Chapter 70: Senju Hashirama
The colossal hundred-meter-long Wood Dragon's eyes glinted with an almost sentient intensity as its serpentine coils wrapped tightly around the rampaging Nine-Tailed Naruto, constricting with unrelenting force.
Naruto's terrifying, otherworldly strength, which had seemed unstoppable moments ago, was now reduced to the futile struggles of a kitten trapped in the grip of a giant's hand. The Nine-Tails' malevolent, corrosive Chakra was being siphoned off relentlessly by the Wood Dragon's unique power, draining its potency with every passing second.
Under this flawless and overwhelming restraint, the Nine-Tailed Naruto was bound as securely as a prisoner in iron chains, the vivid Chakra Tailed Beast cloak enveloping him fading rapidly into nothingness. The fiery, crimson aura dissolved from his form, his Chakra entirely absorbed by the Wood Dragon's insatiable pull.
[Ding!]
[Non-Human Malice Value detected: +100,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +100,000!]
[Chakra (72,571,501 / 100,000,000)]
Renji arched an eyebrow slightly, a spark of intrigue flickering in his mind. The Chakra absorbed by the Wood Dragon was saturated with the Nine-Tails' potent, hateful Malice—an unexpected but fascinating development. Could this kind of energy really be converted into usable power like this?
Renji's thoughts spiraled outward, exploring the tantalizing possibilities of such power as his imagination ran wild with potential.
Naruto, now freed from the Tailed Beast transformation, crashed heavily onto the shattered ground with a bone-rattling thud that echoed ominously, accompanied by the sickening crack of bones fracturing under the impact. His body went limp instantly, the once-surging aura around him retreating like a receding tide.
His eyes were unfocused, clouded with pain and disorientation, his face resembling a canvas splattered with the chaotic hues of a dye vat explosion. Blood began to seep from all seven orifices—eyes, ears, nose, and mouth—painting a grim picture of his battered state.
Seeing the countless wounds marring Naruto's body, Sakura's heart clenched painfully, trembling with anguish. "Naruto..." she whispered, her voice breaking. Tears gathered at the edge of her chin, pooling before falling in large, heavy drops onto her face, leaving wet trails in their wake.
Kakashi stared at the towering Wood Dragon before him, his expression frozen in stunned disbelief for a solid three seconds. Wood Release Ninjutsu!
Only the legendary First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, the founder of Konoha, was known to wield such a rare and formidable technique. The First Hokage was a mythic figure, a titan among ninja whose name alone inspired awe and reverence. To see this power in action was beyond comprehension.
Sakura, however, paid no heed to the significance of Wood Release or the legacy of Senju Hashirama. Her focus was singular—Naruto. She sprinted toward him, tears streaming freely as she took in his scorched, reddened skin, burned raw by the Tailed Beast's power.
Her emotions overwhelmed her, and her tears broke loose like a dam bursting, cascading down her cheeks. Green Chakra glowed brightly in her hands, the soothing light of her Medical Ninjutsu enveloping Naruto's wounds, knitting them together bit by bit with painstaking care.
On the opposite side of the chaotic scene, a figure landed gracefully in front of Renji and Kakashi—both familiar and yet jarringly out of place.
"Yo, hey!" the newcomer greeted with a boisterous cheer. Clad in striking red armor, with long black hair cascading smoothly behind his head, he flashed a hearty, disarming smile that radiated warmth. "You guys are Konoha ninja, right?" he asked, spotting the distinctive headbands worn by Renji and Kakashi, his grin widening instinctively with camaraderie.
Kakashi's pupils constricted sharply, his breath catching. The face before him was unmistakable—every Konoha ninja would recognize it instantly. It was the very same visage carved as the first sculpture on the Hokage Rock, immortalized in stone overlooking the village. But seeing it in the flesh, right here and now, was a first for Kakashi. This was the God of the Shinobi World—Senju Hashirama himself!
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +10,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +10,000!]
[Chakra (72,581,501 / 100,000,000)]
Why in the world would the God of the Shinobi World appear here, of all places? Kakashi's mind raced, landing on one chilling possibility: the Revivalist Alliance. Those bastards had somehow managed to revive even the First Hokage! Kakashi's eyes burned with vigilance as he locked his gaze on Senju Hashirama, every muscle tensed for action.
This opponent was far beyond anything he'd anticipated—more daunting than he could have ever imagined. If Hasumi Maki had already been a headache, Senju Hashirama was a ninja capable of plunging them into utter despair. Escaping from the former First Hokage seemed like an impossible feat. Despite the friendly smile plastered on Hashirama's face, the overwhelming aura radiating from him made everyone tremble involuntarily, a silent testament to his godlike power.
Senju Hashirama scratched the back of his head sheepishly, letting out a wistful sigh. "That familiar Chakra I sensed just now—that was the Nine-Tails, wasn't it? Is that kid over there a Jinchuriki? The Nine-Tails' power is truly terrifying, no doubt about it!"
"…" Kakashi couldn't help but fall silent, his thoughts skeptical. A ninja who could subdue a rampaging four-tailed Nine-Tails Naruto with a single Wood Dragon had the audacity to call the Nine-Tails' power terrifying? That claim held zero credibility in Kakashi's book.
Hashirama's gaze shifted back and forth between Kakashi and Renji, studying them curiously. After a long pause, his eyes widened into comical circles, and he asked with genuine confusion, "So, uh, which one of you two is Renji?"
Kakashi's expression tightened instantly, his mind flashing back to their last encounter with a Revivalist—his own teacher, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage.
Minato had explicitly stated that the leader of the Revivalist Alliance wanted to meet Renji and that his mission was to bring Renji back. If the First Hokage was here for the same purpose today, no one present stood a chance of stopping him—not even close.
"I'm sorry, but Renji's off on another mission. He's not with us right now," Sakura interjected smoothly, her voice steady despite the high stakes.
Kakashi's half-closed eyes shot open in disbelief. Was Sakura seriously trying to treat the First Hokage like some gullible fool? That blatant lie was so transparent—how could the legendary Senju Hashirama not see right through it?
"Huh?" Hashirama scratched the back of his head again, looking puzzled. He hesitated before responding, "But… doesn't Renji have blue hair or something?"
He vaguely recalled a few details about the mission target, though his memory was patchy at best.
Sakura remained as calm and composed as a seasoned machine, replying with meticulous precision. "Plenty of people have blue hair. We're all Konoha ninja here—we wouldn't lie to someone like you."
Kakashi: "…"
Renji: "…"
Who knew Sakura had this side to her? Had some hidden attribute of bold-faced deception just awakened in her?
Senju Hashirama's intuition was unnervingly sharp, cutting through the ruse. "…But I've got a gut feeling you're fibbing to me right now."
Sakura didn't flinch, her response unwaveringly calm. "Nope, not at all."
Hashirama pursed his lips, casting a helpless glance at Renji. "You're Renji, aren't you? Come on, it's obvious!"
He flashed an awkward, almost apologetic smile. "Come with me, alright? I really don't want to fight you guys. I mean, if I actually threw down with you, it'd feel like I'm just bullying a bunch of Konoha kids…"
Hashirama mumbled under his breath, his tone lighthearted yet tinged with a hint of embarrassment.
Hearing his casual, almost playful words, Sakura's brows knitted together tightly, anger flaring brightly in her eyes. "What are you even talking about? Even if you're the First Hokage, there's no way in hell we're letting you take him away from us!"
Hashirama's kind smile didn't waver as he addressed Sakura earnestly. "I'm genuinely happy to see such fierce determination in you, young lady, but don't get the wrong idea. We have no intention of harming Renji—not one bit."
"Just because you say that doesn't make it true!" Sakura shot back, her voice trembling with rage.
First, Sasuke was lured away from Konoha, tearing their team apart. Then Naruto was gravely injured and targeted by the Akatsuki Organization. And now Renji was in their crosshairs too? Uncontrollable fury blazed in Sakura's pupils, her chest heaving with the intensity of her emotions. Why did everyone keep trying to rip Team 7 apart? Why couldn't they just leave them be?
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +50,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +50,000!]
[Chakra (72,631,501 / 100,000,000)]
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