Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 253: The Great Toad Sage; Hagoromo's Descendant

In the heart of Mount Myoboku, the revered sanctuary of the toads now lay in ruins. Amidst the gazes filled with fear, resentment, hatred, and regret from the surviving toads, Hagoromo Gengetsu walked steadily towards the leveled ground, quietly waiting.

He didn't have to wait long.

The ground ahead trembled violently. With a thunderous roar, a toad even larger than Gamabunta burst from the debris and leaped up from the ground.

Boom!

The earth shook again as the figure landed firmly, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"The Great Toad Sage."

Hagoromo Gengetsu recognized the elderly toad immediately. Though the sage's headpiece was gone, the beads around his neck remained, marking his identity.

He then noticed Naruto, Shima, and Fukasaku held in the Great Toad Sage's grasp.

"Just in time."

Hagoromo Gengetsu smiled softly at Naruto, who, having recovered from his dizziness, looked around in confusion.

Due to the Great Toad Sage's immense size, Naruto saw only a vast, seemingly endless crater around him. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then scratched his head and asked in confusion:

"Huh? Great Toad Grandpa, where are we? Weren't we in Mount Myoboku just now?"

Naruto had no idea what had happened. One moment he was flung through the air, then he was grasped by the Great Toad Sage, spent a brief moment in darkness, and now found himself in an unfamiliar place.

Unlike the clueless Naruto, Fukasaku and Shima quickly realized what had happened, their mouths agape in shock, muttering "Impossible," "How could this be," and "What happened here?"

"What's impossible?" Naruto asked curiously.

Fukasaku took a deep breath and, with a heavy, sorrowful tone, said:

"This is Mount Myoboku."

"What?!"

Naruto was stunned.

As he looked around at the vast crater again, comparing it to the beautiful landscape of lakes, waterfalls, and lush vegetation he remembered, he couldn't believe it was the same place.

He was about to question Fukasaku's judgment when Shima, equally heartbroken, confirmed the location and even pointed to a piece of the kitchen wall she loved, now a mere remnant in the ruins.

Naruto followed her gaze.

Indeed, it looked like Shima's kitchen wall. Nearby, he spotted an injured toad struggling in the debris.

So, what had happened here?

Realizing something was wrong, Naruto's heart sank, his expression becoming more serious than ever.

At that moment, the Great Toad Sage's booming voice echoed:

"Hagoromo Gengetsu, you should not have come here."

'Hagoromo Gengetsu? Why is Great Toad Grandpa mentioning him?'

Wait!

Hagoromo Gengetsu is here?

Naruto quickly peered down.

In an instant, his eyes widened!

Sure enough, Hagoromo Gengetsu was right there!

Did he do this to Mount Myoboku?!

Hagoromo Gengetsu noticed Naruto's scrutinizing gaze but remained focused on the Great Toad Sage.

Despite the sage's old, withered appearance, Hagoromo Gengetsu sensed a vast amount of senjutsu chakra within the ancient toad.

A true battle with him would be catastrophic.

Hagoromo Gengetsu felt that even under the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the Great Toad Sage could likely remain conscious due to his immense power.

So, facing the sage who once had close ties with his ancestor, the Sage of Six Paths, and had saved Hamura Otsutsuki's life, Hagoromo Gengetsu was cautious.

After the Great Toad Sage spoke, Hagoromo Gengetsu replied calmly:

"But here I am."

"I heard that the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku is good at prophecies. Did you foresee today?"

The Great Toad Sage was silent for a moment, then said, "Compared to Mount Myoboku, the ninja world is more important. For the safety of the ninja world, Hagoromo Gengetsu, you must stop your plans and ambitions."

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at the sage.

Judging by his tone, it seemed the sage had foreseen something. His words implied that if Gengetsu continued with his plans and ambitions, the future of the ninja world could be grim.

So what should he do?

Stop?

He chuckled.

Hagoromo Gengetsu's expression remained unchanged as he said, "It seems you anticipated today's events. I'm curious, is it worth sacrificing Mount Myoboku for Uzumaki Naruto?"

Humans fought and died outside; what did that have to do with the toads?

As one of the three great sanctuaries, Mount Myoboku always adhered to the principle of staying out of worldly affairs.

Even though the toads had assisted the Fourth Hokage and Jiraiya due to contract obligations, it wasn't for Konoha's sake.

Although Naruto was also a contractor, keeping him in Mount Myoboku and sacrificing the entire mountain to protect him seemed beyond contractual duty, completely against their principle of non-intervention.

Was it because Naruto was the child of prophecy?

Had the Great Toad Sage seen a prophecy where Naruto defeated him?

Ridiculous.

Hagoromo Gengetsu smirked.

He was neither Jiraiya nor the Great Toad Sage.

To him, prophecies were just one of many possible futures, and he could change them whenever he wished.

Power was the guarantee to realize everything!

At this moment, seeing Hagoromo Gengetsu's expression, the Great Toad Sage sighed deeply and answered briefly:

"Without the skin, what can the hair attach to?"

He knew that mere words could not stop this ambitious young descendant of Hagoromo.

"There's no other choice."

The Great Toad Sage's eyes, usually clouded with age, sharpened with determination.

Hagoromo Gengetsu narrowed his eyes, ready to respond, when a yellow figure descended from the sky.

Naruto jumped down.

Having heard the entire conversation between Hagoromo Gengetsu and the Great Toad Sage, Naruto clenched his fists tightly, glaring at Hagoromo Gengetsu and asked:

"Hagoromo Gengetsu, did you come to Mount Myoboku because of me?"