Chapter 285: Obito: Hagoromo Gengetsu, Let's Collaborate!
Roar!!!
A thunderous roar echoed across the sky, and a massive, ominous chakra shot straight into the clouds.
In the desolate primeval forest, violent explosions erupted one after another.
"Damn bastard!!"
Facing the man adorned in silver armor, with the clan emblem of three crescent moons on his shoulder, black hair, and black eyes, the Nine-Tails roared in frustration. Despite its enormous size, far exceeding that of a human, it couldn't help but tremble slightly.
However, seeing the man approaching silently, the Nine-Tails, regarded as a moving natural disaster by humans, suppressed its fear. Its eyes gleamed with madness and cruelty.
Opening its massive mouth, it rapidly condensed a giant, purple-black Tailed Beast Bomb in front of it.
Boom!
As if the world was changing color, the completed Tailed Beast Bomb, carrying earth-shattering power, shot towards the man at high speed. Along its path, the aftermath alone turned countless ancient trees to ashes and carved a long trench into the ground.
Just as it was about to hit the target, the man looked up, revealing a youthful and handsome face.
Noticing the massive Tailed Beast Bomb that completely filled his vision, he calmly extended his right hand, palm facing the bomb.
Sizzle...
White smoke continuously emerged. Visibly, the Tailed Beast Bomb, instead of exploding as usual, rapidly shrank until it was entirely absorbed into the man's palm.
"Hagoromo Gengetsu!!"
Seeing his strongest attack neutralized effortlessly, the Nine-Tails finally shouted out the man's name in frustration and loudly questioned, "I have no grudge against you! Why are you bothering me?"
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" looked up at the Nine-Tails and said calmly, "How pathetic."
"What do you mean?!" the Nine-Tails roared in anger and confusion.
Over the years, it had heard countless human evaluations of itself—terrifying, ferocious, cruel, powerful—but never pathetic. Even if it could be defeated, it shouldn't be described as pathetic. When did it need anyone's pity?
At this moment, looking at the enraged Nine-Tails, "Hagoromo Gengetsu" shook his head and said, "I thought you would have a different future. It turns out that not only you are pathetic, but everyone else and this world are pathetic, including me."
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" looked at his hands, which seemed so real no matter how he observed and sensed them. But who would have thought?
"Hagoromo Gengetsu! What are you talking about?" the Nine-Tails demanded, unable to make sense of his words.
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" then put his hands down, looked back at the Nine-Tails, and said calmly, "Forget it, talking more is pointless. Face the fate you were meant to have."
With that, "Hagoromo Gengetsu" formed hand seals.
Driven to desperation, the Nine-Tails' pupils contracted as it shouted crazily, "Let's see who dies first!!"
Moments later, a large section of the forest lay in ruins, and the battlefield was filled with smoke. The colossal body of the Nine-Tails lay on the ground, lifeless, stripped of its former might and arrogance.
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" sat atop the Nine-Tails' head, his face expressionless as he stared at the world before him, lost in thought.
After a while, he turned his head to look at an empty spot nearby and said calmly, "You've seen enough of the show. Come out."
"Impressive as always, Hagoromo Gengetsu." A deep voice echoed.
Uchiha Obito, dressed in a black cloak with red clouds from the Akatsuki, and Black Zetsu emerged slowly from the ground.
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" looked at the two, and old memories surfaced in his mind. Soon, a look of realization flashed across his eyes, followed by a cold expression. "If you can't give a reason for your presence, you two will stay here forever."
Hearing this, Uchiha Obito carefully scrutinized the "Hagoromo Gengetsu" before him. His demeanor, expression, tone of speech, and displayed strength were exactly the same as the Hagoromo Gengetsu he had dealt with before.
He had worn a mask for too long and pretended to be Uchiha Madara for too long; it had become quite unusual for anyone to speak to him in this manner. However, if it was Hagoromo Gengetsu, from any world, he could barely accept it, especially since he needed his power right now.
Uchiha Obito's eyes flashed as he spoke, "Hagoromo Gengetsu, it doesn't feel good to be replaced, does it? I heard that there's already another Hagoromo Gengetsu in the Hagoromo clan's land, and everyone has accepted him."
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" remained expressionless, glanced at Obito, and said coldly, "You have one minute."
Uchiha Obito, serious, said, "The other Hagoromo Gengetsu is very powerful. We are willing to help the real you."
"Thirty seconds."
Obito hurriedly sped up his speech, "I know how to defeat Hagoromo Gengetsu."
"Ten seconds."
Obito's brows furrowed. Why was this guy not following the script? He quickly added, "I'm telling the truth. Hagoromo Gengetsu, don't you want to reclaim everything? Don't you want to become stronger?"
"Five seconds... Three... Two..."
"The other Hagoromo Gengetsu is not from this world!"
The final "one" never came from Hagoromo Gengetsu's mouth. He looked at Obito and Black Zetsu and said, "Finally, some sincerity. You two aren't from this world either, are you?"
"Yes," Obito admitted reluctantly.
Obito had planned to hide some information, but he hadn't expected everything to be exposed so quickly. The pressure from the real Hagoromo Gengetsu was already immense. He didn't expect the other Hagoromo Gengetsu in the Limited Tsukuyomi world to exert such pressure as well.
Obito looked deeply at "Hagoromo Gengetsu" and said, "We aren't from this world, and neither is the other Hagoromo Gengetsu. We have a grudge against him, and only by killing him can we return to our original world. Hagoromo Gengetsu, let's work together."
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" didn't respond immediately, but as he looked at the two, he thought about other matters.
After the birth of the Limited Tsukuyomi world, even the caster couldn't fully understand and control everything within it. Obito and Black Zetsu didn't realize that the moment the real Hagoromo Gengetsu descended, the "Hagoromo Gengetsu" in the Limited Tsukuyomi world sensed a highly repulsive and murderous aura of the same origin.
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" wasn't controlled by this inexplicable emotion, but he had thought a lot and deliberately concealed his movements. Until the news that another Hagoromo Gengetsu appeared and was accepted by everyone reached his ears.
"Hagoromo Gengetsu" looked at the sky and chuckled. "So, everything is just an illusion."
(Translator Notes: I'll be using "Valley of the Gods" from now on instead of "Valley of the Fallen God")