14 : I'm not some kind of psychopathic killer.
The strong wind instantly dispersed the dense fog. The moment Hashirama saw Madara, he rushed over: "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," Madara shook his head, looking warily at the boy not far away: "This started because of me, hurry and leave."
"What are you talking about? Aren't we friends?"
"He's very strong, there's no need for you to take risks." Hearing the word 'friend' again, Madara's expression shifted slightly.
"It doesn't matter, we're strong too," Hashirama said firmly, also guarding against Masahiro: "Working together, we can definitely defeat him."
Oh dear, why do I seem to be treated like the villain by them?
"What truly touching friendship," Masahiro said, looking at the two opposite him: "But relying on friendship isn't enough to defeat me!"
Before he finished speaking, the dense fog that had been dispersed spread out again. It was even thicker than before! And covered a wider area!
Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique, Rank C.
This was one of the Fine Grade Five Ninjutsu Masahiro had drawn previously. Using it didn't require hand seals at all, making it perfect for dealing with Uchiha Madara, who hadn't awakened his Sharingan yet.
"Heart, liver, spleen, lungs---"
Masahiro maliciously released an intense Killing Intent, imitating Zabuza: "Guess which part of your body I'll attack next?"
The boy's cool voice was heard far away one moment, and the next, it sounded right next to their ears.
A hint of dread flashed in Madara's eyes. This feeling of being unable to sense the enemy's exact location was unbearable.
Suddenly, two sounds of rushing air attacked from the left and right sides respectively.
Madara was caught off guard and kicked in the abdomen, but he reacted instantly, grabbed the opponent's right leg, and slammed them heavily onto the ground.
At the same time, Hashirama, seizing the opportunity, released a Ninjutsu right after: "Earth Release: Earth Rising Spikes."
With a "bang," the enemy pierced through by the earth spike burst into a cloud of mist and vanished.
Hashirama's brief moment of shock allowed Masahiro to seize the opportunity, raising his hand to fire a Water Bullet speeding towards Hashirama.
"Be careful, that's not the real body!"
Fortunately, Madara reacted quickly, using a series of Phoenix Flower techniques to block all the lethal Water Bullets for Hashirama.
"Hoo, hoo!"
Having released several Ninjutsu in a short time, Madara and Hashirama, whose Chakra was depleting quickly, stood back-to-back, forming a defensive position while warily observing the dangerous dense fog surrounding them.
Although the two had only just met, they inexplicably felt safe entrusting their backs to the other.
"My name is Hashirama," Hashirama spoke first. Although the situation was inappropriate, Hashirama felt a strong affinity for the Hedgehog Head fighting alongside him.
"Madara," the Hedgehog Head boy's reply was concise. Masahiro's attacks had mostly focused on Madara, leaving him exhausted and his stamina greatly depleted.
After Hashirama swept his leg and knocked away two clones, he was still in the mood to joke: "My father and brothers always say I'm a genius. They should really come see today what a true genius looks like."
Since he began training, this was the first time Hashirama had been suppressed so badly by someone his age, especially when the opponent was fighting two-on-one.
Madara smiled bitterly to himself. Who wasn't? His lifelong pride was shattered into pieces by this lunatic opposite them at this very moment.
Furthermore, Madara's intuition told him that not only could he not defeat the opponent, but he wasn't even sure he could win against this person named Hashirama standing next to him.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere."
Masahiro casually used a Wind Release technique to pierce through Madara's Great Fireball, while simultaneously leaping backward to dodge Hashirama's opportunistic punch.
After several rounds of Ninjutsu exchanges, Masahiro looked at Hashirama and Madara, who were in poor condition, and felt a wave of irritation.
Why hasn't the proof of strength dropped yet? Are they not strong enough right now? Or does it only drop upon killing them?
On the surface, it looked as if Masahiro was easily suppressing the two, but that was not the case.
The main reason for the current situation was that most of his Ninjutsu were new techniques not yet known to the world, and the several Fine Grade Five Ninjutsu that required no hand seals caught Hashirama and Madara completely off guard.
Once the two adapted to Masahiro's fighting style, Masahiro, whose strength advantage wasn't overwhelming, might lose. He couldn't drag this out; if he did, he might mess up.
Thinking this, a trace of Killing Intent flashed in Masahiro's eyes.
If it really only drops upon killing, then I apologize. I will be the one to realize your dream of unifying the Ninja World!
The thoughts in his mind flashed by. Having made up his mind, Masahiro clenched his right hand slightly, and a surge of azure Chakra gathered and spun in his palm as if it were solid.
The only Rank A Ninjutsu out of 80 draws: Rasengan!
The bone-chilling Killing Intent openly assaulted Madara and Hashirama. The two exchanged glances, both seeing the solemnity in the other's eyes.
Today, they might really meet their end here.
Hashirama gave a wry smile, yet his heart was still worried about the friend he had just met: "Madara, I'll hold him off later, you run quickly."
"Shut up! If anyone is going to cover the retreat, it'll be me!"
Having grown up in the Uchiha environment, Madara had never had friends besides his younger brothers. He once thought he didn't need such things as friends.
But today, the Mushroom Head's words—[friend], [I'll hold him off]—every word struck Madara's closed heart.
Why would we, who have only known each other for less than an hour, say something like covering my retreat without hesitation?
I clearly caused this situation myself, so why should my actions cause you to face the risk of death?
Damn it, if only I had the Sharingan. If I had the Sharingan, I definitely wouldn't have fallen into such a pathetic state.
The feeling of frustration and dissatisfaction with his own weak strength caused a special type of Chakra to rapidly condense inside Madara's body and quickly move towards his eyes.
Sensing that something was wrong with Madara, Hashirama couldn't help but warn him: "Be careful, don't---" Meeting Madara's eyes, Hashirama swallowed his worried words in shock.
At this moment, Madara's eyes had turned scarlet red, and a black Tomoe was rapidly spinning in his pupils.
Madara is actually an Uchiha.
That moment of shock caused Hashirama to miss the best time to dodge.
The ferocious Chakra sphere rapidly grew larger in his vision, but Hashirama suddenly smiled. Father and Tobirama would never guess that he died alongside an Uchiha.
"Hmm?"
The expected death did not arrive. The terrifying ball of Chakra zipped past Hashirama's cheek. The splashes of water thrown up by the Ninjutsu explosion behind them stung both Hashirama and Madara's faces.
[Congratulations on obtaining proof of strength *1]
[Congratulations on obtaining proof of strength *1]
"What are those expressions for?" Masahiro said with a smile, looking at the two who were ready to die: "You didn't think I was going to kill you, did you?"
With two proofs of strength safely secured, Masahiro let out a heavy sigh of relief: "Good thing I stopped in time."
"Otherwise, how lonely would I be when I become invincible in the Ninja World~"
Looking at the two stunned individuals, Masahiro patted their shoulders, which only made their bodies tense up even more: "I'm not some perverted killer, relax, relax."
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