After Jing Xiu rescued the two of them, the turmoil was more or less settled.
Although the battle between Madara and Uzumaki Ashina looked terribly brutal, Jing Xiu knew that Madara had not even used the Golden Light Mantra.
Now Jing Xiu was torn over whether to eliminate the detestable silver-haired boy before him.
In terms of their positions, both Izuna and Jing Xiu were much like Tobirama.
But the three held vastly different standing within their respective clans.
If Jing Xiu really killed Tobirama Senju here, the Senju Clan would most likely be no match for the Uchiha in the future.
But without Tobirama Senju, the future Shinobi World would also lose many forbidden techniques.
As long as Jing Xiu put enough pressure on Tobirama, Tobirama would keep developing all sorts of forbidden techniques to counter him.
This would not only improve Jing Xiu's strength more comprehensively, but also help him gain a deeper understanding of the essence of power.
As for Izuna's vengeance, that was naturally for Izuna himself to exact.
With that thought, Jing Xiu decided to spare the two before him.
But just as Jing Xiu was about to leave, something unexpected happened.
He felt a piercing, agonizing pain.
In moments, blood stained his white robe red.
"Hahaha! Uchiha Jing Xiu, do you like my gift? I told you that sooner or later, you would fall at my hands!"
"I won't spare a single evil Uchiha, especially you!"
Jing Xiu spat out a mouthful of blood, then turned in disbelief to look at Kurama Natsuki behind him.
But as he turned, a rapidly spinning Water Flow Rod appeared in Tobirama Senju's hand, and he hurled it at Jing Xiu.
A layer of golden light emerged over Jing Xiu's body. As it blocked the Water Flow Rod, it also formed a huge golden hand that seized Kurama Natsuki by the neck and lifted her in front of him.
Jing Xiu met Kurama Natsuki's eyes in bewilderment.
"Well played, princess of the Kurama Clan. I underestimated you!"
There was no remorse on Kurama Natsuki's face, nor infatuation or admiration. Only mockery remained. "I know you've been hiding many secrets."
"To kill you, I coated that blade with the most potent poison in the world."
"Uchiha Jing Xiu, you will pay for your arrogance!"
"I, Kurama Natsuki, am not someone you can toy with..."
The huge golden hand tightened, snapping Kurama Natsuki's neck.
Jing Xiu could not be bothered to listen to Kurama Natsuki's dying ravings.
His scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan turned toward Tobirama Senju.
"I was going to let you go, but now you've truly angered me!"
Shrouded in golden light, Jing Xiu moved like a bolt of golden lightning. His Light Thunder Blade sliced across Mito Uzumaki's beautiful face before piercing Tobirama Senju's chest.
Just as Jing Xiu tightened his grip, intending to cleave the silver-haired boy in two-
Unbearable pain shot through his back, and even his arm began to fail him.
"This poison really is something. If golden light weren't protecting my internal organs, Kurama Natsuki's stab might actually have killed me!"
Jing Xiu could not help exclaiming, "What a woman, that Kurama Natsuki! The Shinobi World truly teems with formidable figures!"
He put away the Light Thunder Blade and placed Izuna inside a specially made Devouring Pouch Orb, then called out toward the battlefield where Madara Uchiha and Uzumaki Ashina were fighting.
"Uzumaki Ashina, I suggest you hurry back to Uzushio Village. If you're fast enough, you might still save one or two of your clansmen!"
Hearing Jing Xiu's words, Uzumaki Ashina could not resist asking, even though he knew Jing Xiu might be trying to shake his resolve to fight.
"Brat! You'd better explain yourself, or I'll kill you first!"
Madara sneered. "Threatening my little brother right in front of me? Uzumaki Ashina, I think your Uzumaki Clan really has a death wish!"
Jing Xiu calmly retreated behind Madara before drawling, "Someone released a Three-Tails in Uzushio Village. I just wonder..."
Madara was also somewhat surprised, but he did not dwell on it. He immediately drove the Golden Light Mantra to its fullest strength.
After forcing Uzumaki Ashina back with Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame, he grabbed Jing Xiu by the belt and raced toward the depths of the Uzumaki Sea.
By then, Uzushio Village was already in ruins.
Of its ten thousand villagers, only two or three thousand remained.
As Isobu fought, it was unclear whether Jing Xiu had done something to him or whether this was simply his usual fighting style.
His entire body remained shrouded in mist. Not only ordinary villagers, but even ordinary Chunin could hardly make out the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Isobu's eyes.
With Uzumaki Changshou's death, the only people in all of Uzushio Village who could see Isobu clearly and were still alive were Uchiha Tajima and Butsuma Senju.
"To think the Sharingan can control a tailed beast! Uchiha Tajima, are you trying to destroy the entire Shinobi World?"
This was also Tajima's first time seeing someone actually control a tailed beast with the Sharingan.
As harsh as Butsuma Senju's words were, if the Uchiha Clan used this method to control all nine tailed beasts, destroying the Shinobi World really would not be that difficult.
But he knew very well that even for him, the strongest member of the Uchiha Clan, enslaving a tailed beast with the Sharingan alone was an utterly impossible task.
Unless this clansman has mastered the power of the gods!
At that thought, Uchiha Tajima made up his mind. Whether or not this person was hiding within the clan-
He had to protect this secret, even if it took everything he had.
Once the truth behind the tailed beast's attack on Uzushio Village came to light, the entire Shinobi World would unite to wipe out the Uchiha.
"Butsuma Senju, you and I have fought for nearly thirty years. Today, let me see whether the Sharingan is superior, or whether you're simply too tough to kill!"
Both clan leaders knew how powerful the other was, so before the battle began, they were exceptionally cautious, using every means available to search for openings.
Butsuma Senju formed hand seals first. An earth dragon bore down like a mountain-the B-rank ninjutsu Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet.
Uchiha Tajima's swordsmanship was exquisite. With the Sharingan's aid, he quickly calculated the optimal path to evade it.
But before moving, he instead spat a massive fire dragon from his mouth.
The fire dragon and earth dragon tangled in midair. As they intertwined, Uchiha Tajima's ninja blade struck both dragons at once.
The intense heat melted the earth and stone into glass, and Butsuma Senju's figure appeared beneath it.
It was Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage.
Uchiha Tajima knew his opponent too well. Had he dodged according to his original plan, he would have fallen straight into Butsuma Senju's trap.
Seeing that Uchiha Tajima had seen through his strategy, Butsuma Senju no longer hesitated. He unleashed an intricate, ever-changing array of Earth Release and Water Release techniques.
The Senju Clan's formidable physique and chakra reserves, far greater than those of the Uchiha, were on full display at that moment.
Uchiha Tajima struggled to evade the bewildering assortment of ninjutsu.
It was common knowledge in the Shinobi World that Earth Release countered Water Release, Water Release countered Fire Release, and Lightning Release countered Earth Release.
Unfortunately, Uchiha Tajima specialized in Fire Release and had not studied Lightning Release much.
The Uchiha Clan had not passed down many Lightning Release ninjutsu, either.
Otherwise, Jing Xiu would not have helped Izuna develop the Chidori series of Lightning Release techniques decades ahead of their time-the techniques best suited to bringing out the power of Uchiha swordsmanship.
However, Uchiha Tajima held another major advantage over Butsuma Senju: the Sharingan, the pride of the Uchiha Clan.
Tajima spotted a gap between several ninjutsu, met Butsuma Senju's gaze with his Sharingan, and unleashed his most powerful genjutsu.
"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"
Butsuma Senju felt as though enormous iron stakes had pinned him in place. Stakes pierced all four limbs, leaving him unable to move.