Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 37: The Power of the Fist Always Outweighs Morality

Boom! Boom!

The intense battle continued on the open ground.

Knowing what Hagoromo Gengetsu was planning, Jiraiya increased his offensive.

But in front of Hagoromo Gengetsu, whose chakra was nearly infinite and whose Edo Tensei body could repair itself at any moment, all of this seemed insignificant.

However, Jiraiya was not alone on the field.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several poisoned kunai shot out from Tsunade's wrist-mounted weapons at high speed towards Hagoromo Gengetsu.

Although the movement was subtle, Hagoromo Gengetsu detected it.

He shifted his body to evade each kunai.

Taking advantage of the moment, Jiraiya clapped his hands together and said:

“Ninjutsu: Raging Lion's Mane Technique!”

Jiraiya's white hair rapidly grew longer and denser, resembling a lion’s mane, and quickly wrapped around Hagoromo Gengetsu from head to toe.

Crunch! Crunch!

The numerous white hairs continuously tightened, exerting enough force to crush steel and break bones on Hagoromo Gengetsu’s body.

Despite the Reanimation body showing cracks under the pressure, Hagoromo Gengetsu remained calm and said:

“Melting Release: Acid Mist Technique!”

A large amount of acidic liquid spewed from Hagoromo Gengetsu’s mouth, easily corroding the Raging Lion's Mane Technique, and then, under his direction, flowed like a river towards Jiraiya and Tsunade.

“This is troublesome.”

Jiraiya sighed inwardly, retreating while forming hand signs:

“Earth Release: Hell Swamp!”

A vast brown swamp replaced the ground and intersected with the flowing acidic liquid.

Amid the sizzling evaporation sounds, the Hell Swamp visibly shrank.

Similarly, the melting release acid liquid also stopped advancing and began to dissipate.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed from afar.

Jiraiya furrowed his brow, glancing at Hagoromo Gengetsu, whose body, damaged and quickly regenerating amidst flying paper scraps, was visibly repaired, and thought:

“Ordinary damage doesn’t affect an Reanimation body much. Only sealing techniques can completely restrict it. However, even for me, dealing with Hagoromo Gengetsu would be challenging in a short time.”

“How about Tsunade?”

Jiraiya's anxiety grew.

Understanding the situation, Tsunade gritted her teeth and said: “Jiraiya, I’ll hold him off! You go find Tsunade!”

“Shizune, you…”

Jiraiya looked deeply at Shizune.

Seeing her face full of determination, he, as a ninja, made a decisive choice and said nothing more.

“Naruto, let’s go!”

The combination of Orochimaru and Kabuto required his involvement.

However, Naruto's significant role meant Jiraiya had to take him along.

“Hey, hey, you made this decision without consulting me. Did you even consider my opinion?”

As the person involved, Hagoromo Gengetsu found the situation amusing and shrugged.

The current scene resembled some anime he had seen, where a character made a self-sacrificial decision to buy time for the main characters.

Only now, he was the villain.

But he wondered if villains were always so obedient?

You say how to come, and I follow?

Ignoring Hagoromo Gengetsu’s comments, Jiraiya focused on taking action.

Just as Hagoromo Gengetsu was about to intervene, a figure quickly rushed forward.

“Your opponent is me now!”

Shizune’s lips moved, and several poison needles shot out towards Hagoromo Gengetsu.

Hagoromo Gengetsu slowed his steps, flicked his fingers in the air.

With several sharp sounds, the poison needles fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Shizune did not hesitate and launched a close-quarters attack.

“Little girl, are you overestimating your own strength?”

Hagoromo Gengetsu easily blocked Shizune’s punches and kicks, continuing:

“Or maybe you’re underestimating my strength?”

“For Tsunade! No matter how difficult, I will do it!”

Shizune’s resolute gaze showed no wavering.

Her lips moved again:

“Ninjutsu: Poison Mist!”

In an instant!

Shizune’s chakra transformed into a special chemical substance that turned into a highly toxic purple mist upon contact with air, rapidly spreading towards Hagoromo Gengetsu.

“Interesting.”

Hagoromo Gengetsu retreated.

“But still far from enough.”

As he spoke, he clapped his hands, releasing a strong wind from his hands that blew away the incoming poison mist.

The fierce wind roared, stirring up layers of dust.

Shizune narrowed her eyes, anxiously searching for Hagoromo Gengetsu’s position when a mocking voice suddenly rang out.

“If making a vow and shouting a slogan like ‘For so-and-so, I must do this and that’ could solve everything, then why bother training hard? Just randomly sow some seeds, and you could wipe out all enemies.”

Behind her!

Shizune’s eyes sharpened, and her azure chakra enveloped her hands, transforming into sharp surgical blades that swiftly struck behind her.

The next second.

“Not here!”

Noticing the emptiness behind her, Shizune’s pupils contracted, and she instinctively pushed off with her feet, preparing to retreat.

But it was too late.

Hagoromo Gengetsu appeared beside Shizune like a ghost.

“Practice more.”

Boom!

Shizune was sent flying towards Jiraiya like a cannonball.

It turned out that sometimes, simply shouting slogans was ineffective.

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at Jiraiya, who had not moved far, and pointed, sending several melting release fireballs falling from the sky, forcing him to stop.

“Still not enough?”

Jiraiya sighed and halted.

Naruto rushed over to hug Shizune:

“Shizune-nee, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Shizune forced a nod, treating her injuries with a healing technique, and apologized to Jiraiya:

“Sorry, Jiraiya, I was too useless!”

“Others would also find it difficult. I was too hasty and made assumptions,” Jiraiya said, looking at Hagoromo Gengetsu who was strolling over, taking responsibility.

He had hoped for a stroke of luck.

Unaware that such an outcome might have led to Shizune’s death before Tsunade could catch up.

Step. Step. Step.

Hagoromo Gengetsu arrived once more at the regrouped trio, his expression calm:

“Hand over the Spirit Transformation Technique, and I’ll let you meet Tsunade.”

Before Jiraiya and Shizune could respond, Naruto suddenly shouted angrily:

“If someone doesn’t want to give you their things, you just take them by force? What kind of so-called senior are you!”

Naruto didn’t know what the Spirit Transformation Technique was or Hagoromo Gengetsu’s true identity.

But his simple sense of right and wrong told him that taking things by force was wrong.

“You’re quite right.”

Faced with Naruto’s accusation, Hagoromo Gengetsu not only didn’t get angry but nodded in agreement:

“From a moral standpoint, what I’m doing is indeed wrong.”

“But when has this world ever truly adhered to morality?”

“Kid, as someone who’s been through this, let me teach you a real lesson today.”

“The fist always outweighs morality!”