True Several Thousand Hands vs. Welcome Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder

Outside Konoha Village, Valley of Twin Titans.

Ever since Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama had sparred here last time, destroying mountains and ravines and diverting rivers, Konoha had named this battlefield the "Valley of Twin Titans"—after Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, the two peerless powerhouses of the ninja world.

Today, however, the Valley of Twin Titans welcomed another group of people.

After becoming the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, Uchiha Yan could not wait to test his current strength. He needed a battle to determine where his limits lay.

As the pinnacle of Kage-level power, no one was more suitable than Senju Hashirama.

So he sought out Lord Senju Hashirama and asked for a spar.

Once word spread that "Konoha's Kirin would spar with Lord Hashirama," even more people came to watch than last time. Besides Senju Tobirama, Uchiha Izuna, Nara Shikato, Hyuga Tennin, and Uzumaki Mito, the heads of the major clans had also come. Uzumaki Ashina had happened to bring several Uzumaki clansmen to Konoha yesterday, so he came along as well.

"Lord Hashirama, I'm ready."

Uchiha Yan instantly activated Kurama Mode. His body was enveloped in a golden Nine-Tails chakra cloak, with Six Paths markings emerging across his skin. Unlike Naruto in the original story, Uchiha Yan had not been forced into becoming the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki. He and Kurama had chosen each other, so he entered perfect Kurama Mode the moment he activated it.

"Yan, you've gotten quite a bit stronger." Seeing how different Uchiha Yan was from before, Hashirama immediately praised him.

"But I'm going in too."

"Wood Release: Tree Root Burial Explosion."

Countless thick roots burst from the ground, winding toward Uchiha Yan like giant pythons and crashing down upon him from all directions.

"Super Big Ball Rasengan."

Several hands formed from Nine-Tails chakra grew from behind Uchiha Yan, each one shaping a Rasengan. The chakra hands swung enormous Rasengans around him, pulverizing the incoming trees into dust. Wood chips scattered through the sky.

"Wood Release: Diamond Summoning Wood."

A large number of hard wooden pillars thrust up from the ground once more—this technique could not only bind an enemy, but was also far tougher than ordinary wood. In the original story, Yamato had used it to restrain Naruto during one of his rampages.

"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken."

Uchiha Yan formed another five Rasenshuriken. Golden Nine-Tails chakra arms held the five rapidly spinning chakra shuriken, which let out piercing shrieks. With a sweep of his arms, all five Rasenshuriken flew forth at once.

"Boom—Boom—Boom—"

The five Rasenshuriken instantly carved out an open stretch of ground through the wood ahead.

"Lord Hashirama, attacks at this level can't defeat me."

"Then I'll have to get serious too." Seeing that conventional attacks were ineffective, Hashirama intensified his assault.

"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique."

A massive wooden dragon burst out from underground, opening its jaws to bite Uchiha Yan.

"Come on!" Chakra surged around Uchiha Yan as a fully formed golden Nine-Tails instantly condensed behind him. The Nine-Tails threw back its head and roared, its soundwaves becoming a tangible shockwave that collided head-on with the charging wooden dragon.

"Yan, you're getting more and more impressive." Hashirama stood atop the wooden dragon's head.

The wooden dragon twisted upward and continued winding toward the Nine-Tails.

"Roar—"

With an angry roar, the Nine-Tails opened its jaws and bit down on the wooden dragon. Its forepaws immediately pinned the dragon's body, slamming it to the ground.

The two colossal beasts traded blows, shaking the earth and mountains. Neither could gain the upper hand.

"Lord Hashirama, I told you, attacks like these still can't do anything to me!" Uchiha Yan shouted at Hashirama.

Seeing that the Wood Dragon Technique truly could not deal with Uchiha Yan, Hashirama immediately used the Wood Human Technique.

"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique."

Hashirama clapped his hands together once more. A gigantic wooden humanoid rose from the earth.

"Now this is getting interesting."

Although Uchiha Yan was not some battle maniac, the blood in this body was boiling at that moment. Perhaps this was the nature of the Uchiha Clan.

Blue-green chakra armor suddenly appeared over the Nine-Tails. Before long, the entire Nine-Tails was clad in a complete suit of Susanoo armor.

"Boom—"

This battle was no less intense than the one between Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama. It could even be said to surpass it. The Wood Human and the Nine-Tails Susanoo exchanged punches and kicks, turning heaven and earth upside down. Every collision kicked up dust that filled the sky, while shockwaves spread in all directions.

"Wood Release: Violent Spear Tree."

Just as the Nine-Tails Susanoo and the Wood Human grappled with each other in a contest of strength, enormous trees grew from the Wood Human's arms, wrapping around and crushing the Nine-Tails Susanoo.

A gigantic Rasenshuriken condensed in the Nine-Tails Susanoo's hand. The rapidly spinning chakra sphere emitted a piercing shriek from its palm. Then, the Rasenshuriken was infused with the power of Susanoo, transforming into a Susanoo Rasenshuriken.

It slashed directly at the Wood Human's arm. With a single swing, the Wood Human's entire arm was severed at the root.

"Lord Hashirama, use your strongest ninjutsu!" Uchiha Yan shouted. Hashirama had yet to use Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands.

"Then I won't hold back. Other than Madara, you're the second person to force me to use this ninjutsu."

Hashirama clapped his hands together. "Sage Art."

Black markings appeared on his face as Sage Mode activated. Vast natural energy poured into his body.

"Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands: Buddha on Top."

The earth shook violently.

A thousand-handed Buddha nearly a thousand meters tall rose from the ground, blotting out the sky. The wooden humanoid sat atop the Buddha's head as the thousand-handed Buddha bore down on the Nine-Tails Susanoo with world-destroying force.

"That's more like it."

Rather than being alarmed, Uchiha Yan was delighted. He formed his signature hand seal, and all the remaining Nine-Tails chakra within him surged out.

"Welcome Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder."

One thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara after another, each nearly as large as the True Several Thousand Hands, appeared behind Uchiha Yan.

The thousand-handed Buddha and the thousand-armed Avalokiteshvaras clashed head-on. Thousands of arms swung out at once.

"Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom—"

Wooden fists were smashed into splinters, while chakra fists were struck apart and dispersed. Countless arms blanketed the entire battlefield, and every exchanged blow was like a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting apart.

The exchange of fists continued for several full minutes before finally stopping.

Dust and smoke filled half the sky. By the time the haze slowly dispersed, the battlefield had been completely transformed.

Where there had once been hills and forests, there was now only a massive semicircular crater nearly ten kilometers wide and almost a hundred meters deep. Its bottom was covered in shattered rock.

Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Yan stood facing each other at the bottom of the crater.

Hashirama panted heavily. His Sage Mode had already faded, and the chakra expenditure from fighting Uchiha Yan had far exceeded his expectations.

Uchiha Yan was also gasping for breath. Welcome Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder had completely drained the chakra of the full Nine-Tails within him, forcibly ending Kurama Mode as well.

In this battle, Uchiha Yan had won by a narrow margin. Hashirama was standing on the ground, while he himself was floating in midair. At the very last moment, he had cast the Light-Weight Rock Technique on himself.

The spectators watched the two of them as though they were monsters. They had thought the battle between Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama was already outrageous enough, but there was actually another powerhouse here.

As Uzumaki Ashina looked at Uchiha Yan, his eyes were already shining. He had originally thought that his rough-around-the-edges son-in-law, Hashirama, was invincible under heaven. Who would have expected Uchiha Yan to be this formidable?