"It's started."
Amamiya Raizen muttered as he stared up at the massive Buddha statue towering before him. Then he darted forward, cloak snapping in the wind.
From above, the Abbot of Kongmyō pressed his palms together. Golden fist-prints rained from the heavens like divine artillery, each blow distorting the air, whipping up small tornados across the temple grounds.
Raizen, already in Sage Mode, sensed the deadly chakra pressure closing in. With one swift hand seal, he vanished in a blur—leaving behind flashes of light as the marks of Flying Thunder God appeared across the battlefield.
"Boom!"
The next wave of golden fists hammered the ground. Each impact tore craters into the stone courtyard; gravel and tiles exploded upward, only to be shredded by the violent winds that followed.
Raizen gritted his teeth. So this is what divine power feels like…
It wasn't just strength—it was overwhelming, absolute.
Watching Hashirama and Madara fight in his past life had felt unreal, like two gods clashing in a storm. But now, standing beneath this storm himself, he finally understood just how far the human body could be pushed by chakra and will alone.
"But even gods can miss!"
Raizen's figure flickered around the battlefield, leaving behind only afterimages. The Buddha's golden fists crashed down in futility, smashing everything except their target.
"Fast," the abbot muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Then let's see how long you can dance!"
The Buddha statue's arms blurred, unleashing a barrage so dense it looked like rain made of light. The Temple of Fire shook as the bombardment carved through its walls; ancient wooden halls collapsed one after another in golden flashes.
Raizen realized there was nowhere left to dodge. Even with Flying Thunder God, the attack's range covered everything.
He exhaled, drawing in nature energy until his body pulsed with power. His eyes sharpened.
"Fine. Then I'll meet god with my own hands!"
He leapt straight into the storm, his fist cloaked in swirling chakra and natural energy.
When his punch met the descending golden hand, the air screamed.
"BOOM!"
Despite his smaller frame, Raizen's strike detonated with colossal force. The first golden fist shattered, then another, and another—until the entire barrage dissolved into blinding light.
Raizen shot forward through the debris, eyes locked on the abbot.
Defeat the caster—end the statue. Simple plan.
"Impressive!" the abbot bellowed. The Buddha's eyes suddenly glowed, its hands drawing back for an even greater strike.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Divine retribution. Seen it before," Raizen muttered. Chakra whirled in his palm, expanding outward until it became a blazing blue sphere five meters wide.
"Sage Art: Super Giant Rasengan!"
The Buddha's fist collided with the Rasengan. The explosion tore through the temple. The ground split, shockwaves shredding everything for hundreds of meters.
Raizen roared as he poured every ounce of natural energy into the jutsu. The Rasengan twisted into a spiral storm, swallowing the golden fists whole until the statue's arms began to crumble.
He burst through the fading light, fist slamming straight into the abbot's chest.
The protective aura shattered like glass.
The abbot staggered back, smiling faintly.
"You've won… truly, age is a cruel enemy."
He closed his eyes. Maintaining the Buddha had drained him dry; even a Sage couldn't fight time.
Raizen lowered his hand, breathing hard. "The abbot's Sage Technique… it's unreal. Please, teach me."
The abbot opened one eye, amused. "You wish to learn Senju Raigō, the technique of a living Buddha."
Raizen nodded firmly. "Yeah. I need that kind of power."
"Power without understanding is empty," the abbot replied. "To wield Senju Raigō, you must comprehend the Buddha's heart. Without enlightenment, it will only ever be a shell."
Raizen frowned. "Understand the Buddha…?"
"It is a matter of faith and stillness. Our temple's Senjutsu was built upon the discipline of Buddhism. One must first master the Dharma before mastering this technique."
"Then I'll learn it," Raizen said at once. "Even if it means starting from zero."
The abbot chuckled softly. "So be it. Then begin here." He gestured at the ruined temple. "Repair what has been destroyed. Calming the mind begins with the hands."
Raizen twitched an eyebrow. "That's one way to say 'manual labor.'"
Still, he summoned dozens of Shadow Clones. Within three days, the temple was restored.
When the abbot saw the finished work, he nodded in approval and handed Raizen a thick stack of ancient scriptures.
"Next, read these. To know the Dharma, you must first know the words."
Raizen sighed. "Guess enlightenment's not a speedrun."
But he accepted them anyway. After all, if that's what it took to punch like a god, he'd become the most devoted monk in the world.