Clashing Again, Offense and Defense Reversed

Ye Wuyue raised his blade to block Uchiha Setsuna's slash. At that moment, massive trees erupted from the ground and surged toward Ye Wuyue and the others.

Seeing this, Ye Wuyue and the others leaped away to evade the First Hokage's Wood Release. The battlefield of the three groups was instantly divided.

Itachi faced the reanimated First Hokage, while Shisui faced the reanimated Second Hokage.

After dodging the First Hokage's attack, part of the battlefield's terrain had already been transformed, covered in thick tree roots that would absorb the Chakra of anyone who touched them.

Ye Wuyue estimated that the reanimated First and Second Hokage possessed strength at least on the Kage level.

"If your brother hadn't arrived in time last time, you would have died by my hand long ago. Let's see who can save you this time!" Uchiha Setsuna said sinisterly, raising his longsword and slashing at Ye Wuyue again.

Ye Wuyue had not seen Uchiha Setsuna use a longsword last time. He had no idea whether Setsuna had forgotten to bring it before or learned to use it afterward, but it did not matter.

"I'd advise you not to be so arrogant. It only exposes the weakness in your heart," Ye Wuyue said calmly, his gaze filled with contempt.

"You sharp-tongued brat! I'll tear that mouth apart soon enough!" Uchiha Setsuna kicked at Ye Wuyue, who raised an arm to block it and was knocked back several meters.

Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique!

Four fire dragons spewed from Uchiha Setsuna's mouth and charged at Ye Wuyue.

Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique!

Ye Wuyue formed hand seals with both hands, producing four fire dragons of his own. Their attacks canceled each other out, filling the air with wisps of white smoke. He rarely used ninjutsu, but that did not mean he could not. In fact, Ye Wuyue had basically mastered all kinds of Fire Release ninjutsu within the clan; he simply seldom used them. After all, as everyone knew, Fire Release could not burn anyone to death.

"You're still using the same tricks from six years ago. You haven't improved at all. But I'm no longer the same as before. Hado #63: Thunder Roar Cannon!"

Pale yellow lightning surged forth, and a bolt of electricity shot straight toward Uchiha Setsuna.

Orochimaru, standing behind them, did not make a move. Instead, he observed their methods, especially Ye Wuyue's. His eyes practically glimmered as he watched Ye Wuyue.

Orochimaru's original dream had been to learn every ninjutsu in the world. Yet human lives were too short to support such a dream, and along with several other pushing factors, he had turned to researching immortality instead.

Now, Ye Wuyue's appearance had given him hope for immortality on one hand, and on the other, shown him methods beyond ninjutsu. Through observation, he had discovered that this seemed to be an ability that launched attacks by calling out the name of a technique.

The lightning bolt struck Uchiha Setsuna, blasting open a wound on his body.

Yet Uchiha Setsuna acted as though he felt nothing. He gripped his longsword and charged at Ye Wuyue again, while black markings resembling eyes began to emerge across his body. The wound he had just sustained slowly healed as well.

"You really piss me off. No matter what happens today, I'm going to kill you!"

In an instant, the two exchanged more than a dozen slashes. Ye Wuyue could feel that Uchiha Setsuna's strength had increased considerably. In a contest of raw power, he truly was no match for him.

Another downward slash came, and Ye Wuyue raised his blade to block it. Uchiha Setsuna continuously increased his strength, forcing the blade downward.

"What happened to that attitude just now? Don't tell me this is all you've got, brat? If so, then just obediently die!" Uchiha Setsuna mocked Ye Wuyue nonstop as he pressed down with his blade.

Ye Wuyue angled his blade aside and pulled away, redirecting Uchiha Setsuna's force. Then he extended his right hand.

Bakudo #61: Six Rods Prison of Light!

Six beams of light appeared and locked Uchiha Setsuna's body in place. Ye Wuyue knew that the Six Rods Prison of Light cast without an incantation would not restrain him for long, but that brief moment was enough.

Scatter, Senbonzakura!

The longsword in Ye Wuyue's hand transformed into countless fine blades, beautiful as petals beneath the sunlight. Since using Flowing Blade, Like Fire consumed too much Spiritual Pressure, he chose Senbonzakura this time.

"You're just like those four pieces of trash from earlier. All you can do is repeat things you can't accomplish, hiding the weakness in your hearts."

Ye Wuyue pointed forward with one hand, and countless fine blades flew toward Uchiha Setsuna at once. At that moment, he had just broken free from the Six Rods Prison of Light. The blades swept past him, leaving countless wounds across his body.

The Sound Four, who had been dragged into this out of nowhere, glared at Ye Wuyue furiously. But without Orochimaru's orders, they did not dare make another move.

The power of the Cursed Seal had numbed Uchiha Setsuna's nerves, greatly dulling his perception of pain. Blades cutting across his body felt like nothing at all.

Uchiha Setsuna had wanted to say something, but after recalling Ye Wuyue's words, he closed his mouth instead and formed a hand seal.

Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!

A towering sea of flames instantly surged toward Ye Wuyue. Although Uchiha Setsuna's version of this technique was far weaker than Uchiha Madara's, the boosts from the Cursed Seal and Sharingan still gave it a quarter of Madara's power.

Before the overwhelming sea of fire, Ye Wuyue seemed incomparably small.

"Heaven's favored child, walls of iron, dragon's stride, lion's roar, tiger's howl, waves rushing forth—sever heaven and earth before they collapse. Bakudo #81: Splitting Void!"

Facing such a powerful move, Ye Wuyue did not dare be careless. Bakudo #81, cast with the full incantation, firmly kept the sea of fire at bay.

Seeing Ye Wuyue's situation, Itachi, who was fighting the First Hokage, felt slightly relieved. But Orochimaru, who had yet to make a move, deeply worried him.

While he was distracted, a red figure stomped down from above. Itachi hurriedly dodged, and the heavy kick smashed a huge crater into the ground beneath his feet.

Itachi refocused on his opponent. His Sharingan genjutsu was completely ineffective against the First Hokage, and his other methods were also difficult to use against him. Moreover, the First Hokage now possessed an Impure World Reincarnation body; even if his body were shattered, he could fully regenerate.

Although Itachi had an ability that could deal with those summoned through Impure World Reincarnation, he could only use it a few times in his current state. He needed to wait for the right opportunity.

On the other side, Shisui was also locked in an evenly matched battle. Although his mastery of the Body Flicker Technique was quite high, the Second Hokage's ninjutsu had an enormous range and could easily cover all of his Body Flicker clones.

However, he had not yet revealed his true strength either, continually keeping an eye on Orochimaru, who still had not acted.

When Uchiha Setsuna saw that his immensely powerful ninjutsu had been blocked, he lost patience. He no longer intended to wait for Ye Wuyue to unleash his full strength. Black markings crawled across his body and soon covered him completely. His body turned grayish-black and grew even more muscular. Fin-like protrusions emerged from both arms, while a bony tail grew from his back.

So ugly...

Looking at Uchiha Setsuna's appearance, Ye Wuyue swore that he would never use this Cursed Seal in his life. It was simply too devastating to one's looks.

"Ha ha ha ha! Go die!"

Uchiha Setsuna laughed maniacally, then ignored the fine blades surrounding him and threw a punch at Ye Wuyue.