Chapter 74: The Mask Falls
The ground quaked as Tsunade surged forward, her step reverberating like the epicenter of an earthquake. Without hesitation, she raised her fist, muscles coiling with raw power, and unleashed a devastating punch.
Boom!
A torrent of terrifying force erupted from Tsunade's fist, stirring the surrounding air into a frenzied vortex. What seemed like an ordinary strike carried unimaginable strength, a force that defied human limits. Her arm trembled with vibrating muscle, her power an endless wellspring.
The earth beneath her shuddered violently, cracks spiderwebbing outward from where Senju Hashirama stood, leaving no solid ground untouched.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2,000!]
[Chakra (78,849,501 / 100,000,000)]
The fist bore down on Senju Hashirama like a mountain collapsing, its sheer force threatening to crush him. Yet, facing Tsunade's monstrous strength—renowned across the Ninja World—Hashirama neither summoned his Wood Release nor dodged. Instead, he met her gaze with a warm, almost playful smile and chose to counter head-on.
His legs rooted like unyielding stone, Hashirama mirrored Tsunade's resolve. With a fluid motion, he threw a punch of his own, meeting her monstrous strength with equal defiance. His entire body tensed, muscles taut as steel.
Boom!
Their fists collided, the impact sending shockwaves rippling outward, a tornado of wind and debris exploding from the epicenter. Fallen leaves, dust, and gravel were hurled in all directions, caught in the violent gusts.
Kakashi shielded his eyes from the stinging wind, squinting to follow the clash. Only someone like the First Hokage would dare to meet Tsunade's monstrous strength head-on with such audacity.
Bang!
As the airflow settled, Kakashi and Might Guy stared in stunned disbelief. Tsunade stumbled back three steps, her footing unsteady. Their gazes shifted to Hashirama, whose legs remained firmly planted amidst the fractured ground, not a single step retreated. He had forced Tsunade, wielder of unparalleled strength, to yield in a direct confrontation? The realization was staggering.
Not only did he wield the fearsome Wood Release Bloodline Limit, but his Taijutsu and physical prowess far surpassed any modern ninja. With just Hashirama alone, the Revivalist Alliance could dominate the Ninja World unchallenged.
"That's incredible, Tsunade!" Hashirama exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with genuine excitement. He shook his wrist, grinning at her with eager anticipation. "Again!"
To him, this battle was almost a game, a playful test of strength.
Tsunade's brows furrowed tightly, her mind racing. No one knew her grandfather's power better than she did. Defeating him outright to reclaim Renji was a pipe dream. A better strategy was to keep him occupied, create an opening, and slip away with Renji unnoticed.
"Alright!" she declared, steeling herself. She'd take on the task of entangling Hashirama, buying time for the others.
Tsunade charged again, her attack surpassing her previous strike in ferocity. Her fist tore through the air, generating waves of force that roared with a piercing shriek, her arm muscles seeming to swell with power. As Hashirama raised his palms to deflect the blow, Tsunade vanished in a flicker.
Boom!
Heavenly Foot of Pain!
Her legs erupted with force, shattering the ground beneath her into a crater before the attack even landed.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2,000!]
[Chakra (78,851,501 / 100,000,000)]
The terrifying power surged from her heels, coursing through her body, doubling in intensity as she brought her leg down in a devastating chop. The impact buried Hashirama deep into the earth, blood gushing from the corner of his mouth.
"That's the spirit!" Might Guy shouted, clenching his fist in awe.
But the figure embedded in the ground dissolved into splintered wood—a Wood Release clone.
Tsunade gritted her teeth, frustration flaring. Another damn clone!
A sudden gust accompanied Hashirama's fist, slamming into Tsunade's back with brutal force, sending her hair whipping wildly. A sharp pain exploded in her spine as she was hurled forward, crashing through a dozen trees before hitting the ground hard.
Forming hand signs as she lay there, Tsunade activated her trump card.
"Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth—Strength of a Hundred Seal Release!" The diamond-shaped mark on her forehead glowed, black patterns radiating across her body. Her wounds knitted together at a visible rate, her vitality restored.
Renji called out to her, his voice urgent. "Lady Hokage, just give me a little more time!"
Tsunade didn't fully grasp his meaning, but her trust in Renji was unshakable. She nodded fiercely. "Fine!" She'd pour everything into buying him that time.
Renji watched her reignite her fighting spirit, a faint, cryptic smile flashing in his eyes.
Might Guy leaped into the fray, his voice booming. "Let me test the strength of the First Hokage!"
His aura surged, blue steam rising from his body as he flickered behind Hashirama.
"Daytime Tiger!"
The air compressed violently, forming a roaring tiger shape before him.
Boom!
The deafening blast echoed like a cannon, shaking the battlefield.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2,000!]
[Chakra (78,853,501 / 100,000,000)]
Tsunade and Kakashi dove aside, dodging the shockwave. The Daytime Tiger roared toward Hashirama's back, a testament to Might Guy's monstrous Taijutsu.
A gleam of admiration sparked in Hashirama's eyes. "Such powerful Taijutsu!" he exclaimed, barely bracing himself against the onslaught. He nearly let slip a line worthy of Uchiha Madara: 'For this Taijutsu, I'd call you the strongest!'
Anticipating the compressed air's devastating impact, Hashirama bit his finger, slamming his hands to the ground.
"Summoning: Rashomon!" A demonic iron gate rose, blocking the attack—but it shattered instantly under the force, fragments scattering like shrapnel.
Amid the debris, Might Guy appeared before Hashirama, impossibly fast.
"Daytime Tiger!" He unleashed the move again at point-blank range, the proximity drawing Hashirama's body into the vortex uncontrollably.
Hashirama's figure rocketed into the air, tumbling backward for countless meters before crashing into the ground.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2,000!]
[Chakra (78,855,501 / 100,000,000)]
But as Might Guy pressed his advantage, the fallen Hashirama dissolved into wood—yet another Wood Release clone.
Might Guy's breathing grew ragged, his body screaming from the strain of using Daytime Tiger twice in quick succession. The Eight Gates were powerful, but their toll was irreversible. He steadied his breath, knowing the battle was one-sided. Hashirama was toying with them, fighting as if they were children.
Renji, still bound by the Wood Dragon, observed the scene with cold detachment, analyzing his options. Hashirama's strength was overwhelming—against him, Tsunade, Kakashi, and Might Guy were like ants. Of course, this assumed Might Guy didn't open the Gate of Death, a move Hashirama would likely prevent at all costs.
Renji's mind churned, calculating. Should he kill them? The benefits were tempting. His clones could assume the forms of Kakashi, Might Guy, and Tsunade, infiltrating Konoha seamlessly, much like what happened with Gaara.
The Malice Value he'd reap during the Fourth Great Ninja War could be astronomical. But sparing them had its merits too, prolonging the game for future gains. Killing or not was merely a matter of timing—early deaths could double his rewards later.
A twisted, malevolent grin spread across Renji's face, his hesitation vanishing. The decision was made.
Suddenly, the crackle of lightning pierced the air. Kakashi's Lightning Release sliced through the Wood Dragon binding Renji, freeing him. The effort drained Kakashi significantly, his breathing heavy as he grabbed Renji's wrist, his expression grave. "Renji, we're leaving—now."
The words carried the weight of an order from Tsunade, a mission Kakashi was determined to fulfill. The Revivalist Alliance targeted Renji specifically—if left alone, any ambush could prove fatal.
Kakashi glanced back at Tsunade and Might Guy, still locked in combat. Gritting his teeth, he banished his inner conflict. Tsunade's words on the way here echoed in his mind: 'Renji is Konoha's future—the next Hokage.' His value surpassed all others.
Kakashi steeled himself. If they faced an attack on the way back, he'd sacrifice himself to ensure Renji's safe return to Konoha.
Pfft!
A sharp, searing pain tore through Kakashi's chest. Lightning Release Chakra pierced his ribcage, silver-purple arcs crackling in his vision.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2,000!]
[Chakra (78,857,501 / 100,000,000)]
An enemy! Another attacker using Lightning Release!
Kakashi turned, his eyes locking onto Renji—smiling. But this was no ordinary smile. It stretched unnaturally across his face, baring gleaming white teeth in a grotesque, demonic grin. This wasn't Renji's smile—it was the smirk of a devil.
Renji wielded the very Lightning Release Kakashi had taught him, the blade of energy now buried in his mentor's chest. Blood poured from Kakashi's mouth, his face blank with shock.
How could this be? Renji? Impossible.
Disbelief gave way to desperation. Kakashi reached out, his trembling fingers brushing Renji's face, blood dripping from his chin. "No…" His eyes sharpened, clinging to denial. "You're not Renji! Who are you?"
His body swayed, barely holding upright, but he fought to reject the reality before him.
"HAHAHAHA! Kakashi, you know damn well it's me. Stop fooling yourself!" Renji's voice dripped with sadistic glee, deliberately omitting the usual "-sensei." His grin widened, a predator savoring its prey's despair.
But the absence of a Malice Value notification made Renji's brow twitch.
"Why? Why?!" Kakashi rasped, echoing the three words he'd once deemed foolish, now unable to stop repeating them. "Is someone forcing you…?"
Danzo's face flashed through Kakashi's mind. He clung to any excuse, desperate to believe Renji wasn't acting of his own will. He could accept his own death—ninja lived with that risk—but Renji betraying him? That was unthinkable.
"Someone forcing me? AHAHAHAHA!" Renji's laughter erupted, manic and unhinged, as if he'd heard the world's greatest joke. His jaw seemed to split as he cackled, then abruptly stopped, his voice dropping to a venomous hiss. "I've been waiting for this moment—the moment I'd show you fools my true face and watch your pathetic reactions. Hah! Suppressing all those emotions, all that hunger, for so long was exhausting. This… this is liberating."
His lips curled into a smug, sadistic smirk as he began to unravel everything. "I'm proud of how thoroughly I deceived you idiots. When I joined Team 7, you were so wary of me, weren't you? How did you let your guard down, Kakashi? You, a ninja of your caliber?"
He leaned closer, his voice a taunting whisper. "From the very beginning, I infiltrated Team 7 on Lord Danzo's orders. You knew that, yet you let me fool you completely. How pathetic."
Kakashi's blood ran cold, but Renji wasn't done. "You're the first, but soon, the others will follow. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke… they'll all share your fate. I'll kill them all—not quick, merciful deaths, but slow, agonizing ones, steeped in pain, grief, betrayal, and above all, HATRED!"
Renji threw his arms wide, shouting into the void, reveling in his own depravity. He paused, expecting a flood of Malice Value notifications, but silence greeted him. His gaze locked onto Kakashi's, only to find tears streaming down his mentor's face.
"Renji, I'm sorry…" Kakashi's voice was weak, choked with sorrow. "If I'd met you sooner, maybe you wouldn't have been… brainwashed by Danzo."
Renji's smirk faltered. Damn it— Kakashi's pity was ruining the moment.
Coughing violently, Kakashi seemed to be hacking up his very organs, his life slipping away. Yet even in his final moments, he clung to the hope of saving Renji.
"You're still… a complete fool," Renji muttered, his expression blank. He couldn't muster a smile anymore. Kakashi's stubborn denial was forcing his hand.
Leaning close, Renji whispered into Kakashi's ear, his voice a chilling murmur.
"You think I'm Danzo's pawn, don't you? No — that's not true. Danzo, like you, is destined to die by my hand. My true goal is to make the Ninja World my nourishment—my personal farm." He paused, letting the words sink in. "Oh, and I forgot to mention… I am the leader of the Revivalist Alliance."
Beside Renji, a fist-sized blue mass, pulsating like living flesh, began to grow at an alarming rate. It stretched and morphed, taking on Kakashi's likeness with eerie precision.
"I'm not human either," Renji continued, his tone cold and triumphant. "You must've suspected it, right? How could a human cheat death like I do? How could anyone wield a Bloodline Limit that manipulates the soul? How could someone bring the dead back to life without sacrifice?"
The unexplainable mysteries of Renji's existence unraveled in that moment, each revelation a dagger to Kakashi's heart. "My brother and I came to this world to… privatize the Ninja World."
Kakashi's pupils constricted, his gaze fixed on the doppelgänger beside Renji—a perfect replica, indistinguishable in aura and appearance. The truth crashed over him like a tidal wave.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +10,000,000!]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +10,000,000!]
[Chakra (88,857,501 / 100,000,000)]
Kakashi might have mourned a human Renji, deceived and broken by Danzo, a victim of circumstance. But this Renji—a non-human entity cloaked in lies—was no victim. He was a predator, a deceiver who preyed on humanity itself. Kakashi's sorrow turned to seething hatred—for Renji's facade, his hypocrisy, and most of all, for his failure to maintain the charade forever.
"Keep hating me, Kakashi," Renji said, his blood-stained hand resting on Kakashi's cheek, his smile a grotesque parody. "Nurture that hatred, let it grow. You'll need it when we meet again."
He wasn't lying—they would cross paths again. For now, Kakashi could sleep, his potential for Malice Value not yet fully tapped.
Tears streamed from Kakashi's eyes, but beneath the sorrow, a burning hatred blazed in their depths. Before Tsunade and Might Guy's horrified gazes, Kakashi's body began to warp, contorting in a grotesque transformation. Sickening cracks and squelches filled the air as his form twisted unnaturally.
Idle Transfiguration—Remodeling!
----
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to toss in a Power Stone and leave a review. Every Stone helps speed up the next chapter, and I really appreciate the support.
If you want to read chapters early and show some support, check out my Patreon!
Just search "Demonic_Fiction" on "P4trƐon" (link in the synopsis)