In the minds of ninjas like Minato and Jiraiya, wars were fundamentally attributed to the existence of the ninja system itself.
In this world, such a viewpoint couldn't really be called wrong. After all, ninjas represented extreme combat power capable of suppressing everything else, so this line of thought was essentially a matter of one's overarching worldview.
However, it couldn't exactly be called right, either. Hagoromo never participated in these kinds of discussions in the past. In his view, as long as the species known as humanity existed, war would exist.
Regardless of what system humans created, it would eventually plant the seeds of war.
Therefore, the permanent method to end war they sought simply did not exist. The possibility of finding a methodology to completely eradicate the problem while thinking within such a limited framework was exactly zero.
Even if all ninjas vanished, this world would still fight just as fiercely; they would simply swap out the combat forces.
If judged purely on "efficiency" and "results," Madara Uchiha's peace was far more reliable than Hashirama Senju's, and Sasuke Uchiha's peace was far more efficient than Naruto Uzumaki's. It wasn't that a method to completely eradicate war didn't exist, but rather that no one would accept it—it was called the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Only when there were no humans left would there be no more wars between humans.
A conflict born from a certain ideology, for a certain objective—for those with power, it was incredibly simple to act upon it. For those without power, they would resort to far more extreme tactics to achieve it.
At the frontlines between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud, a small squad of Cloud ninjas was moving stealthily. Their objective was unknown, nor did it need to be clear.
Because in the very next second, they only felt a figure flash past them once, and then they all fell dead silent.
A figure carrying a massive scroll on his back had ambushed this squad... It had nothing to do with the war situation or their mission. They were killed for one reason and one reason only.
The current Hagoromo wasn't going to do anything unnecessary. His actions had a very direct purpose; he merely needed to borrow a hand before killing them.
Right now, his power was at its absolute weakest. His Electromaster ability was sluggish and impossible to use smoothly. In terms of ninjutsu, the severe injury to his right arm meant he couldn't even weave hand signs himself.
Yet, this was simultaneously the most driven he had ever been in his life—he had never possessed such a clear, definitive objective.
Humans possess five senses, but often rely heavily on vision to capture information.
Therefore, the night is the most beautiful cover. In situations with insufficient visibility, people might not necessarily freeze up completely, but it inevitably makes it extremely easy to trigger chaos.
The death of the Fourth Hokage had brought a ray of hope to the Hidden Cloud's war against Konoha. In the final stages of the war, they had managed to flip the script from defense to offense. With this turning point, the entire atmosphere of the village had become vastly different.
Until tonight.
Objects plummeted from the bottomless night sky with sharp, shrieking whistles. In an instant, white, egg-shaped objects smashed into every corner of the Hidden Cloud Village.
Immediately following, explosions rang out continuously, and towering flames layered over one another.
Faced with an unseen enemy and a sudden, completely unexpected attack, chaos erupted instantly.
The explosions continued without a single moment of rest. Soon after, even larger objects fell from the sky, crashing into the ground or buildings, causing utterly unstoppable disintegration and destruction with their sheer mass of flesh and blood.
This was Hagoromo's first time visiting the Hidden Cloud, and also the first time his three summoning beasts had appeared in another village. Therefore, this "first time" would be unforgettable for absolutely everyone involved.
Perhaps the Sage of Six Paths was just super bad with faces, and when dividing the Tailed Beasts, he had to use obvious external features like tails to distinguish them. The number of tails determining the level of a Tailed Beast's power wasn't a universally accepted theory... at least not among the Tailed Beasts themselves. However, it was very easy for people to think that way, because the Nine-Tails was indeed incredibly strong, while the One-Tail, conversely, felt lacking in power.
So, whether out of emotional perception or rational judgment, Hagoromo felt that compared to the Two-Tails, the Eight-Tails possessed greater destructive power.
But making a move on the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki was no easy task, because Killer B was almost always accompanied by a super-tier combatant.
The current Hagoromo was absolutely no match for the Fourth Raikage.
In fact, in a straight-up fight, he wasn't a match for the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki either. But today, he wasn't here to fight; he was here to destroy.
There is a certain "World's Number One" esper who can bury a nuclear bomb in his own heart, choosing death if he fails... Before actually doing something, no one knows where a person's absolute limits lie. This is exactly what makes human beings so terrifying.
Amidst such chaos, the Raikage and the Jinchuriki were highly conspicuous presences. Hagoromo was able to locate them very quickly.
Accompanied by the clashing of metal chains, a Rashomon gate fell from the sky, slamming down right between the Jinchuriki and the Raikage.
Then came the second, third, fourth, and fifth gates. The ring-shaped space enclosed by the Rashomon gates trapped one of the men inside.
This was an impenetrable defense, whether from the inside or the outside.
Using Rashomon as the base medium, Hagoromo had set up the very same barrier Minato had used to trap the Nine-Tails that day. However, the space he created was smaller, and the physical foundation was much sturdier. Therefore, it was even more impossible to break through in a short amount of time.
Extracting a Tailed Beast required a certain amount of time and a stable environment. But the one sealed within the barrier was the Fourth Raikage.
The Fourth Hokage could handle the Nine-Tails; the Fourth Raikage naturally could handle the Eight-Tails. That was not something Hagoromo wanted to see.
In reality, the judgment Hagoromo made here was incredibly correct. Because the last time the Eight-Tails went on a rampage, due to the presence of ninjas like A, the number of casualties among the Cloud ninjas was... 18.
The Giant Bird swooped down, and Hagoromo and his clone finally landed right in front of Killer B.
"Who are you?"
Hagoromo's appearance temporarily made it impossible for Killer B to discern his identity. However, with a reminder from his Tailed Beast, he quickly realized who the person in front of him was.
After all, the Eight-Tails had once been severely injured by Hagoromo. It knew his chakra signature perfectly.
"Everyone be careful! Don't act recklessly; I'll handle the intruder!"
This was the judgment B made. First, ordinary ninjas were no match for Hagoromo. Second... he could finally repay the debt from last time.
A was still struggling inside the barrier. He seemed to want to warn B about something, but his voice couldn't carry out at all.
The instant Killer B charged at Hagoromo, the latter had already pulled off the massive scroll from his back. He and his clone each grabbed an edge, and with a synchronized push of their right feet, the massive length of the scroll instantly unrolled completely.
Hagoromo brought his and his clone's left hands together, rapidly weaving signs.
At this moment, Killer B had already reached him, but the jutsu was completed a step faster.
Killer B couldn't advance an inch further.
A milky-white substance erupted from the ground over a large area, instantly enveloping Hagoromo and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
Hagoromo's fifth summoning beast: Katsuyu of the Shikkotsu Forest.
This was a special summoning ritual, similar to Jiraiya's Toad Mouth Bind. But Hagoromo didn't have the Rock Lodging Toad of Mount Myoboku; he only had Katsuyu.
"Summoning Jutsu? You think a move like this can trap me?"
Although he was squeezed by Katsuyu's flesh, Killer B's Lightning Style instantly carved out enough space for him to move freely. He wouldn't even need to use his Tailed Beast state to break out of here.
However, Hagoromo didn't need to trap him for long; a momentary isolation was all he needed.
His other scroll was already prepared.
More than a dozen bright silver chakra chains instantly shot out from the scroll, tightly wrapping around the Jinchuriki.
This was a true binding jutsu...
Kushina's Adamantine Sealing Chains. It was also Hagoromo's sixteenth birthday present. Because he seemingly possessed a trait that attracted Jinchuriki or Tailed Beasts, this had been specially made for him...
This was the last of Kushina's chakra that Hagoromo possessed, yet he used it without the slightest hesitation. Using this jutsu here must have been Kushina's wish as well.
This was a restraint that Killer B couldn't possibly break free from in a short time. The Uzumaki clan's suppressive chakra even made it impossible for him to enter his Tailed Beast state when he tried.
Immediately after, a grey mist began to fill the space... This was a special concoction from Orochimaru. According to the man, the potion had only one effect: to send a Tailed Beast into a frenzy.
Tailed Beasts were inherently frenzied beings. Hagoromo didn't know why Orochimaru had invented something so useless, but right now, using it on a Perfect Jinchuriki couldn't be more appropriate.
As the Tailed Beast gradually lost control, the formula of the Iron Armor Seal surfaced on Killer B's body.
Hagoromo's main body extended his left hand and walked toward the Jinchuriki.
He separated his five fingers, and cyan flames of chakra ignited on his fingertips, one by one.
Lightning and Fire. These were the chakra natures Hagoromo possessed inherently.
Water, balanced in offense and defense, was the first nature transformation Hagoromo had trained to master.
Earth, focusing on defense, was his second choice after Water.
Wind, focusing on offense, was placed last in priority and learning order, given his premise of freely manipulating Lightning. Hagoromo could only use it barely.
Relying on his astonishing learning ability and spending over five years, Hagoromo had become proficient in the nature transformations of Water and Earth, and could barely manipulate Wind-natured chakra.
Therefore, he was able to use the sealing jutsu that required the coordination of all five natures—the very same jutsu that allowed a ninja to simultaneously channel five natured chakras through a special method.
This was another birthday present from his teacher from a different year.
Five-Pronged Unseal...
As if accompanied by the heavy clanking of chains, the sealed gate that hadn't moved in decades finally opened.
In the Hidden Cloud... The Eight-Tails, Gyuki, lost its mind, and gained its freedom.
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