What exactly happened? Let's turn back the clock a little~
On the main battlefield, the Senju and Uchiha were fighting desperately.
And at the center of the battlefield, the two clan leaders-Butsuma Senju and Uchiha Tajima-were crossing blades.
Butsuma Senju laughed. "Rushing out to die right after New Year's? You must be tired of living, Uchiha Tajima!"
Uchiha Tajima laughed back. "You're the one who's tired of living! You already lost the Mine, yet you came to fight without making proper preparations! What an idiot!"
"Hmph, are your Sharingan blind? Didn't you see the reinforcements I brought?! With the Uzumaki backing us, I'll send you to your grave this time!" Butsuma Senju began pressing his attack!
Uchiha Tajima didn't answer him. Instead, he glanced past Butsuma at the forest behind the Senju. Once he confirmed movement had begun there, he unleashed the Uchiha's signature wild laughter. "Hahahaha! You're the fool! Did you think you were the only one who found reinforcements?"
"What did you say?!" Butsuma suddenly had a bad feeling. Then he heard battle cries behind him.
A quick glance over his shoulder revealed the Kaguya Clan charging out from the rear!
Butsuma immediately understood-the Uchiha and Kaguya had joined forces. The Uchiha were merely bait to lure them in, while the hidden Kaguya were the true killing blow.
Once the Kaguya Clan entered the battle, they began slaughtering people with their powerful physiques. Their strongest fighter, clan leader Kaguya Wakanori, charged straight toward Butsuma and Tajima!
At the same time, the bones in Kaguya Wakanori's arm burst through his flesh, forming a long bone spear-aimed at Butsuma Senju.
This is bad! Butsuma immediately tried to dodge. That bone spear was enormous and thick. If it impaled him, he would absolutely die!
"Hahahaha! Think you can still run? Take this!" But Tajima gave him no opportunity, swinging his blade straight at him.
There was no time to think. Butsuma could only let instinct decide-the spear behind him was clearly more lethal, so he would take the blade in front and dodge the spear behind. His body reacted accordingly.
But the expected slash never came. Instead, he found himself staring at a red-eyed bastard!
"Hahahaha! Panicking, are you? Never considered that I might be bluffing?!" Uchiha Tajima laughed. He had exploited Butsuma's inability to divide his attention, deliberately shouting "Take this!" to trick him into taking a slash. In fact, he hadn't swung at all. He had used the Body Flicker Technique to appear right before Butsuma and stare him down with his Sharingan!
In his panic, Butsuma forgot the ironclad rule against looking directly into the Sharingan. Just like that, he fell under its Genjutsu and froze in place! (Tobirama: ...Is this man really my dad?)
Well, now... he really couldn't dodge.
And so, Kaguya Wakanori's bone spear pierced straight through Butsuma Senju... and Uchiha Tajima along with him!
"Pfft!" The ecstatic Uchiha Tajima stared in shock at the spear sticking through his chest. Then blood gushed from his mouth, splashing onto it.
The blood on the white bone confirmed it... he really had been impaled!
For an instant, Tajima couldn't understand what had happened. Weren't they supposed to kill Butsuma, then join forces to wipe out the Senju? Why had he been stabbed?
Why stab me?! Stab him!
Of course, Uchiha Tajima would never say that aloud. His decade-plus as clan leader hadn't been for nothing. He knew Wakanori wouldn't make such a mistake. In other words... he had been a target all along!
The wound and betrayal filled Tajima's heart with agony!
That agony instantly turned into rage... or perhaps adrenaline, allowing Uchiha Tajima to roar at full strength, "Kaguya Wakanori, what are you doing?!"
"What am I doing? Wiping out the Senju and Uchiha together, of course!" Kaguya Wakanori chuckled.
Only then did Butsuma and Tajima notice that the Kaguya attacking from behind weren't just targeting the Senju-Uzumaki alliance. They were killing the Uchiha too!
The Uchiha had initially treated the Kaguya as allies and hadn't guarded against them at all. When the Kaguya turned their blades on them, they offered no resistance, and many Uchiha died at once.
The Kaguya's actions also stunned the allied Senju and Uzumaki forces-weren't they the Uchiha's allies?
And that moment of shock cost many Senju and Uzumaki their lives beneath the Kaguya's blades. In just a few seconds, both the Senju and Uchiha suffered devastating losses!
Seeing his clansmen slaughtered by their allies, Uchiha Tajima roared furiously, "Kaguya Wakanori, you dare betray our alliance?! I'll cut you into a thousand pieces!"
Butsuma added, "Betraying an alliance... aren't you afraid... of going to hell?"
"Hahahaha! For the Kaguya Clan, I'd gladly descend into Avīci Hell! You two can hold hands and die together!" Under Kaguya Wakanori's control, the bone spear instantly exploded, blasting Butsuma and Tajima apart at the waist!
These bitter rivals, who had fought each other all their lives, died together on this nameless battlefield!
And Hashirama and Madara, who had just arrived, happened to witness it!
Seeing their fathers' deaths, both froze in shock for a second before crying out together, "Father!"
The next instant, they forgot everything else and charged side by side at Kaguya Wakanori!
Well, damn! Susanoo-Clad Kurama, two men wiping out four nations... naturally, that wasn't a scene possible yet! Still, through a bizarre twist of fate, the two had gotten a chance to fight together. Was that good or bad for them? (Fighting alongside a friend was wonderful, but the price was sacrificing their dads...)
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Gamu exclaimed from where he stood, "Holy shit, that Kaguya guy is strong! Who is he?"
Suppressing his anger, Tobirama said, "The Kaguya Clan's leader, Kaguya Wakanori!"
"Kaguya Halfwit? What's halfwitted about him? Didn't he pull off that plan pretty smoothly?" Uzumaki Gamu asked in confusion. Pitting wolves against tigers, then profiting while both sides fought... that slick little combo had nearly wiped out the Senju and Uchiha together!
Unfortunately for him, he had run into Uzumaki Gamu!
Uzumaki Gamu thought, He actually dared ambush all three of our clans? What an idiot! He probably doesn't know the Uzumaki have me-the valiant Uzumaki Gamu-guarding them! Ignorant Shinobi World bumpkin!
Uzumaki Gamu first sent out several clones to rescue his own clansmen, then immediately told Tobirama and Izuna, "You two, go take command of your clans right now. Have them retreat here and work together to resist the Kaguya!"
"What? Absolutely not!" Izuna rejected it immediately. "I'd rather die than join forces with the Senju!"
Tobirama wanted to say the same, but Uzumaki Gamu grabbed Izuna by the throat and said coldly, "Do you want your clansmen to die with you?!"
Overwhelmed by Uzumaki Gamu's intimidating presence, Izuna couldn't speak!
Uzumaki Gamu continued, "You've seen the situation. You've already lost plenty of clansmen, and the Kaguya are still cutting them down. At this rate, every Uchiha on this battlefield will die! These are your elite fighters, aren't they? If they all die, what happens to the old, weak, sick, and disabled back in your compound?"
Izuna had no answer.
Uzumaki Gamu turned to Tobirama.
Before Uzumaki Gamu could speak, Tobirama volunteered, "I'll order our clansmen to retreat here, establish a formation, and join forces with the Uchiha against the enemy!" See? Tobirama was much more sensible!
Well, Tobirama wasn't particularly attached to past grudges. He cared more about the living than the dead. Building a future for those still alive was what he wanted most. That was the will of fire blazing in his heart!
Seeing this, Izuna gritted his teeth. "...Fine. I'll tell our clansmen not to fight the Senju and to focus on the Kaguya!"
Uzumaki Gamu said, "Tell your clansmen that anyone who disobeys is to be executed on the spot! This battle will decide whether your clans survive. There's no time for infighting! If either of you objects, I don't mind putting you both out of commission right now! Understood?"
Seeing Uzumaki Gamu's cold side, Tobirama and Izuna both swallowed. The Uzumaki Gamu before them seemed like a completely different person from the one they knew!
Cold, decisive, without a trace of his usual grinning, easygoing manner... was this really the same person?
Izuna and Tobirama wasted no more words. They immediately created Shadow Clones to command their forces on the battlefield. Most of the elder-level figures were dead, and with both eldest sons locked in a death match against the enemy clan leader, the two second sons certainly had the authority to take command!
Uzumaki Gamu's original body wasn't idle either. He immediately sat down and began gathering more senjutsu chakra. What I gathered earlier isn't enough to beat Kaguya Halfwit! I need more chakra! Until then... Madara, Hashirama, hang in there!
Meanwhile, Madara and Hashirama charged straight at Kaguya Wakanori.
Madara began forming hand seals, then shouted, "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Like balsam seeds bursting free at a touch, flames spat from the caster's mouth scattered in every direction to attack the enemy. Every flame was controlled by chakra, making them difficult to dodge entirely. Beyond the spectacular visual effect, their power was considerable.
Their target, Kaguya Wakanori, immediately noticed the Fire Release hurtling toward him!
He dodged the Phoenix Flower Fire as nimbly as a street dancer, but a fist was already coming at him!
"Die!" The enraged Hashirama punched at Kaguya Wakanori's head! This counted as a combined attack: Madara restricted Wakanori's movement, allowing Hashirama to deliver a lethal punch!
"Hmph! Just a fist? Who do you think you're looking down on?" Kaguya Wakanori's skull grew outward, forming a bone mask over his face.
Hashirama's fist slammed into that mask. Against such an impenetrable defense, surely even Hashirama couldn't do anything?
"Aaaaaah!" Blue-green chakra flared around Hashirama's fist. Monster Strength activated, and one punch sent Kaguya Wakanori flying.
Kaguya Wakanori only stopped when he crashed into a tree.
Once he stopped, he hissed in pain. "What kind of strength is that? Hm? My bone mask actually cracked!" Cracking a bone mask reinforced to its maximum hardness required extraordinary power.
If Kaguya Wakanori hadn't urgently reinforced every bone in his body, that blow would have snapped his neck!
Despite his shock, Kaguya Wakanori still found time to examine the two children attacking him. "Haha, so you're Butsuma Senju's and Uchiha Tajima's eldest sons... no wonder Jun couldn't beat you... Heh, if I kill you here, I'll personally cut off the Senju and Uchiha's future! Even if other talented children are born, your clans won't recover for decades... the future will belong to the Kaguya Clan!"
"Belong to your mother, my ass!" In his extreme rage, Madara spat out Uzumaki Gamu's favorite curse, then drew his sword and slashed at Kaguya Wakanori!
Hashirama clapped his hands together, formed hand seals, and created three Wood Clones. Then his original body and all three clones attacked Kaguya Wakanori together!
Kaguya Wakanori snorted. "Hmph, you only hit me because I was careless! Think you'll land another blow? Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Larch!"
This technique used a kekkei genkai to grow dozens of bones from the body. In close combat, it provided highly impact-resistant defense while simultaneously attacking the opponent. The stronger the opponent's Taijutsu or charging attack, the stronger its counterattack became, inflicting severe injuries.
Dozens of bone spikes grew all over Kaguya Wakanori's body. He spun at high speed like a top, instantly shredding the three Wood Clones. Hashirama suffered several puncture wounds before being knocked away!
Madara dodged the bone spikes with his Sharingan, but the bones snapped his sword, and Kaguya Wakanori kicked him flying too!
Although these two would one day be able to whip Kaguya Wakanori around like a spinning top, right now... they hadn't fully matured and were no match for this clan-leader-level expert!
However, after sending them flying, Kaguya Wakanori didn't pursue. Instead, he vomited blood and fell to his knees!
Looking at the blood he had spat out, Kaguya Wakanori said, "Damn it, hold on a little longer!" As he spoke, he pulled five medicine bottles from his ninja pouch, opened them, and poured their contents straight into his mouth!
Kaguya Wakanori's younger clan cousin-the squad leader from earlier-saw this while fighting nearby and thought, Taking so much medicine at once will suppress his illness, but those drugs will kill him... Brother, are you planning to trade your life for the destruction of the Senju and Uchiha's future?
While Kaguya Wakanori dosed himself, Madara and Hashirama regrouped and stood together to discuss their tactics again!
Observing him with his Sharingan, Madara said, "Looks like his body's in bad shape..."
"Meaning we can win if we just drag this out!" Hashirama said, wiping blood from his body.
"More or less..." Then Madara glanced at Hashirama and exclaimed, "Your wounds... already healed? What kind of recovery speed is that?"
"Well, I'm pretty surprised myself... my wounds have been healing faster and faster lately. Anyway, in that case, I'll take the lead! Cover me from behind!" Since Hashirama had the bigger health bar, he would charge at the front.
And so, Hashirama launched a desperate charge.
Damn it, can I only watch from behind? Bitterly dissatisfied, Madara gritted his teeth and began wildly throwing kunai and shuriken while unleashing Fire Release!
Kaguya Wakanori met them head-on, and the three began fighting to the death!
Away from their fight, the battlefield had split into two sides. Uzumaki Gamu's clones had already found Daigu and explained the situation.
Once Daigu understood what was happening, he immediately organized the surviving clansmen to retreat to the rear and form a shared defensive line with the forces under Tobirama and Izuna, resisting the Kaguya together!
At last, the Kaguya Clan's ambush advantage ended, and the battle became a war of attrition.
The younger cousin commanding the Kaguya gritted his teeth. "Damn, they've actually joined forces! This puts us at a disadvantage!" The Kaguya had gained the upper hand through surprise, but even now they were still outnumbered. After all, it was one clan against three. Even with the three losing quite a few people, their numbers hadn't dropped below one and a half clans' worth. If the battle continued like this... the Kaguya would lose!
Unable to find a way to break their formation, the squad leader could only hope his elder brother would quickly kill those two brats and come help!
Meanwhile, Kaguya Wakanori held an overwhelming advantage!
It wasn't merely that Kaguya Wakanori was stronger now. Most terrifyingly, he no longer cared whether he lived. He completely ignored Hashirama and Madara's attacks, devoting everything to taking their lives!
That left Hashirama and Madara painfully suppressed-their opponent was stronger than them and even more reckless!
How were they supposed to fight that?
Madara told Hashirama, "Hashirama, switch places! Your body can't take much more!" Hashirama's wounds were healing more slowly now. At this rate, Kaguya Wakanori would kill him!
"No, you can't take his attacks!" Hashirama stubbornly continued resisting Kaguya Wakanori. Although Madara could see Wakanori's movements clearly, his body couldn't keep up. He would only suffer a one-sided beating, and without sufficient regenerative power, Wakanori could easily kill him in an instant!
"You idiot, can't you understand plain speech?!" Madara cursed angrily. Hashirama couldn't take it anymore either. He would die like this too!
Watching the two defer to each other, Kaguya Wakanori said, "No need to be so considerate of each other. Die together!"
Just then, a fourth voice rang out. "You say that like you can actually do it!"
"Who's there?!" Kaguya Wakanori exclaimed, looking up toward the voice.
"Your grandpa! Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!" Fully prepared, Uzumaki Gamu attacked Kaguya Wakanori with an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan in his hand!
This technique added natural energy to a Big Ball Rasengan, drastically expanding its size. Within the resulting sphere of light, violent winds swirled into a vortex. If it exploded, it could easily blast away a small mountain several hundred meters tall.
Knowing Kaguya Wakanori's strength, Uzumaki Gamu had gathered enough senjutsu chakra to use this move, then ambushed him while the other two held his full attention. That was the technique he was unleashing now!
The Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan's blast radius was enormous, enough to send the entire Nine-Tails flying. At Kaguya Wakanori's speed, there was no way he could escape!
"What is that thing? Haaaaah!" Unable to dodge Uzumaki Gamu's attack, Kaguya Wakanori could only withstand it head-on. He extended all his bones outside his body to form a bone shield. This should have been the strongest defense of the current era! (Shukaku: I'm still alive, bastard!)
Madara saw the move's power with his Sharingan and immediately dragged Hashirama away. "Are you kidding me? Is that an attack a human can unleash?" Well, you would regularly use attacks of this caliber in the future. No need to make such a fuss!
"Die!" Uzumaki Gamu slammed the Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan down.
The raging chakra sphere struck Kaguya Wakanori's shield head-on. Upon impact, the bone shield shattered instantly into powder. The Rasengan hit him directly, and after a few seconds of desperate resistance, he too was reduced to fragments!
Then the energy released by the exploding Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan erased him from the world completely! Uzumaki Gamu was also caught in that raging energy and hurled away, but Hashirama and Madara caught him!
Hashirama said happily, "Hahaha, what a powerful move! You were hiding a skill like that?"
"What do you mean, hiding it? Was I supposed to use it on you?" Uzumaki Gamu said, exasperated.
Madara asked, "Your chakra's bottomed out... did that move use up all of it?"
"Yeah... right now, I only have enough chakra for one shot. Well, at full strength, I should manage two... uh, that doesn't really sound worth bragging about~" Naruto could fend off Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees with a barrage of Big Ball Rasengan. Compared with Naruto, Uzumaki Gamu, who was spent after one shot, really didn't have much to boast about~
Was that the legendary Sage Mode? Damn it, I've fallen behind! Madara thought bitterly. Earlier, he hadn't performed as well as Hashirama, and now he couldn't compare with Uzumaki Gamu at all. It pained him terribly!
He had always led the way. Since when had it become his turn to stand in the back? Under the stimulus of that thought, along with the agony of his father's death, a certain power began to awaken!
Watching the gigantic energy sphere explode, the Kaguya squad leader shouted, "Brother! Damn it! Everyone, retreat!" In the current situation, continuing the battle could only end in defeat. They had already achieved sufficient results, so there was no point fighting on. Better to retreat outright... preserving their remaining strength would still let the Kaguya dominate for a while!
And so, under his leadership, the remaining Kaguya clansmen withdrew!
At last, the battle came to an end... with the Kaguya as the victors!
Unpleasant as it was, the Kaguya had indeed inflicted devastating losses on the Senju and Uchiha at very little cost. The Uzumaki had also lost quite a few people, of course, but they had only come to provide support. Most of their elite fighters remained back home, making them the clan with the fewest losses!
But now another problem arose... with the Kaguya gone, what would the Senju and Uchiha do?
After the Kaguya left, the two clans separated again and resumed their standoff!
Would they keep fighting?
"Call a truce!" Uzumaki Gamu suddenly said. "Do either of you object?" He looked at Hashirama and Madara.
"Us? Our opinions can't decide anything..." Hashirama said, lowering his head.
Madara said, "No... now we can decide."
Following Madara's words, Uzumaki Gamu said, "With your fathers and most of your clans' elders dead, you've automatically become the new clan leaders. At least here, you two can decide your clans' future."
Both fell silent at that. Becoming the person in charge should have been something to celebrate, but... the price was far too painful!
Whatever else had happened, their dads were dead!
Madara sighed. "Now isn't the time to grieve. Anyway... let's talk to our clansmen first!"
"Yeah, let's do that!" Hashirama agreed. Then the two went to their respective clans.
Left behind, Uzumaki Gamu wasn't idle either. Looking at Butsuma Senju's and Uchiha Tajima's bodies... a slightly crooked idea stirred in his mind!
Before you continue