help but feel elated. Of course, many were also battle enthusiasts, eagerly anticipating the upcoming war.

"To wage war against the entire ninja world? Exciting!" said Hagoromo Mio, her face cold yet full of determination. Despite being a woman, she was fiercely combative and highly skilled, one of the few unscathed during her bout with Gengetsu. Returning to the world of the living, ready to fight for the Hagoromo clan, suited her perfectly.

"The ninja world is now ruled by so-called ninja villages, not clans? How strange. Let's see what these village-era warriors are capable of," remarked Hagoromo Li. Although bested by Gengetsu, he still looked down on current-day ninjas. Without names like Senju, Uchiha, Kaguya, or Uzumaki, how strong could they be?

"Let's fight to the end for the Hagoromo clan!!" The assembled predecessors prepared themselves eagerly.

None hesitated. Compared to the Konoha ninjas, who upheld the Will of Fire, the Hagoromo clan, sharing the same bloodline and enduring for a millennium, was even more united and loyal. As Gengetsu declared, this battle would determine their fate: either they would become the rulers of the ninja world, or face complete annihilation. The predecessors were ready to fight for this cause.

Once the plans were set, Gengetsu surveyed everyone present and, in his capacity as clan leader, issued the final command: "Depart, for the Hagoromo clan."

"For the Hagoromo clan!!"

Led by Gengetsu, over a hundred predecessors from a thousand years of history set out for their target, the site of the Divine Tree.

At the same time, the Akatsuki members, Uchiha Izumi, and Uchiha Kei, following orders, also moved out. Uchiha Sasuke stayed behind, the strongest among them, to guard the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path until it was summoned away. Additionally, Hagoromo Anki and Hanare, their eyes turning crimson, joined the fray. Despite their weak Uchiha bloodline, insufficient to awaken the Sharingan, they could temporarily bear its burden. Gengetsu had transplanted the Mangekyō Sharingan of Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Obito into their eye sockets to bolster his side's power.

Thus, this was the battle configuration for the Hagoromo side in the upcoming war. Other members of the Hagoromo and Uchiha clans were not summoned, as those below Kage-level strength would be of little use. As for the thousands of ninja from the five great villages, Gengetsu didn't consider them a threat. He alone was enough to face them all.

While the Allied Shinobi Forces laid their trap across the ninja world, Gengetsu and his team didn't bother hiding but headed straight for the Divine Tree site. Naturally, the five great villages soon received the intel. Analyzing Gengetsu's direction, with the first Hokage, Senju Hashirama, backing them and Orochimaru, the master of the Reanimation Jutsu, on their side, Tsunade, now the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, declared:

"The final battle has begun!"

"Tsunade, as the Supreme Commander, give the order," Senju Tobirama calmly suggested.

Tsunade nodded heavily, announcing to everyone present: "The enemy is on the move. The Fourth Great Ninja War starts now! As the Supreme Commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, I hereby issue a general mobilization order to all ninja villages! This time, our target is no longer each other! This time, we don't fight for hatred or profit! This time, we fight for our families and friends! For the entire ninja world! For peace!"

"Destination: the Divine Tree site!"

"Target: Hagoromo Gengetsu!!!"

As her words echoed, every ninja present, alive or reincarnated, from Konoha or other villages, straightened up and responded in unison: "Yes, Supreme Commander!"