"Sage Mode allows me to clearly sense the presence of enemies." Izuna landed again, one hand on his hip. "You've become even more underhanded than before, Tobirama."
"Hmph. Right back at you," Tobirama replied coldly.
"Oh, by the way—congratulations. You should be assuming the position of Senju Vice-Clan Head soon, right? After all, I beat Senju Yuma half to death. Once this war ends, Hashirama will officially become clan head, and naturally you'll be vice-clan head." Izuna spread his hands with a smile. "In a way, you brothers should thank me for your rapid promotions, shouldn't you?"
Tobirama's face darkened. "Water Release: Clear Water Wave!"
Violent water surged around his body, rising a hundred meters into the sky to form a water tornado, then crashed toward Izuna.
The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan in Izuna's eyes spun wildly. "Susanoo!"
A humanoid Susanoo formed instantly. As the water tornado descended, it donned another layer of armor, its size now rivaling that of a Tailed Beast.
Facing the cascading water tornado, Susanoo swung its Chakra blade.
Splash!
The water tornado was cleaved in two, but Susanoo didn't stop—reversing the blade, it struck downward from above, splitting it into four.
"You're planning to escape with Flying Thunder God, aren't you?" Izuna's left Mangekyo activated its technique, predicting Tobirama's next move. One hand slapped the ground.
"Uchiha Flame Formation!"
A rectangular barrier glowing with an eerie pale red light blocked the Flying Thunder God kunai that shot from the water.
"All right. Now you can die."
Izuna controlled Susanoo's other hand. In its palm, a three-tomoe pattern spun, and in an instant he released the Uchiha Flame Formation.
"Yasaka Magatama!"
The spinning Yasaka Magatama howled through the air with a piercing shriek.
"Wood Release: Wood Demon Mask Technique!"
"Wood Release: Twin Tree Strangulation!"
Two consecutive Wood Release techniques.
The first created a wooden demon-faced defensive wall similar to Rashomon in front of Tobirama. The second sprouted countless slender vines around Susanoo, attempting to bind its arms.
"So this is the legendary Wood Release that pacified the warring era? Truly extraordinary. I understand now why Madara was forced to use his Mangekyo time and again to counter it." Izuna's right eye glared at the vines binding Susanoo's arms.
"Amaterasu!"
Whoooosh~
The vines crackled with the sound of burning and shattering. Susanoo shook its arms vigorously, breaking free of the restraints completely.
"Even stronger than Madara's Susanoo. In that case, I won't hold back either, Izuna." Chakra surged from Hashirama's body like an overwhelming tide, and the entire ground began to shake violently.
"It's coming! Vice-Clan Head, be careful!" Uchiha Enka shouted from behind.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Each massive vine was larger than a water dragon, and as they interwove, they surged toward the Uchiha forces at a speed exceeding any plant growth imaginable.
This is absurd! Even Izuna, who had witnessed countless spectacles, could count on one hand the techniques whose attack range matched Deep Forest Emergence.
"Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi!"
Izuna covered the Chakra blade of Susanoo with the Flames of Amaterasu.
"Sword of Amaterasu!"
Susanoo began wildly slashing at the incoming vines, so fast its movements became a blur.
"To wield Susanoo so recklessly!" Hashirama exclaimed in admiration.
Madara had used the armored form of Susanoo once before, but compared to Izuna, Madara seemed much slower. Not surprising—Madara's eyes were still just ordinary Mangekyo.
The more one used Mangekyo power, the more unbearable pain the body experienced. Under such conditions, his Susanoo naturally couldn't unleash its full strength, because its master was already at his limit.
"In that case..."
Hashirama tightened his clasped hands, and his Chakra output increased even more desperately.
The massive wood that Susanoo had been cutting back suddenly swelled even larger under Hashirama's Chakra fertilization. In volume alone, it had grown by at least half, surging forward in a frenzy.
Monster! A monster with bottomless Chakra! Countless Uchiha clansmen shouted in their hearts.
"Then try taking this technique I used to defeat Senju Yuma." Four wind blades formed around the Rasengan in Izuna's right hand.
"Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"
Then Izuna's right eye glared at the Rasenshuriken.
"Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi!"
Whoooooosh~~
Wind plus fire plus lightning!
"Go!"
Izuna roared. The black Rasenshuriken passed through Susanoo, cutting through everything in its path. Even facing massive wood ten times its size, it charged forward with unstoppable force.
Scorch Release: Halo Hurricane Jet Black Arrow Style Zero!!!
Facing this technique, even Hashirama's expression shifted.
What jutsu is that? A monster! At that moment, the people on the battlefield also judged Izuna to be a "monster." Of course, those making this assessment were from the opposing Senju clan.
"Wood Release: Demon Mask Technique!"
"Wood Release: Coiling Technique!"
Two consecutive defensive Wood Release techniques.
To block the attack of Scorch Release: Halo Hurricane Jet Black Arrow Style Zero. But Hashirama's purpose wasn't to block—Izuna understood that much.
"You want to change its trajectory with this?" The Scorch Release: Halo Hurricane Jet Black Arrow Style Zero pierced through the dual Wood Release defenses with almost no pause.
But when it reached Hashirama's position, it had deviated more than ten meters from his location.
Whoosh!
It flew past, striking the cliff face behind. In an instant, half the mountain was sheared away!
"Monster!" Watching the scene of the collapsing cliff and hearing the deafening roar, the Senju clansmen once again thought to themselves.
However, Hashirama didn't stop...
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