Yang Release: White Lightning.
This was one of the crowning achievements of Kakashi's training over the past few years.
Just as Yin Release combined with Lightning Style created Purple Electricity, the fusion of Yang Release and Lightning Style birthed White Lightning.
While Purple Electricity was known for being erratic, cunning, devastatingly powerful, and possessing a wide area of effect, White Lightning held the advantage in sheer piercing power and speed. They each had their own merits, but they shared one commonality: they placed extreme demands upon the caster.
Just as Purple Electricity required a massive amount of Yin chakra, White Lightning demanded an equally substantial volume of Yang chakra.
And now… it was time for White Lightning to make its official debut on the battlefield.
Pure white currents of electricity flickered within Kakashi's golden eyes—the mark of his Sage Mode. The moment he entered this state, Hashirama Senju keenly sensed the sudden surge and fluctuation of natural energy in the atmosphere.
"He entered Sage Mode in an instant, just like me..." Hashirama murmured to himself. Natural energy began to rush into his own body like a rising tide. "Damn it..."
Hashirama realized his reanimated body was beginning to move entirely on its own, driven by the summoner's will.
Sage Mode…
Like Hashirama, Kakashi had sensed the abnormal shift in natural energy and immediately locked eyes with the First Hokage, who was currently perched atop a massive Wood Dragon. However, Kakashi had activated his Sage Mode a step ahead and already had his White Lightning primed. He wasn't about to give up the initiative.
Faint streaks of pure white lightning arced across Kakashi's body. Then, in a single movement—
No, it wasn't just a movement. It happened in an instant, like a single frame flickering in a film.
Kakashi appeared directly in front of Hashirama Senju.
"!"
Even the legendary "God of Shinobi" showed a hint of astonishment at Kakashi's sudden arrival.
"Defeating you with the very Sage Mode you taught me… I suppose that is a fitting way to honor your guidance," Kakashi said.
Regardless of whether Hashirama could remember when exactly he had "taught" Kakashi Sage Mode, his body's instincts took over. He clenched his fist and swung a heavy blow toward Kakashi. In the middle of that swing, natural energy swirled around Hashirama like a vortex, funneling into his form.
Before the punch even reached halfway, Hashirama had fully entered Sage Mode.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed.
The dazzling White Lightning erupted. He raised his arm high, using his palm like a blade to strike at Hashirama. The lightning flared, and a brilliant blade-glow surged; the violent electricity was held in a tight, controlled grip along that white-hot edge.
The strike fell, trailing a curtain of pure white light.
Under the sudden assault, Hashirama's fragile Reanimated arm disintegrated instantly.
"ROAR!"
The sound of a dragon's cry echoed as two Wood Dragons descended from the sky, snapping their jaws at Kakashi. Taking advantage of the brief window while Hashirama's arm regenerated, Kakashi simply pointed a finger at one of the dragons.
It was silent.
A beam of white lightning, no thicker than a finger, pierced through the Wood Dragon's head at a speed almost impossible to perceive. The dragon wailed as wood splinters flew in every direction.
Fed by Kakashi's massive chakra reserves, the beam did not dissipate after piercing its target. Kakashi swept his finger downward; the beam sliced through the dragon's neck, decapitating it, before swinging toward the second beast.
Another cry of agony rang out as the massive body of the second Wood Dragon was sliced in half. It crashed to the ground with the force of an earthquake, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
"Kakashi, well done!"
Sakumo Hatake, who was rushing toward the scene, felt his eyes brighten at the sight of his son's incredible strength.
"Hikari."
Kakashi landed beside his wife and reached out, aiming to suppress the one-armed Hashirama. Hashirama's arm had not yet fully reformed. He held a hand seal before his chest, seemingly trying to suppress the power controlling him, but the sheer volume of Hashirama cells within Orochimaru's body forced him to obey.
"Sage Art: Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu!"
Suddenly, the ground trembled and collapsed. A gargantuan entity began to rise from the earth.
Boom!
In that exact moment, a flash of lightning flickered, and a large head went flying into the air. Hashirama's Reanimated body fell to the ground, incapacitated. The earth-shaking phenomenon ceased instantly.
"The Reanimated body needs time to recover. Wait for the moment he begins to regenerate and use Yachihoko on him directly. Imprint the seal to protect Konoha," Kakashi instructed Hikari.
From what he had seen so far, this version of Hashirama Senju was nowhere near his prime. Otherwise, the scale of his initial Deep Forest Emergence would have been far greater. Had he been at full power, that one jutsu could have covered the entire Chunin Exams arena.
"Alright. Be careful," Hikari nodded to Kakashi.
Without another word, Kakashi turned to face the approaching Sakumo and the others. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted two more figures closing in rapidly.
It was Hayama Shirakumo and Orochimaru.
Seeing Orochimaru, Kakashi's eyes turned cold. Since you've decided to show up, you might as well die here. Orochimaru had crossed the line by going to such lengths to deal with him.
"Kakashi!"
"Watch out!"
Sakumo Hatake and Tobirama Senju had now reached Kakashi, launching a joint assault.
Water blades mingled with lightning; lightning intertwined with wind blades. The elemental conflict between Wind and Lightning was a non-issue for a master of both like Sakumo. Wind and Lightning were fused into a water blade, slashing toward Kakashi with terrifying momentum.
Sakumo and Tobirama's front-line combat styles were exceptionally compatible. After only two brief clashes with Kakashi earlier, the two had already realized this. Driven by the instincts of their bodies, they moved almost as one.
"Wind, Lightning, and Water?"
"Interesting."
Despite his father's warning, Kakashi's expression remained unchanged. He made a grasping motion with one hand, and a shimmering blade of chakra manifested in his palm. Water Style chakra, accelerated by Wind Style, flowed rapidly while the dazzling White Lightning coiled around the blade's edge.
Kakashi intended to use the exact same elements to crush Sakumo and Tobirama's joint attack head-on.
"Kakashi, kill me!" Sakumo cried out. "Knowing that you are married and have a child… I can die with no regrets!"
The water blades swirled violently, the lightning roared, and the hurricane howled. Under the combined efforts of Sakumo and Tobirama, the blade of water swelled to dozens of meters in length, looking as if it would tear the very sky asunder.
In this moment, Sakumo suppressed the indignation in his heart, praying for his son to end him.
Kakashi watched it all coldly. Compared to the massive joint attack from Sakumo and Tobirama, the chakra blade in his hand looked like a mere toothpick.
And yet…
He swung his blade all the same.
The water blade vanished. The thunder fell silent. The hurricane collapsed.
Sage Art: Rising Tiger — Water Style: Sea Splitter.
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