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At the same time, on another battlefield outside the clash of the two colossal monsters, two figures collided rapidly. Each impact was a contest of ninjutsu and swordsmanship.
Dang!
Dang!
Dang!
After several exchanges, sparks flew everywhere. One figure stood firmly on the ground, while the other appeared and disappeared, his movements elusive and mysterious.
"Senju Tobirama, I've seen through your Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Uchiha Izuna sneered, standing still as his Sharingan scanned the surroundings, tracking every shift in the area with precision.
Shua!
Senju Tobirama's figure appeared again, his ninja sword slicing through the air with intense speed toward Uchiha Izuna.
In response, Uchiha Izuna flashed to the side, and his long sword performed a reverse cassock slash, nullifying the attack. He then swiftly pursued Senju Tobirama, executing ten flawless sword techniques in rapid succession.
"Pathetic! Is that all your sneak attacks amount to? Hahaha!"
Despite his taunting words, Uchiha Izuna's movements were calculated and cautious. Having battled Senju Tobirama many times, he knew how formidable his opponent was and didn't dare to underestimate him.
"Is that so?"
Senju Tobirama's voice came from another direction, followed by a low shout.
"Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"
Instantly, a black curtain enveloped Uchiha Izuna, casting everything into darkness and rendering the Sharingan ineffective.
"Futile!"
Uchiha Izuna's voice echoed from within the black veil, and soon, a faint blue light sliced through the darkness, shattering the curtain. A massive Susanoo, towering nearly a hundred meters, emerged with wings on its back and a long sword in hand, its gaze locking onto Senju Tobirama's location before slashing at him with a devastating edge.
Senju Tobirama frowned. While he could easily handle swordsmanship and ninjutsu, this massive construct forced him into a defensive position.
"Hmph!"
Senju Tobirama grunted, refusing to retreat. He formed three seals, his chest swelling.
"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"
Swish!
A thin line of water, sharpened to a deadly edge, shot out, slicing through Susanoo and severing one of its arms, revealing the strength of his precise attack.
The two prepared to make their next moves, but a violent roar interrupted them. Turning, they saw that the enormous flower bud had bloomed.
"Roar, roar!"
What emerged was a massive humanoid creature with a single large eye on its head. Its body appeared leaner than before, and each swing of its ten long tails caused the earth to crack beneath it.
But that was not the most shocking part. A colossal tree had sprouted from the original flower bud on its back, reaching skyward with impossible height. At its peak, a large flower bud was visible, gradually unfurling, adding a new, ominous presence to the battlefield.
"This!?"
Senju Tobirama was startled, his heart sinking. He had seen this thing break free from the Torii with his own eyes, and now it emanated an ominous and bizarre aura.
The newly transformed Ten Tails seemed to be converging toward a single point, as if drawn by an unseen force, while the immense tree remained upright.
Swoosh!
Senju Tobirama instinctively stepped back. For some reason, a chilling sensation gripped him.
Above the massive Buddha's head, Senju Hashirama and Ishigami Hara observed the scene, with Hashirama frowning and Ishigami Hara remaining calm.
"First Hokage, you may need to withdraw from the next battle. Head to the battlefield over there with the Second Hokage," Ishigami Hara said.
Although Senju Hashirama didn't fully understand what was happening, he grasped Ishigami Hara's point and asked in a grave tone, "Did Madara become the Ten Tails Jinchūriki?"
Ishigami Hara nodded without further explanation. "In this state, his power is unmatched. It's unlikely you can face him again effectively."
"Are you certain?" Senju Hashirama questioned.
Ishigami Hara nodded with a faint smile. "I'm fairly confident. To be honest, I've long awaited this day."
"Alright!"
It wasn't that Senju Hashirama couldn't take advice, but as a top fighter of the ninja world in the past, he was used to confronting such threats himself. With Ishigami Hara here, though, he understood he wasn't needed.
"Be careful!"
He prepared to retract the True Several Thousand Hands Buddha and depart, but Ishigami Hara interjected, "Don't worry about it; leave it to me."
Senju Hashirama was surprised but said nothing more.
He nodded and vanished instantly.
Ishigami Hara stepped forward, watching as the Ten Tails finally compressed into a pale sphere, resonating with a strong heartbeat that echoed across the battlefield through chakra fluctuations, clearly audible. "It's magnificent. I've finally waited for this."
Ishigami Hara smiled at the divine tree, murmuring to himself as he flipped his hand to reveal the semi-finished god tree seed.
Without any extraneous movement, the semi-finished seed disappeared from his hand, reappearing by the god tree where it quickly melded into it. The entire process was silent, unnoticed by anyone.
Finally, the pale sphere around Uchiha Madara shattered, revealing Madara midair, draped in a cloak of chakra.
This was no longer just Uchiha Madara; this was Six Paths Madara. He held a staff, wore a white robe with magatama patterns on the collar and cuffs, and his forehead bore a unique, bone-like marking with two small horns. His hair was now white, and his aura was overwhelming.
"Where is Senju Hashirama?"
As soon as Madara appeared, he looked for Senju Hashirama. Ishigami Hara smiled. "No need to search; he can't match you in this state. I sent him to the other side of the battlefield."
"Next, I'll be your opponent!"
"Really?"
Uchiha Madara grinned and laughed.
"Then bring it on, kid. Show me how much you've grown."
Ishigami Hara's expression didn't change. "As you wish."
With that, Ishigami Hara clasped his hands together.
"Sage Art: Wood Release Sage Transformation Technique!"
Click, click, click!
At that moment, amidst light, crackling sounds, the giant Buddha beneath Ishigami Hara stirred as an immense amount of natural energy converged upon it. The wood texture faded, and the Buddha's body began to take on a skin tone that looked almost human.