Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 237: Here it Comes!

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked down at the large pit beneath his feet.

In the previous underground cavern, aside from Orochimaru, there was another person present.

It seemed that the other person had perished during the earlier Shinra Tensei, but in reality...

*Crack! Crack!*

A fissure extending deep into the ground rapidly formed as Hagoromo Gengetsu stomped his foot.

Soon, a severely damaged, already dead giant snake came into view.

Hagoromo Gengetsu extended his palm, lifting the snake up, then split open its belly. Inside, a badly decomposed, barely recognizable Kabuto Yakushi appeared before him.

Noticing that Kabuto was also silent, Hagoromo Gengetsu glanced at the intact glasses on his nose and smiled slightly:

"Your skill at playing dead is quite good. However, the chakra within your body cannot be hidden."

Kabuto's disguise was so convincing that even veteran ninjas would believe he was truly dead.

But before the Rinnegan, Byakugan, and Sharingan, even if he suppressed the flow of chakra within his body, it was to no avail.

Hagoromo Gengetsu extended his right hand, and a black rod emerged from his palm.

At the same time, hearing Hagoromo Gengetsu's words, Kabuto, knowing his disguise had failed, reluctantly opened his eyes and began to speak:

"I..."

*Splat!*

Before he could finish, the black rod in Hagoromo Gengetsu's hand pierced through his forehead.

Kabuto's head jerked back, his eyes dimmed, and he was completely dead.

Hagoromo Gengetsu had no interest in hearing what Kabuto had to say.

This dream master of the Fourth Great Ninja War had always been Orochimaru's loyal dog.

The best ending for him was to send him on his way along with Orochimaru.

In this way, with Orochimaru dead and his most trusted and knowledgeable confidant also dead, those remaining subordinates, like Karin and Jugo, would either ignore or even celebrate Orochimaru's death, having no intention of reviving him.

Even if there were any loyal followers left, their lack of strength and inability to infiltrate the core would render any attempt to revive Orochimaru impossible.

In the future, the scenario where Sasuke revives Orochimaru from the original story would never happen.

Thus, Orochimaru's threat was eliminated.

Having successfully completed his mission, Hagoromo Gengetsu turned to look in the direction from which he had come.

Judging by the time, the unexpected surprise of the Three-Tails should be concluding soon.

At the lake where the Three-Tails was hiding, thick white fog, unusual for the current weather, enveloped the entire surface. Once inside, one could not see their hand in front of their face, easily getting lost unless possessing abilities like the Byakugan.

At this moment, Hanare was hiding on the lake's surface.

Having temporarily evaded pursuit from the Konoha ninjas, she knelt down, reached into her ninja pouch, and skillfully bandaged her injured left arm amid the ripples of the water.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps on the water.

Turning her head, she saw Hagoromo Gengetsu approaching through the mist.

Unlike before, this time Hanare did not immediately bow but instead formed a hand sign and said:

"Release!"

In an instant, Hagoromo Gengetsu disappeared.

The surroundings returned to a white expanse.

The mist released by the Three-Tails had an inherent genjutsu effect.

Hanare, having managed to escape the Konoha ninjas possessing the Byakugan, greatly benefited from the genjutsu effect of the mist.

As for the possibility of falling under a genjutsu herself?

As a master spy, her will was as strong as iron, making it difficult for ordinary genjutsu to affect her.

Hanare continued bandaging her wound.

Not long after, just as she finished and was about to lower her hand,

"Although it's our first meeting, you must be the chief's female secretary, right?" A strange voice came from ahead.

Hanare looked cautiously.

Through the dense white mist, a figure with a black cloak and red clouds forcefully entered, revealing a shark-like face, asking Hanare.

As Hagoromo Gengetsu's secretary and chief intelligence officer, Hanare recognized the newcomer as Kisame, who had recently been recruited by the Akatsuki.

However, being cautious, she first performed a genjutsu release sign to confirm the reality of the situation. After verifying the code, she relaxed and said:

"It's me. I expected you to arrive in about half an hour after receiving the message, but you're already here."

"You should trust the Akatsuki's efficiency, especially when it comes to capturing Tailed Beasts," Kisame said politely.

Towards this trusted and pretty woman by Hagoromo Gengetsu's side, he showed no negligence.

Kisame glanced at the bandaged wound on Hanare's shoulder: "Did you encounter an unexpected situation?"

Hanare calmly replied: "I was discovered by Konoha ninjas."

"Do you need me to handle it?" Kisame touched his sword Samehada, grinning.

Hanare shook her head: "Focus on the main task."

She pointed to the lake: "The Three-Tails is at the bottom of the lake."

"I understand," Kisame nodded. "Next, there will be quite a stir. For safety, you should leave first."

Hanare did not object.

Her mission was already complete.

The capture of the Three-Tails would be left to Kisame and his partner.

Without any hesitation, Hanare left to rendezvous with Hagoromo Gengetsu.

After Hanare departed, Kisame patted Samehada:

"Let's get started!"

*Sploosh!*

Kisame plunged into the water.

A moment later...

*Boom!!!*

The massive lake began to boil.

The white mist was dispersed.

Before the Konoha ninjas, who were tracking Hanare, could react...

The next second...

To their shock and surprise, a water column, nearly covering the entire lake, shot up to the sky.

*Roar!!*

Atop the huge wave, a colossal creature roared in anger.

Amid the turbulent waves, Kakashi steadied himself, looked up at the sound, and his pupils shrank sharply:

"The Three-Tails!!!"

Beside him, Yamato took a sharp breath: "This is unbelievable! Someone actually threw the Three-Tails out from the lake bottom!"

As a Konoha Jonin, he immediately sensed that the huge wave was man-made.

"It's him!"

Kakashi's Sharingan scanned and immediately spotted Kisame riding the waves.

"The Akatsuki is here too."

The other Konoha ninjas also noticed the figure atop the massive water column, looking casual compared to the involuntary Three-Tails.

This small lake had first attracted Orochimaru's people, then Hagoromo Gengetsu's subordinates, and now even the Akatsuki were joining the fray.

The Konoha ninjas present felt a growing sense of unease.

Especially since they couldn't intervene at the moment.

Amid the Three-Tails' angry roars, the water column, having lost its momentum after propelling it from the lake bottom to the sky, finally collapsed.

But due to inertia, the enormous body of the Three-Tails continued to ascend.

At this moment, the sound of wings flapping was heard.

Standing on a clay bird, Deidara, who had been waiting, looked at the Three-Tails beside him and chuckled:

"Here it comes!"

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