Hashirama Senju clapped his hands together. Without forming a single hand seal, he shouted, and the ground immediately sank.
The earth collapsed, cracks spread, and countless green shoots burst forth. In the blink of an eye, they grew into sturdy trees.
As far as the eye could see, a sea of trees spread for several kilometers.
"Madara! Here I come! Wood Human Technique!"
"Come on!"
A massive wooden giant formed from the twisting trees of the forest collided with the nearly thousand-meter-tall Susanoo. The tremendous impact made the surrounding shinobi's eardrums ache.
Watching the commotion their clan leaders had caused, neither side made any rash moves. First, they could not interfere in a battle like this and might even be caught in the crossfire. Second, they had to guard against the other side launching a sneak attack.
This was precisely the scene Madara and Hashirama had planned. Needless slaughter could do nothing but breed deeper hatred; it could not solve any real problems.
The situation of their clansmen was indeed within their expectations, but there were unexpected developments as well, such as...
"Damn you, Tobirama! Give me your life!"
"Hmph! As if I'd fear you!"
Uchiha Izuna had begun searching through the Senju crowd for someone the moment Madara unleashed his ultimate move. The instant he spotted Tobirama, his eyes reddened, and the two immediately clashed.
Izuna wielded the Blazing Fire Sword, while Tobirama carried the Thunder God Sword. Their swordsmanship had been honed through countless battles, blades flashing and shadows dancing as more than a dozen exchanges passed in the blink of an eye.
Neither sword was ordinary. Both had been forged from chakra-conducting metal, and when infused with chakra, their power and piercing ability rose even further.
But precisely because they were old rivals, this contest could not directly determine a victor.
"Fire Release! Fire Dragon Technique!"
"Water Release! Water Dragon Bullet!"
One of water, one of fire—the two were formed in an instant. For some unknown reason, the dragons condensed from chakra were actually able to roar like real dragons.
Bang!
The dragons collided. Mist created by the mingling of water and fire filled the battlefield, but in terms of chakra, Senju Tobirama held the advantage.
"Water Release! Multiple Water Dragon Bullets!"
"Water Release! Great Waterfall Technique!"
After using one ninjutsu, Izuna had to catch his breath slightly, while Tobirama formed hand seals again right after the Water Dragon Bullet. In ninjutsu, Senju Tobirama was clearly stronger.
"Hmph! So these are the only petty tricks you know."
In the past, Izuna might have chosen to avoid the edge of the attack. Within the mist, his Sharingan gave him a greater advantage.
But now, with the Mangekyō Sharingan, his confidence had greatly increased, and he chose to confront it head-on.
Buzz!
Another Susanoo giant rose from the ground. This gave Senju Tobirama quite a fright. Though he had long learned of it through intelligence reports, witnessing such a terrifying technique with his own eyes still made his heart tremble.
But then Senju Tobirama laughed. He had thought Izuna's giant had reached the same level as Uchiha Madara's. If that were the case, he truly might not have been able to contend with it.
But what did he see?
Izuna's giant stopped growing after reaching a few hundred meters. Compared to Madara's giant, it was more than a size smaller.
"Hahaha, that's it? That's it?"
"Damn it!"
Standing high above, Uchiha Izuna watched Senju Tobirama burst into laughter and immediately flew into a rage from humiliation.
"Go on, laugh. Soon you won't even be able to cry!"
Susanoo was an extension of one's will and could be controlled freely with the mind. Izuna drew the massive cleaver from Susanoo's back and charged forward. Unfazed, Tobirama flicked his hand and fired another two Water Dragon Bullets.
The Water Dragon Bullets were fast and powerful enough to blast large holes into boulders.
Thud!
The attacks landed, splashing water everywhere. Yet the Susanoo giant did not sway in the slightest, not even showing a crack.
"Hahaha, this is your ninjutsu? How pathetically weak!"
"Wind Release! Great Breakthrough!"
"Useless! Useless! Useless! Before the Mangekyō Sharingan, everything is futile!"
The mist dispersed. Senju Tobirama's expression turned grave as he dodged the cleaver's slash and leaped back to widen the distance, all while observing the giant for weaknesses.
"Water Release! Water Dragon Bite Explosion!"
A huge dragon head rose again. With a savage expression, Izuna swung his blade down, splitting the dragon's body in two from its mouth.
"Too weak! Too weak!"
Izuna grinned, revealing eight dazzlingly white teeth. He was laughing with particular delight. This was the first time he had ever suppressed Tobirama so thoroughly, and he could not have been happier.
Half an hour passed in a flash. Madara and Hashirama sparred while keeping an eye on their younger brothers. Seeing that Izuna and Tobirama had expended more than half their chakra, they tacitly ended their battle at the same time.
"Retreat!"
"Retreat!"
Thus, an exceptionally rare battle with no casualties was born. The clansmen on both sides had merely gone through the motions. Some shinobi had packed entire bags full of tools yet had not used a single one. Watching the other side turn and withdraw, they wondered whether they ought to throw a shuriken just for appearances' sake.
"Stop standing around!"
Madara turned back and sternly rebuked the clansmen who kept looking over their shoulders. Their eager expressions as they gripped their shuriken made their intentions painfully obvious.
"Oh, yes, Clan Head..."
"We Uchiha disdain being the sort of petty people who launch attacks from behind. Why didn't you throw them when the battle began?"
The clansman was instantly dumbfounded. How could he say that? Could I even have gotten involved in that battle?
News of the war between the two clans quickly spread throughout the Shinobi World. People had long grown accustomed to the feud between these two thousand-year enemies. Yet this time, neither side came forward to announce any results. After returning home from the battle, both clans shut themselves away, leaving outsiders unable to uncover even the slightest bit of information.
As the year slowly drew to a close, this was Uchiha Gen's second year in the Hokage World. Compared to when he had first arrived, he now carried a greater air of steadiness.
"Only by advancing step by step can one accomplish great things."
"Understood... my lord."
"There are many paths in life, but many people never have the chance to choose. More often than not, they are swept along by the tide of history, powerless to resist."
"Alright... my lord."
"How fleeting is life? Do not let a beauty drink alone. Rare are the chances to reunite, until our shadows make three people~ Hic."
"...Alright, my lord."
Uchiha Haru silently poured the wine from his cup onto the ground.
"There's no more wine, my lord. It's time to return and rest."
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Gen's face was flushed red. He reached for the bottle and shook it. It was indeed empty.
"I drank an entire bottle?"
"Yes, my lord. You're already drunk."
"Mmm... alright."
Uchiha Gen did not look into it further. Today was New Year's Eve, but people of the Warring States era did not celebrate the New Year. They merely felt it marked the end of another year, so they believed it ought to be treated more specially.
For Uchiha Gen, this day was even more special. He also felt a little homesick, so he began drinking.
In his previous life, Uchiha Gen had been a good drinker. He usually treated beer like a beverage, and drinking a couple of ounces of baijiu with a meal was normal. Yet today, he had gotten drunk after just one bottle.
It probably wasn't my fault. This body had most likely never drunk alcohol before.
Before falling asleep, Uchiha Gen even found himself an excuse, so that he could sleep more soundly.
Before you continue