I've Already Confronted the Five Kage, and the System Just Arrived!

For Konoha, filling the vacant Fifth Hokage position is the key issue, everything else can wait.

Similarly, for the Sand ninja, finding the missing Fourth Kazekage is their top priority.

Aside from those Sand ninja currently imprisoned in Konoha, the ninjas of Sunagakure have mobilized en masse, searching for the Fourth Kazekage or his corpse, just as they had done ten years ago for the Third Kazekage.

In a way, the Sand ninja should thank Orochimaru.

After all, the plan was for the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, to lead the Sand ninja in an attack on Konoha alongside Orochimaru and the Sound ninja.

But for some unknown reason, Orochimaru chose to assassinate his ally, the Fourth Kazekage, first.

If it was to get close to the Third Hokage and deliver a fatal blow, disguising himself as the Fourth Kazekage, Orochimaru did not show any intention of suddenly attacking and killing the Third Hokage during the Chunin Exams.

If not, what was the point of assassinating the Fourth Kazekage? Wouldn't having an extra person and helper be better?

However, due to Orochimaru's assassination of the Fourth Kazekage, the Sand ninja's situation is much better now.

Otherwise, the severe damage and casualties inflicted on Konoha by the Sand ninja would not have been brushed aside, with Konoha thinking they were deceived.

It is very likely that Konoha and the Sand ninja would have entered a real war, and as history has shown, other ninja villages would follow suit, leading to the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War.

In this light, Orochimaru's assassination of the Fourth Kazekage can be seen as a blessing in disguise.

The other three Great Ninja Villages still have their Kage.

Thus, upon receiving the news of Konoha's attack, they first shared a moment of schadenfreude, giving Orochimaru a mental thumbs up, hoping he would continue his efforts in the future.

But when they learned that Gensou had broken free from Edo Tensei's control and left Konoha, their expressions turned serious.

While they didn't fully understand Edo Tensei, the Second Hokage, Tobirama, had used it enough to disgust his enemies.

From the intelligence gathered, they knew a bit about it.

Most likely, Gensou had not been resurrected but was in an Edo Tensei state, his soul temporarily summoned.

Yet, this did not change the reality that a self-aware Gensou had set foot in the living world again after decades.

Iwagakure

The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, received the news of Gensou's reappearance while being treated for his old back in the hospital.

Amidst his cries of pain, his expression suddenly froze, and his eyes became incredibly complex.

"Gensou…"

If anyone in the current ninja world knew Gensou best, it was Onoki.

He had seen Gensou in person, not during the final battle at the Valley of the End, but much earlier, before the formation of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

In the Warring States period, where even five-year-olds fought, Onoki was already fifteen or sixteen years old when Konoha was founded and considered an adult at the time.

During his decade-long career as a ninja, due to various missions, he had seen the leader of the Hagoromo Clan, Gensou, in his prime, and witnessed the true genius several years his senior in action.

He didn't need solemn reminders or repeated warnings from his teacher, the Second Tsuchikage, about Gensou's terror.

Onoki had long understood and remembered Gensou deeply, and the impression still lingered today.

"Who would have thought that the person who once stood as a lackey is now the Third Tsuchikage, while you, once invincible, have long turned to dust."

Onoki shook his head in amazement, signaling the nurse to step aside, and donned his Tsuchikage robes.

"Tsuchikage-sama, what should we do?" asked Onoki's son, Akatsuchi, who had brought the information.

Without hesitation, Onoki replied, "Have the Iwa ninja forces near the Fire Country frontlines make some moves to scare Konoha. If there are benefits, take them; if not, at least it will distract them. As for Gensou…"

Onoki pondered for a long time, finally sighing and shaking his head: "Send a team to investigate. It's okay if they don't find anything."

No matter how brilliant a past, it was over.

Even if he reappeared, it would be a fleeting moment.

On a personal level, Onoki wanted to meet the person he had admired in his youth once more.

But from a broader perspective, he couldn't waste his village's resources on meaningless endeavors.

So he followed the latter.

However…

Onoki's lips curled into a smile.

He wasn't in a hurry about Gensou, but he knew some people would be.

Kirigakure

A heavy slam echoed in the Mizukage's office.

The young Fifth Mizukage, Mei, ordered coldly, "Deploy all the tracking units. Find Gensou and bring him back to Kirigakure."

As the biggest loser in the Battle of the Valley of the End, Kirigakure not only lost the First Mizukage, lowering its prestige, but also the central figure holding everything together.

Without the First Mizukage, internal conflicts, which had been suppressed, resurfaced.

Even with the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu, in power, his influence was not enough to unify the village.

Moreover, he died recklessly in the First Great Ninja War.

This intensified the internal strife in Kirigakure, leading to the "Bloody Mist" era.

Even though the Bloody Mist era had ended, the lingering issues from decades of strife continued to plague Mei.

Gensou could be seen as the source of many of Kirigakure's tragedies.

Hearing that Gensou, a name cursed by her elders, had resurfaced in the ninja world, Mei was determined to capture him, no matter his state.

Fortunately, Ao, her advisor, calmly advised, "Mizukage-sama, Gensou is likely still in the Land of Fire. In the current unstable ninja world, such a large-scale operation might be misunderstood by Konoha. Please reconsider."

"Moreover, he is already dead. It's unnecessary to expend so much effort to find him."

Even if they found him, so what?

Gensou was already dead.

Would killing him again make any difference? Would he even fear it?

After much persuasion, Mei relented, opting for a more discreet search for Gensou.

Kumogakure

Compared to the debates in Kirigakure, the decisions in Kumogakure were straightforward.

Though the First Mizukage had died, the First Raikage had only lost an arm.

Upon receiving the news, the Fourth Raikage, A, hefted his thick dumbbells and ordered without hesitation:

"Find Gensou with all your might and avenge the First Raikage's lost arm!"

"Yes!"

No one objected.

The mighty war machine of Kumogakure began operating efficiently.

(End of Chapter)