Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 185: Involving the Innocent

Naka Shrine.

Although dilapidated, the remaining structures of the shrine were completely reduced to ashes under the rampage of Uchiha Itachi's Susano'o.

"Uchiha Flame Formation!"

A crimson barrier, with scorching flames that even tailed beasts couldn't easily break, rose up, enclosing the massive Susano'o within. Compared to before, Sasuke and his remaining team members, who had been halved in number due to injuries, were now spread around the Uchiha Flame Formation, with their hands pressed against the barrier, continuously infusing chakra to maintain it.

Boom!

The Totsuka Blade struck the barrier but did not cause any damage. Instead, it adhered to the flames of the barrier, causing the blade to ignite. Uchiha Itachi looked at this outcome with an expressionless face and ceased to drive Susano'o. Breaking the Flame Formation would consume considerable time and his limited chakra.

Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyōu Sharingan spun, and the vast Susano'o gradually dissipated, leaving only a portion of the ribs to protect his body. 

If they want to drag this out, then let's drag it out. 

He glanced at Sasuke, preparing to say something. Suddenly, a violent, uncontrollable cough erupted from his mouth. Uchiha Itachi clutched his mouth with one hand, but thick blood still gushed through his fingers. 

Thud.

Uchiha Itachi collapsed to the ground, and the ribs of Susano'o around him dissipated instantly.

"Is it a trap? Or reality?" 

Outside the barrier, Uchiha Kei watched the scene with uncertainty.

"It's real." Uchiha Izumi, gazing deeply at Uchiha Itachi, answered. Given her understanding of Uchiha Itachi, he wouldn't fake weakness to lure others in.

Uchiha Sasuke thought the same. Thus, the Uchiha Flame Formation dissipated. Sasuke, the fastest among them, was the first to reach Itachi, raising his Chidori Blade, filled with electricity, and slashing forward mercilessly.

Rip!

The Akatsuki cloak with the red clouds was split in two, and a stream of blood sprayed across the sky. When Sasuke looked again, Uchiha Itachi, now in his ninja attire with a long bloodstain on his chest, had retreated ten meters away.

"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

Uchiha Kei and Uchiha Izumi swiftly followed, and two enormous fire dragons rose simultaneously, charging at Uchiha Itachi from the left and right. Uchiha Itachi, enduring his physical discomfort, dodged again. Seeing Sasuke and other Uchiha ninjas advancing, Itachi, narrowly avoiding one fire dragon, formed a one-handed seal.

Caw caw caw~~~

A large number of crows scattered from him, turning into clouds of crows attacking everyone present.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

"Fire Release..."

Knowing how troublesome the crows could be when combined with Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke and the others immediately used fire release techniques to burn the crows. Soon, a sea of fire rose over the ruins of the Naka Shrine.

During this time, Uchiha Itachi barely suppressed his physical ailments. At that moment, he suddenly thought of a stranger he had only met once, Kaguya Kimimaro. 

Also possessing remarkable kekkei genkai, also suffering from a severe illness. Before death, Kimimaro still wanted to complete his mission, but in the end, only met with a regretful ending. Now, in the same situation, Uchiha Itachi couldn't afford to have regrets.

Uchiha Itachi raised his head and saw Sasuke charging at him again. The Mangekyōu Sharingan in his right eye spun, and bright red blood flowed from the corner of his right eye.

While the battle at Naka Shrine was fierce, Hagoromo Gengetsu's shadow clone was also busy. During Konoha's usual Chuunin exam written test, after completing a self-created paper alone, Hagoromo Gengetsu's shadow clone arrived at the Forest of Death. In less than ten minutes, he reached the central tower and found some discarded "Heaven" and "Earth" scrolls in the locked storage room inside the tower.

As expected, these scrolls were likely from Naruto's batch two years ago.

"Perfect, they fit my main mission."

Hagoromo Gengetsu's shadow clone picked up a "Heaven" scroll and an "Earth" scroll, held them for a moment, then put them down. 

Ceremony! The most important thing is the ceremony!

This should allow the system to judge that I have passed both the written test and the Forest of Death assessment. After all, I participated in the entire process and fulfilled all the conditions. Next, it's up to the main body.

Having completed the task, Hagoromo Gengetsu's shadow clone didn't linger and automatically dispersed with a "poof."

Simultaneously, the related memories flooded into Hagoromo Gengetsu's main body's mind.

"Is it done?"

Taking his gaze away from the dissipated Uchiha Flame Formation and Susano'o over Naka Shrine, Hagoromo Gengetsu glanced at the newly emerged memories in his mind and nodded in satisfaction.

Next would be the preliminaries and then the actual matches.

Thinking of this, Hagoromo Gengetsu looked towards the dense forest in the direction he had come from. Kisame, who had volunteered to clear out the insects, was still inside.

If he doesn't return now, it will be difficult to come back later.

Just then, Hagoromo Gengetsu noticed something and smiled faintly to himself.

As if hearing Hagoromo Gengetsu's words, there was a loud "boom." Kisame was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through over a dozen trees and carving a long trench in the ground before stopping beside Hagoromo Gengetsu. 

Although it didn't seem voluntary, he returned after all.

Kisame, with his Akatsuki cloak heavily damaged, pulled his legs out of the ground, shook his still trembling left hand, turned to Hagoromo Gengetsu beside him, and grinned:

"No wonder she's the Hokage. That woman packs a punch!"

"Did Tsunade come herself? Makes sense. In all of Konoha, only she could punch you this far."

Hagoromo Gengetsu looked calmly into the forest. 

A few breaths later, Tsunade, clad in her familiar green outer garment with the "Gamble" kanji, leapt out, followed by Jiraiya and other well-known figures to Hagoromo Gengetsu. 

Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, Shibi Aburame, Inoichi Yamanaka, and other elite jonin, along with the now-promoted to chunin members of the Konoha 12 like Rock Lee, Tenten, Shikamaru, and Neji. 

And that wasn't all. 

Hagoromo Gengetsu saw a large number of shinobi marching in from the rear. There were no fewer than five hundred of them.

Gathering such numbers in such a short time, truly befitting the largest village in the shinobi world. 

Seeing the dense crowd ahead, Kisame beside Hagoromo Gengetsu was already breaking into a cold sweat.

"Hey hey! So many people! This is too much!"

Kisame, grateful he retreated in time, looked anxiously at Hagoromo Gengetsu.

He felt like he was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire this time.