A jutsu like the Mayfly Technique only feels more divine the more you use it.
Its practicality surpasses the norm—there's no need for hand seals to activate it, and its chakra consumption is minimal during use. If it has any flaw, it's that its speed when moving across different mediums isn't exactly impressive.
Just in terms of activation, it falls far short compared to someone like Uchiha Obito's space-time teleportation.
For example, when Genma uses the Mayfly Technique, whether he dives into the ground or emerges from it, the speed and time consumption are far from ideal.
If he were to run into an enemy with swift reflexes, that "brief moment" could very well become a fatal vulnerability.
Of course, this flaw is still within an acceptable range. No jutsu is perfect. Genma simply has to be more cautious when using the Mayfly Technique.
Two days later, Genma returned to that same primeval forest in high spirits after a fruitful endeavor. But as he neared the vicinity of the camp, he immediately sensed something was off.
Where were the sentries? By all rights, they should've noticed his presence by now.
Realizing something was wrong, Genma quickened his pace. When he reached a high vantage point overlooking the camp, what he saw below was a standoff.
Could it be that Tsugawa clan shinobi had found them? No... it wasn't that bad.
His people had surrounded a stranger at the center of the camp. The situation hadn't escalated yet—no fighting had broken out.
That was a small mercy. Thankfully, Genma had made it back before the battle began. Otherwise...
Well, it wasn't that he underestimated his own people—he actually had full confidence in their strength.
The kind of strength that couldn't beat anyone.
The intruder in the middle appeared composed. His body language was more cautious than hostile, which suggested that he wasn't here for the former Hanemiya Genma. Most likely, he had wandered in by mistake.
Still, it was surprising that such a well-hidden location had been discovered so quickly.
With a trace of regret, Genma shifted his gaze to the intruder's face—and couldn't help blinking several times in disbelief. His expression turned strange in an instant.
The person's appearance and attire were unmistakably distinctive.
The intruder looked to be about the same age as Genma—around fourteen or fifteen. He wielded a massive broadsword, had pure white hair, and wore deep blue half-body metal armor.
If those details weren't obvious enough, then the partially open faceguard on his forehead and the clan emblem etched on it made his identity unmistakably clear.
This was a big shot. And not just any big shot—a younger version of one.
"Captain!"
"Captain, you're back!"
Upon seeing Genma return, everyone visibly relaxed, as if they'd finally found their anchor.
Genma leapt down from the high ground, landing on the outskirts of the encirclement. He then calmly walked between his people, step by step, until he stood before the intruder… opting not to jump directly in front of him to avoid provoking a reaction.
It's confirmed. It's him.
Genma thought silently. Now that he had seen the intruder up close, he was one hundred percent certain of his identity… Senju Tobirama, from the Senju Clan. The future Second Hokage.
After spending over a year in this world, Genma had finally grasped the general era he was living in.
Just a few days ago, he'd encountered Sarutobi, and now a Senju—giving him the distinct feeling that the wheels of time were beginning to accelerate.
Standing before a younger, scaled-down version of Tobirama Senju, Genma raised his guard. After all, the man was infamous for his ruthlessness and willingness to use any means necessary to achieve his goals.
"Captain."
Hayasaka Ryunosuke, standing nearby, shook his head subtly at Genma—signaling him not to act rashly.
It wasn't that Ryunosuke thought they had no chance of winning. In fact, after witnessing Genma's assassination skills, he had developed a kind of blind faith in his ability.
Precisely because Ryunosuke naively believed Genma could take the man out with ease, he was now worried that Genma might act impulsively, regardless of the consequences.
The symbol on the intruder's forehead protector was known far and wide. If they laid a hand on him, Ryunosuke feared retaliation from the Senju Clan.
The difference in strength and influence was simply too vast. Against the Tsugawa clan, they could still fight and flee as needed. But if they faced the Senju? They weren't even in the same league.
They couldn't afford to provoke them. Not in the slightest.
Genma nodded slightly at Ryunosuke, indicating he understood and had no intention of making any reckless moves.
In truth, Genma wasn't intimidated by the Senju name alone. What he really feared… was Hashirama Senju.
Based on Tobirama's current age, Hashirama was likely already in his twenties and entering his prime.
Sure, that "prime" was nothing compared to the height of his power when he was known as the God of Shinobi—but even then, would it really make a difference whether he was killed by Deep Forest Emergence or Top Transformed Buddha?
Either way, it'd be over in an instant. Probably painless.
So it wasn't that Genma couldn't assassinate Tobirama Senju. It was that… he shouldn't.
First, he had to figure out why Tobirama was even here.
It seemed unlikely he had come to wipe them out. Genma had a hunch that there was no deep-seated conflict between them—after all, their paths had never crossed before.
Tobirama studied Genma's appearance: simple clothing, basically a burlap sack tied with rope; unkempt hair; straw sandals; pale, unhealthy-looking skin…
This was a camp of wandering shinobi—and they were clearly among the most destitute of their kind.
"You're the one in charge here?" Tobirama spoke, his voice steady. "I have no intention of fighting you—so long as you hand over the person you're hiding."
His tone was a little arrogant, but not overly so. At the very least, he made it clear he wasn't here to make enemies of a few pitiful vagabonds.
Tobirama had always been cunning—he would only become more so with age. But he wasn't some bloodthirsty maniac who killed everyone he met.
His cunning lay in his willingness to use any means necessary to achieve his objectives. And those "objectives" weren't inherently evil—especially considering the turbulent times they lived in.
All in all, as the one surrounded, Tobirama still believed he held the advantage—enough to openly make demands. Clearly, he didn't take these people seriously.
Looking for someone?
Genma turned to Ryunosuke, who immediately shook his head. It was obvious—they weren't hiding anyone. Tobirama must have misunderstood something.
"Ahem, I think you might want to deal with your injuries first," Genma said casually. "You're on the verge of bleeding out…"
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