As Might Guy ran, Tetsuhiro quickly equipped the [Rose of the Battlefield] title, darted into his path, and threw a punch.
His opponent raised a fist to meet it!
Boom! Their fists collided, whipping up a powerful blast of wind.
Tetsuhiro laughed arrogantly. "Haha! Dance to your heart's content! Do your best to entertain me!"
"He's actually overpowering me in strength and combat skill? As expected of the hero who ended an age of chaos! Unfortunately, his speed falls short."
At his current speed, he was comfortably a step ahead of Tetsuhiro.
They exchanged dozens of punches and kicks, neither gaining the upper hand.
Whoosh! He swiftly dodged Hashirama's heavy side kick, slipped behind him, and swung his right fist!
But it struck a wooden wall. Crack! Several fractures spread across it, but in the end, the wall barely held.
Wood Release: Wooden Formation Wall!
"An opening!" Tetsuhiro decisively unleashed his signature technique.
Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!
Countless roots surged out, and this time, his opponent began struggling to keep up.
"Gate of Limit, open!"
Green chakra immediately enveloped his entire body, raising his speed and strength another level!
Might Guy pushed off, shattering the ground beneath his feet.
With a sharp crack, the wind from his punch shattered the spreading roots, only for fresh branches to burst through the earth wherever chakra gathered.
Seizing that brief opening, he charged toward Tetsuhiro as he performed his technique.
But once again, he was stopped.
"These things are such a nuisance. Then witness my Reverse Lotus!"
His speed abruptly increased, his figure weaving freely through the towering trees like a rose blooming on the battlefield.
Madara could not help praising him. "With Taijutsu like that, you have earned my recognition."
"Oh? You can still get stronger?"
Might Guy unleashed the final move of Reverse Lotus, barely breaking through the defense of Wood Release: Hōbi Technique.
Tetsuhiro's expression tightened, and he began taking the fight seriously.
First, he unleashed Wood Release: Hotei Technique, sending a mass of wooden hands at his opponent. Then he pressed his palms together and entered Sage Mode on the spot!
Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!
"You are an opponent worthy of respect. Let us decide the outcome with a single move!"
The enormous thousand-armed Buddha had initially shaken Might Guy so deeply that his fighting spirit nearly broke.
But after hearing Tetsuhiro's words, his blood began to boil as well. "Good! With an opponent like you, my life has been worthwhile!"
He immediately gathered power where he stood, opening the gates one after another.
Gate of View, open!
Gate of Wonder, open!
And finally, Gate of Death, open!
"Why go this far for someone so rotten?"
Might Guy lowered his head. "That has nothing to do with it. A man should keep his promises and fulfill his vows! A debt of gratitude deserves everything I have."
"I understand. You truly are a fool-and a hero!"
"Then let us begin. Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"
The thousand-armed Buddha immediately advanced on his opponent, countless wooden hands behind it crashing down!
Rather than retreating, Might Guy charged forward to meet it head-on.
Imperial Foot: Four-Stage Combo!
Every strike carried astonishing power. Four afterimages tore through the wooden hands, actually allowing him to contend with the thousand-armed Buddha for a brief moment!
Unfortunately, his stamina was limited. After trading blows for a while, his attacks began to slow.
Damn it, my body is about to give out. I'll have to catch him by surprise.
Whoosh! His figure vanished instantly.
"Oh no!" Tetsuhiro cried out, immediately preparing to sink into the wooden giant's body.
But he was only halfway inside when Might Guy punched through his abdomen from behind.
"Your technique may be powerful, but its weakness is too obvious! I win!"
"Urgh, cough..." Tetsuhiro spat out a great mouthful of blood, yet his smile grew increasingly strange. "Why do you think I left that opening? Sorry, but I'm a ninja."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tetsuhiro turned into a stationary piece of wood.
"Wha-" Might Guy was just about to retreat when a voice sounded behind him.
Modified Five Elements Seal!
Sage Art: Tree Binding Eternal Burial!
Tetsuhiro pressed one hand against his back, sealing his chakra from behind.
With his other hand, he formed one-handed seals. Roots shot up beneath his opponent's feet, swiftly wrapping around him and dragging him into the wooden giant until only his head remained exposed.
"Give up."
"The Might clan only dies in battle. We never surrender!"
"Aaargh!"
Might Guy continued struggling with all his strength.
Tetsuhiro was rather speechless. "You're already in this state. Why are you still fighting so desperately?"
"You! Don't! Understand! This is my conviction!" As the air pressure surged, he actually forced his way through the seal. The chakra surrounding him burst open the wooden giant's head, and he swiftly charged out.
"Hashirama Senju! This is my final strike!" Red energy enveloped him as he dove down, thrusting his right foot straight toward Tetsuhiro...
Imperial Foot: Final Form!
"Bring it on!" Tetsuhiro could not dodge, and he no longer wanted to.
He had initially been somewhat afraid and worried about the Gate of Death, but now his opponent's passion had infected him. His blood boiled, and his entire being blazed with excitement!
He shouted, "I am Hashirama Senju!"
Multiple Wood Clone Technique!
Going all out, he created a full fifty copies of himself!
All of them charged forward!
They each deployed defensive techniques: Sevenfold Rashomon! Deity Gates! Consecutive Wood Encampment Walls! Multiple Hōbi Technique!
Might Guy broke through them all in an instant, though they drained a little of his speed and strength.
The clones attacked one after another, but they were still taken down instantly.
Pop! Pop! Pop! They vanished into clouds of smoke in quick succession.
The pain and sensation of death transferred to Tetsuhiro, however, putting him through sheer agony.
I... can't give up yet. Veins bulged on his forehead as he gritted his teeth and held on.
The fifty clones had made a difference. His opponent had clearly slowed.
While his opponent was held up, Tetsuhiro immediately used a ninjutsu he had recently developed.
Sage Art: Heavy Battle Armor!
Dark brown wooden armor engraved with Senjutsu markings encased his entire body.
This technique enhanced strength and defense at the cost of some speed and mobility, while continuously draining stamina.
Tetsuhiro stepped forward with some difficulty. Feeling the strength coursing through him, he grew more confident.
He sprinted with all his might, leaped into the air, and launched a flying kick!
Their feet collided, and his opponent's cloth shoe and black trousers instantly disintegrated.
The tremendous noise drew the attention of the other two...
Standing atop his third-stage Susanoo with his arms folded, Madara nodded, acknowledging their strength.
Anpei Minghui put away his arrogant gaze and reassessed them, silently signaling the spectating Daimyo with a glance.
Madara happened to catch that exchange and immediately activated his Perfect Susanoo!
"What? How can people like you exist in this world?"
Even the White Snake Sage, who was fighting several Shikigami, stopped to watch.
While Anpei stood dumbfounded, a black mass beneath his feet swiftly attached itself to the shadow under his shoe...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Tetsuhiro and Might Guy were both hurled backward.
The impact had nearly killed Tetsuhiro. Cracks covered his armor in several places, even though it was three times tougher than Wood Release: Foo's defense—a testament to the strike's terrifying power.
He slowly climbed to his feet. After confirming that his opponent could not get up, he dismissed his armor and staggered over to Might Guy, whose right leg had already crumbled to dust.
His entire body looked charred. Even so, he retained a sliver of consciousness and struggled to speak.
Tetsuhiro placed his hand over Might Guy's heart, slowly using natural energy to stabilize him.
"Cough... Opening the Gate of Death means certain death for me! I don't know whether what you said was true, but I must shamelessly ask you to go somewhere. My wife and child are there. Please keep them away from the Daimyo and these conflicts. Please..."
Location: ...omitted.
Hearing this, Tetsuhiro felt deeply regretful. For such a fine man to die fighting for the Daimyo was simply not worth it.
After a moment's hesitation, he finally made up his mind. "I'll bring them here to see you instead."
Unexpectedly, Might Guy immediately grew agitated. "Cough, cough! I misjudged you. You won't even spare women and children!"
"What the hell?" Only then did Tetsuhiro realize the misunderstanding. "I mean I can save you, as long as you stop risking your life for the Daimyo."
His opponent finally understood and agreed without hesitation. "My debt... has been repaid. You are giving me a new life, so naturally, I will follow your orders."
Hearing this, Tetsuhiro increased the flow of natural energy. His own life force also transferred into Might Guy's body, restoring it little by little...
Sage Art: Life Revival!
This was a ninjutsu he had created after the White Snake Sage activated his green leaf tattoo, combining the Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Regions.
It could revive someone who had been dead for no more than four hours, but the cost was tremendous, and it also consumed his own life force.
He called that green leaf tattoo the "sage seed." He had discovered that ever since acquiring it, neither he nor Madara needed to go through the tedious adjustment process. It automatically absorbed and stored natural energy, keeping it balanced within them.
He had no idea what other miraculous abilities it might develop in the future...
Ding!
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