Decisive Battle

"Screee!"

A piercing eagle cry rang across the vast East River Plains as a goshawk swept through the sky, leaving a faint trail in its wake.

From the eagle's vantage point, the boundless plains below were filled with ranks of weapons gleaming with cold white light. Flags whipped and snapped in the wind, and the land was solemn yet saturated with killing intent.

Across the endless plain, thousands of ninja stood facing one another from afar, their eyes filled with killing intent, as well as the hatred and fury accumulated over a century.

Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna stood shoulder to shoulder at the very front of their ranks. Looking at the Senju Clan in the distance, their expressions carried a trace of gravity, but not the slightest fear. If anything, their fighting spirit burned even more fiercely.

Before the Senju Clan's formation, Tobirama Senju stood with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he surveyed the dense ranks of ninja ahead.

Beside him, Hashirama, clad in red armor, stood calmly at the forefront of the Senju ranks like an ancient pine that had endured for a thousand years. His long black hair danced wildly in the wind as, beneath countless gazes, he suddenly stepped forward.

"Madara, today's battle will be our final battle. No matter the outcome, this war should not continue any longer!"

Madara looked at Hashirama, both friend and enemy, complex emotions flickering in his eyes. He said loudly, "Hashirama, save your words until after the battle. The victor becomes king and the loser becomes nothing. Only the winner has the final say!"

"Heh, you're still the same." A trace of reminiscence flashed through Hashirama's eyes. Back then, they had still been children. Though they had not known each other's identities, they had been able to play together without any barriers, study ninjutsu together, and dream of a better future together. Now, although they had each become the head of a clan, an unfathomable chasm lay between them.

"Big Brother, this isn't the time for nostalgia. Uchiha Madara is only our enemy now."

Hashirama sighed. He knew there was indeed no use saying such things now. He nodded, and his eyes sharpened once more. "Then come on, Madara!"

"Hmph, I've been waiting for you, Hashirama!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The plain where the two armies faced each other fell completely silent, leaving only the sound of cold wind whipping the flags.

The two stared silently at each other. As though they had made an agreement beforehand, they suddenly stepped forward at the same time!

Boom—

Two immense waves of chakra surged into the sky. Invisible shockwaves erupted from beneath their feet, collided in midair, and spread in every direction. The sweeping gusts forcibly drove the onlookers three steps back!

Step, step, step—

The two strode forward in unison. As he advanced, Madara raised a hand and removed the massive Uchiha Gunbai from his back. A chain connected its end to an enormous sickle, and he gripped one weapon in each hand. Meanwhile, Hashirama removed the huge scroll slung across his lower back. With a summoning, a six-foot broadsword appeared horizontally between his hands!

"Madara!"

"Hashirama!"

Boom—

In an instant, both men exploded forward. The ground within dozens of meters sank at once, and spiderweb-like cracks spread all the way beneath their respective armies' feet!

Two afterimages flashed through the air, colliding at nearly identical speeds. The sickle and broadsword slammed together at once, their clash deafening as a circular shockwave exploded in the air and blasted into both their chests!

Anyone else would have been sent flying by the aftershock of this battle alone, yet neither of them even blinked. Madara was the first to change tactics. He used his sickle to knock aside Hashirama's broadsword, then yanked the chain with his right hand. The five-foot gunbai carved a white arc through the air and swept toward Hashirama's head with a piercing howl!

"You really are something, Madara!" Hashirama laughed heartily. He suddenly lowered his body to evade the sweeping gunbai, clenched his left hand into a fist, and threw a simple, unadorned punch. Yet that seemingly ordinary blow felt like a cannonball hurtling straight at him!

Madara's eyes burned with the fervor of battle. His scarlet Sharingan caught a fleeting opening, and he kicked Hashirama's fist, borrowing the force to leap backward through the air while rapidly forming hand seals!

Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique!

The descending flames twisted the air itself. Hashirama's expression hardened as he placed his broadsword behind him, then brought his hands together!

Wood Release: Rampart Technique!

A wooden shield shaped like a fanged demon face burst from the ground, enclosing Hashirama within and effortlessly blocking the fire dragon's flames!

Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!

Rumble—

In an instant, countless thick branches surged forth like giant serpents rolling over the earth. Interweaving in a crushing, overwhelming tide, they shattered the ground inch by inch wherever they passed, as though the sky itself were collapsing!

"Roar!"

Blue chakra surged into the sky as the half-bodied, four-armed, two-faced Susanoo appeared. Its four blue curved blades slashed out at once, tearing through layer after layer of wooden barriers and carving out a vast vacuum!

On the other side, seeing that their strongest fighters had already begun their fierce battle, Tobirama and Izuna waved their hands simultaneously!

"Kill!"

"Charge!"

At the command, both sides launched their charges at once. The entire earth trembled as cries of battle filled the wilderness!

Water Release: Water Shockwave!

As the Senju Clan's second-in-command, Tobirama naturally took the lead. Riding atop a massive wave, he soared into the sky and crashed forcefully toward the Uchiha army!

"Come on, Tobirama Senju!"

Izuna roared, red flames igniting at the tips of his five fingers before he slammed his hand onto the ground!

Uchiha Flame Formation!

Ashura's Hellfire formed a barrier before the surging waves!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—

Water and fire collided, and mist filled the air. The torrents of ninja from both sides finally crashed into one another as well!

On a distant hillside, Enkō sensed the sudden eruption of chakra far away and knew that the war had finally begun. Even though he already knew the outcome of this battle, he did not want to leave in disgrace without doing anything.

Taking a deep breath, Enkō turned to Oya Enichi beside him. "How are the preparations?"

As Miyakenichi's son, Yan One had also accepted the fact that he had joined the Uchiha Clan. He answered solemnly, "More or less done. After all, materials are limited. To ensure the quality, we can only make this many finished products for now."

Enkō glanced back, then nodded. "It's enough. Then it's time for us to enter the field."

Behind the two of them stood dense masses of black silhouettes. Yet every one of them differed from ordinary people, swaying crookedly like walking corpses!

Ketsuryūgan: Human Bomb!