The rampaging wooden dragon, jaws wide open, bore down on Uchiha Madara.
But just as the wood dragon was about to clamp its jaws shut around him, the terrifying repulsive force of Shinra Tensei collided with it in an instant.
The wood dragon let out a low roar. The immense power carried by its massive body continued to press toward Uchiha Madara, but under the force of the repulsion, it could not advance even a single step further.
This stalemate did not last long!
Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed, and the repulsive force of Shinra Tensei surged dramatically in power, shoving the open-mouthed wood dragon backward.
Immediately after!
A torrential outpouring of ocular power erupted from Uchiha Madara's eyes.
A massive Susanoo arm swept down toward a certain point in the darkness.
Though Uchiha Madara could neither see nor sense Senju Hashirama's presence, any attack the man made would inevitably cause Chakra fluctuations.
Under these circumstances, his position would naturally be exposed!
It appeared that Senju Hashirama had made the first move by summoning the wood dragon, but in reality, both of their attacks had been launched almost simultaneously.
Perhaps Uchiha Madara's attack was a fraction of a second slower, but that brief window was the time he needed to confirm Senju Hashirama's location.
The Susanoo arm launched from Uchiha Madara's body like a catapult, slamming the charging Senju Hashirama into the ground with a single palm strike.
"Graaah!"
Senju Hashirama let out a furious roar, half his body sinking into the crater as he raised both hands to catch the Susanoo arm.
A massive boom echoed across the battlefield, sending sand and stone flying in every direction!
Pale green Chakra mixed with Sage Mode enveloped Senju Hashirama's entire body. With a low, guttural roar, he crouched slightly and then violently shoved upward!
Senju Hashirama actually managed to flip the Susanoo arm over with raw force.
The power transmitted through the Susanoo arm caused Uchiha Madara to stumble slightly.
But he regained his footing in an instant, a massive surge of ocular power erupting from his eyes once more.
Complete Body Susanoo!
Blue Chakra surged from Uchiha Madara's body and rapidly began to condense.
A Complete Body Susanoo with four arms, clad in samurai-like armor, with wings larger than a small mountain peak appeared upon the battlefield.
The massive Susanoo broke straight through the boundaries of the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique's domain.
Under Uchiha Madara's control, the Complete Body Susanoo raised its two forward arms and brought them down on the Senju Hashirama below like a torrential downpour.
Every punch that landed made the very earth tremble, with debris flying everywhere as though a magnitude-ten earthquake had struck.
Meanwhile, the Susanoo's other two arms reached back toward its wings, drawing two massive blades formed entirely of condensed Chakra.
It swung both blades simultaneously toward Senju Hashirama's position, unleashing two colossal slashes powerful enough to cleave a mountain in two!
On the ground.
Facing the assault of the Susanoo's two arms and two devastating slashes, a grave expression finally appeared on Senju Hashirama's face.
Seizing the brief opening!
Senju Hashirama slammed his hands on the ground with a sharp cry.
"Wood Release — Hōbi!"
A wooden shield shaped like a fanged demon mask erupted from the ground in the blink of an eye, positioning itself above Senju Hashirama's head.
The Susanoo's furious fists and slashes slammed into the demonic wooden shield almost simultaneously, producing a deafening roar.
Several dents and two deep gashes appeared on the mask's surface, bringing it to the brink of shattering!
But it had held. It had blocked the full barrage of the Complete Body Susanoo's attacks.
Using that brief moment of respite.
Senju Hashirama rapidly mobilized the Chakra within his body and clapped his hands together.
Wood Release Secret Technique — Wood Human Jutsu!
BOOM! BOOM!
The crater beneath Senju Hashirama split apart, and an enormous wooden figure, easily rivaling the Complete Body Susanoo in size, emerged onto the battlefield.
The moment the Wood Human appeared, it charged directly toward the Complete Body Susanoo.
"Come then, Hashirama!"
Uchiha Madara's voice carried a hint of excitement as he likewise maneuvered the Complete Body Susanoo to charge forward.
The Complete Body Susanoo led with its two forward arms, swinging both fists simultaneously at the Wood Human.
The Wood Human was not to be outdone, reaching out with its hands to catch the two incoming fists. The collision produced a thunderous boom!
But the Complete Body Susanoo did not just have two arms!
Its other two arms, each wielding a long Chakra blade, raised their weapons and slashed directly at the Wood Human's head.
"Madara!"
"Everything you've done from the very beginning was destined to end in failure!"
Senju Hashirama let out a mighty roar.
ROAR! ROAR!
The thick arm sections of the Wood Human suddenly began to writhe. Accompanied by dragon-like roars, two wood dragons surged forth from the Wood Human's arms.
Carrying terrifying power, the wood dragons clamped their jaws down on the wrists of the Complete Body Susanoo's blade-wielding arms.
The Susanoo's prepared slashes came to a complete halt!
Senju Hashirama did not stop there. After restraining all four of the Complete Body Susanoo's arms, he made the Wood Human lunge its head forward, slamming directly into the Susanoo.
With the Susanoo's front two arms grasped by the Wood Human's hands, and its other two arms gripped by the wood dragons coiled around its limbs.
Uchiha Madara had no time to break free and dodge the Wood Human's ferocious charge!
BOOM! BOOM!!
The colossal figures, each over a hundred meters tall, generated an impact as violent as a landslide and a tidal wave combined.
Under the force of such a devastating collision, the Complete Body Susanoo was sent flying by the Wood Human.
The massive form of the Complete Body Susanoo soared across the battlefield sky and crashed into a distant mountain. The sheer force of the impact shattered the entire peak to rubble.
CRASH! CRASH!
Enormous footsteps thundered across the battlefield as the Wood Human strode forward with heavy, rapid steps, rushing toward where the Susanoo had fallen.
Dust and debris filled the sky, with rubble flying in every direction!
The Complete Body Susanoo erupted from the rubble, its two wings beating violently as it shot into the air.
Seeing this, the Wood Human's charge momentarily faltered as it looked up.
Senju Hashirama stood on the Wood Human's forehead, his brows furrowed slightly.
Uchiha Madara's Susanoo could fly, but the Wood Human could not.
However, Senju Hashirama was not overly concerned. After all, this was not their first clash. If Uchiha Madara wanted to defeat him, he would have to come back down.
Uchiha Madara made the Complete Body Susanoo spread its arms wide, gazing down at Senju Hashirama below.
"Failure?"
"Hashirama, under my Rinnegan, you are the one who was destined to fail from the very beginning!"
Uchiha Madara's voice was filled with arrogance and confidence, speaking in a calm and detached tone.
The moment he finished speaking!
The Complete Body Susanoo raised both arms to its chest. Lightning-like blue Chakra flared across its hands, condensing into several magatama-shaped orbs of terrifying destructive energy.
Yasaka Magatama!
The Complete Body Susanoo hurled the condensed magatama orbs straight down at the Wood Human!
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air as the magatama moved at incredible speed, tracing blue arcs across the sky like streaks of lightning before crashing down.
The Wood Human rapidly began to move, dodging the magatama attacks while simultaneously heading away from the battlefield.
Clearly!
Senju Hashirama intended to leave this area. The attacks from both sides would only grow more devastating, and the area of effect would continue to widen.
There were many Konoha shinobi on this battlefield. To prevent them from being caught in the crossfire, Senju Hashirama naturally had to move the fight elsewhere!
Even as the Wood Human moved at high speed, a few of the magatama still struck its back, blowing massive craters into the wooden frame!
Wood chips flew in every direction!
But under Senju Hashirama's continuous Chakra supply, the wounds on the Wood Human healed at an extraordinary rate.
Watching the Wood Human gradually distance itself from the battlefield, Uchiha Madara's expression carried a hint of disdain.
"Hashirama, you're as stubborn as ever."
"Though I suppose this battlefield is a bit too cramped to go all out."
Uchiha Madara was not surprised by Senju Hashirama's actions.
With that thought.
Uchiha Madara made the Complete Body Susanoo beat its wings once, surging rapidly in Senju Hashirama's direction.
As Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara gradually moved away from the battlefield.
The entire battlefield suddenly fell into an eerie calm.
All the shinobi on the field exchanged glances, an inexplicable sense of relief washing over them.
Though witnessing the clash between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara was considered a rare stroke of fortune.
The sheer destructive power of their battle was beyond terrifying. Every shinobi worried that a single misstep would see them swallowed by the shockwaves of their conflict.
Now that both combatants had left the battlefield, a faint sense of relief rose in the hearts of everyone present.
With Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara's departure, the eerie calm on the battlefield did not last for long.
When enemies meet, tempers flare!
At this point, the Konoha forces and the Iwagakure forces had already become mortal enemies. In every sense, it had become a fight to the death.
After the brief period of eerie stillness, all the shinobi sprang into action once more.
Explosive tags, kunai, and shuriken rained down from both sides' front lines.
Various jutsu and explosions once again echoed across the battlefield.
The shinobi of both sides clashed together once more!
Meanwhile.
On another section of the battlefield, the situation was equally intense.
A large number of Konoha shinobi had pinned the Kirigakure forces at the due-east position of the village.
The Konoha shinobi had established their defensive line along a valley within the Land of Fire's borders, holding the entire front steadfastly.
If the Kirigakure forces wanted to cross this line, they would either need to build a bridge over the valley using Earth Release jutsu.
Or they would have to push through the valley below!
But both routes had been completely blocked by the Konoha forces.
As a result, the Kirigakure army's advance was excruciatingly slow.
At a certain position along the valley frontline.
Ringo Ameyuri radiated a faint electrical aura and stomped hard on the ground, her entire body shooting forward like a bolt of lightning.
"Enemy incoming! Prepare to defend!"
A Konoha sensory-type shinobi immediately shouted the warning.
The moment his voice fell, several Konoha shinobi rushed out from one section of the defensive line, forming hand seals and unleashing their jutsu.
"Fire Release — Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Earth Release — Earth Flow River!"
Jutsu of various elements surged forward, attempting to halt Ringo Ameyuri's advance.
Facing the barrage of different elemental attacks, Ringo Ameyuri's lips curled into a slight grin. Not only did her speed not decrease, but the electrical aura around her body surged to an even higher level.
CRASH!
Lightning Release — Thunder Dragon Tornado!
Massive amounts of blue lightning erupted from the dual Lightning Blades in Ringo Ameyuri's hands, twisting into the form of a tornado-shaped dragon.
Ringo Ameyuri positioned herself within the thunder dragon, surging forward toward the Konoha defensive position like a falling bolt of lightning.
Clearly, Ringo Ameyuri was using the thunder dragon as a suit of armor to shield herself from the incoming jutsu!
BOOM!
Ringo Ameyuri crashed into the dead center of the Konoha position like a bolt of living thunder.
"Is this all the Konoha shinobi are capable of?"
Ringo Ameyuri's voice carried a trace of arrogance, her foot planted squarely on a Konoha shinobi's head.
A Lightning Blade was embedded in the fallen shinobi's chest — he was beyond dead.
"Bastard!"
"Kirigakure scum!"
Angry curses erupted from the surrounding Konoha shinobi.
Immediately, they all charged toward Ringo Ameyuri at once.
But just then!
A somewhat youthful battle cry rang out from the distance.
"Explosion Blade Secret Art — Hahatsu Ryū Jūshi!"
A scroll covered in explosive tags surged from behind, enveloping Ringo Ameyuri at its center.
The explosive tags on the scroll's exterior detonated simultaneously, producing massive booms while also blocking the other Konoha shinobi who had been trying to surround Ringo Ameyuri.
A dark figure leaped over the chaos, closing the distance in a few bounds and appearing at Ringo Ameyuri's side.
"I don't need your help."
Ringo Ameyuri looked at the figure who had appeared beside her — Ranmaru — her tone carrying a hint of displeasure.
Ranmaru wore a slightly embarrassed expression, lightly scratching the back of his head.
But he still spoke earnestly.
"Lord Yuto said we should be careful in everything we do."
The moment Ranmaru mentioned Lord Yuto, the displeasure that had been lingering on Ringo Ameyuri's face vanished in an instant.
"You don't need to remind me."
Ringo Ameyuri clicked her tongue, though the edge in her voice had completely disappeared.
[
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