"Wood Style! Wood Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive tree burst from the ground, instantly morphing into a colossal wooden dragon. It swiftly coiled around the fully-formed Susanoo, tightening its grip with immense force. The strain was so intense that cracks began to appear on Susanoo's form, as if it were on the verge of collapse.
This was a feat that the Fourth Raikage could only achieve after borrowing the power of the Five-Tails and entering his third state. Yet now, it had been done effortlessly by a mere clone.
Itachi set the shocked Kisame aside, his expression growing more serious than ever.
"Amaterasu!"
Black flames ignited on the wooden dragon. It wasn't that they were ineffective, but the rate at which the dragon burned was far too slow. If they waited for Amaterasu to completely consume the dragon, Susanoo would have likely been shattered several times over.
"Wood Clone Jutsu!" Itachi formed a one-handed seal, summoning four wood clones. Across from him, Senju Hashirama raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He blinked. "You can use Wood Style too?"
The five Itachis surrounded Hashirama's wood clone, each of them summoning their fully-formed Susanoo.
"Lord First, I transplanted your cells and borrowed your power. I hope you don't mind."
Encircled by five imposing crimson giants, Hashirama remained unfazed. However, Tsunade, standing to the side, was visibly concerned.
"Grandfather, are you sure you'll be fine using just a single clone?"
When Hashirama passed away, she had been too young to truly grasp the extent of his strength.
Hashirama stroked his chin in thought. "Hmm… If my opponent only had the Mangekyō Sharingan, there'd be no problem at all."
"But since he's transplanted my cells, things are less certain."
"Well, let's test it out."
Seeing Hashirama's casual attitude, Tsunade wanted to protest, but Tobirama stopped her with a firm hand.
"Tsunade, just watch carefully. Back in the day, my brother didn't unify the world through mere diplomacy."
As he spoke, Hashirama's wood clone clapped its hands together and slightly crouched, finally showing a more serious stance.
"Wood Style! Wood Golem Jutsu!"
A towering wooden golem emerged onto the battlefield, dwarfing the wood dragon in size. It stood on par with Itachi's Susanoo, exuding the presence of an unshakable war god, completely unfazed by the five looming Susanoo warriors.
"Amaterasu!"
Itachi's real body unleashed Amaterasu while the four clones launched simultaneous attacks on different parts of the wooden golem, aiming to exploit any potential weaknesses in its defense.
Clang!
The golem raised its arms, blocking the flaming greatswords of two Susanoo on either side. The clash of blade against bark echoed like metal striking metal.
Then, the golem countered with a punch, its sheer force so overwhelming that it instantly shattered two Susanoo along with their respective clones, obliterating them in a single strike.
It had accomplished in one blow what even the Raikage, at his strongest, could not achieve.
Still, Itachi's attacks were not entirely ineffective. The remaining two clones and his real Susanoo managed to strike, with the latter's blade severing one of the golem's legs. As the golem lost balance, Itachi pressed the assault.
"Wood Style! Domed Wall Jutsu!" Hashirama's wood clone attempted to defend, but by the time he realized it, Itachi had already appeared behind him.
A sharpened wooden stake, wrapped in Amaterasu's black flames, pierced through the clone's chest.
Finally, Hashirama's wood clone was defeated.
"Impressive! As expected of a Uchiha prodigy!" Hashirama wasn't angry at all—if anything, he seemed delighted.
"Brother, now's not the time for compliments. The enemy is all here. It's time to act." Tobirama said sternly.
From the depths of Amegakure, a group of shinobi clad in black cloaks adorned with red clouds emerged one after another. A total of nine figures gathered, with only Deidara absent.
"Orochimaru, that bastard! So, our targets this time are these resurrected freaks?" Sasori grumbled, immediately suspecting Orochimaru's involvement, given that only he was known to use the Edo Tensei.
"It's probably not Orochimaru. It doesn't add up." Itachi denied the suspicion.
Kakuzu, meanwhile, was struck silent with dread.
Damn it. Of all possible opponents, why did it have to be Senju Hashirama? As someone from the Warring States period, Kakuzu knew all too well just how terrifying the First Hokage was.
And more importantly, there was that secret. If Hashirama spoke of it, something far worse than death could happen.
"Yo! If it isn't Kakuzu!"
"Did we fight before? I really can't remember."
"But no worries, we can fight again today! This time, I promise I won't forget!" Hashirama grinned enthusiastically.
Kakuzu's face darkened. What sin did I commit to suffer this humiliation at my age?
Seeing Hidan's doubtful gaze, the old shinobi clenched his teeth.
Screw it! If I have to fight, then I'll fight!
Kakuzu unleashed his strongest fire-style attack, engulfing Hashirama's forces in flames infused with Sage Chakra.
The rest of the Akatsuki immediately joined in.
"Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!" Hashirama clapped his hands, causing an immense forest to sprout from the ground. Towering trees blossomed with massive flowers, releasing a shimmering pollen into the air.
Kakuzu's fire jutsu failed to spread, quickly overwhelmed and snuffed out by the encroaching wood. Hidan fared no better, also ensnared by the roots.
Sasori tried to retaliate, but his puppetry and magnetic techniques proved utterly ineffective.
Konan attempted to escape by taking to the skies, only to feel a sharp numbness spread through her body. "The pollen is poisonous!"
Nagato's expression hardened. He raised his hands and released a black sphere into the air.
"Chibaku Tensei!"
The gravitational pull intensified as the sphere began drawing in the surrounding terrain.
Hashirama glanced at the floating sphere. "So this is the power of the Rinnegan?"
"Somehow, it feels... underwhelming."
"Wood Style! Wood Dragon Jutsu!" Another colossal wooden dragon emerged, even larger than before. It surged forward, snapping up the Chibaku Tensei sphere in its maw and swallowing it whole, as if it were nothing more than a snack.
Kisame, ensnared by the Wood Style, was left speechless.
Is this really something a shinobi can do?
Thick wooden tendrils extended toward the last remaining Akatsuki member—Nagato.
Nagato steeled himself, spreading his arms wide as he gathered his power.
"Super Shinra Tensei!"
A small crater formed beneath him, yet the almighty repulsion force barely extended ten meters.
The wooden tendrils merely swayed for a moment before rushing toward him again at even greater speed.
"That should do it." Hashirama remarked.
But just then, his expression changed.
"Something strange is in the air."
Though invisible, he could feel it.
Leaping backward, he watched as the landscape before him—flowers, birds, trees, mountains—began disintegrating into ash.
And at the center of it all, a golden-haired figure rode atop a massive clay bird, approaching from the distance.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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