Close-Range Fire Release, a Skeleton Walking Out of the Flames

Close-Range Fire Release, a Skeleton Walking Out of the Flames

Susanoo!

A nearly perfect ocular technique.

It truly combined offense and defense, an ability that manifested the Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular power.

Having awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan for the first time, with no experience or attempts while in an unstable state, Uchiha Madara had actually managed to activate Susanoo. Even though it was only the most basic initial form, it was still an immensely terrifying power.

Basking in the immense strength brought by the Mangekyo Sharingan, his entire body and mind felt utterly exhilarated.

Yet his anger was even greater. The blazing fury had become an inferno that could not be extinguished. Only by killing Tobirama Senju could those flames finally burn themselves out.

"Wood Release! Wood Mallet Technique!"

Wood Release had not been capable of sweeping across the ninja world from the very beginning. It had grown stronger little by little.

Senju Hashirama brought his hands together, and a massive wooden hammer appeared several meters in front of him, smashing fiercely toward Uchiha Madara.

Such a laughably weak attack was like children playing ninja games. It posed no threat whatsoever to Uchiha Madara.

More than a dozen ninja clans, large and small, witnessed the Uchiha Clan's formidable power at that moment.

But they also understood why the Senju Clan had been able to contend with the Uchiha Clan for centuries. It turned out the Uchiha Clan was not the only one to wield unimaginable power. The Senju Clan, capable of standing alongside them, was equally unbelievably powerful.

"Wood Release! Deep Forest Emergence!"

A lush expanse of trees tore through the earth and rose up, claiming the open ground between Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama in an unstoppable, brutally overbearing fashion.

Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes as even more surging ocular power erupted forth. Above Susanoo's basic form, he forcibly expanded it further. A half-bodied skeleton appeared behind him, shielding Uchiha Madara as it tore apart the Wood Release assault that had reached him.

"This technique is useless against me!"

"Since you refuse to see reason, I'll let you witness the Uchiha Clan's true power!"

Consumed by inescapable rage, the flames of anger devoured what little reason Uchiha Madara had left. He ignored the condition of his body entirely, madly squeezing the unstable Mangekyo Sharingan for more ocular power, desperately seeking to evolve Susanoo into an even greater form.

Under Uchiha Shangwu's influence, he had already been somewhat stronger than Senju Hashirama. With that slight advantage, he now disregarded the damage it would inflict on his body and desperately forced the already unstable Sharingan beyond its limits.

Susanoo seemed capable of evolving into an even more powerful form. An overwhelming aura that no one could resist instantly burst from Uchiha Madara. Every ninja still fighting felt its terrifying might in that instant and stared in horror at the figure protected by the skeletal Susanoo.

Uchiha Madara took a step forward, seeming to have lost all sense of pain. The blood flowing from his eyes did not affect him in the slightest. With a raised hand, he controlled Susanoo and slashed apart every tree.

"So strong! Is this Uchiha Madara, the new head of the Uchiha Clan?"

"Can a human really contend with such power? I've seen the heads of other ninja clans, but none possessed such terrifying strength!"

"Don't joke around! A monster like this shouldn't exist. We should run! No pact is more important than staying alive!"

These ninja clans had allied themselves with the Senju Clan only to gain a better chance of survival. Weak clans had neither power in the ninja world nor any way to take on missions in exchange for supplies.

Their best option was to attach themselves to powerful clans, or willingly become lapdogs for wealthy men.

If it had merely been an ordinary battle, no one would have feared dying in combat. But when these ninja clans faced the immense power displayed by Uchiha Madara and looked in shock and terror at the skeletal Susanoo, no one could regard this as normal.

There was only fear rising from the depths of their hearts!

"Shut up! The Senju Clan will not lose! The power my elder brother possesses is far beyond anything you can imagine!"

Tobirama Senju shouted angrily.

But it was useless. The more he said, the more terrified those ninja clans became.

Uchiha Shangwu said in a deep voice, "Come over now, and I will accept you in the name of the Uchiha Clan. Whether you choose to live or choose to become Uchiha Clan members and be killed, that is up to you!"

Although these ninjas who had joined the Senju Clan were weak and possessed no impressive clan secret techniques, making them seem little better than burdens, they would still be valuable if they wanted to establish a village or directly sweep across the ninja world. At the very least, they could serve as basic population to fill out the numbers.

These people hesitated between the two massive ninja clans, the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan. Should they immediately choose the seemingly invincible Uchiha Clan, or remain with the Senju Clan, whose power was no weaker than the Uchiha Clan's?

Uchiha Madara did not care about anyone's thoughts, nor would he stop for a few weak ninja clans. After cutting apart the obstructing wood before him, Susanoo reached toward the figures waiting in full readiness ahead.

"Madara! I will not lose to you! I will never let you kill my younger brother!"

"Wood Release! Adamantine Wood Growth!"

Having witnessed just how powerful the Mangekyo Sharingan was and been directly struck by the overwhelming aura Uchiha Madara had released, Senju Hashirama naturally understood that he had already fallen behind in a contest of strength. In Uchiha Madara's current state, he was no match for him.

But should he step aside?

Impossible.

Because if he stepped aside, his younger brother Tobirama Senju would be killed.

"Take your stupidity and naivety—go die!"

"Fire Release! Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

By choosing to release such a devastating Fire Release ninjutsu at close range, he had never intended to let Senju Hashirama survive.

As he severed the string called friendship within his heart, he could feel his ocular power undergo another transformation. The Mangekyo Sharingan's instability was also gradually stabilizing.

Uchiha Madara walked expressionlessly out of the flames. Looking at Tobirama Senju, who had already prepared himself for death, he said, "You dared to harm Izuna. Take your regrets to the Pure Land and keep Hashirama company."