The thunderous roaring lingered as the elite ninja from each nation hurriedly evacuated. Only the four Kage could still barely intervene, supporting Hashirama Senju from the sidelines as he pressed his attack.
Annoyed by their presence, Watanabe Ichiro created four Wood Release Clones to toy with them, drawing them outward as they fought until they left the main battlefield.
Then he created another Wood Release Clone to collect [Impure World Reincarnation] materials from ninja caught in the crossfire.
With the bystanders leaving one after another, neither man held back anymore.
Enormous wooden figures rose from the earth and grappled with each other. Their fists collided again and again, sending wood chips flying and dust billowing.
Wood Dragons swooped ferociously through the air, one after another. Their bodies collided, wooden scales peeling off layer by layer as they roared and coiled around each other.
Explosions continued at the center of the battlefield. Tobirama Senju and the other nations' second-in-command organized an emergency evacuation, and Watanabe Ichiro's Wood Release Clone slipped into the retreating crowd.
A Konoha medical ninja gave him a quick patch-up. With half his body wrapped in bandages, he looked quite miserable.
He walked over to Tobirama Senju, glanced around, and spoke with a downcast expression.
"The enemy..."
Tobirama Senju nodded, indicating that he could share his intelligence.
After this battle, the name [Black Zetsu] had certainly left a deep mark on the Five Nations.
If even Hashirama Senju could not defeat him, then [Black Zetsu] would become the Five Nations' common enemy. There was no harm in sharing the intelligence.
"At the time..."
Watanabe Ichiro looked as though he were lost in his memories.
"The guards around me suddenly turned on me and attacked together. They caught me off guard and seriously wounded me."
"By the time I knocked them out one by one, the tailed beast scroll in my hand had been stolen. I don't know when it happened. I collapsed from exhaustion too."
"After I woke up, I interrogated all the guards. They said they remembered nothing, and the Yamanaka clan members found nothing unusual either."
"So I suspect the enemy can possess people or control their minds. But I'm not sure whether that enemy and this [Black Zetsu] are the same person."
Tobirama Senju asked him about a few more details. Watanabe Ichiro's Wood Clone bluffed his way through each question, then, worried about exposing himself, pretended to be exhausted and excused himself.
Possession or mind control?
The ninja from the Four Nations listening nearby committed this intelligence to memory, watching the distant battlefield with troubled expressions.
Before long, the sounds of battle subsided. The outcome had been decided.
Amid the wreckage of the wooden forest, a black humanoid stretched his limbs leisurely, apparently in a good mood.
"Mm, it's been ages since I warmed up like that. Getting some exercise once in a while isn't bad!"
Not far from his feet, Hashirama Senju lay fallen, his fate unknown.
Had Hashirama Senju been killed?
Everyone stared uneasily at the unscathed [Black Zetsu] and Hashirama Senju lying on the ground. They had never imagined [Black Zetsu] could be so powerful!
It seemed the earlier intelligence was true: Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had only managed to stop [Black Zetsu] from attacking Konoha by joining forces!
Such a powerful enemy had appeared in the shinobi world, yet they knew almost nothing about him!
Does he intend to kill us? Everyone silently assessed their own strength.
To their despair, they realized their chances of survival seemed to depend entirely on whether the enemy wanted them dead. All they could do was humbly pray that [Black Zetsu] was in a good mood and would spare them.
The four nations' Kage finally defeated Watanabe Ichiro's Wood Clones and withdrew from the edge of [Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence]. Their figures flickered several times before they rejoined the retreating group huddled together.
Tobirama Senju looked at the solitary figure lying on the ground in the distance. His eyes dimmed, and he dejectedly lowered his hands, abandoning the [Reverse Flying Thunder God Technique] seal he had been holding.
Hashirama Senju, his older brother by blood, had been born on the battlefield and had died there too.
In life, he had been powerful, with few who could rival him. In death, people would surely sing his praises, preserving his name throughout history.
Dying on the battlefield against a formidable enemy was a worthy end. He could depart without regrets.
But...
Tobirama Senju held his breath, then sighed softly.
I don't have an older brother anymore.
[Black Zetsu] made no major moves, allowing the four Kage to return. He merely folded his arms and yawned.
"Since this man called Hashirama Senju gave me such a good time, I suppose I can lend you my little pets for a while. If you want them, catch them yourselves~"
With that, he raised the tailed beast scroll, which had begun stirring restlessly after Hashirama Senju's death, and casually tossed it upward. Nine differently colored rays of light blazed forth!
The nine tailed beasts descended like natural disasters, unleashing vast auras of chakra. Fierce winds buffeted everyone, almost forcing their eyes shut.
Several enormous figures of different shapes landed in the center of the battlefield, speaking in human voices!
"That bastard's finally dead! I'm free again!" Shukaku, the One-Tail, shook his sandy body and was the first to roar.
"Hahaha! I'm going to turn this place upside down!" The Eight-Tails slapped the ground, his thick octopus tentacles thumping against it.
"Hm? I'll be going first."
"I'm out of here..."
The more mild-tempered tailed beasts scattered, while those who hated humans attacked the people present.
Shukaku, the One-Tail, had received the most beatings from Hashirama Senju because of his foul mouth. He opened his mouth at once, preparing to blast out a Tailed Beast Bomb and obliterate the corpse.
"Bastard!"
Without a second thought, Tobirama Senju immediately activated the [Flying Thunder God Technique].
(Hashirama Senju carried an item bearing a Flying Thunder God Mark, so Tobirama Senju could teleport to his side at any time.)
The Flying Thunder God took effect instantly. Tobirama Senju appeared beside Hashirama Senju's corpse and immediately grabbed his arm.
Go!
Flying Thunder God Technique!
Tobirama Senju's expression stiffened.
I can't sense the Flying Thunder God Marks?
The battle destroyed all the Flying Thunder God Marks on the ground nearby!
He could not sense the marks he had placed on Watanabe Ichiro and several other Konoha ninja beforehand either.
Tch, they must have been damaged during the fight.
The ones I can sense are too far away. I don't have enough chakra to teleport there.
Damn it! I acted rashly when I saw my brother's body was about to be destroyed.
The Tailed Beast Bomb was already almost upon him. The black sphere rapidly approached, radiating an aura of utter destruction that sent chills down his spine.
What can I do...?
A familiar summoning sensation came from his waist. It was [Reverse Flying Thunder God]!
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Watanabe Ichiro in the distance, forming hand seals with an anxious expression.
Watanabe Ichiro was using the Technique Formula to summon him. He only had to respond to escape danger immediately, but!
The Technique Formula had two restrictions!
First, the person being summoned had to respond. Earlier, Tobirama Senju had tried to summon Hashirama Senju out of the battlefield, but Hashirama Senju had not answered, so the Technique Formula had failed.
Second, its teleportation target was fixed: a single individual, along with no more than five kilograms of clothing worn on their body. If that weight was exceeded, the Technique Formula automatically failed.
That meant he could only leave alone.
The Tailed Beast Bomb drew closer and closer. He had no time to hesitate. He had to choose!
Tobirama Senju tightened his grip on Hashirama Senju's slightly cold arm.
Should I retreat?
"Tobirama, I don't want my life to end in a sickbed. Cough, cough... help me..."
"Tobirama, please think of something! I really can't handle paperwork! Your big brother can't manage without you! Sob, sob, sob."
"Tobirama, I absolutely won't let you die like Itama and Kawarama. Never!"
"Tobirama, I want to ally with the Uchiha... ow, why are you hitting me?"
"Tobirama, is what Father's doing really right?"
"Tobi... rama? Your name's Tobirama? You're so tiny and soft... hehe, I have a little brother now too. You're just a little ugly... waaah! Why are you crying? Cute, you're really cute!"
"Don't cry! Your big brother's really strong. I won't let you die before me. I'll protect you!"
"Tobirama, my little brother..."
The one lying here is my idiot big brother, who can't do anything right without me. How could I possibly let his body be obliterated?
A fierce glint filled Tobirama Senju's eyes as his hands rapidly formed seals.
It's just a Tailed Beast Bomb!
It's not like I can't withstand it!
BOOM!!!
Before you continue