"Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance!"
Obito Uchiha attacked first.
His ocular technique, Kamui, combined with Fire Release to form a terrifying, twisting flame that surged toward Gengetsu.
Facing Obito Uchiha's ferocious attack, Gengetsu remained calm and clapped his hands together.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
With the terrifying boosts of Hand Seal-less Ninjutsu and tenfold power, Gengetsu's technique unleashed tremendous force.
Countless streams of water gathered into an enormous, roaring water dragon that charged toward the twisting flames.
Rumble!
The twisting flames collided with the roaring water dragon, producing a thunderous boom.
Water and fire clashed, raising a dense cloud of white steam that obscured everyone's vision.
"Now!"
Seizing this opportunity, Obito Uchiha activated Kamui without hesitation.
His figure twisted and vanished instantly. When he reappeared, he was already in Gengetsu's hand.
At the same time, Obito Uchiha held a kunai, thrusting toward-
His body instantly turned intangible, passing straight through the thick steam as he silently slipped behind Gengetsu.
Holding a sharp kunai, Obito viciously stabbed toward Gengetsu's back, an icy murderous intent flashing in his eye.
"I've got him!"
Seeing that he was about to hit Gengetsu, Obito Uchiha could not help smiling smugly beneath his mask.
But just as Obito Uchiha's kunai was about to pierce Gengetsu's body-
Gengetsu, whose back had been turned to Obito, shifted slightly at an impossible angle as though he had eyes in the back of his head, easily avoiding the fatal blow.
Immediately afterward, without even turning his head, Gengetsu lashed his right leg backward.
Thud!
Pfft!
Obito Uchiha did not even have a chance to react. His entire body flew backward uncontrollably like a kite with a snapped string, smashing through several large trees before crashing heavily to the ground.
"Damn it, how is this possible?!"
"How could you predict my attack?!"
Clutching his agonizing chest, Obito Uchiha struggled to climb to his feet, his lone eye filled with shock.
Ever since awakening the ocular technique Kamui, Obito Uchiha had never suffered a defeat like this.
No matter how powerful his opponent was, Kamui's intangibility and teleportation had always kept him invincible.
"Before my eyes, none of your movements can hide."
Seeing Obito's shock, Uchiha Gengetsu could not help saying this.
Although Obito Uchiha's Kamui was an extremely powerful spatial ability, bizarre and difficult to deal with-
The ocular technique in Gengetsu's right eye, Heavenly Standing Long, possessed the incredible ability to foresee the future!
With Heavenly Standing Long, Gengetsu could easily see every movement of the attacks Obito Uchiha would launch over the next few seconds.
However fast Kamui was, it could never outpace foresight.
Gengetsu only needed to position himself where Obito was about to appear and launch his counterattack in advance.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
"You damn bastard!"
Refusing to accept it, Obito Uchiha cursed under his breath and continued attacking Gengetsu furiously.
Taijutsu, kunai, shuriken, Fire Release-Obito pushed his abilities to their limits, using Kamui to flicker around Gengetsu constantly.
Unfortunately, however-
No matter how Obito Uchiha attacked or which angle he ambushed from, it was useless.
As though he could see the future, Gengetsu easily evaded Obito Uchiha's attacks every time.
And every counterattack from Gengetsu landed precisely at the instant Obito became tangible, easily inflicting serious injuries.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Dull impacts echoed through the woods one after another.
After fighting for so long, Gengetsu still stood in place, completely unharmed, without even a speck of dirt on his clothes.
Obito Uchiha, by contrast, was beaten helplessly, constantly coughing up blood.
Watching from a large tree nearby, Zetsu was also astonished to see Gengetsu beating Obito Uchiha senseless in such a one-sided fight.
"What's going on? Why aren't Obito's attacks working?!"
White Zetsu exclaimed in disbelief.
"This must be the power of Gengetsu's Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"He's seen right through Obito Uchiha's attacks!"
A trace of apprehension entered Black Zetsu's hoarse voice.
"..."
Hidden inside the tree trunk, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu discussed the situation, their voices filled with shock at Gengetsu's strength.
At the center of the battlefield.
Severely injured, Obito Uchiha kept coughing up blood.
In the past, if he had sustained such serious injuries, Obito Uchiha would have used Kamui to retreat without hesitation.
But this time, Obito Uchiha knew he could not retreat.
At least, not yet.
Because Gengetsu not only knew his true identity, but had even seen through his impersonation of Madara Uchiha.
To ensure the Eye of the Moon Plan proceeded smoothly, he had to eliminate Gengetsu today!
At this thought, Obito Uchiha's eye grew crazed.
"Wood Release: Wood Entwine Technique!"
Countless thick trees suddenly burst from Obito Uchiha's arm and surged toward Gengetsu.
Half of Obito Uchiha's body had a Wood Release constitution, so he could use Wood Release as well.
Finding that ordinary attacks could not defeat Gengetsu, Obito Uchiha immediately unleashed Wood Release.
"Hmph, don't think you're the only one who can use Wood Release!"
Facing Obito Uchiha's Wood Release, Gengetsu showed no panic whatsoever. Instead, a disdainful smile curled his lips.
Gengetsu clapped his hands together forcefully.
"Wood Release: Wood Entwine Technique!"
Boom!
The ground before Gengetsu instantly split apart violently, and countless thick, sturdy trees burst from beneath it, charging straight at the trees Obito Uchiha had unleashed.
Crack! Crack!
The two enormous Wood Release techniques collided head-on with their full force.
Countless trees entwined, crushed, and collided with one another, producing waves of teeth-grating grinding sounds.
"What?!"
"How can you use Wood Release?!"
Seeing Gengetsu unleash Wood Release too-and with even greater power than his own-Obito Uchiha was utterly stunned, his eye beneath his mask filled with overwhelming shock.
Obito Uchiha could only use Wood Release because Madara Uchiha had rebuilt half his body with Hashirama Senju's cells all those years ago!
Had Gengetsu also transplanted Hashirama Senju's cells?
How was that possible?! He had always been in Konoha. Where could he have gotten Hashirama Cells?
Not only Obito, but even Zetsu, watching from his hiding place in the distance, was utterly shocked.
"How is this possible?!"
Wood Release was the exclusive power of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
How could Gengetsu, a pure-blooded member of the Uchiha Clan, possibly use Wood Release?!
"Hmph, if you can use Wood Release, why can't I?!"
Gengetsu snorted coldly, his eyes filled with arrogance.
"Wood Release: Thorn Technique!"
In the instant Obito Uchiha froze in shock, Gengetsu unleashed Wood Release again without the slightest hesitation.
Boom!
A massive tree burst straight out of the ground beneath Obito's feet.
Immediately afterward, countless wooden spikes sprouted from the massive tree.
These wooden spikes shot toward Obito like kunai.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Caught off guard, Obito Uchiha had no time to dodge and was struck by the dense branches.
The sharp wooden spikes instantly pierced his body, and blood gushed out wildly.
"Aah!"
Obito Uchiha screamed under the attack.
"Damn you, Uchiha Gengetsu! I won't let you get away with this!"
Obito Uchiha cursed, then activated Kamui and vanished from the spot.
"Looks like Obito failed!"
"Gengetsu's power exceeded our expectations. Let's leave too!"
Seeing Obito Uchiha flee in defeat, Zetsu did not dare linger. His body slowly sank into the tree trunk, and he left.
He escaped?!
Looking at the spot where Obito Uchiha had disappeared, Gengetsu deactivated his Mangekyō Sharingan and could not help thinking this.
Kamui truly was an impressive ocular technique for escaping. As long as Obito was determined to flee, even Gengetsu would struggle to keep him there.
Just then, a flurry of footsteps sounded in the distant woods.
Having heard the commotion, countless Konoha ninja hurried over.
"Fifth Hokage, what happened here?!"
"This... this is Wood Release?!"
"Did that rogue ninja Danzo attack the Fifth Hokage?!"
"..."
Seeing the traces of battle around them, the Konoha ninja immediately made a connection.
It could not be helped. News that Danzo had stolen the First Hokage's Wood Release had long since spread throughout Konoha.
Moreover, Danzo had already been saddled with the blame for releasing the Nine-Tails and killing the Fourth Hokage, and had just broken out of prison and defected.
Now they saw the aftermath of this battle, with such obvious traces of Wood Release.
No matter how they looked at it, it seemed as though Danzo had attacked the Fifth Hokage, Gengetsu, out of resentment after escaping prison.
Hearing the ninja around him fill in the blanks themselves, Gengetsu froze for a moment.
He had been wondering how to explain the source of all this Wood Release, only for these Konoha ninja to find an excuse for him.
"Uh! Just consider it an attack by Danzo!"
Since Danzo was such a suitable scapegoat, Gengetsu could not be bothered to explain and simply went along with it.
Hearing the Fifth Hokage personally "confirm" it, the surrounding Konoha ninja instantly grew furious.
Soon, news that Danzo had attacked the Fifth Hokage after escaping prison spread throughout Konoha.
Everyone in Konoha who heard the news gritted their teeth in hatred and cursed Danzo incessantly.
Meanwhile.
Danzo, who had only just defected and had not traveled far from Konoha, was resting beneath a tree.
Through his own intelligence channels, he also learned of his attack on Gengetsu.
When he first heard the news, Danzo was utterly dumbfounded.
"Bastard! I did no such thing!"
Furious, Danzo punched the tree trunk beside him.
He had only just fled Konoha. How could he have had the time to attack Uchiha Gengetsu?!
Yet everyone in the village now believed he had done it, pinning the blame on him once again.
All the furious Danzo could do was keep cursing in the wilderness.
"The evil Uchiha Clan! Uchiha Gengetsu, you despicable, shameless bastard!"
Inside a hidden cave.
Space twisted.
Severely injured, Obito Uchiha staggered out of the alternate dimension and fell heavily to the ground.
His body was riddled with bloody holes pierced by Wood Release, and his blood stained the ground red. He looked utterly wretched.
Zetsu immediately emerged from underground as well.
"Obito, are you all right?!"
"I'm fine. I just need some rest."
Gritting his teeth, Obito Uchiha forced himself to sit up through the intense pain, his one remaining eye filled with anger and frustration.
"That bastard Uchiha Gengetsu! How could he possess such immense power?!"
"Not only could he predict my Kamui, he could even use Wood Release! What the hell is going on?!"
Standing beside him, Zetsu could not help speaking as well.
"This really is very strange!"
Obito Uchiha took a deep breath, his gaze turning utterly cold.
"Zetsu, go keep a close watch on Gengetsu's movements and whereabouts immediately. We absolutely cannot let him out of our sight!"
"Understood."
Zetsu nodded and disappeared.
But Black Zetsu, who was possessing Zetsu, had a strange gleam in his single yellow eye.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan and Wood Release?!"
"Perhaps Gengetsu can help me complete my plan too!"
Black Zetsu muttered inwardly.
Before you continue