Layered Evening Elephant! A Void Barrage Beyond the Limits of Sight!

But there was no exhausted retreat in Lumen's expression.

Instead, there was a thrill he had not felt in a long time.

"Ever since I returned from Kumogakure, I haven't fought at full strength in a long time."

"Whether it was the Fourth Raikage, the Eight-Tails, or Sasori of the Red Sands, they could make me act, but they couldn't make me truly unleash all my power."

"When you stand too high, it really becomes difficult to find an opponent."

Hashirama grinned.

"Being invincible is lonely, isn't it?"

Lumen looked at him.

"You should understand that feeling better than anyone."

Hashirama burst into laughter.

"That's right!"

"After Madara left Konoha, no one in the Shinobi World could make me truly serious again."

"I never expected to meet an opponent like you even after death."

Lumen raised a hand.

The battered Complete Body Susanoo began to slowly dissipate, its immense chakra turning into blue-violet motes that drifted into the sky.

"The warm-up is over."

"Now, it's time to end this battle."

The smile on Hashirama's face faded somewhat.

He could sense that although Lumen had consumed a tremendous amount of chakra, his fighting spirit was still steadily rising.

"You have an even stronger technique?"

"Have you heard of the Eight Gates?"

Hashirama was slightly startled.

Tobirama in the distance also frowned.

Lumen continued, "By removing the body's limitations, it grants power far beyond one's normal limits for a short time."

"Once all Eight Gates are opened, it burns one's life away in exchange for a taijutsu burst powerful enough to transcend one's realm."

"I can't cultivate the Eight Gates."

"But I drew on some of its principles, combining Idaten with my own body-training techniques to create a taijutsu meant only for me."

The Wood Buddha beneath Hashirama began to regrow.

Its