Uchiha Izuna

This happened long before the village was established.

In the Warring States period, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama were once friends.

The catalyst that caused these two to go their separate ways was the existence of their "younger brothers."

At the time, Tajima Uchiha, who led the Uchiha clan, and Butsuma Senju, who led the Senju clan, were both deeply devoted to their respective "clans."

Even when their own children's lives hung by a thread, they maintained a resolute attitude; they sometimes appeared cold and heartless, but they were deeply convinced that the survival of the clan was the "key."

Therefore, both clans would kill or be killed by enemies on the battlefield, even if they were women or children.

In a sense, this was an equal relationship; since they stood on the battlefield, the deaths of Hashirama and Madara's younger brothers were also the norm of the Warring States period.

In this era of war, Hashirama and Madara lost many younger brothers.

Only one remained for each—the two who were once friends faced the cruel reality that this last, precious younger brother was about to be killed before their eyes by the head of the opposing clan, and they ultimately parted ways.

Not long after—

Hashirama believed that not only his brother, but all young children should be protected, and he found a dream to realize beyond that horizon.

Madara swore intensely that no matter what happened, he must protect this last remaining younger brother.

Madara was willing to sever the bonds with the deeply respected Hashirama if it meant protecting his brother.

As the younger brother of Uchiha Madara, who would later become one of the strongest in the ninja world, Uchiha Izuna grew up.

Izuna felt gratitude and deep respect for his older brother, who poured so much love into him.

That gentle brother, Madara, who prayed for Izuna's safety and was so pious and considerate of the clan, was pride itself to Izuna.

Love and respect—the bond between Madara and Izuna, who cared for each other, grew stronger as time passed.

As the two proud pillars of the Uchiha, they became famous throughout the Warring States period.

Standing in front of these two was the deeply connected Senju clan.

In one battle, the rival clan head, Hashirama, proposed a truce to the Uchiha clan.

But Uchiha Madara—no, Uchiha Izuna—did not accept this appeal.

"The Senju clan cannot be trusted," Izuna said.

And so, Madara trusted him.

Even though his heart was weary of fighting and he had begun to want to trust his former friend again, Madara could not ignore Izuna's words.

Because Izuna's words were by no means born of hatred.

Although Izuna had an arrogant and haughty side, he actually valued the concept of the "clan" more than anyone else.

He loved the "clan."

It could even be said that among the Uchiha brothers, he inherited the blood of their "father" most intensely.

Whether such an Izuna being the "last younger brother" was a stroke of luck or misfortune for Madara—

There exists a technique called "Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation."

This is a despicable technique that summons the dead from the underworld, binds them, and forces them to act at the whim of the caster.

The summoned dead are not allowed to resist and are used as tools to kill their former families and comrades.

Even in the Warring States period, this was the act of a beast.

It is an unforgivable forbidden technique.

Therefore, almost everyone who knew of this technique felt disgust, hatred, and fear toward its user—Senju Tobirama.

Even Izuna, who was once one of the strongest in the Warring States period, was no exception.

Using dead enemies to force them to kill their comrades, or using them as human bombs to be discarded after use—such inhumane behavior was, to Izuna who valued his comrades and clan, an act of a demon that could never be overlooked.

Therefore, Izuna asserted that the developer of Impure World Reincarnation, Senju Tobirama, and his older brother's words were completely untrustworthy.

He was convinced that this was a conspiracy by the Senju clan to demean his innocent, gentle, and somewhat gullible older brother, Madara.

Izuna simply, purely, wanted to protect his gentle brother.

Then, on the day of destiny—a fierce battle finally broke out between the Senju clan and the Uchiha clan.

This battle was not a typical small skirmish; it eventually escalated into a large-scale conflict where even the clan heads clashed in person.

Of course, Izuna also participated in this battle.

Using the power of his awakened Mangekyo Sharingan, Izuna ran across the battlefield, killing members of the Senju clan.

The one who stopped his rampage was Senju Tobirama, who appeared like a gale, tearing through the wind.

With the backdrop of Hashirama's wooden giants roaring and Madara's explosions of flame, the two clashed fiercely.

Compared to the large-scale battle between Hashirama and Madara, their fight seemed understated, but it was a deadly game of chess where every step was calculated to the extreme.

The fastest movements even transcended time and space, and the legendary ocular jutsu displayed a brutality capable of warping space.

This collision of two techniques, specialized for killing where a single mistake meant death, was decided in the split second of an opening exposed by Izuna, who had become overconfident in his own power.

Senju Tobirama's blade tore through Izuna's body, and Izuna collapsed, spitting blood.

Madara, his expression twisted with agitation, abandoned his battle with Hashirama and rushed to Izuna's side.

Hashirama gazed at Madara's back as he ran toward Izuna, but he did not pursue.

What reflected in Hashirama's eyes was not an enemy, but merely the figure of an old friend deeply worried for his younger brother.

...End it, this war.

The words Hashirama spoke were the ones that had reached deepest into Madara's heart to date.

That shared "heart-wrenching" feeling of being an elder brother resonated between the two.

Had it been any other time, Madara surely would have grasped Hashirama's hand without hesitation.

Madara was a man who did not mind bowing his head for the sake of what he cherished.

The many times he had ignored Hashirama's requests until now were only because he had his trusted brother's words to lean on.

It was never because Madara himself enjoyed this blood-for-blood battle.

Thus, Madara held a glimmer of hope as he reached out to take Hashirama's hand, but as expected, he was stopped by Izuna.

Even on the verge of death, Izuna did not abandon the belief that the Senju clan was a threat.

If Madara had remained calm, he should have comforted Izuna and taken Hashirama's hand.

If Hashirama were truly the villain Izuna claimed, he would have killed Madara the moment he turned his back, and would be cheering for victory at this very moment.

But Madara lacked composure.

The crisis of his most beloved brother at this critical juncture clouded Madara's judgment.

After a moment of hesitation, Madara, as he always did, brushed Hashirama's hand away.

The result—Uchiha Izuna ultimately lost his life due to the wounds sustained that day.

The Sharingan is an extraordinary power that connects the present world to the afterlife.

The ending of being killed by the Senju clan birthed a profound hatred in Izuna's heart, unlike anything he had ever felt before.

After death, Izuna's body was carefully buried by Madara's own hands, but his soul did not depart for the afterlife; it slipped out of the cycle of reincarnation and drifted in the present world—the foundation of his soul anchored by a hatred for the Senju clan.

Having lost Izuna, Madara fought the Senju clan to fulfill Izuna's dying wish: "A world for the Uchiha."

Leading the Uchiha clan, which had begun to crumble as deserters appeared one after another, Madara faced a desperate battle alongside a handful of supporters.

This deathmatch, fueled by the highest level of power, ended in Madara's defeat.

Yet, this battle served as a turning point, allowing Madara to transcend the sorrow of Izuna's death.

The reconciled Hashirama and Madara joined hands, and the war between the two clans came to an end—soon after, an organization called a "village" was born, connecting multiple families.

The Warring States period drew to a close, and everyone welcomed that moment with blessings.

Then, time flowed, and the era moved forward.

Senju Hashirama became a "grandfather"—a direct descendant of the Senju clan, who would shoulder the new era, was born.

Everyone looked forward with bated breath to the birth of this child who would eventually carry the next generation.

Senju Hashirama, Mito Uzumaki, Senju Tobirama, Uchiha Madara, everyone—yes, even the soul of Uchiha Izuna, drifting in the present world, awaited the child's birth with a faint sense of joy.

Everything was for the sake of destroying the detestable Senju clan from within.

Izuna hid within the soul of the infant sleeping in the womb, waiting for the moment of awakening that would surely come.

The child born grew up strong, but one day, he was suddenly eroded by darkness.

A sense of disgust and fear as his soul was tainted.

Paroxysmal surges of hatred toward his grandfather and family, and inexplicable impulses for destruction.

Memories and emotions that were not his own began to awaken.

Tormented by a sense of loneliness and despair as if he had become a monster, the young heart gradually shattered and collapsed.

Into the cracks of this heart, gray mist seeped in.

A chill called hatred permeated the core of his body, inducing a physiological revulsion that made him tremble.

The child's soul gradually mutated, and just as he was about to harbor a firm intent to kill—the embrace and smile of a Great Tree stopped it.

Later, the child lost the Great Tree, but learned the gentleness of tears under the soft moonlight.

The blazing lamp burned away the implanted Wedge of Death, and the friendship between silver and beast polished the child from a boy into a young man.

And now, the moment to overcome the fear he had always pretended not to notice had arrived.

Diejian exhaled quietly.

His heart was as still as a calm sea, yet deep within, scorching magma burned fiercely.

It was as if he were maintaining the temperature just before boiling—commanding the two incompatible powers of Senju and Uchiha, keeping them in balance.

This was a feat that Diejian could never have achieved until now.

Diejian tracked Kakuzu, who had fled into the sea of tentacles, with nothing but his gaze.

His field of vision changed its appearance, and various colors and "flows" began to emerge.

The Sharingan mantra for reading chakra colors and discerning their flow was exactly as it appeared in his vision right now.

The sea of tentacles that had been a bitter struggle until just a moment ago, and the monster cruising within them.

But for Diejian now, capturing the objects that clearly displayed an anomalous color was an effortless task.

Diejian stomped the ground, kicked off, and sprinted.

The moment Diejian began to run, the movements of the tentacles changed.

Perhaps they had sensed that Diejian had locked onto Kakuzu's true body.

The tentacles, unleashed with full force, blocked the path of Diejian as he charged straight ahead.

Kakuzu must have gotten serious as well.

It was, as expected, a quality and quantity incomparable to before.

Yet Diejian captured it all.

Against the fist swinging at astonishing speed, he created a gauntlet using Wood Release.

The tentacles shattered and were struck down to the ground.

Diejian, performing all of this with indifference, remained expressionless.

Only his eyeballs rolled incessantly, darting in every direction.

An astonishing exchange of offense and defense.

Diejian was indeed hindered in his sprint, but he was steadily advancing step by step.

Diejian possessed the advantage of a new power, and Kakuzu, judging him to be dangerous, attempted to analyze him calmly.

This resulted in a lack of focus on the act of combat.

In higher-level battles, this was no different from a momentary wavering or an opening.

Diejian seized the opening with godlike speed, attempting to destroy the heart of Senju Diejian, which had been regenerated by the power of Senju Hashirama.

If this plan succeeded, Kakuzu would lose the power of Hashirama.

Then, he would no longer be a match for the awakened Diejian.

Utilizing his new power, he would carefully and thoroughly destroy the hearts one by one.

Kakuzu's clones stood in Diejian's path.

It seemed a considerable amount of chakra had been infused into them; the chakra density was clearly different.

Unlike the remotely controlled tentacles, they would indeed be troublesome opponents.

But to the current Diejian, he felt no threat at all.

---Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

The fists that appeared were the fists of a giant.

He struck and crushed the numerous clones.

He quietly beat the last remaining clone to death.

In the momentary silence, Diejian withdrew his fist and took a step forward.

One step, then another.

The scene was as if he were walking through an empty field.

"Senju Diejian--!!"

"..."

If Kakuzu had not indulged in playing around and had instead gone all out to kill—the Diejian of a moment ago would likely have been killed in the very first clash.

That he did not do so was due to Kakuzu's personality, and it was also a strategy Diejian had employed to drag out the battle so that he would act that way.

Precisely because he understood this, Kakuzu was incensed.

Step by step, he closed in.

The god of death named Diejian was approaching to reap Kakuzu's life.

But Kakuzu's obsession with living surpassed that of Diejian, who had come prepared for death.

Finally, Kakuzu unleashed his trump card.

"Gaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!"

It was a roar from Kakuzu, as if he were struggling in agony.

At the same time, Diejian's eyes perceived the transformation in Kakuzu.

The four hearts gathered around Kakuzu.

The colors of the hearts, each harboring a different hue, were gradually fading away.

The four-colored chakra, like water flowing downstream, converged toward the heart of Kakuzu's true body.

That was undoubtedly the very thing that had once pulsed within Diejian's own chest.

The heart currently hosting Kakuzu's essence shifted in color, blending until it turned a dull gray.

A swirling mass of gray chakra grew larger, pulsing rhythmically.

All the tentacles swelled, beginning to writhe and squirm.

The overlapping, tangled tentacles pulsed as they morphed into a massive, singular block of matter.

Diejian immediately launched a Wood Release assault against Kakuzu, but all of it was swatted away by his opponent.

A halo of chakra enveloped Kakuzu.

The sheer magnitude of that chakra gave Diejian the illusion that the very space around them was warping.

---A tremor.

It was a vibration of the earth that seemed to resonate deep within the marrow of his bones.

The cause of this tremor was Kakuzu, who emerged from the other side of the distorted, mirage-like space in a form that was utterly unrecognizable.

"Monster..."

Diejian whispered.

Looking up, a giant composed of tentacles loomed over him.

Diejian had seen its size and shape before.

The Wood Golem Grandfather once showed me was equal to this, or perhaps even greater... As I thought—

His assumption that Kakuzu had absorbed the power of Senju Hashirama was correct.

Hashirama had poured the majority of his power into the miracle of Monster Reborn, yet even so, that power was still more than enough to overflow from a vessel like Diejian.

What Kakuzu had absorbed was that very overflow.

It was likely only a fraction of Hashirama's original strength, but even so, it was no exaggeration to view it as a threat.

"Is that your trump card, Kakuzu?"

"It is your fault that I had to use up the hearts I worked so hard to collect. Pay me back, Senju Diejian. With your heart."

The four hearts were each collected by Kakuzu from powerful warriors.

By gathering all that chakra into one place, he attained power several times greater than his original strength—this was the pinnacle of the forbidden technique, Earth Grudge Fear, which Kakuzu had reached.

The current Kakuzu was a monster capable of rivaling the "Kage" of the current era.

The chakra he radiated was peerless.

Diejian felt a pressure that made his skin prickle.

Although this was his first time in this state, Kakuzu felt remarkably at ease.

It was as if this form were his natural state; he could even precisely control the sensations in his fingertips.

Caught in a wave of exhilaration, Kakuzu was certain of victory, yet he felt no arrogance.

He manifested fists behind his back.

Countless fists, all locked onto Diejian.

Driven by intense resentment, Kakuzu had memorized the technique of the man who had once killed him: Hashirama.

"---Forbidden Technique: True Several Thousand Hands. Die, Senju Diejian!!"

"Oh, oooooooohhhhhhh!!"

Kakuzu's army of fists descended.

Those fists were no longer loose tentacles, but a dense mass with the hardness of rock.

A meteor shower of fists landed with pinpoint accuracy upon Diejian's head.

Diejian let out a roar, meeting them head-on.

The massive wooden shield he created was shattered in an instant, wood splinters flying and embedding themselves into the distant ground.

The successive Wood Release shields he created while roaring were reduced to rubble the moment they appeared.

Then, a direct hit—the earth was gouged out, accompanied by a terrifying, thunderous roar.

Dust rose, and Diejian's figure vanished.

"Impossible---"

Before he could even savor his victory, Kakuzu let out a bewildered whisper.

Where the dust cleared, an unbelievable sight awaited.

Kakuzu's lips trembled in shock, his eyes widening until they nearly split.

Reflected in his vision was the gouged earth, the shattered Wood Release shield, and—a skeletal giant.

"Impossible---"

Kakuzu had seen that on the battlefield before.

Back when Kakuzu was still young, it was the purple god of death controlled by one of the two pillars who dominated the strongest clan on the battlefield.

The purple armor, woven from immense chakra, served as both a shield capable of repelling all attacks and a spear that could sweep away any foe.

Kakuzu did not tremble because of that overwhelming might; he was astonished that Diejian of the Senju clan could wield it.

"---Impossible... Just what are you? If your claim of being a Senju is a lie, are you actually of the Uchiha?"

"I am neither Uchiha nor Senju. I am a ninja of Konohagakure—Diejian."

"Still playing coy. But no one can surpass me now. I will take your heart and reach a higher realm."

"What kind of high realm is built on the mockery of human life? Stop talking, Kakuzu."

Susanoo rose to its feet.

Though its form remained skeletal, it was wreathed in a violent aura, as if reflecting Diejian's own state of mind.

Susanoo stood in confrontation with the giant.

The scene seemed to recreate the battles of old between Madara and Hashirama, yet Kakuzu was far too small compared to Hashirama, while Diejian was far too close to Madara.

"Besides... I believe I said it before. It is I who will kill you—"

The two fists collided.

Kakuzu prided himself on his strength and took pleasure in proving it.

While considered calm and collected, a man of intellect, he was simultaneously a sadist who found pleasure in inflicting violence.

Having acquired the power of Hashirama and glimpsed a higher domain, Kakuzu, who prided himself on having "reached the pinnacle," began to harbor a certain respect for Diejian, who dared to challenge him head-on.

Thus, Kakuzu calmly began to re-analyze Diejian.

Senju Diejian.

Grandson of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

Personal disciple and successor to the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.

There was no room for Uchiha blood to have intervened in his lineage.

Kagami Uchiha and Uchiha Shuri, who were nearby, had no reason to give Diejian their eyes, nor did they possess the Mangekyo Sharingan.

In the first place, no Uchiha ninja capable of manifesting Susanoo had appeared in these past few years.

The most recent one was Uchiha Madara, killed by Senju Hashirama, and the one before that was Uchiha Izuna, killed by Senju Tobirama.

It was rumored that Uchiha Izuna's eyes had been taken by Uchiha Madara.

That was a "fairy tale" passed down to later generations, a fabricated version of Madara depicted as the absolute evil against the "hero" Hashirama.

But few understood Madara's true character, and everyone assumed that story to be fact.

Kakuzu was no exception.

Therefore, Kakuzu arrived at only one conclusion.

"Those eyes of yours... they must have been taken by Senju Hashirama from Uchiha Madara..."

Diejian did not answer.

Even though it was incorrect, he could only click his tongue at the observational skills that allowed Kakuzu to deduce such a thing from limited information.

Every time the fists of Susanoo and the giant collided, shockwaves erupted.

The booming sounds echoing through the air reverberated across the sky.

Who was watching the two of them fight from afar?

A young man in green attire, breathing heavily.

An elderly couple, and children.

Were they aware?

Would the day come when they would know?

That thunderous roar was a sound created by a young man to protect them.

Let us be frank.

If the battle continued like this, Senju Diejian would be defeated.

The ability of Diejian's Mangekyo Sharingan was ineffective against the giant-form Kakuzu.

Susanoo drained Diejian's strength as the price for its power, consuming him.

Even with the equalizing factor of possessing Hashirama's power, and even with the addition of the Sharingan, Diejian still fell short of Kakuzu.

This was because Kakuzu had the undeniable advantage of having never ceased honing himself since his survival.

Tobirama's elite education was astonishing, and Diejian's power, once his latent potential was unleashed, was unmatched among his peers.

Even Sakumo, known as the White Fang, might pale in comparison at this stage.

That was the extent of his talent.

Even so, Kakuzu remained several steps ahead.

It was by no means because Diejian was weak.

This battle, which could not even be called a fight against Senju Hashirama, changed Kakuzu's perception of what it meant to be "strong."

Had Kakuzu not provoked Senju Hashirama, he likely would have been repelled with only a moderate amount of force.

Unaware of the fact that he had been spared, Kakuzu must have spent those wasted years clinging to a phantom pride, believing himself to be strong.

But the Kakuzu of today is no longer that man.

He pursues the "strength" that was etched into him in that singular moment, constantly honing himself.

Utilizing forbidden techniques, he has remodeled his body with maximum efficiency.

Diejian lacks a decisive method.

If his opponent were an ordinary ninja, a single swing of Susanoo's fist would suffice.

The enemy would be reduced to a pulp in an instant.

But Kakuzu is no ordinary foe.

His hardened skin can deflect almost any attack save for Lightning Release, and his fists possess the destructive power to shatter bedrock.

That Diejian appears capable of contending with Kakuzu is only because he has mobilized every technique instilled in him by Senju Tobirama.

Then, the change occurred.

Due to a sharp, intensifying agony in his eyeballs, Diejian struggled within the Susanoo, clutching his head.

This is bad... so, as expected, has it been discovered...

Emerging on Diejian's forehead was the mark of the Uzumaki—

Mito Uzumaki—Grandmother's sealing technique...

During their training, Senju Tobirama sensed the chakra of Uchiha Izuna rising from Diejian's body and realized his true identity.

If so, it was impossible for Mito Uzumaki—a sensory ninja even more gifted than Tobirama, who could even detect fluctuations of malice by controlling the power of the Nine-Tails—not to have noticed the anomaly in her beloved eldest grandson.

She had perceived the essence of Diejian earlier than Senju Hashirama, and had already taken measures to ensure she could restrain him single-handedly should the worst come to pass.

Precisely because they were kin to the gentlest man, Senju Hashirama, there were times when one had to be ruthless; it was not only the younger brother who understood this.

As his wife, Mito also—no, perhaps it was precisely because she was his wife.

In the event of the worst-case scenario—how much anguish must she have endured before reaching that resolution?

Has it reached its end already... then, I shall stake everything on this final move—

If he continued to use the Mangekyo, he would be completely bound by the sealing technique.

Should that happen, Diejian's chance of victory would vanish.

Then—

The shape of Diejian's Mangekyo began to collapse, and the Susanoo began to disintegrate.

Diejian instantly used Wood Release to create a spherical shield to cover himself, though it was unclear how long it could hold.

The once evenly matched confrontation turned into a fierce onslaught by Kakuzu.

The giant palms created by the Bringers of Darkness were destroyed, and the giant mask said to ward off beastly calamities was shattered.

The meteor shower of fists that had broken the crumbling Susanoo and pulverized it completely reached the ground once more, causing the green earth to collapse.

Not long after the tremors capable of shaking heaven and earth subsided, the dust and smoke gradually cleared.

Lying there was Senju Diejian, covered in blood and unable to rise.

A faint heartbeat could be heard.

The shallow, ragged breathing leaking from his half-open mouth was enough to make anyone listening feel suffocated.

"What a... tenacious... man—"

After confirming that Diejian had fallen, Kakuzu knelt on one knee.

A heavy tremor traveled through the ground—Kakuzu's body gradually began to shrink.

It is said that every technique has a flaw.

Diejian's Susanoo was ill-suited for prolonged battle due to the searing pain and the massive consumption of chakra.

The flaw in Kakuzu's forbidden technique lay in the physical burden brought about by using all his hearts—utilizing all five nature transformations.

Having shed his tentacles, Kakuzu now carried the aura of a true ninja.

Relying on no tricks, this moment, relying solely on his own body, was perhaps Kakuzu's true form.

It is common for one's way of life to change as one survives, so this was of no consequence.

From here on, Kakuzu would take Diejian's heart once more and reach an even higher realm.

He would obtain the power of Wood Release and approach the strength of Senju Hashirama.

Therefore, Kakuzu could not beat Diejian into a pulp.

Kakuzu approached Diejian and quietly reached out his hand.

He stared at the eyes that had lost consciousness and were now closed, gazing through the eyelids.

The Sharingan—it is the strongest dojutsu that every ninja yearns for.

---That, too, I shall accept.

The power to control his tentacles was gone.

Deep within, Kakuzu felt a sense of respect for the boy of the past who had grown so powerful, the one who had pushed him to such an exhausted state.

You were born to be my sustenance, born to die; Kakuzu felt a sense of gratitude toward Diejian, much like one would thank a creature that had become their meal.

"Eight Inner Gates—Third Gate of Life... Open."

"You brat, you're still alive—"

The moment before Kakuzu's hand could touch Diejian's heart, Diejian's eyes snapped open.

Though those eyes had lost their crimson hue, they reflected Kakuzu as if they could see through everything.

Diejian had realized that even if he were killed, his body would remain intact.

Kakuzu wanted Diejian's heart.

Therefore, to avoid damaging the heart, he would likely kill Diejian or render him immobile.

If he could not win in a head-on confrontation, he had no choice but to strike when the enemy was off guard.

Thinking this, Diejian resolutely executed his plan, even with the odds stacked against him.

He feigned death to lure Kakuzu into carelessness, intending to deliver his strongest blow the moment the man drew near to claim his heart—.

Had Kakuzu used his tentacles to extract Diejian's heart from a distance, he would have missed, and Diejian would have truly been killed this time.

It is often said that luck is a part of strength, and Diejian's tenacity had drawn that luck to him.

Since the surprise of the initial strike and the resilience that followed were the very essence of Diejian, this was undoubtedly a testament to his strength.

It was a victory born of Diejian's resolve, a desperate grasp for life from the jaws of death.

The Eight Inner Gates is a forbidden technique that removes the limiters within the body.

While it revitalizes the flesh, this opening of the gate went far beyond that.

Diejian's body had long since reached its limit.

The bones in his limbs were shattered, and it would be harder to find a rib that wasn't broken than one that was.

Even with the gate opened, he was in no state to move.

Therefore, what Diejian did was, in a sense, a feat more dangerous than mere physical revitalization.

It was the ultimate form of transformation, removing the limiters to convert his soul into chakra.

A forbidden technique among forbidden techniques, derived from the Eight Inner Gates.

Just as the Eight Inner Gates grants power surpassing a Hokage at the cost of one's life, this technique—the ultimate physical revitalization completed by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, at the end of his life—stood on equal footing.

---Chakra erupted.

In this moment, Diejian ascended to the same stage as Senju Hashirama.

This was only natural.

The majority of the power inherited from Hashirama resided within Senju Diejian.

If one were to add the techniques of Senju Tobirama to that power of Hashirama—it would surely look like the strongest.

Bursting from the earth was a massive Wood Dragon.

Even compared to the Wood Dragon controlled by Hashirama, it possessed a size that defied all standards.

The Wood Dragon swallowed Diejian, drawing his frail, exhausted body into its core.

Within the womb of the dragon, Diejian felt the warmth of being embraced by a giant tree in his childhood.

A single drop of water traced a path down his cheek.

It was a farewell ritual, for he sensed that this was the moment of true parting from a certain bond.

The expression of the Wood Dragon, which had been tender toward Diejian, shifted—turning into a visage of fury as it faced Kakuzu.

The dragon soared into the sky, flipped, and descended upon Kakuzu with terrifying momentum.

"I... am strong—"

The dragon's jaws tore through the earth.

Kakuzu stared at the maw of the dragon approaching at blinding speed and spoke his final words.

And just like that, Kakuzu, along with a corner of the earth, vanished into the belly of the dragon.

The man who had pursued strength to turn his arrogance of "I am strong" into reality had his life's curtain drawn by the hand of a youth who had yet to finish climbing the ladder of power.

---The Wood Dragon lay upon the earth, and the youth waited for the moment of awakening.

That would be the moment he ascended to the heavens once more—.

After this battle, Senju Diejian would be spoken of in hushed tones, his strength defined by a certain moniker.

"Konoha Rising Dragon"

--Cloud, cloud.

★

"Diejian--! Where are you--!?"

Walking cautiously across the desolate earth, calling out his friend's name, was a tall young man clad in a green bodysuit.

His thick eyebrows and long lower eyelashes were jarringly mismatched, and the small mustache beneath his nose looked shockingly out of place.

He had left Konoha some time ago in the name of martial arts training, and the fact that he—a man aggressive in both the good and bad sense—appeared here was purely coincidental.

While he was receiving the favor of a night's lodging and a meal, a terrifying tremor and roar erupted, and upon looking, he saw a Wood Dragon ascending into the sky.

The only person in this world capable of using Wood Release, now that Senju Hashirama had passed, was Senju Diejian.

The name of the young man who sensed the gravity of this situation was Might Duy.

He had rushed out, feeling that his friend was in danger, but as a dead-last who couldn't even use the Body Flicker Technique, he was unable to perform physical activation, and by the time he arrived, everything was already over.

He was currently in the midst of this place piled high with rubble, searching for the friend who should have been there.

The area was scattered with massive wooden shards created by Diejian and Kakuzu, making it extremely difficult to traverse.

Duy dodged the debris with a huff and a puff, occasionally overturning pieces to search for Diejian.

Even an optimist like him began to feel anxious as he failed to confirm his friend's safety.

"Hey--, Diejian--!! Ma--!!"

"--Hey, you brat."

"Wha--. Kaku--, ah... ha, haa, haa."

Suddenly addressed, Duy's shoulders trembled for an instant.

He braced himself, wondering if this was the enemy who had just fought Diejian, and focused his consciousness, ready to open the Eight Inner Gates at any moment, feeling a sense of despair.

Duy knew clearly that he was a dead-last.

He did not think for a second that he could defeat a formidable enemy who had forced Diejian—presumably—into a bitter struggle and destroyed the earth to this extent.

Being killed in an instant would be the inevitable conclusion.

Even so, the reason Duy did not run was because Diejian might be here.

The ninja way of "protecting those who are important to the end" spurred Duy on.

No matter how formidable the enemy, Duy was not the kind of man to abandon a friend and flee.

Therefore--

Even while feeling firsthand what kind of "monster" the man before him was, Even while leaving a large stain on his trousers due to overwhelming terror, Even while his legs stiffened from fear and tears threatened to fall, The word "retreat" did not exist in Duy's dictionary.

---That man had eyes that seemed to see through everything.

Pitch-black pupils, as if peering into an abyss.

One eye was obscured by his bangs.

The brown armor he wore was an aged piece, covered in many conspicuous scars.

"A ninja from Konoha--? But you look... very weak."

The man's low voice carried amusement, mocking Duy.

More than being called weak itself, Duy was terrified by the voice itself.

"Different dimensions" is a cliché, but it was truly the case.

If this man were to simply swing his arm, Duy's body would likely collapse, blood spraying like a fountain from his severed head.

Whether he lived or died depended entirely on the man's whim.

Duy realized his breathing had become ragged, but even so, he did not retreat a single step.

"What's wrong, brat. Do you not recognize me?"

The man's voice was, as expected, filled with amusement.

Every sentence was punctuated with a mocking sneer.

Under normal circumstances, this would be irritating, but due to the man's absolute confidence and overwhelming presence, it became, in Duy's eyes, the qualifications of the strong.

This was the type of "power" he never wanted to emulate.

And so, Duy had one more reason he could not run.

Because the power Duy believed in was the connection of hearts forged through bonds.

It was by no means the massive individuality and violence of a man like this.

Seeing that Duy did not run, the man seemed to think he did not recognize him.

But Duy knew this man.

Because if one wished to understand the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, whom Duy respected, one would inevitably know of this existence.

And if the man before him was truly that person, Might Duy would die here.

Even so, even so, only for his friend Diejian—Duy stood alone, his heart trembling.