"This bastard… this bastard has been coveting my sister all along. I'll kill him!"
At last, Uchiha Madara came back to his senses, roaring with fury as he drew his blade.
"You filthy cur! Look at yourself in a mirror—do you think you're worthy of Izunai?!"
"Madara, what are you doing!"
Hashirama, who had been watching the drama unfold with delight, bright-eyed, rushed forward to restrain Uchiha Madara. "Have you forgotten what we said before? As shinobi, we never know when we might die…"
"If there's anything that can let us both live, it's only to be honest with each other, raise our cups, and become sworn brothers!"
"Isn't that exactly what we're seeing now? Madara, would you really try to stop this? No matter what, I don't ever want to meet you again on the battlefield!"
Uchiha Madara thrashed violently, intent on cutting down that damned blond—
No, the white-haired bastard—with a single stroke.
But the monstrous strength of the young Hashirama was not so easily broken free from.
"Hashirama, since you put it that way, I can give him a chance! But I'll tell you this—if that bastard Senju Tobirama is lying, then you must let me kill him with my own hands!"
Madara ceased struggling and spoke with grave seriousness to the young Hashirama. "You know I could never allow anyone to insult my sister! Didn't Senju Tobirama claim he's always been in love with Izunai, that he's been protecting her?"
"Fine then—let him prove it to me!"
"If he dares to say such things, then he must show the strength to match. Otherwise, his words are nothing but insults to Izunai—cowardly tricks born of fear of the Mangekyō Sharingan's power!"
Hashirama nodded slightly, but when he turned to Tobirama, worry clouded his eyes.
If his brother had spoken such words merely to stall for time, then it truly was far too much of an insult… Even Hashirama himself could not bring himself to persuade Madara to calm down.
Everyone in the shinobi world knew how much Izunai meant to Madara…
"There's no need to worry, Hashirama…"
Meeting his brother's troubled gaze, Tobirama nodded with composure, even giving Madara a faint smile. "Madara, you're absolutely right. I believe your demand is not excessive in the least…"
"If, in the battle to come with Izunai, I lose… then let Uchiha Madara kill me. As for you, Hashirama, you must lead the Senju clan to join the Uchiha. Hold no resentment toward anyone. I trust Madara will not mistreat you or the clan."
"My words are from the heart. I swear it upon the thousand-year honor of the Senju clan!" Tobirama solemnly patted the emblem on his chest and declared loudly.
A perfect reenactment of Kazuki's classic style—
The ultimate move: swearing upon a clan's honor.
Young Hashirama blinked in confusion, then nodded instinctively.
Wait—were those really words Tobirama could say?
Even Uchiha Madara was momentarily lost for words. Tobirama's vow was so absolute there was no flaw to pick at. All Madara could do was sneer coldly: "Hmph. Fine words—but still nothing more than a corpse's dying speech!"
Tobirama only smiled indifferently, turning his gaze toward Izunai, his tone gentle. "Senju Tobirama—please, grant me your guidance."
And her answer—
was the swift, merciless gleam of a blade!
Uchiha Izunai charged with all her might, intent on cutting through Tobirama's lies and hypocrisy!
The blade was sharp and merciless. The piercing sound of it slicing through the air alone was enough to make one feel phantom pain, as though their body had already been cut apart…
With her Mangekyō Sharingan awakened, Uchiha Izunai launched a full assault!
Through the extraordinary dynamic vision of her eyes, she locked tightly onto that Senju bastard's every move, the corner of her lips curving unconsciously into a cold smile.
The Mangekyō Sharingan's enhancement of its wielder was all-encompassing…
Not only the powerful dōjutsu and the divine might of Susanoo—opening the eyes also triggered a surge of chakra, strengthening an Uchiha in every aspect: ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu alike.
In her past battles against Senju Tobirama, Izunai had always believed the two of them were evenly matched, victory and defeat going both ways.
But now, with a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan in her eyes, how could that bastard Senju Tobirama possibly contend with her?
Izunai had made up her mind!
She knew full well that beneath Tobirama's demeanor, there had to be a massive scheme hidden… Otherwise, after learning that she had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, how could this insidious man have dared to speak so boldly?
Talking about being willing to gamble and lose, about letting Hashirama lead the Senju to join the Uchiha if he were to die…
How could such words possibly come from Senju Tobirama's mouth?
Even as the fire of battle burned strong within her, Izunai's meticulous mind bristled with vigilance, wary of Tobirama pulling some last-minute reversal.
Her blade slashed downward!
But Izunai's expression froze.
Tobirama hadn't even drawn a weapon, hadn't even formed a seal. With just a simple step back, timed with eerie precision, he slipped past her full-force strike!
"How frightening… As expected of a Mangekyō Uchiha—you've truly become as strong as a monster, haven't you?" Tobirama smiled faintly at the scowling Izunai, his voice calm with quiet praise: "Your speed, your strength, your accuracy—they're all far beyond what they were before…"
"Stop putting on an act, you bastard!" Izunai forced down the panic rising in her chest. She truly could not understand how Tobirama had evaded that last strike…
She had clearly locked onto his movements!
And yet, just as the blade was about to cut him down, this man exploded with terrifying speed in an instant, seeing straight through her assault. At the very brink of danger, he had slipped aside with a leisurely grace, avoiding her blow as though strolling through a garden…
Watching from the side, Uchiha Madara's expression darkened.
This was exactly like when an adult humored a child during sparring…
Only when the difference in strength was wide enough could someone afford to wait until the last moment to dodge like that. Even Madara had to admit to himself—when sparring with Izunai, he would never dare to be so careless!
"A coincidence. It must be a coincidence!" Madara ground his teeth, glaring daggers at Tobirama, as if by staring hard enough he could make the bastard drop dead the very next moment.
The young Hashirama, meanwhile, clapped his hands in genuine awe, unable to contain himself: "Amazing, Tobirama!"
"Don't make a sound!" Uchiha Madara suddenly barked at Hashirama beside him. "Don't interfere with the fight!"
"Oh…" The young Hashirama nodded reluctantly, muttering, "Alright then…"
Seeing him like this, Madara wondered if he had gone too far in snapping at his friend. With a sigh, he rubbed his brow helplessly. "Forget it. Shout if you want…"
"Go, Tobirama!" Hashirama immediately broke into a wide grin and cheered loudly.
Madara exhaled sharply, fixing his silent gaze on Izunai, quietly urging his sister on in his heart.
Before Tobirama and Izunai had even decided the outcome, Hashirama's airheaded nature had already stolen Madara's focus…
"Kill!"
Uchiha Izunai shouted fiercely, the patterns of her Mangekyō swirling wildly. The longblade in her hands swept out countless afterimages, each stroke radiating a killing intent that tore through the air, strike after relentless strike crashing down upon Tobirama.
"Excellent swordsmanship!"
Tobirama seemed like a different man entirely. Gone was the venomous opponent Izunai remembered—now he offered unreserved praise, his voice booming with admiration for her blade.
At the same time, his body swayed with ease, like an extreme surfer riding a fragile skiff atop towering waves, drifting gracefully amidst the storm.
One strike, two strikes, three strikes…
Muramasa carved the very air into ribbons with over a dozen sweeping blows, yet Tobirama remained untouched.
Every time, it was by the smallest margin. More than once her blade even grazed the sleeve of that bastard's robe!
But no matter how Izunai pushed herself, she couldn't close the gap…
Not once could she land a clean strike on Tobirama!
Frustration, panic, and disbelief surged within her chest. A terrible suspicion even began to creep into her mind—
Could it be… those times Senju Tobirama let my blade brush his sleeve, he slowed down on purpose? Just to keep me from despairing, so I'd keep pressing the attack?
[Emotional fluctuations in Uchiha Izunai detected. A certain amount of alien temporal aura has been extracted.]
[Your advanced techniques have been partially unlocked.]
With his basic techniques fully restored and some advanced ones unlocked, Tobirama's arsenal of Water Release, taijutsu, and most elemental ninjutsu were now functioning as they had before.
Aside from a handful of dark forbidden jutsu and secret arts, Tobirama could operate in this alternate timeline as normal.
"Tired of swinging yet?"
Tobirama's smile was calm as he looked at Izunai. Slowly, he said, "Izunai, you truly have grown stronger…"
"Don't call me Izunai! You bastard—add the family name when you speak to me!" Uchiha Izunai snapped, her pretty face flushed red with a storm of emotion. Her blade leveled at Tobirama, she roared: "Draw your weapon! Do you think I'm not worthy of you lifting a blade against me?!"
Watching her lose her composure, Tobirama let out a quiet chuckle.
Truth be told, compared to Uchiha Izuna's face—one that always made him want to land a punch—the woman before him, though she resembled him somewhat, was far easier on the eyes.
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