When the Seal is Executed [Two-in-One]

The towering Great Buddha Statue Mountain Range toppled into the world, walking across the earth one step at a time, each footprint sending powerful shockwaves surging outward like aftershocks.

The shock of facing the Buddha far exceeded that of seeing the Sage of Six Paths for the first time as a child. Terror began spreading from the depths of the Nine-Tails' heart into his very soul.

The Buddha walked among the living world, entirely devoid of the compassion that used Buddha light to illuminate all beings. Its placid face revealed a killing intent that sent chills through him.

Yet the pride of a tailed beast would not allow him to face a powerful enemy in such a cowardly state.

The Nine-Tails raced toward the Great Buddha on the wind, the tails dancing wildly behind him swaying freely along with his rising emotions. Dense chakra condensed into a tangible form and enveloped his entire body.

At that moment, he felt stronger than ever before. Every part of his body could serve as a weapon, rather than relying on his vast chakra reserves to casually bombard everything with Tailed Beast Bombs as before.

Perhaps that Stinky Raccoon was right—ninjutsu performed by molding chakra through hand seals far surpassed the strength of the body.

The swiftly charging Nine-Tails shattered the earth beneath his feet, like a meteor streaking across the ground. Beneath the dusk, he shone with his own light as he charged impassionedly into the Great Buddha.

"Is this the Nine-Tails' true strength?" Hashirama, standing atop the Wood Golem's nose with Sage Mode activated, his long hair fluttering in the wind, watched the fiery-red fox battling the Great Buddha with a serious expression.

Countless arms behind the Great Buddha passed over the Wood Golem, bending into fists or hand blades as they stretched toward the Nine-Tails.

Hashirama sat down cross-legged. His vantage point was already high enough as he looked down at the many arms being torn apart and bitten to pieces by the Nine-Tails. A gleam of enjoyment flashed through his black pupils. It seemed that not absorbing the Nine-Tails' chakra had been absolutely the right decision.

"Madara, want to give it a try?" Hashirama twisted around and asked his close friend, who had likewise sat down cross-legged behind him.

Madara, who was wiping his Gunbai, shook his head. "I've already seen the Nine-Tails' true strength. A battle with such a vast disparity in power doesn't interest me at all."

Indeed, Madara could control the Nine-Tails with the Sharingan's ocular power alone. He had already had his fill of playing. Just like skipping stones when they were young, once he had achieved his goal, he was always the first to suggest taking a break.

Still filled with novelty and excitement, Hashirama continued controlling the Great Buddha, swinging its countless hands and attacking the Nine-Tails.

His goal was to completely exhaust all the chakra the Nine-Tails could use, turning him into a lamb awaiting slaughter so that he could be sealed multiple times over.

Inside the cave, Kagami Uchiha forced himself to remain calm as he looked toward Rikusei beside him, completely unaware of the tremor in his voice. "Is this the technique that defeated the clan head?"

A giant Buddha as tall as a mountain was beating up the Nine-Tails. Anyone who saw such a sight would surely be too stunned for words.

The Armored Great Buddha mercilessly pummeling a wild little fox—having finally witnessed this scene, Rikusei reluctantly turned back to look at him. His gaze shifted away from Kagami's trembling hands, and his voice was filled with longing. "Perhaps."

"It wasn't Sage Art." A very familiar voice interrupted their conversation. Its owner walked toward them along the passageway.

The person involved had come to explain it himself, Rikusei silently thought as he turned around.

Having successfully drawn every gaze in the cave toward himself, Tobirama continued, "The true reason Madara was defeated was that his chakra reserves were inferior to Hashirama's."

"Chakra reserves?" Discussion immediately broke out in the cave as they quietly compared the amount of chakra they possessed.

After explaining, Tobirama shifted his gaze away from the young Uchiha before him and looked out toward the battlefield, his heart burning with excitement. Being able to see those two join forces thrilled him beyond measure.

How could a battle between the Buddha and the Nine-Tails not stir one's blood?

The colossal beings continued to clash, but the Nine-Tails' movements visibly began to slow. The scattered severed limbs all around were the hard-won results of his struggle.

But all of it was futile. The one controlling the Great Buddha sat unharmed atop the Wood Golem's head, looking down at him.

The Great Buddha broke free of the Buddha Halo behind it. In the Nine-Tails' eyes, its enormous fist turned into a palm and seized his neck, leaving him unable to move.

Chakra.

He widened his eyes in terror and roared. The little chakra remaining in his body was being rapidly siphoned away by the Wood Golem. Feeling the wooden palm gradually tighten, he thrashed desperately in an attempt to break free, but the ever-tightening grip left him completely unable to move.

"It's here."

Madara murmured inwardly as he sensed immense Natural Energy beginning to gather in Hashirama's right palm, condensing into the character "Seat."

"Here I go." Hashirama controlled the Wood Golem as it leaped down from the Great Buddha's head, landing on the ground and kicking up clouds of dust. He opened its wooden hand, which bore the same character "Seat," and pressed it against the Nine-Tails' head. In a deep voice, he said, "Nine-Tails, your power is too great. I cannot allow you to roam freely!"

The Nine-Tails' scarlet pupils were filled with unwillingness. His gaze passed over the blue armor and fixed directly on the man standing atop the Wood Golem's nose, his right arm extended and five fingers spread wide. Senju Hashirama—he would remember that name. And the man behind him, sitting cross-legged, yawning as he activated his Sharingan—Uchiha Madara, was it? He would not let him off either.

The resentment in that gaze made Hashirama grin. Those vicious eyes seemed determined to carve their figures into his mind forever. This little fox really was fierce.

"Kōan Nyūjō Suishu!" Hashirama's long hair floated in the air behind him as he used Sage Jutsu chakra to suppress the Nine-Tails. His whimpering mouth fell silent, and he encountered not the slightest resistance during the suppression.

Looking at the Nine-Tails, who had fallen asleep, Hashirama stretched lazily. It seemed that exhausting seven or eight-tenths of his chakra first, then completely absorbing the rest through Wood Release, had produced an unexpectedly effective result.

"Is it over?" Madara asked listlessly, propping his chin on one hand. If he had not been indulging Hashirama and letting him have his fun, he would have used a single ocular technique to make the Nine-Tails obediently close his eyes and lie on the ground like a dead fox.

"It's over. We can call the Uzumaki Clan over to seal him now," Hashirama replied after steadying his breathing.

"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu."

A fireball blazing with towering flames flew from the top of the Wood Golem toward the dusky sky. Chakra continuously spewed from Madara's mouth ignited the fireball's tail, and it slowly soared into the heavens like a signal flare.

"It's fireworks." The flames exploded in the sky, scattering streams of light that fell toward the earth. Rikusei recalled the dazzling array of Fire Release techniques from that night and muttered softly.

"The agreed signal." Unable to restrain his excitement any longer, Kaimi rose to his feet and shouted. At last, it was their turn to take the stage.

"Thud!"

A loving father's fist extinguished the red-haired man's excited flames. Uzumaki Ashina shook the Wooden Box on his back and looked toward the white-haired man in blue armor.

"It's the agreed signal."

Tobirama's repeated words opened the floodgates in the ninjas' hearts. Their surging blood finally erupted in that instant. The afterimages produced by the Body Flicker Technique blended together, forming a black tide that swept down from the cliffs toward the plains.

The magnificent sight observed from the distant cliffs felt even more grand when witnessed firsthand. Before these two colossal beings, one could not help but marvel at humanity's insignificance. The Great Buddha stood immovable as a mountain, its dark green face filled with solemnity. Its enormous, slender body was rooted to the earth, and it tightly gripped the orange fox in its hand.

The Great Buddha, the Wood Golem, and the fox.

They became the main focus of the onlookers. Though they had witnessed it in the distant cave, the enormous crater sunk deep into the earth beneath their feet plainly told them that this was the power of gods and demons.

Such mighty power was beyond reach. To walk alongside heroes was the highest honor of this journey.

Of course, Rikusei had merely imagined all that from Kagami's fanboy-like expression. This subtle ideological lesson appeared to have been a great success—at the very least, the seed named Konoha had been thoroughly planted in everyone's hearts.

All that remained was to quietly wait for it to break through the soil of their hearts, take root, grow strong, and eventually become a new great tree that sheltered Konoha from wind and rain.

"Elder Brother, are you all right?" Tobirama, who had arrived in an instant, followed the direction he had sensed and asked Hashirama, who was resting atop a severed arm.

"None of you got hurt, right?" Hashirama, who did not feel the slightest bit tired, smiled as he rubbed his legs, which had gone a little numb from the wood pressing against them.

The Ninja Academy students blinked their worshipful eyes at him, and Hashirama thoroughly enjoyed it, unable to resist the urge to praise them a little.

Naturally, Tobirama knew his elder brother's temperament well and knew what he wanted to say. Before Hashirama could open his mouth, Tobirama cut him off. "We're starting the sealing now. Elder Brother, don't just sit there—go stand guard nearby."

"Madara, come down!" Hashirama stood and shouted toward the Gunbai atop the Wood Golem's head.

His enthusiastic voice rose from the ground into the sky. Madara, seated atop the Wood Golem's head, stood and shouted down, "The scenery up here is perfect. Hashirama, want to come up?"

"Coming right away."

The red-armored figure beside him vanished in an instant. Tobirama helplessly sat down where Hashirama had been sitting and picked at the broken hand with his fingers.

Rikusei passed through the crowd and considerately sat beside him. "Isn't it the same wherever they are?"

"You brat." Tobirama leaned back, stretching his weary body as he gazed at the colorful clouds along the horizon. "With their strength, they really can accomplish many unbelievable things."

Rikusei sat silently on the severed hand, watching the members of the Uzumaki Clan perform Adamantine Sealing beneath the glow of the sunset. Their red hair was as dazzling and brilliant as the blazing clouds at the edge of the sky.

Tobirama signaled that the crowd was free to move about. The Ninja Academy students immediately scattered like birds and beasts, swarming toward the battered battlefield.

"Among the Uchiha Clan, you're the first to awaken Double Tomoe at your age." Tobirama used Shadow Clones to transform the severed hand into a recliner. As he lazily watched the crisp-rattling Chakra Chains in the distance, he spoke thoughtfully.

"I didn't expect Teacher to know Uchiha clan history so well." Rikusei, having gained something for nothing, copied Tobirama's posture and lay on the wooden chair. His gaze passed over the drifting colorful clouds toward his peers, who were playing a ninja game. From the way they interacted, it seemed to be a newly invented game. The rules appeared to involve drawing lots first: the luckiest person played the Great Buddha, the unluckiest played the Nine-Tails, and everyone else played the countless hands behind the Great Buddha.

"As expected, they're good at playing." Tobirama had naturally seen it all. Thinking of how certain people were absentminded during class, he spoke with some irritation.

Rikusei smiled soundlessly at the diverted topic. He understood what Tobirama had meant just now. For someone as cautious as Tobirama to reveal that he had informants within the Uchiha Clan meant Rikusei had passed his test.

The Uchiha Clan had likely long since been infiltrated like a sieve. After so many battles with the Senju Clan, countless people had been captured. It was hardly strange for defectors to emerge.

"Want to learn a new ninjutsu from your teacher?" Tobirama took several scrolls from his hand and tossed them beside Rikusei. "This is an improved version of the Shadow Clone Technique I invented—the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. It suits the vast chakra within you."

Rikusei gripped the scroll tightly, already knowing what would happen next. He blinked at Tobirama with bewildered eyes, indicating that the gift was far too precious and left him overwhelmed by the favor.

Tobirama silently laughed and cursed him. Little rascal. He shifted slightly and reached out to snatch the scroll from Rikusei's hand.

"All right, Teacher, ask away." Rikusei tucked the scroll into his ninja tool pouch, then instantly sat upright, waiting for his teacher's questions as though he were in class.

"It's only a thought I had, so don't be nervous. Treat it like a casual chat in the Office." A hint of amusement flashed through Tobirama's crimson Pupils as he hurriedly gestured for the boy, who was sitting stiffly straight, to relax. "The village has already classified ninjas into the Three Ranks of Jonin, Chunin, Genin and begun establishing records. But one person's thinking will always have some oversights. I'd like to hear your opinion."

"Putting our heads together?" Rikusei softly replied to Tobirama's serious gaze, "The ranks of jonin, chunin, and genin can actually be divided more precisely."

Tobirama's eyes instantly lit up as he stared at him eagerly. The boy's single sentence struck him with sudden inspiration, making his scalp tingle and his entire soul tremble.

"As the village takes shape, with Lord Hokage and Teacher here, the village's population will inevitably grow explosively."

Having lived through an age of war for so long, Tobirama understood well that once people settled into peace, a population boom was inevitable. The large number of ninjas drawn to Konoha had already caused Konoha's population figures to multiply several times over.

"People like us in the Ninja Academy can be classified as Reserve Ninja among the genin. Those who graduate can be called genin, while genin preparing to take the Chunin Exams for promotion can be called Elite Genin."

Quick to grasp the idea, Tobirama picked up the thread and hurriedly voiced what was on his mind. "Then ninjas promoted to chunin would be the most ordinary type of chunin. Based on their specialties, we could further distinguish Special Chunin, while experienced ones could be classified as Elite Chunin. Could jonin be divided along the same lines as well? With specific classifications, different jobs could be assigned accordingly. That way, the ninjas whose numbers will multiply in the future will each have somewhere to go."

Rikusei applauded Tobirama's ability to draw inferences from one example. Trading a genin classification system for a Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was simply an enormous profit.

He looked toward the top of the Wood Golem's head. Thin wisps of cooking smoke rose in front of their figures. The cookware was completely concealed, but the way the wood and stove had been set up could not fool Rikusei. They were secretly having Hot Pot.

Their ingredients had probably been animals that the Wood Golem had casually wrapped up during the battle after they had been stunned unconscious. Rikusei finally understood why Madara had not come down.

Tobirama also noticed the infuriating scene, yet there was nothing he could do. He slumped dejectedly in the chair. That was his own biological elder brother, eating without calling him.

Naori, returning from the distant forest, tilted her head in confusion. Her obsidian-like bright eyes looked questioningly at the two men lying there like salted fish. She set down the wild boar she had found dead from the shockwaves in the forest, wondering what could have left two people so strong looking so utterly distraught.

Rikusei abruptly leaped to his feet and looked at the wild boar with tears in his eyes. "Wuwuwu, Naori, you're still the best."

"But... I'm right here." Naori brushed the purple hair clinging to her chest back over her shoulder, her gentle voice full of confusion.