How terrifying is a Kage fighting at full power? For a regular Jonin, a confrontation with such a force could end swiftly, particularly in close combat, where the outcome is almost always predetermined.
Many wouldn't last more than a few seconds, and some would be defeated instantly.
Examples abound: Kakashi, an elite of the ANBU, stood little chance against a severely weakened Orochimaru, and numerous Konoha Jonin fell effortlessly to Pain.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were unquestionably prodigies, exceptionally talented shinobi destined for greatness.
Their futures held the promise of reaching the ranks of Kage themselves. Yet, at just sixteen years old, their abilities were limited to the level of Jonin.
And now, they faced one of the great Kage of the Five Nations, the seasoned and powerful Gengetsu Hozuki.
Once he began fighting seriously, their fates were sealed. Worse yet, the earlier clash between Jiraiya's Rasengan and Tsunade's Super Strength had left all three slightly injured, further widening the gap.
In an instant, Gengetsu moved with blinding speed, appearing right next to Jiraiya. His fist slammed into Jiraiya's abdomen before the latter could react.
The blow left Jiraiya gasping, eyes wide in shock, as his body crumpled to the ground, wracked with pain and unable to muster the strength to rise.
Without pause, Gengetsu dodged Orochimaru's counterattack, grabbing his arm with one hand and driving his knee into Orochimaru's torso with devastating force.
Orochimaru coughed up blood, his body lurching forward from the impact. Before he could recover, Gengetsu struck the back of Orochimaru's neck with surgical precision, knocking him unconscious.
In mere moments, two of the three had fallen.
Only Tsunade remained standing.
"This is over, little blonde girl," Gengetsu said, his tone eerily calm as he advanced toward her. "It's better if you stop resisting—you'll suffer less that way."
Step by step, he closed the distance, continuing his monologue. "To be honest, fighting you three is hardly entertaining. You're far too weak right now."
"Fight me, then!"
A sudden voice rang out from behind Gengetsu, halting him mid-step.
He turned sharply, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of a boy descending from the sky, wings of chakra dissolving behind him.
"Hui!" Tsunade exclaimed, her voice overflowing with relief and joy.
"Is that… Mochizuki Hui?" Gengetsu murmured, instantly recognizing the newcomer.
Though he had never met Hui in person, his face was one Gengetsu had studied extensively from reports and sketches.
"I thought you were in the Land of Rain. How are you here?" Gengetsu's voice betrayed his confusion, but his senses sharpened, and his body tensed.
He couldn't afford to underestimate Hui, a shinobi with an illustrious record of victories.
Gengetsu knew full well that Hui wasn't merely a peer; he might even surpass him in raw power.
Tsunade and the still-conscious Jiraiya were equally baffled.
Hui's voice broke through the tension. "The war in the Land of Rain is over. I've come here to finish off Kirigakure and put an end to this war once and for all."
"Is that true?!" Tsunade's eyes lit up with hope, and even Jiraiya's expression shifted to astonishment.
Gengetsu's reaction, however, was markedly different.
His heart skipped a beat before sinking. Could it be true? The Battle in the Land of Rain ended so quickly?
It seemed implausible.
He scoffed, shaking his head. "That's impossible. The Land of Rain was a battleground for the combined forces of Iwagakure and Sunagakure, led by their respective Kage. There's no way such a conflict could have ended so swiftly."
His skepticism was reinforced by the timeline.
Hui would have had to travel from the Land of the Moon to the Land of Rain, defeat the allied forces there, and then journey all the way here, all within an impossibly short span of time.
Such a feat was absurd.
"You didn't resolve the conflict in the Land of Rain," Gengetsu said confidently, a sly grin creeping onto his face.
"You've been planning something against Kirigakure this whole time, haven't you? Your talk of the Land of Rain is just a ploy."
Hui chuckled softly, a smile playing on his lips.
Even he admitted that his accomplishments seemed improbable, yet they were, no less true.
"Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter," Hui replied calmly. "Because once I deal with you, Kirigakure will fall, and this war will end."
Gengetsu's grin faltered, replaced by irritation.
"You're confident at least, I'll give you that. But do you truly think a sixteen-year-old can take me down? I'd like to see how strong the boy who supposedly defeated five Kage-level shinobi in Kumogakure really is!"
Without warning, Gengetsu's body vanished, shrouded by the thick mist created by his giant clam summon.
The battlefield became a mirage, his presence concealed as the illusion enveloped the area.
Unlike his previous opponents, however, Gengetsu exercised extreme caution against Hui.
He knew Hui's reputation as a powerful sensor-type ninja. Even as the clam's mirage shrouded his position, Gengetsu maintained his guard, fully aware that Hui might detect his true location.
His instincts were right. Hui stood unaffected by the illusion, his Sage Mode alone allowing him to pinpoint Gengetsu's exact location with uncanny precision.
He didn't even need to rely on his unique Celestial Eye technique.
Faced with this clarity, Hui considered his options: should he set a trap to exploit this information gap, or should he simply overwhelm Gengetsu with brute force?
The decision came quickly. There was no need for subterfuge against an opponent he could crush outright.
Resolving to end the fight swiftly, Hui's chakra flared. His body blurred as he launched forward at a speed that made even Gengetsu's seasoned eyes widen in shock.
Chakra surged into Hui's palm, gathering immense power.
"Super Strength…"
Hui's attack was coming, and Gengetsu braced himself for the onslaught.
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