Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 205: Small Fish Don't Deserve the Hook

Everything happened too quickly.

Hotaru and Tonbee, who had just become spectators, hadn't even had time to react before the battle was already over.

Staring at the sudden plume of smoke and the figure of Utakata, now motionless at the end of it, Tonbee's mouth dropped open, his face filled with disbelief:

"Am I under a genjutsu??"

Having once witnessed the extraordinary power of a jinchūriki, Tonbee couldn't believe that another jinchūriki like Utakata had been defeated with a single punch.

His eyes glazed over as he looked at Hagoromo Gengetsu, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The Tsuchigumo clan is finished!

This person in front of him was far stronger than the two who had intruded a year ago.

Even at its peak under the leadership of the Exorcist, the Tsuchigumo clan wouldn't have stood a chance.

Now, the clan was reduced to just two people.

Hotaru also felt an immense pressure.

Prepared to die in battle, she resolutely activated the Fury of Heaven Forbidden Technique, determined not to disgrace the Tsuchigumo clan's honor.

But she couldn't help but ask:

"Do I know you?"

She expected the person in front of her not to respond, perhaps even to sneer.

To Hotaru's surprise, the person nodded.

Hagoromo Gengetsu glanced at the large amount of chakra and natural energy rapidly gathering behind Hotaru.

Compared to before, Hotaru had become much more skilled in using the forbidden technique, and her body's endurance had also greatly improved.

He said, "Turn off Fury of Heaven. I've seen it many times already."

Seen it many times?

Hotaru was puzzled at first.

Then, as she thought about the familiar feeling from before and the fact that the other party said they knew each other, she suddenly made a connection.

Her eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly:

"Are you the person who wore the white whirlpool mask years ago?"

Hagoromo Gengetsu nodded, casually saying, "How is your Water Release scroll training going?"

It really was him!

A brilliant smile spread across Hotaru's face, and she obediently deactivated Fury of Heaven.

Having spent some time with Hagoromo Gengetsu, she knew very well that this man was not a villain. Despite his unconventional methods and demands, he was ultimately quite approachable.

So, in the time that followed, Hotaru, who was still essentially a little girl, eagerly ran up to Hagoromo Gengetsu, chatting happily.

Tonbee stood there, dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events, pinching his thigh hard.

Today's events had been full of twists and turns.

Just moments ago, he had been prepared to die, but now things had taken an unexpected turn.

The intruder turned out to know Hotaru.

The person who had worn the white spiral mask a year ago was this man.

Now he had broken in again.

Wait.

If this person had always played the role of an intruder, why was Hotaru so friendly with him, without any worry?

Tonbee's mind was in chaos.

But he wasn't foolish. He knew that the current outcome was the best possible one.

As for his confusion and doubts, he decided to bury them deep inside.

When Utakata woke up again, he found himself still lying in his original bed.

Feeling the bone-crushing pain throughout his body, he quickly remembered what had happened before he lost consciousness.

One punch!

Just one punch!

As a jinchūriki, he couldn't withstand it and was knocked out completely.

Was that person even human?

Even the Mizukage couldn't have defeated him so easily.

What about the girl who had saved him?

If that person wasn't targeting him, then it must be her.

Thinking of this, Utakata gritted his teeth through the pain, adapted quickly, and stealthily started searching outside.

Unexpectedly, it didn't take long for him to find his target.

The blonde girl, Hotaru, was standing by a pond, demonstrating her Water Release ninjutsu.

Beside her, the man who had defeated Utakata with a single punch was giving her some guidance, while playing with something in his hand.

Utakata looked closely.

It was a high-density chakra ball.

The chakra on it was very familiar to him—it was Six-Tails' chakra.

"Just in time."

Hagoromo Gengetsu called out to Utakata, who thought he was hiding well.

At the same time, he flicked the Six-Tails chakra ball in his hand.

With a "whoosh," the Six-Tails chakra ball flew out of Mount Katsuragi, traveled a considerable distance, and then exploded in mid-air, leaving a small amount of Six-Tails' chakra behind, waiting to be discovered.

To catch big fish, you need bait.

Now that he had secured the fishing platform, to attract big fish, he naturally had to put the other party's favorite food right in front of them.

Seeing that Hagoromo Gengetsu had noticed him, Utakata hesitated for a moment but still walked over.

The difference in strength was too great.

Now, he was just a piece of meat on the chopping block.

"You are..."

As Utakata approached, he wanted to ask Hagoromo Gengetsu's identity, the question foremost in his mind.

But before he could finish, Hagoromo Gengetsu placed a hand on his shoulder.

Instantly!

Utakata felt the chakra inside him, specifically the Six-Tails' chakra, start to leak out uncontrollably, flowing into the palm of the person in front of him.

Roar!!!

In the sealing space, the slug-like creature with six tails, Saiken, raised its head and let out an angry roar.

"Be quiet!"

Hagoromo Gengetsu's phantom appeared in the sealing space, pressing Saiken's massive head to the ground with one hand, and said lightly.

He wasn't like Naruto, who wanted to become friends with the Tailed Beasts.

Especially since he planned to continue capturing Tailed Beasts later. He had no interest in chatting with them.

After being taught a lesson by Hagoromo Gengetsu, Saiken indeed quieted down.

Hagoromo Gengetsu increased the absorption speed with his Dark Release.

Soon, another high-density Six-Tails chakra ball appeared in his hand. After playing with it for a while, he flicked it again, and it exploded not far from the previous one.

Seeing this, Utakata thought for a moment and reminded him, "This will attract Kirigakure's tracking ninja."

"Kirigakure? Tracking ninja?"

Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't even turn his head, saying,

"The fish are too small, not worth the hook."

Utakata wanted to say something more, but thinking of the man's strength in front of him, he closed his mouth.

Later, when he heard from Hotaru, who was resting after training, that the man's name was Hagoromo Gengetsu, his previously indifferent face showed a look of shock.

No wonder he couldn't resist.

It was him.

At this moment, Utakata thought back to Hagoromo Gengetsu flicking the Six-Tails chakra ball.

If the tracking ninja from Kirigakure weren't even worth the hook, then who was this man, known alongside the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, who had once killed the First Mizukage in the Battle of the Valley of Fallen God, really trying to catch?

Utakata had a feeling he was in big trouble.

But given the current situation, he had no other options.

As the Six-Tails jinchūriki, a nightmare in the hearts of countless ninja, he had always been the one controlling others' fates. Now, he could only wait quietly like livestock to be served.

It was truly ironic.