Naruto: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 310: This Is Getting Interesting

"How... how could this be??" Mifune, who had no time to resist before collapsing to the ground, was filled with shock. He wanted to turn his head to look behind him but found himself unable to move.

Hagoromo Gengetsu, who had emerged from the ground behind Mifune, ignored him completely.

He scanned the surrounding Shinobi and said calmly, "This is getting interesting."

Compared to the disorganized group at the beginning, hastily gathered together with little coordination, this new wave of Shinobi had improved significantly. They were finally beginning to demonstrate the power of a ten-thousand-strong Allied Shinobi Force.

"Is this due to their command?"

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked around, seriously sensing his surroundings.

At the same time, Nara Shikaku, upon seeing Mifune fall, was filled with surprise.

Using the vision of those around him, he observed where Hagoromo Gengetsu had previously been, only to see a puff of white smoke rise.

"Using a Shadow Clone to divert attention while the real body used Earth Release to sneak up behind Mifune and take him down in one strike... That was too fast! Moreover, none of the sensory-type Shinobi present noticed a thing. Hagoromo Gengetsu's skill in Earth Release—or perhaps in controlling his chakra—is truly astounding."

Facing such a terrifying enemy for the first time in his life, Nara Shikaku felt immense pressure.

Before he could issue more orders.

Suddenly!

Hagoromo Gengetsu's gaze locked onto him, and he spoke:

"Mind Transfer Jutsu. To be able to command these Shinobi so skillfully in such a short time, you must be the current head of the Nara Clan."

He noticed me??

Shikaku's heart trembled, and without hesitation, he moved out of Hagoromo Gengetsu's line of sight, not giving him any opportunity.

Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't care.

His gaze turned towards the Allied Shinobi Force headquarters in the distance.

"In a war, the first step is to destroy the enemy's command center. That's common sense, isn't it?"

Hagoromo Gengetsu muttered to himself.

Although he didn't care about ordinary Shinobi, if someone managed to gather these seemingly united but actually disorganized Shinobi together, it could be a significant hassle for him.

Just like now.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

"Lightning Style: Lightning Current!"

Hundreds of Mist and Cloud Shinobi formed hand seals, and massive water dragons charged at Hagoromo Gengetsu, carrying powerful lightning currents.

Hagoromo Gengetsu ignored the grand scene before him. With his Rinnegan, he clearly saw the fine grains of sand and numerous explosive tags hidden among the water dragons.

Taking another glance, he noticed a group of Sand Shinobi quietly pressing their hands to the ground within the Shinobi army. He immediately understood Shikaku's intent.

Faced with such a massive combined Ninjutsu, if he used Sealing Jutsu: Absorption Seal to absorb it all, the sand grains and explosive tags hidden within the water dragons would pile up around him.

Even with Steel Release, he wouldn't be able to withstand the resulting explosion comfortably.

And if he noticed something was wrong and stopped the Sealing Jutsu, he would be subjected to continuous lightning-infused water dragon attacks, leaving him paralyzed for an extended period.

The plan was well thought out.

However.

What if I just don't let the Ninjutsu reach me?

"Shinra Tensei!"

Hagoromo Gengetsu extended his palm, unleashing a substantial repulsive force that instantly obliterated the incoming combined Ninjutsu.

"Five seconds!"

Recalling from Uchiha Madara that Shinra Tensei had a five-second interval, Shikaku immediately ordered a new wave of Shinobi to launch another combined Ninjutsu. But this time, Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't give them the chance.

"Lava Style: Scorching River Rock Technique!"

Hagoromo Gengetsu clapped his hands, and massive balls of lava rained down like a meteor shower, crashing into the second interception unit.

The Shinobi who were about to execute Shikaku's plan looked up to see the lava balls descending, panic written across their faces as they instinctively dodged.

Shikaku's attack rhythm was easily disrupted.

"This is the best we can do."

Watching Hagoromo Gengetsu, whose power far exceeded his expectations and who could unleash natural disaster-level Ninjutsu with a single move, Shikaku sighed deeply.

When there's such a vast difference in strength, strategy is nothing more than decoration.

All he could do now was continue depleting Hagoromo Gengetsu's chakra, buying time for Tsunade and her group to arrive and gain any possible advantage.

On paper, with almost every Shinobi deployed except for those guarding the villages and protecting the daimyos, the Allied Shinobi Force was extremely powerful.

If they could fully unleash their potential, Hagoromo Gengetsu wouldn't stand a chance.

However, just as Hagoromo Gengetsu said, the Allied Shinobi Force was nothing more than a disorganized mob.

Though numerous, they lacked coordination; their morale, high at the beginning, would inevitably crumble as casualties mounted; and with Hagoromo Gengetsu being a single individual, only a fraction of the ten thousand Shinobi could actually engage him at any given time.

Even under Shikaku's command.

He could only get this ten thousand-strong force to perform at a fraction of their potential.

Even Naruto, during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, had to rely on his talk-no-jutsu and Kurama's chakra to lift the spirits of the Allied Shinobi Force when their morale was on the brink of collapse.

Of course, their morale would soon plummet again and again.

To be honest, even if they could only perform at a fraction of their potential, a ten-thousand-strong Shinobi Force should be able to defeat any enemy, even the Five Kage.

But right now, they were facing Hagoromo Gengetsu.

Understanding human nature all too well, Hagoromo Gengetsu had chosen from the start to penetrate the Allied Shinobi Force alone, shattering the will of the majority before they could interfere with him in the absence of the most powerful talk-no-jutsu.

Instead of letting his predecessors and subordinates engage the Allied Shinobi Force in a dramatic battle, he aimed to crush the spirit of most of the Shinobi, preventing them from becoming a nuisance later on.

Although there had been a few unexpected events, things were still progressing as he had envisioned.

Looking at the Shinobi who had calmed down somewhat under Shikaku's command, Hagoromo Gengetsu didn't press the attack.

Taking advantage of the momentary pause, he resumed what he had been doing earlier.

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked toward the Allied Shinobi Force headquarters, raising his right hand. As a massive amount of chakra converged, a white, transparent arrow-like barrier formed, its aura growing ever stronger.

"Stop him!"

Shikaku, who had been keeping an eye on Hagoromo Gengetsu, recognized what this was and immediately issued the command.

Many of the remaining Shinobi rushed forward, using every means at their disposal to stop Hagoromo Gengetsu.

He didn't give them the chance to play hero.

The familiar repulsive force surged forth once more.

Clearing everything behind him, Hagoromo Gengetsu aimed the arrow in his right hand toward the Allied Shinobi Force headquarters.

In the next moment.

A dazzling white light burst forth!

The white, transparent arrow shot into the sky, slicing through the air as it sped towards the distant Allied Shinobi Force headquarters.

Shikaku looked up, watching the arrow disappear from sight, leaving only a long, lingering trail of white, transparent energy in the sky.

That direction is...

This is bad!!!

Allied Shinobi Force headquarters. Shikaku's eyes widened as his pupils contracted sharply.