"If Indra and Ashura already possess this level of power, they may even rival Hamura," the Old Man murmured, his voice filled with shock and deep wistfulness. The lineage of Hagoromo was indeed stronger than that of Hamura. They were truly worthy descendants of the Six Paths Sage.
The battle between Indra and Ashura raged on, causing the earth to tremble continuously. After watching for a while, the Old Man turned his attention away. Hamura's final testament was to guard the body and prevent its return to the surface. This was how Hamura's descendants protected the world. The testament also strictly forbade interfering in the wars of the surface, even if those fighting were Hamura's own nephews.
"Garuda, it's time. We should head back," the Old Man said. From beginning to end, he never specified where they were returning to. With Isamu present, he could not reveal that secret. Isamu, having read the original story, naturally understood he meant the moon, but he wisely kept silent to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.
Garuda gave Isamu one last reluctant look. However, when she met his steady, confident gaze, a sense of peace washed over her. She believed they would reunite. Even if it took a very long time, that small spark of hope was enough.
"Isamu… goodbye," she said softly, her voice heavy with sorrow.
"Remember my promise, Garuda. As soon as I return, I will come for you as quickly as possible."
Isamu watched as Garuda and the others transformed into streaks of starlight and vanished into the sky. He let out a quiet sigh. With this, he had almost no regrets left in this era. All that remained was to wait for the battle between Indra and Ashura to conclude and see whether the space-time portal would open.
"Give up, Indra. Even with your increased power, you still aren't my match!" Ashura pressed his hands together firmly. Countless tree roots surged forward like a tidal wave, slamming into Indra's Susanoo. With the Tailed Beast power sealed by Isamu, Ashura had been forced to rely on Sage Mode chakra. Yet even while using Sage Mode, the characteristic facial markings did not appear on his face. This was the perfect form of Sage Mode. Empowered by it, Ashura's strength surged dramatically. Combining the tree roots with Wood Dragon and Wood Golem techniques, he overwhelmed Indra.
Despite his confident words, Ashura was not nearly as relaxed as he appeared. After such a prolonged, high-intensity battle, he was breathing heavily, with sweat streaming down his forehead.
"Shut up," Indra replied, standing on the forehead of his Susanoo. He was slightly hunched over, eyes narrowed. "In my battles, there has never been such a thing as 'giving up'!" His chest rose and fell rapidly, showing he was in no better condition than Ashura. Even his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, praised for its near-infinite pupil power, throbbed painfully, and his chakra reserves were nearly depleted.
Ashura's anger flared at the response. Looking at the devastated landscape around them, a wave of sadness washed over him. This once-vast continent spanning thousands of miles had been sunk and turned into a massive ocean. Countless innocent lives had been lost in the catastrophe. If the battle continued like this, he feared the entire world might be destroyed.
"Since you refuse to surrender, don't blame me for using lethal force. Indra, prepare yourself!" Ashura clapped his hands together forcefully. A massive surge of chakra erupted from him.
Sage Art: Wood Release — True Several Thousand Hands!
The Wood Golem pressed its palms together and slowly sat down. A colossal Buddha statue with thousands of hands sprouting from its back rose into the sky. Enhanced by Sage Mode, the True Several Thousand Hands reached an astonishing 1,200 meters in height.
"This move again… It's finally here!" Indra looked up at the towering figure. The overwhelming pressure made his clenched fists tremble. This technique had shattered his resolve multiple times before, leaving a deep shadow in his heart. But he was Indra—the embodiment of power and a born warrior. Today, he would break that shadow and prove himself once and for all.
"I, Indra, can lose to anyone. I can be defeated by anyone. But you, Ashura… I refuse to lose to you!" By severing his last mental retreat regarding his younger brother and shattering the shadow cast by the True Several Thousand Hands, Indra finally broke through his limits. His power reached an unprecedented peak. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye vanished, replaced by a Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan with concentric circles. As he broke through, his Susanoo instantly grew to match the 1,200-meter height of the wooden Buddha and transformed into a two-faced, four-armed Asura form.
"It's finally here," Isamu whispered, standing up quickly. This was the legendary first decisive battle between the ancestors of the Uchiha and Senju clans. He didn't want to miss a single detail.
Top Transformed Buddha!
Though stunned by Indra's new Rinnegan, Ashura knew he could not hold back. He activated the technique, sending countless giant wooden hands surging forward.
Rinnegan Slash!
Indra held nothing back either. Drawing on the full power of his Rinnegan, he poured every last drop of chakra and most of his life force into the attack. The Susanoo's four arms each wielded a blade, unleashing a storm of energy slashes.
"Ashura!"
"Brother!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Their ultimate attacks collided with devastating force. Massive waves exploded upward, obscuring the two giants. The already trembling earth shook even more violently, as if the apocalypse had arrived, while heavy rain began to pour from the sky.
The five-minute-long desperate clash finally ended. The earth gradually stopped trembling. Isamu knew the battle was over, but he couldn't yet tell who had won. As the waves slowly receded, the two towering giants vanished.
Indra appeared on the surface of the sea, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi in hand, walking unsteadily toward Isamu.
"Are you alright, Indra?!" Isamu hurried forward to support him, his voice filled with concern.
The once proud and high-spirited Indra now looked utterly disheveled. His powerful aura of vitality had vanished. His clothes were torn to rags, and the regal presence he once carried was gone, leaving him looking like an ordinary man. Isamu could sense that Indra had reached the brink of exhaustion, with almost no life energy remaining. The only thing keeping him on his feet was sheer willpower.
Soon after, Ashura also dragged his battered body toward them. Though he had suffered severe injuries, his body still retained some vitality. His Sage body continuously worked to support him.
Looking at the two of them, the outcome was clear: Indra had ultimately been defeated.