A small white sphere dropped down. If Deidara hadn't spoken up to warn them, Jiraiya and Senju Hashirama might not have even noticed it.
It was simply too small. Even after activation, it was only about the size of an adult's fist—completely different from the increasingly massive bombs Deidara had been using before.
It also went against the basic principle that the larger the explosive, the greater its power.
Yet, both men felt a growing sense of unease.
Why was Deidara still alive? Had they only managed to kill a clone? But how had he deceived Sage Mode's heightened perception?
And why was he so confident in this tiny bomb?
There was no time to dwell on it. Above them, Deidara raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers to his chest. A frenzied, excited grin spread across his face.
"C4 - Enhanced Sun!"
"This is your grand debut—make sure you shine with all the brilliance and heat you deserve!"
"Hah!"
Deidara's sharp cry barely registered in Jiraiya's ears before it was drowned out by an earth-shattering explosion.
In truth, Jiraiya barely heard anything—his eardrums were instantly ruptured by the sheer volume of the blast.
Needle Jizō!
He instinctively wrapped himself in a cocoon of his own hair, but it did little to help. Being at the epicenter of such an explosion was not something a simple jutsu could defend against.
So… was this the final chapter of his heroic tale?
Jiraiya watched as the searing fireball expanded, consuming everything in its path. The next moment, it would engulf him as well.
But just as despair set in, a multitude of massive wooden hands shot out, enclosing him within their grasp. Alone, they weren't enough to completely block the explosion, but as they continuously grew and replenished themselves, they managed to buy a few precious seconds.
Then, a figure clad in red armor forced its way through the devastation.
"Wood Release: Barrier!"
Jiraiya couldn't hear the words, but he was sure they were something along those lines.
A solid wooden shield, engraved with ghostly faces, appeared—one of Senju Hashirama's most formidable defensive techniques. It withstood the explosion at the core for a full second.
A second might seem insignificant, but for near-Six Paths-level shinobi, it was a considerable amount of time.
Hashirama launched Jiraiya away with a powerful punch before casting another jutsu.
"Five-Layer Rashōmon!"
Five enormous demonic-faced gates manifested, blocking the blast wave. They held for another second, but the situation remained dire.
Hashirama clapped his hands together, this time exerting his full strength.
"Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands!"
Another colossal Thousand-Armed Kannon statue emerged, its countless hands interwoven into an impenetrable defense.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted, its blinding light and searing heat forming a second sun in the sky.
And that sun had already swallowed numerous gods and two legendary Buddhas.
"Deidara, this is insane!" Nagato and the others were also feeling the effects of the explosion.
Even from a distance, the shockwave was no joke.
It wasn't just raw force—it carried blistering heat, igniting everything in its wake. Flowers, trees, and grass were all reduced to cinders, as if a real sun had descended upon the earth, leaving nothing but devastation in its path.
'Senju Hashirama—Shock Value +10,000'
'Jiraiya—Shock Value +10,000'
'Nagato—Shock Value +5,000'
'Tsunade—Shock Value...'
"Hah… hah…"
In the aftermath of the explosion, Deidara sat on his clay bird, breathing heavily. Releasing two C4-grade explosive art techniques in succession was still a heavy burden for him.
He looked down, his expression grave. The power of C4: Sun was immense, and the sudden, close-range detonation had caught them off guard.
But Hashirama was an Edo Tensei reanimation—he was already beginning to regenerate. No matter how many times he was blown apart, it wouldn't make a difference.
As for Jiraiya, though he had survived thanks to Hashirama's protection, he was severely injured and likely out of the fight for now.
What about the other battlefield? Without Itachi's Totsuka Blade, there was no way to seal him...
"I'm curious," Hashirama suddenly asked, his tone carrying genuine interest. "How did you evade our detection earlier?"
Deidara smirked slightly. "You must have noticed by now—my chakra signature in my head is much stronger than in my body."
Hashirama's eyes flickered with realization.
Before, Deidara had transplanted his head onto a clay clone, leaving his real body behind. This way, anyone scanning for chakra would be misled by the clone's larger chakra reserves.
After all, a human head was tiny compared to an entire body.
But in truth, Deidara only needed to keep his real head intact. By consuming his clay, he could regenerate a new body and gradually replace the clone.
"Still got any strength left?"
"Heh… Never thought I'd have to rely on such cheap tricks to win. Feels a little shameful." Hashirama scratched his head sheepishly.
But necessity overruled pride—this wasn't the time to worry about personal honor.
He clapped his hands together, ready to unleash another technique.
"Wait a moment!"
Just as Deidara braced himself for another attack, Hashirama suddenly called out.
Seeing Deidara's puzzled expression, he rubbed the back of his head. "I was kidding. Let's call a truce. I don't feel like fighting anymore."
"Why?" Deidara and Jiraiya asked in unison.
Hashirama crossed his arms, glancing up at Deidara before shifting his gaze to the wounded Jiraiya.
"I have great respect for the Three Sages, but I believe destiny should be shaped by our own hands."
"Following a predetermined fate might seem safe, but… doesn't it feel a little hollow? A little pathetic?"
For the first time, Jiraiya saw Hashirama in a truly serious light, momentarily stunned by his words.
"But if we don't restore the timeline, the ninja world will be destroyed!"
"The Sage said there's a high probability of destruction—not a certainty." Hashirama smiled. "That means there's still a small chance of survival."
"First Hokage-sama! We can't gamble the entire world on a slim chance!" Jiraiya shouted anxiously.
"You're right," Hashirama nodded. "Which is why I fought."
"But looking at the situation now, this young man is incredibly strong. I believe he has the power to create that small miracle."
"And besides…" Hashirama's gaze sharpened as he locked eyes with Jiraiya. "If he isn't strong enough to save the world—"
"Then after killing him, wouldn't your chances of success be even lower?"
"..."
Jiraiya was at a loss for words.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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