"What exactly is going on?"
Hiruzen arrived at Konoha's main gate, inquiring about the situation.
Because of the spreading mist, all Konoha's Shinobi had spontaneously taken action.
After all, the enemy was knocking on their doorstep.
They couldn't just stand by idly.
"Hokage-sama!"
The gate guards, Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu, immediately straightened up respectfully.
"Forget the formalities. Report the current situation."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Izumo quickly explained what they observed. "The enemy's location should be southwest. Numbers unknown, but they're using Kirigakure's Hidden Mist Technique. With this range, the enemy's strength and numbers are definitely not weak."
"But rest assured, Hokage-sama."
Kotetsu added. "The patrol teams in the area are heading there. Results should come soon!"
"At a time like this, I don't have the patience to wait around."
Hiruzen said gravely. "Let's go."
He, along with the Anbu, disappeared instantly from the two gate guardians' sight.
"Uh, what about us?"
Kotetsu asked, somewhat puzzled.
"The Hokage-sama said 'let's go', so we follow too?"
Izumo was also a bit confused.
As gate guardians, their duty was to guard Konoha's main gate.
But the Hokage himself just said 'let's go'.
What should they do?
Adhere to their duty?
Or follow the Hokage's order?
After a brief consideration, the two immediately followed.
"Anyway, it was Hokage-sama's order. This doesn't count as abandoning our post."
Izumo found a self-comforting excuse.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three figures blocked the path of the three Mizukage.
"Halt!"
Guy looked grave. He had already seen the severely injured, unconscious Asuma not far away and knew the visitors meant trouble. "Go any further and you'll be in Konoha, not a place for uninvited guests like you."
"That's right! This is Konoha's territory. We Konoha's Shinobi will not allow you to take another step forward!"
Lee followed closely in his teacher's footsteps.
Neji activated his Byakugan and immediately sensed something odd about the three people opposite him.
"Be careful! Their bodies are very abnormal!"
Unfortunately, Neji had been severely injured last time, so he wasn't familiar with the condition of Impure World Reincarnations. Otherwise, he would have recognized them immediately.
However, thanks to Takumi's Medical Ninjutsu treatment, both he and Lee had recovered very quickly.
They were already in condition to undertake missions.
"Indeed, the color of their eyes looks strange, not like a human's."
Lee commented.
"Eyes?"
Guy frowned. "That eye color seems familiar... Wait! Could it be...?"
Guy's eyes widened. He recognized those black eyes.
"I advise you not to block our path, for the sake of your own lives."
Gengetsu looked utterly nonchalant, but that confident demeanor made people very wary.
"Bastards! Don't look down on us!"
Lee charged out at incredible speed.
"Wait, Lee!"
Guy reached out futilely, as Lee had already charged out.
"What's going on, Guy-sensei?"
Neji didn't rashly charge out. Instead, he took out several shuriken, ready to support Lee at any moment.
Mainly because he felt the opponent's bodies were too strange.
He didn't dare charge in recklessly.
"You heard about the last time Orochimaru attacked Konoha, right? The battle that made the miracle boy Takumi a hero."
Guy's expression was serious, speaking quickly. "Those three people's eyes are the same as the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage that Orochimaru summoned."
"So you mean, they were also summoned by Orochimaru?"
Neji immediately grasped the key point. "To be summoned by one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru, they must be extraordinary figures."
"From the earlier Hidden Mist Technique, it's clear their strength is formidable!"
Guy said, then suddenly shouted as he charged forward. "Lee! I'm coming to help!"
Neji had no choice but to follow and charge in.
Lee, who charged first, directly kicked at Gengetsu, who had spoken provocatively.
But his kick actually slid off Gengetsu's face.
"Huh?"
Lee looked surprised, his whole body sliding off to the side.
"My body has a layer of oil, always slippery. Physical attacks like yours can't harm me."
Gengetsu still looked utterly nonchalant.
"Water Release: Water Mirror Technique!"
Yagura summoned a water mirror.
Guy and Neji, reflected in the mirror, were immediately entangled by clones that emerged from it.
"These clones are a bit strange!"
Guy sensed the oddity of the water mirror clones the moment they clashed.
They didn't immediately turn into smoke and disappear when attacked.
Instead, they kept fighting.
"And they can use the same Ninjutsu as us!"
Neji, with his Byakugan, observed more.
This copy-paste Ninjutsu was one where the stronger the enemy, the stronger the technique.
However, copies are ultimately copies and were soon defeated.
"Let me show you my Water Gun Technique!"
Gengetsu raised both hands, pointing his two index fingers at them, firing wildly.
Countless water droplets carrying intense piercing power swept towards them.
"Eight Trigrams Palms Rotation!"
Neji immediately began spinning in place, maximizing the Rotation to block Gengetsu's Water Gun attacks.
Guy dodged with incredible speed at the first moment.
As for Lee, he was entangled by Sandaime Mizukage.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique."
A massive water dragon head knocked Lee flying.
"Lee! I permit you to temporarily lift your restrictions!"
Guy knew the opponent's strength was considerable.
He originally didn't want Lee, who ahd just recovered from injury, to use the Eight Gates so soon.
But under the current circumstances, if he didn't use it, he might lose his life here.
"Yes, Guy-sensei!"
Lee's expression was resolute.
He instantly opened four gates.
This was also the upper limit Guy allowed him to open.
Moreover, the consequences of opening the fifth gate last time were still fresh in his mind.
He didn't want to be lying in a hospital bed again.
"Gate of Limit, open!"
Guy also instantly opened up to the fifth gate, his speed increasing dramatically.
Pfft!
Neji didn't know the Eight Gates, so his speed couldn't match the two.
Although Rotation's offensive and defensive capabilities were top-notch, it also consumed a lot of Chakra.
After using it over a dozen times consecutively, he couldn't hold on any longer. He was hit by Gengetsu's Water Gun and fell to the ground, unable to move.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Piercing power like a high-pressure water blade, sweeping forward with imposing momentum.
Sandaime Mizukage might seem ordinary, but as a Mizukage, how could he be weak?
"They're all very strong."
Guy's physical abilities were greatly enhanced. His speed was so fast ordinary people couldn't see his figure.
But he was facing three Mizukage.
Their eyesight was far superior to ordinary people's!
"Summoning Technique!"
Gengetsu immediately used the Summoning Technique, calling forth his summon, the Giant Clam.
The moment the Giant Clam was summoned, it immediately produced large amounts of faint mist.
"What is this?"
Out of caution, Guy immediately retreated.
He feared the mist might be poisonous.
Lee had the same thought and retreated quickly as well.