Chapter 112

"Otherwise, it would have been impossible for us to even entertain the thought of making a move against you…"

The Slug Sage said with a smile.

【Jiraiya: That's terrifying… Just now, I thought the First Hokage was going to destroy the Shikkotsu Forest…】

【Orochimaru: I never expected… that just the aura simply leaking from his body almost destroyed the entire Shikkotsu Forest… This kind of power can no longer be described as human!!】

【Fourth Raikage: If only I could go to the Three Sacred Grounds to train in senjutsu, I'd first merge senjutsu into my taijutsu—maybe that would bring about some kind of change!!】

【Tsunade: Even if you went to train in senjutsu, putting aside whether you could succeed, even if you completed the training, you could never in your life reach the level of my grandfather…】

【Minato Namikaze: Senjutsu training requires a calm heart; those who are restless and impatient aren't really suited to practice it. Fourth Raikage… I'm afraid the Hidden Cloud Village isn't suited for senjutsu training either—the temperament of your village is far too impetuous…】

【Shimura Danzo: If only senjutsu training could be popularized… that would be wonderful… every ninja's strength could double… If the ninja of Konoha could all learn senjutsu, the other villages couldn't possibly be our match!!】

……

The Three Sages looked at Hashirama Senju, momentarily at a loss for words.

Especially the Great Toad Sage,

he had known Hashirama Senju the longest.

He had watched Hashirama Senju grow step by step to where he was today,

at the very beginning,

although Hashirama Senju had mastered natural energy entirely on his own,

which had surprised him somewhat,

it still wasn't enough to make him feel afraid.

But how many years had it been since then?

Hashirama Senju's potential,

was like a bottomless pit,

with no limit to how far it could grow!!

Even if tomorrow the Great Toad Sage woke up

and Hashirama Senju told him he was even stronger than the Sage of Six Paths,

the Great Toad Sage wouldn't find it surprising at all!!

Staring at the three Sages, who had fallen silent,

Hashirama Senju thought for a moment.

He raised the question in his heart.

"Three Sages, you've lived long enough…"

"I'd like to ask you a question…"

"I wonder—what do you think of my current strength??"

"How much does it differ from the powerful beings you encountered in the ancient era?"

The Toad Sage thought briefly, then slowly began to speak.

"In this era, you have no equal…"

"But in more ancient times…"

"beings like you were few, but by no means rare…"

The White Snake Sage pushed the other thoughts from her mind.

"Gamamaren is right…"

"Your strength now is only a little greater than ours…"

"But in the ancient era, we were hardly standing at the peak."

·· ········Please give me flowers··· ·······

"But… why are you curious about this??"

A look of confusion appeared on the faces of all three Sages.

Even if there were beings stronger than Hashirama Senju in the ancient era,

they had basically no chance of still being alive now.

Although they were immensely powerful,

their lifespans were not long.

Freaks like the three of them who had lived from the ancient era to the present,

should be only the three of them.

"The three Sages can think about it…"

"beings whose strength surpassed yours…"

"every word and every action of theirs could destroy heaven and earth; a single sentence from them could decide the life and death of countless people…"

"Could such beings be content to simply die like that?"

"I wonder if the three Sages have ever felt that, in this world, there always seem to be some unknown forces hidden in the background, stirring up the situation of this world…"

"Moreover, I've noticed that as my strength grows greater and greater… there's always a feeling of being watched, yet I can never find where this feeling comes from!! …"

Hearing Hashirama Senju's words,

the expressions on the faces of the three Sages grew more and more solemn!!

Someone who had cultivated to Hashirama Senju's level,

his feeling naturally could not have arisen from nothing.

If he said so,

then there really was a possibility that someone was secretly watching him from behind.

With such overwhelming power,

yet still secretly watching Hashirama Senju from behind,

who exactly is this person behind the scenes,

and what is his purpose?

Thinking of this,

the three Great Sages also felt the matter was not simple.

"You say... the one watching from behind... could it possibly be that woman..."

"Or Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo?..."

Looking at the other two Sages who were silent,

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Slug Sage spoke out the guess in his heart!!

That woman?

Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo?

A flicker of movement crossed Hashirama Senju's face,

it seemed,

this world truly held many secrets unknown to others.

What the three Great Sages knew was absolutely not little!!

He remembered,

Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo was the name of the Sage of Six Paths in legend.

"Hagoromo... if it's him... then it's really hard to say..."

"Whether he's alive or dead, only he himself knows."

After Great Toad Sage heard the name Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo,

a trace of nostalgic expression appeared on his face.

"Hehe... could you really not know whether he's alive or dead?"

"You were once comrades-in-arms who fought side by side!!"

White Snake Sage blew out a smoke ring and mocked.

"Back then it was indeed because of a common enemy, so we came together."

"But in the end Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo also became the appearance of our enemy..."

"He believed he himself was the savior, the operation of this world had to obey his arrangements!!"

"And because of that... I still chose to part ways with him..."