[I've Already Confronted the Five Kage, and the System Just Arrived!] Chapter 282 (Patreon)

The whistle of a steam train echoed through the air as it sped along the tracks, cutting through fields and villages in the distance.

Inside the train, Hagoromo Gensou gazed out the window at the rapidly passing countryside.

In the true Warring States Period, such technology as trains didn't exist. Even in the era of the shinobi villages, though train technology had been developed, it was far from widespread.

According to Haru, this world's version of "himself" had overseen the creation of this infrastructure from scratch.

This was a different kind of Warring States Period.

No, it shouldn't even be called the Warring States Period.

Although the timeline matched, this world was devoid of war.

Fighting still occurred, but only on a small, personal scale. Nations still existed, and shinobi clans were still active, but the shinobi villages were absent.

The reason for this peaceful world was one man.

The leader of the Hagoromo Clan—Hagoromo Gensou.

A godlike figure who had unified the chaotic world.

Even the famed duo of Hashirama and Madara, known as the heroes of the Warring States, existed in the shadow of his greatness.

In this world, Hagoromo Gensou was both the strongest shinobi and the most powerful figure, while the Hagoromo Clan stood as the preeminent shinobi clan.

Although nations and clans operated independently on the surface, in truth, no major decisions were made without the approval of the Hagoromo Clan.

Such was the structure of this world.

"Limited Tsukuyomi creates a world shaped by the desires of its victim's heart," Gensou thought, reflecting on the uncanny reality around him.

"Peace is essential, but so is maintaining control from the shadows, free from mundane distractions. To reign supreme, intervening only when necessary, with no one daring to oppose—just like the current Hagoromo Clan, and just like the current Hagoromo Gensou."

This was, in essence, the ideal world he had envisioned deep in his heart.

Though there were deviations and elements beyond logic, the core vision had been faithfully recreated by the Limited Tsukuyomi.

"And then there's Haru..."

Gensou glanced to his side, where Haru rested her head on his shoulder. Even in her sleep, she smiled gleefully, occasionally smacking her lips.

True to his promise, Gensou had bought her ten popsicles.

She had happily devoured them in one sitting, only to develop a stomachache shortly afterward, just as he had anticipated.

Unlike his past self, however, the current Gensou possessed medical ninjutsu skills among the best in the shinobi world. He had swiftly alleviated her discomfort, much to Haru's relief.

Content, she had fallen asleep during the treatment, insisting beforehand that he accompany her back to the Hagoromo Clan's home.

Now, Gensou looked at her sleeping face with a mix of emotions.

Her expression, her tone of voice, her mannerisms—even her actions in her sleep—were identical.

No, they were exactly the same.

This world was a mirror of reality, reflecting its essence without flaw.

A gentle smile formed on Gensou's face as he wiped away the drool at the corner of Haru's mouth.

This softer demeanor would have surprised anyone who saw it—except perhaps Mokuya, the oldest member of the Hagoromo Clan.

Mokuya understood the unspoken rules of what to say and what to leave unsaid, especially regarding their clan leader's buried grief.

The Warring States Period had been merciless to shinobi and civilians alike, and the Hagoromo Clan was no exception.

Gensou's parents had died on a mission when he was just two years old, leaving the clan to place him with another family—Haru's parents.

They had treated him as their own, even after Haru was born.

For much of Haru's childhood, Gensou had been there, watching over her and taking care of her like a big brother.

But after the Battle of Kami Falls, their paths had parted forever.

The first time he visited their grave at Lock Village, Mokuya had shared news of Haru's fate.

The girl had waited for him in vain.

Gensou had said nothing.

He had simply walked away, finding a quiet place to stand beneath the moonlit sky for an entire night.

By dawn, he had buried his feelings deep within.

To everyone else, he remained the powerful, composed, unyielding Hagoromo Gensou.

Until today.

The moment Haru called him "Big Brother Gensou," the memories and emotions he had suppressed for so long surged forth.

This was the true power of Limited Tsukuyomi:

To strike at the deepest desires of your heart.

To ensnare you until you fully embraced this world, never to part from it.

Looking at Haru sleeping peacefully on his shoulder, Gensou reached out to brush away more drool but hesitated, his hand drifting to her slender neck.

His fingers hovered just above her skin.

"Big Brother Gensou, are we there yet?"

Her sleepy voice snapped him back to reality. Haru yawned widely, rubbing her eyes as she looked up at him.

Gensou immediately withdrew his hand and replied calmly, "Not yet."

"Then I'll sleep a little longer," she mumbled, resting her head back on his shoulder.

"Don't leave me."

"I won't."

Satisfied, Haru drifted off again, leaving Gensou to stare out the window.

After a long silence, he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the calm resolve of his former self had returned.

Noticing Haru watching him with wide eyes, he asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Haru tilted her head and said, "I was wondering if leaning on your shoulder makes it hard for you to rest."

"It doesn't," Gensou reassured her.

"Really? You seem tired," she observed earnestly.

He hesitated before responding, "I was tired before, but not anymore."

"Why not?"

Patting her head, Gensou replied, "Because I'm about to reunite with people I haven't seen in a long time."

"Not seen in a long time? It feels like just a few days," Haru said, confused.

"There's an old saying: 'One day apart feels like three years.' Something like that," Gensou explained, smoothing her tousled hair.

Looking at her now-crystal-clear face, he suddenly asked, "Haru, what would you do if you couldn't see me for a long time?"

"How long is a long time?"

"Years? Decades?"

"I'd be heartbroken!" Haru exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"Big Brother Gensou, you won't leave me for that long, will you?"

"Of course not," he reassured her, gently patting her head as he gazed out the window into the far-off distance.

(End of Chapter)

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