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

The sandstorm came as quickly as it went.

After a few moments, Gensou fixed his gaze back on the Great Toad Sage, whose full form was now revealed before him.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...

Remnants of Lava Release clung to the Great Toad Sage's body.

The Great Toad Sage gave a casual shake, causing the molten rock to fall away rapidly.

The exposed areas of the Great Toad Sage's skin, aside from being slightly redder, were entirely unharmed.

Gensou glanced at the molten rock on the ground, which had melted deep pits into the earth, and then back at the Great Toad Sage, whose skin bore only faint redness from where the lava had been.

In that moment, he truly grasped the overwhelming resilience of a body tempered by centuries of sage energy.

Even the Lava Release, enhanced by senjutsu chakra, couldn't burn through the Great Toad Sage's skin. Moreover, the wound Gensou had managed to inflict with his full power earlier had already healed completely.

"No wonder you existed alongside the Sage of Six Paths," Gensou remarked, brushing the dust off his clothing.

An unparalleled body with immense resistance to physical and magical attacks, a chakra reserve even greater than a tailed beast, mastery of both nature transformation and shape manipulation, as well as formidable senjutsu techniques—there were virtually no weaknesses in the Great Toad Sage's arsenal.

Though not having reached the Six Paths level, the Great Toad Sage could undoubtedly be considered one of the most powerful beings below it, a near-perfect warrior.

It was true: even a pig that had lived for a thousand years couldn't be underestimated.

Let alone the Great Toad Sage, who had lived for millennia as the sage teacher of Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo.

Had it been the version of himself from the Battle of the Valley of End, Gensou admitted he would have been no match for the Great Toad Sage and would have been utterly defeated.

Back then, his combat style revolved around being a ninjutsu artillery. Even with senjutsu-enhanced Kekkei Genkai, he couldn't have pierced the Great Toad Sage's defenses, let alone harmed it with standard techniques.

The Great Toad Sage was his natural counter.

As for other notable figures of the same era, Eternal Madara was unlikely to be a match for the Great Toad Sage. The battle's outcome against a fully realized Rinnegan Madara, however, was uncertain.

Meanwhile, Senju Hashirama, with his extensive Mokuton and senjutsu techniques, did possess some advantages against large creatures. But ultimately, the deciding factor would be whether the True Several Thousand Hands could pin down the Great Toad Sage.

If the battle dragged on, Hashirama would undoubtedly be outlasted by the Great Toad Sage.

Of course, this assessment referred to the Great Toad Sage in its prime.

Whether during the Warring States Period or the current era, the Great Toad Sage had long entered its twilight years.

Gensou could see that the Great Toad Sage was utilizing a secret technique to temporarily restore its peak strength.

If he could hold out long enough or simply retreat until the secret technique wore off, the battle would become much easier.

But that was only an ideal scenario.

With the Great Toad Sage's vast experience, it would never allow him to survive so easily. Instead, it would likely press its advantage, forcing Gensou to fight while exhausted and further tilting the battle in its favor.

Moreover, Gensou had no intention of avoiding its full strength.

He was no longer the same person who had fought at the Valley of Fallen Gods.

Furthermore, Naruto was currently perched on the Great Toad Sage's back.

To prevent unnecessary accidents, he resolved to fight with everything he had.

"Time to go all out."

Gensou's expression turned completely serious as a three-pronged crescent mark spread across his forehead.

"Yin Seal: Release!"

A massive surge of chakra erupted.

Gensou's presence swelled dramatically.

At the same time, he glanced at his left shoulder, which had been shattered earlier by the Great Toad Sage's powerful strike.

Crack, crack, crack.

Bones mended rapidly, and flesh regenerated at an astonishing speed.

In mere moments, all his injuries and fatigue had vanished. Gensou waved his hand at the Great Toad Sage, signaling his readiness.

"Let's go again!"

Seeing Gensou's strength surge once more, the Great Toad Sage didn't immediately attack. Instead, its eyes revealed a flicker of reminiscence as it remarked,

"As expected of Hagoromo's descendant. You've come very close to him."

The "him" referred to by the Great Toad Sage was, of course, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo—specifically, the version of him before sealing his mother and becoming the Sage of Six Paths.

This was high praise coming from a being who had lived during that era.

Indeed, the Great Toad Sage saw echoes of Hagoromo in Gensou.

Gensou quickly understood the meaning behind the Great Toad Sage's words.

To be compared to his ancestor—especially by someone who had lived during that time—should have been a source of pride.

But Gensou remained indifferent.

"I'd prefer it if you said, 'You've surpassed your ancestor,'" he replied calmly.

The Great Toad Sage sighed.

"Your ambition is too great."

"Too great? No, it's merely a natural pursuit in life. Who says descendants can't surpass their predecessors?"

Gensou's tone was earnest.

Since beginning his journey, he had taken time to appreciate the scenery and intervene in matters he found unjust.

But one thing had never changed—his determination to walk the path toward Kekkei Sōmō, ascend to the Six Paths level, achieve the ultimate transformation of life, and unlock infinite possibilities.

Gensou knew he wasn't one of those historical pioneers who dared to forge new paths. Everything he did stemmed from his belief in his own capabilities.

But none of that mattered when faced with his unshakable conviction.

Nothing should stand in his way.

Especially not after he had already paused and given a warning, as he had once done with Kakashi in Konoha.

Everyone has something—or someone—that compels them to risk everything in pursuit of a goal.

For Gensou, ever since his arrival in this world and his first real encounter with chakra, that unyielding desire had been born.

Even death and rebirth hadn't lessened it; if anything, it had grown stronger.

So, regardless of who, what faction, or what reason stood in his way, Gensou would not hesitate to act.

The Great Toad Sage was no exception.

"Have you ever considered how you, the Great Toad Sage, might meet your end?" Gensou asked.

The Great Toad Sage sighed again and shook its head.

"All I've seen is the shattering of space, countless calamities descending, and the world drowning in blood. All of this stems from your ambition, Gensou. Stop now, while you still can."

Gensou's expression remained calm.

"Disaster, bloodshed, pain, war—once I achieve my goal, I'll resolve them all with a flick of my hand. Besides, the future you see is just one of countless possibilities, hardly worth taking seriously."

"And one more thing! What I despise most is the dismissal of others' efforts in favor of fate, prophecy, and the like!"

With that, Gensou's killing intent surged.

"Die!"

(End of Chapter)

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