Download App

Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Times change, and the remnants of the old era find it hard to adapt to the rapid currents of the new era.

But this did not include Gensou.

Compared to the end of the Warring States period, the rapid development in various fields, especially technology similar to his past life, made the ninja world of today even more appealing to him.

This era should belong to him.

"Don't you agree, useless system?"

Gensou spoke to his system in his mind.

[Please complete the novice mission as soon as possible.]

The familiar prompt sounded again.

Decades had passed, yet even after his death and resurrection, not fully reborn, the system still diligently issued tasks to him.

One had to admit, this system was really something, bound to him even in death, with no flexibility whatsoever.

Just like the novice mission that had disheartened him back then, it was still listed on the system page.

However, with Naruto Uzumaki around in this era, he could finally tackle the mission.

"System, what year is it?" Gensou confirmed once again.

[Konoha Year 60.]

Good, this time it got it right without extending the timeline by several decades.

Satisfied, Gensou returned to reality.

The novice mission wasn't urgent for now.

The key thing now was to leave here and achieve true rebirth.

Gensou looked at the shadow clone of Hiruzen before him, who was strenuously maintaining the Reaper Death Seal, trying to seal his soul.

With Tobirama's grave warning before his departure, Hiruzen, though not fully understanding the Hokages' concern, still followed through with all his might.

"For Konoha, for everyone, I will give my life to seal you completely!"

The shadow clone of Hiruzen shouted.

Gensou was speechless: "Old man, don't lump me in with that snake-like guy, making me out to be some heinous villain. I haven't even stepped on a single ant in Konoha, so why the call for my head?"

It was the same last time.

He had done nothing, yet the Five Kage ambushed him out of nowhere.

His life had indeed been difficult.

Listening to Gensou's explanation, Hiruzen had a moment of hesitation.

Setting aside the somewhat jarring "old man" term.

Technically speaking, like the two Hokage, Gensou was forcibly summoned here, and the previous battles couldn't be blamed on him.

However...

Seeing Gensou unexpectedly break free from Orochimaru's control and resist the Reaper Death Seal, clearly having his own intentions, and knowing he died at the hands of the First Hokage, Hiruzen's eyes hardened.

Such a person, feared deeply by both the First and Second Hokage, could not be allowed to escape.

With a firm resolve shaped by the stories of Gensou's genius from his youth, Hiruzen responded resolutely:

"Gensou-senpai, the dead should not return to the world of the living. It's time for you to go back where you belong."

"Make me go back? That's not something an old man at death's door like you can achieve."

Still convinced he was a twenty-four-year-old youth, Gensou was displeased with being called "senpai" by Hiruzen.

Fortunately, he wouldn't have to listen to him any longer.

Gensou's lips curled into a smile.

At the same time, the shadow clone of Hiruzen before him changed expression: "You—"

During their exchange, the battle for Gensou's soul under the Reaper Death Seal continued.

Originally, Hiruzen's shadow clone had pulled Gensou's soul partially out of his Edo Tensei body.

But now, he suddenly found a powerful resistance not only hindering his jutsu but also watching as Gensou's soul slowly retracted back into his body.

"You think I was chatting with you out of post-death boredom?" Gensou said with a faint smile at the shadow clone of Hiruzen,

"I was just buying time to adapt to this new body and to understand the infamous Reaper Death Seal."

With these words, Gensou's body trembled, and the shadow clone's hands gripping his shoulders were suddenly repelled.

"If it were your real body, I might have had a hard time breaking free from the Reaper Death Seal. But a shadow clone? Ha."

Gensou pointed a finger, and the shocked shadow clone of Hiruzen dissipated with a "poof" into white smoke.

Feeling the shadow clone dissipate, Hiruzen, tightly entangled with Orochimaru, changed expression: "This is bad!"

Conversely, Orochimaru, who had looked grim, now revealed a hint of joy, quickly suggesting to Gensou: "Gensou-senpai, let's kill Hiruzen together. Once the Third Hokage is gone, Konoha will be leaderless and will face inevitable destruction. This is the outcome you desire, isn't it?"

Orochimaru was well aware of the conflicts between Gensou, Hashirama, and the Konoha led by Hashirama.

He believed Gensou would be interested in his plan to destroy Konoha.

However, what happened next took Orochimaru by surprise.

Freed and unobstructed, Gensou didn't move to attack but instead folded his arms and cheerfully watched, saying: "No rush. It's rare to witness such a dramatic showdown between teacher and student. I'd like to see who wins in the end."

"Carry on, don't mind me."

Gensou hadn't forgotten that Orochimaru was the caster of Edo Tensei.

To avoid unnecessary surprises, he had no interest in helping Orochimaru.

With his current strength unable to break the Four Violet Flames Formation immediately, he decided to sit back and watch this famous Hokage battle.

Seeing Gensou watching like he was munching on sunflower seeds, Orochimaru's expression froze.

Then, feeling his soul being pulled out again by Hiruzen, his expression grew uglier.

"Damn old man!"

"Damn Hiruzen-sensei!"

"Can't use ninjutsu, and my body is restricted."

Seeing the massive Death God behind Hiruzen, Orochimaru showed a rare sign of panic.

With Gensou unreliable, he could only struggle on his own.

Hiruzen, though persistent, was already heavily drained and had little strength left.

More crucially, Gensou was lurking nearby like a ticking time bomb.

Though Gensou claimed he wouldn't interfere, having a time bomb nearby was unsettling.

To prevent any accidents, he had to act quickly.

"This is the only way."

Unable to resolve Gensou was a given reality.

Orochimaru's soul wasn't fully extracted either.

Time was running out.

There was no other choice!

Hiruzen took a deep breath, looking at his former student, now shrouded in darkness and cruelty, unrecognizable from his youth, and said in a deep voice:

"Orochimaru—"

(End of Chapter)


Chapter 20: Chapter 20

[The Poll is UP! Go to my Patreon to vote for your favorite fanfic and get it picked up! IT'S FREE!]

[Reviews will also make into the poll!]

"Orochimaru, your ambition ends here."

As Hiruzen spoke, the Death God behind him moved, drawing a ninja blade from its mouth.

Sensing something terribly wrong, Orochimaru's face tightened as he retorted:

"No! My ambition will never cease!"

He pulled harder at his soul, but it was too late.

With a calm expression, Hiruzen raised his voice as the Death God's blade swung down: "Orochimaru, you are obsessed with ninjutsu, wasting it. The most fitting punishment for you is for me to take away all the ninjutsu you possess."

"Could it be..." Orochimaru's face twisted, his voice sharp, "Stop!"

"Seal!"

At Hiruzen's command, the Death God's blade slashed down without any obstruction, severing the portion of Orochimaru's soul belonging to his hands, sealing it into Hiruzen's body.

"No!"

Orochimaru could only watch as his hands turned black and purple before falling limp.

With his last breath, Hiruzen looked at him and said softly, "Now your hands can't form seals. Without your hands, you can't perform ninjutsu. Your plan to destroy Konoha has failed."

"You old fool! Give me back my hands!" Orochimaru, unable to perform ninjutsu with his hands sealed, screamed in rage.

"You've grown foolish, Orochimaru." Hiruzen smiled. "Though I regret not taking you with me, my disciple, we will meet again in the next world."

"And Gensou-senpai."

Hiruzen struggled to turn his head, looking at Gensou with memories flooding his eyes, "Since childhood, the elders in my family used you as an inspiration for us. As a man who stands shoulder to shoulder with gods, I don't know your true intentions. But!!!"

Hiruzen's eyes shone with unprecedented brilliance.

He looked directly at Gensou and said finally:

"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns eternally!"

"When we old generation die, there will always be new ones to take over our tasks. No matter your intentions, I believe Konoha's younger generation will face you fearlessly!"

"Gensou-senpai, I'll wait for you in our world."

With these words, Hiruzen finally closed his eyes.

Thus.

In Konoha Year 60, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, passed away at the age of 69.

Ignoring Orochimaru's hateful, unwilling, and even somewhat bewildered and sorrowful cries, Gensou watched Hiruzen's body slowly fall and remained silent for a moment.

A person who bore his memories from his past life had truly left.

What surprised him was Hiruzen's speech about the Will of Fire before his death.

Was it a message not to underestimate the current Konoha shinobi?

Even without a Hokage, there would always be outstanding people to fulfill their duties.

Such rare spirit.

Despite the problems during Hiruzen's rule, he truly fulfilled his responsibilities as Hokage at this moment.

But...

Why did everyone see him as a great villain?

Is it wrong to seize any chance to survive?

And why do they keep calling him "senpai"?

He never considered himself old.

In fact, Hiruzen had seen more years than he had lived.

Gensou sighed, reflecting on the difficulties of life.

Glancing over Hiruzen's body, Gensou turned his attention to the now-rapidly-recovering Orochimaru.

With his hands unable to form seals, Orochimaru no longer posed any threat to him.

This was why he had patiently waited for Hiruzen to use the Reaper Death Seal.

"What's wrong? Not taking out your anger on your teacher's corpse?" Noticing Orochimaru staring at Hiruzen's body, Gensou smirked.

"There's no point in wasting time on the dead," came the raspy reply.

Orochimaru was a smart man.

Understanding his current state and wary of Gensou, Orochimaru knew that without the control of Edo Tensei, they had no direct conflict.

Gensou had meticulously taken control of himself, clearly not intending to return to the afterlife just to glance at the living world.

Orochimaru had no problem with stirring the calm waters of the ninja world.

In fact, the greater the turmoil, the more he relished it.

"Gensou-senpai, welcome back to the living world. Interested in visiting my place?" Orochimaru quickly adjusted his mindset and proposed a collaboration.

Gensou glanced around: "You should think about how to leave first."

Gensou's primary goal in returning to the living world was to reclaim his body, necessary for his resurrection.

Everything else was secondary.

After the plan to destroy Konoha, Orochimaru had become a thorn in Konoha's side.

Gensou had no interest in joining forces with Orochimaru now, as it would only draw unnecessary attention.

Understanding Gensou's refusal, Orochimaru wasn't offended.

Even in his prime, he wouldn't take this historical figure lightly.

Especially now, without his hands.

"Then, until next time."

With these words, Orochimaru ordered his four subordinates, "The operation ends here. Dispel the barrier. We're leaving."

"Yes!"

The Four Sound Ninjas clapped their hands, dispersing the Four Violet Flames Formation.

Once done, two of them supported Orochimaru, and together with the remaining two, they quickly left Konoha.

"Don't think you can escape!"

The Anbu outside the barrier immediately moved to intercept.

Ignoring Orochimaru's escape, Gensou looked around, choosing a less crowded direction and leaving Konoha.

However, just as he leaped onto another rooftop,

A flash of light from the sky.

Accompanied by the familiar chirping of birds, a figure sped towards him, raising his right hand as violent lightning aimed at Gensou's heart.

In an instant, illuminated by the lightning, Gensou's face showed a surprised smile:

"Did no one tell you not to show off in front of a master?"

With that,

Slap! Gensou extended his hand, precisely catching the wrist carrying the Chidori.

The attacker had to halt, looking up in shock, revealing a face with a black mask and a blood-red left eye emitting an ominous aura.

(End of Chapter)


Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C19
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank 200+ Power Ranking
Stone 222 Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT