The explosions gradually faded, sending wood chips and dust flying. The broken wood littering the ground came from the Wood Release Hashirama had hastily unleashed. Unfortunately, healing ninjutsu had consumed most of Hashirama Senju's chakra, and the Wood Release held out for only a moment before the massive blast of Explosive Tags destroyed it.
"Madara..." Hashirama Senju felt uneasy. Could he really withstand an explosion that powerful? I have to help. But blood was still running down his neck, and Tobirama remained in terrible condition. He couldn't spare a hand.
A breeze swept past, dispersing the dust and smoke. A pale blue apparition flickered into view amid the white smoke from the explosion, its rib-like structure enclosing two figures.
What was that?
"Susanoo... Hmph. I'd planned to save its debut for Hashirama, but you actually forced me to reveal one of my trump cards..."
"Your progress really is astonishing."
The Mangekyō Sharingan appeared in Madara Uchiha's eyes for an instant before reverting to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. He panted lightly, cold sweat seeping from his temples. His earlier fight with Hashirama Senju had severely drained his chakra and stamina, and activating Susanoo now had consumed almost all his remaining strength.
Ever since awakening his Mangekyō, he had kept it hidden and never used it. He had intended to master Susanoo, known as the [Power of a God], as well, then give Hashirama Senju a "surprise" on the battlefield. (The original work doesn't specify when Madara awakened his Mangekyō or what its abilities were, so the following is the author's own creation.)
But its stringent prerequisites and enormous chakra consumption had kept it beyond his reach. He had only gained some insight a few days ago, yet had never succeeded even once while practicing in private, let alone actually used it on the battlefield.
Had he not figured out how to use Susanoo in the heat of battle, he might have fallen to a handful of little Explosive Tags.
But only a few years ago, Watanabe Ichiro had still been an ordinary person with no talent as a ninja. How had he improved so much in such a short time? And the weapons he had used earlier were strange too. Just what...
"Madara, watch out!"
"Madara! In front!"
"!"
Izuna's weak voice and Hashirama's hoarse warning rang out one after the other.
The Kunai that had landed during the earlier attack burst into white smoke. A figure flashed forward, the Kunai in his hand gleaming an unnatural black.
Madara felt nothing but contempt. Hah. A Kunai against Susanoo? Ridiculous.
Yet the Kunai, which should have been utterly useless against Susanoo, cut through its defenses like tofu!!!
The Kunai pierced Uchiha Izuna's intervening palm, penetrated the heavy battle armor over Madara's chest, and plunged into his chest, finally piercing shallowly into his rapidly beating heart.
"Tsk. You really do have a good little brother..." The leisurely remark sounded beside Madara's ear. The attacker avoided his gaze, an inexplicable frustration in his voice.
The Kunai's length was limited. With Izuna's palm blocking it, what should have been a fatal injury had been reduced to a small wound. Had it been a sword instead...
The repeated failed assassination attempts seemed to have discouraged the attacker. After that final desperate effort, he stopped pressing forward, abandoned his weapon, and darted backward.
But the enraged Madara Uchiha gave him no chance to retreat safely. He controlled Susanoo's blue skeletal arm and sent it striking mercilessly at him.
The attacker held a Kunai across his body to defend himself, but that feeble resistance accomplished nothing. Susanoo's strike never slowed, slamming straight into his chest. Like a kite with its string cut, the attacker hurtled backward under the force of the blow, smashed through two trees, and crashed into a boulder. The residual force even left several fine cracks in the stone behind him.
He slid down the rock and struggled to rise, only for blood to gush from his mouth. He staggered backward and finally slumped against the boulder, gasping with difficulty, unable to fight any longer.
A long blade streaked through the air and pierced the attacker's shoulder, pinning his body to the boulder behind him all the way to its hilt. He offered no resistance, merely giving a muffled grunt with a cold expression.
The repeated reversals had left Madara Uchiha unable to underestimate this "old acquaintance," who was so much younger than him. He cautiously pulled the strangely glimmering Kunai from his chest, then hurled his long blade in retaliation.
Madara Uchiha's scarlet Sharingan swept over him, confirming that he had finally caught the real body. Beside him, Uchiha Izuna's injuries were too severe; he would struggle to survive the trip back to the clan. After a brief hesitation, Madara supported his younger brother and brought him over to Hashirama Senju.
Hashirama Senju tilted his head, looking rather pleased. He pressed the wound on his neck, which had finally stopped bleeding, and freed one hand to treat Uchiha Izuna.
Seeing Izuna's expression ease, Madara Uchiha thanked Hashirama quietly. He looked up at the attacker he had pinned to the rock, hesitated, then finally uttered a name both familiar and strange.
"Watanabe... Ichiro."
"Cough, cough... You still remember me... How unexpected..." Though badly wounded, the attacker, Watanabe Ichiro, remained inexplicably clearheaded. He smiled affectionately. "It's been a long time, Madara."
"Oh, no. I should say Madara-Uchiha and Hashirama-Senju."
He drew out their names, his tone utterly warm, yet his words oozed malice as clinging as a mire.
The blood-red eyes with two tomoe, which did not belong to him, swept over everyone present. His accomplishments today could shake the entire shinobi world-gravely injuring Tobirama Senju, the Senju Clan's second-in-command, nearly beheading Hashirama Senju, the Senju Clan's strongest fighter, and lightly injuring Madara Uchiha, the Uchiha Clan's current head.
To have wounded everyone here to this extent was truly a feat without precedent, one no one would ever match. This meant...
So many points! Hahahahaha...
Watanabe Ichiro laughed until blood streamed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, yet he remained utterly unconcerned about whether he lived or died, strangely at ease.
"Honestly, I'm really happy to see you. I was just worrying about what to give my brother today, on the anniversary of his death."
"I never expected to run into you fighting. After thinking it over, I decided sending you to see him would be best."
"Ichiro, you've gone too far."
Hashirama Senju, who had stopped attacking after recognizing him, stared at him with an extraordinary killing intent in his eyes.
The enormous wound in his neck, enough to kill an ordinary ninja, had stopped bleeding after a brief treatment. But his severed artery had left an entire side of his body covered in blood that had yet to dry.
Beside him, the dying Tobirama Senju had blood all over his head. His uncontrollable coughing had reopened his wound, and now his face looked peaceful, as though he was merely waiting to be buried. Lying next to him, Uchiha Izuna barely remained conscious. He wore a look of disgust, his furrowed brows quietly expressing his displeasure.
Hashirama Senju cared nothing about his own injuries. In a fight between ninja, dying meant one's strength had been lacking. There was no one else to blame.
But the ambush that had gravely injured Tobirama Senju had robbed him of reason. Tobirama is innocent. He doesn't even know what happened. He's my only brother, my last surviving brother. Why did you attack him?
Ichiro, if you only wanted my life, you could take it. But not my brother...
He silently watched Watanabe Ichiro, his heart torn and aching.
"Heh." Watanabe Ichiro sneered.
"I've gone too far?"
"Hahaha, I've gone too far?"
"Would you dare say that to my brother?"
"Lord Senju? Lord Uchiha?"
"You murderers who slaughtered our entire clan and killed my brother!"
He laughed until tears welled at the corners of his eyes, sending two trails of bloody tears down his cheeks.
"Hashirama, Madara, you were the dear friends my brother trusted so deeply... Cough, cough."
"So, are you going to kill me now too?"
Before you continue