The air in the battlefield grew unbearably heavy.
The moment Kakashi collapsed on one knee, the attention of everyone present shifted toward the two men who were about to clash.
On one side stood Indra Uchiha — the cold, merciless avenger, his crimson Sharingan glowing ominously, his Kusanagi sword humming faintly with power. His figure was still and calm, as though nothing in the battle so far had tested him in the slightest. His dark expression was tinged with arrogance, his lips curved into a mocking smirk as if daring the world to resist him.
On the other stood the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Though his back was slightly hunched with age, and though his wrinkled face bore the marks of years gone by, the aura radiating from him was sharp, iron-like, unyielding. His staff rested in his hands, and his eyes burned not with fear but with conviction.
The Third Hokage's chakra surged outward, filling the area like a tidal wave. The ANBU shifted uneasily under the crushing pressure, but they did not retreat. Instead, they stepped forward, forming a defensive circle, prepared to support their leader at any moment.
Danzo, standing at a safe distance, narrowed his eyes. His lips pressed together tightly under his bandages as he watched the unfolding confrontation. Yes… yes, this is it. Let them clash. Let Hiruzen fight with all he has against this Uchiha monster. In their destruction, I will find my opening. After tonight, the Hokage's title will finally be mine.
Indra smirked, tilting his sword forward, the crimson glow of his eyes locking onto the aging Hokage.
"So, the so-called God of Shinobi stands before me," Indra said in a voice filled with disdain. "Hiruzen Sarutobi… the man who claims to hold the Will of Fire. Let's see if that flame can withstand my blade."
Hiruzen's jaw tightened, but his voice rang clear, filled with the authority of decades spent leading the village.
"You may mock the Will of Fire, Indra Uchiha," the Third Hokage said firmly. "But you will never understand it. It is not a bloodline. It is not a technique. It is the trust and the bond of those who stand beside me. That trust gives me strength — and with that strength, I will protect this village, even against you!"
At his words, the ANBU took one step forward, their weapons gleaming under the dim light, their presence like an unspoken affirmation of their Hokage's words.
The Third Hokage allowed himself a small smile. "Do you see? This is the Will of Fire. Their belief is my strength."
Indra chuckled darkly, raising his Kusanagi sword. Chakra surged into the blade, igniting it with fire that hissed and crackled, wrapping the sword in flames that danced with malevolent beauty.
"Belief? Trust?" Indra's voice dripped with contempt. "In front of true power, all belief, all trust, all ideals… will be turned to dust."
And with that, the battle began.
The Clash Begins
Hiruzen moved first. His hands blurred through seals with speed and precision born from mastery. He inhaled sharply and exhaled with a roar.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
A massive dragon-shaped stream of fire erupted from his mouth, surging forward with heat so intense it melted the earth where it passed. The fire dragon roared toward Indra, illuminating the battlefield with blinding light.
But Indra was unfazed. He raised his sword, already wreathed in fire chakra, and swung downward.
The flaming Kusanagi cut through the fiery dragon head-on. The clash of fire against fire exploded in a deafening boom, scattering sparks across the battlefield. The ground trembled under the sheer force of the collision, cracks spreading out like veins.
The ANBU shielded their faces, eyes wide at the sheer scale of destructive force. Even Kakashi, still kneeling, felt his chest tighten from the impact of that single exchange.
Indra smirked. "Is that all, old man?"
But the Hokage wasn't done. His hands blurred again, faster than most eyes could follow.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
The ground surged upward, forming a massive dragon head of earth and stone. Its maw opened, spewing a barrage of hardened mud projectiles at terrifying speed.
At the same time, Hiruzen's voice rang again, almost seamlessly overlapping.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
From thin air, water coalesced into the shape of a towering dragon, which roared and surged forward beside the earth dragon's attack.
The two colossal elemental beasts, one of earth and one of water, rushed Indra together, a display of mastery that only the Professor of Ninjutsu could achieve.
Indra narrowed his eyes, fire crackling along his blade. He swung upward, unleashing an arc of fire chakra that cut into the incoming barrage. Explosions thundered across the battlefield as water, earth, and fire collided in chaotic brilliance. Mud hissed into steam, rocks shattered into fragments, and waves of heat and mist enveloped the area.
The ground shook violently.
ANBU staggered back from the force, their eyes wide. "This power… Hokage-sama and Indra… they're on another level!"
Danzo's eyes glinted coldly. Yes… exhaust yourself, Hiruzen. Spend every ounce of your chakra on this fight. When you fall, the title of Hokage will be mine to claim.
But Hiruzen was not slowing down.
"Hmph!" The Third Hokage slammed his hands together. "Summoning Jutsu!"
Smoke burst open, and from it emerged a tall, muscular monkey with fierce, intelligent eyes and white fur — the Monkey King, Enma.
"Enma!" Hiruzen shouted. "We're facing a dangerous opponent. Lend me your strength!"
The monkey growled deeply, baring his teeth at Indra. "So, this is the Uchiha brat causing all this chaos. Very well, old friend."
Enma's body twisted and transformed in a flash of smoke, turning into the Adamantine Staff. The black staff landed firmly in Hiruzen's hands, glowing with indestructible might.
Indra tilted his head slightly, his Sharingan glimmering. "Interesting… so you bring out your partner. Let's see if that staff can withstand my flames."
Hiruzen's staff extended forward, growing in length instantly. The Adamantine Staff shot like a spear toward Indra's chest. Indra swung his flaming Kusanagi against it, the two weapons colliding in a blinding burst of sparks.
The shockwave of the clash ripped through the ground, toppling weakened trees and sending dust spiraling into the air.
Hiruzen pressed forward, his staff extending and retracting with impossible speed, sweeping, stabbing, striking. Each movement was sharp, refined, perfected through decades of combat experience. The Adamantine Staff cracked the ground with every strike, its sheer force enough to pulverize stone.
But Indra met each blow head-on with his Kusanagi. Sparks danced, fire flared, and steel screamed against enchanted adamantine. Indra's movements were precise, his Sharingan tracking every micro-motion of Hiruzen's attacks. He deflected, countered, and pressed forward, his flaming sword carving arcs of light into the night.
The battlefield was alive with their clash.
Suddenly, Hiruzen leapt backward, forming seals mid-air.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
At the same time—
"Water Release: Water Wall!"
Flames roared forward while a massive barrier of water surged up behind Indra, enclosing him in a deadly trap of fire and water.
The ANBU gasped. "Hokage-sama is using combination jutsu!"
Indra only smirked. He swung his flaming sword in a wide arc, unleashing a shockwave of fire that split the fire dragon in half and evaporated the water wall into steam. The explosion of heat blanketed the field, sending waves of hot air blasting outward.
The ANBU staggered, shielding themselves. Even Danzo narrowed his eyes at the sight.
Kakashi, struggling to stay conscious, muttered weakly, "Unbelievable… he's cutting through Hokage-sama's strongest combinations with just his sword…"
But Hiruzen's expression was firm. His hands formed seals again, relentless.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A massive wall of rock erupted upward, shielding him from Indra's approaching flames.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
The wall collapsed into a torrent of water shaped like a dragon, which lunged toward Indra with crushing force.
But Indra stepped forward, his Sharingan spinning. He infused his sword with more fire chakra until it glowed white-hot. With one slash, he cleaved through the water dragon, turning it into boiling mist.
The ground quaked under the sheer ferocity of their duel.
The ANBU could only watch in awe and fear. "This power… this isn't a battle. This is a storm given form."
Danzo clenched his fist tightly. His heart pounded, but his eyes remained cold. Yes… let it continue. Let them destroy one another. Only then will my path open.
Indra stood calmly amidst the chaos, fire licking along his blade. His smirk widened.
"Not bad, old man," he said mockingly. "You've lasted longer than I thought. But in the end, it won't matter. Against true power, your will, your bonds, your ideals… are nothing."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "We shall see."
Their battle was far from over.
The battlefield was no longer just a battlefield.
It had become a living nightmare — earth shattering under explosions, fire illuminating the night sky like a second sun, steam rising in choking waves, and shockwaves rumbling like thunder across the forest. The clash between Indra Uchiha and Hiruzen Sarutobi was so immense that even the ANBU, seasoned elite warriors, could barely keep their footing as they observed.
And yet, amidst the chaos, Indra's stance never wavered. His chest did not heave, his breath was calm, his crimson Sharingan glowed with frightening composure. In contrast, the Third Hokage's chest rose and fell heavily, sweat dripping from his brow, though his eyes blazed with determination.
"Indra Uchiha!" Hiruzen's voice thundered above the destruction, the Adamantine Staff gleaming in his hands. "This village is not yours to trample! The Will of Fire burns within every shinobi here, and I am its protector. You will not prevail!"
With a furious roar, Hiruzen slammed the Adamantine Staff into the ground. The earth cracked, and with lightning speed he formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
A roaring dragon of fire erupted forward. But even before the flame touched Indra, Hiruzen's hands blurred again.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
The fire dragon merged seamlessly with an earth dragon, molten mud raining forward like volcanic lava. And even before that fell, Hiruzen's seals continued.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A massive torrent of water surged forth, cooling and hardening the molten mud into jagged projectiles mid-flight, creating a storm of stone and fire shards.
The ANBU gasped. "Triple combination attack!"
Even Kakashi, barely conscious, forced his weary eyes to witness. So this is… Hokage-sama's true skill. His control, his mastery… unmatched.
But Indra did not flinch.
He stepped forward, chakra surging into his blade until the Kusanagi glowed with an intense white-hot flame. He swung the sword in a sweeping arc, sending a shockwave of fire that split through the triple-elemental storm like a blade cutting silk.
The shards melted, the torrent evaporated, and the battlefield erupted with a deafening explosion.
When the smoke cleared, Indra still stood — calm, untouched.
His smirk deepened. "Is this what you call the Will of Fire? It burns bright, but flames are easily extinguished."
Hiruzen charged, Adamantine Staff extending forward at blinding speed. Indra met it with his flaming sword.
Clang!
The weapons collided, sparks scattering like fireflies. The staff retracted and extended again, striking from multiple angles, each blow carrying enough force to crack mountains. But Indra's Sharingan tracked every motion. His Kusanagi slashed, parried, redirected — the clash of enchanted adamantine and fire-infused steel creating shockwaves that tore through the ground.
Enma's voice growled from the staff. "Hiruzen, this boy… his reflexes are beyond anything I've ever seen!"
"I know," Hiruzen replied between strikes, his face grim. "But we cannot falter!"
Strike after strike, the battlefield echoed with the deafening clang of their weapons. The ANBU could barely follow the speed. To them, it seemed like blurs of light colliding, sparks and shockwaves marking each impact.
But still, Indra remained unbothered. Calm. Unflinching.
Hiruzen suddenly leapt high, hands flashing through seals.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
He hurled a barrage of shuriken that multiplied into hundreds mid-air, descending upon Indra like a rainstorm of steel.
Indra only smirked, swinging his sword once in a wide arc. Fire chakra exploded outward, incinerating the entire storm of shuriken in a single sweep.
The Hokage followed immediately.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Water Release: Water Wall!"
The massive fire dragon surged forward, concealed by a wall of water that split into droplets, refracting the flames into dozens of fiery streams — a deadly rainstorm of fire.
Indra raised his blade, his Sharingan glowing brightly. He infused the Kusanagi with a torrent of fire chakra, then thrust forward.
A massive wave of fire chakra exploded from his blade, meeting the incoming fiery rain. The two infernos collided, erupting into a colossal explosion that shook the entire forest.
The ANBU shielded themselves, shouting in disbelief.
"This power… it's not even human!"
As the flames died down, Indra stepped forward, unscathed.
One of the ANBU whispered in shock, "He's not even tired…"
Another clenched his fists. "But Hokage-sama… he's holding on. He's fighting with everything he has!"
Danzo, standing in the distance, watched coldly, his single eye glimmering with ambition. Yes… fight harder, Hiruzen. Spend all your chakra. When you collapse, I will step into your place. The seat of Hokage will finally be mine.
His gaze shifted briefly to Indra. And as for you, Uchiha brat… your arrogance will be your downfall. One way or another, I will see you destroyed.
Indra raised his blade again, flames dancing along its length. His voice was steady, filled with cruel amusement.
"You've shown me your tricks, old man. Five elements, combination techniques, enchanted staff, even the Will of Fire… and yet, here I stand, calm, unscathed, unbothered."
His Sharingan gleamed dangerously as he took a step forward.
"In front of true power… everything else is dust."
He slashed his sword, sending a wave of fire chakra that scorched the ground, leaving molten lines across the battlefield.
Hiruzen countered, slamming his staff into the earth.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A massive stone wall erupted to block the flames, but the fiery wave tore through it like paper, forcing Hiruzen to leap aside.
The ANBU cried out, but the Third Hokage's landing was firm, his staff spinning back into position. His chest heaved, but his eyes never wavered.
Indra tilted his head, watching. "Still standing? Impressive. But for how long?"
Their weapons met again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Adamantine Staff extended and struck, Indra's flaming Kusanagi slashed and parried. Sparks lit the battlefield, shockwaves tore through the ground, fire and stone clashed endlessly.
The ANBU could only watch, awe etched into their masked faces. Even Itachi, injured and weak, forced his eyes open to witness the clash. His breath hitched at the sight. So this is… Indra Uchiha's true power…
Hiruzen's strikes grew heavier, his chakra flaring with every blow, his staff moving like a storm. But Indra, calm and unshaken, blocked every strike, his smirk unchanging.
Finally, with one devastating swing, Indra sent Hiruzen flying backward, crashing into the earth, dust and rubble scattering.
The Hokage coughed, his chest heaving, his staff trembling in his hands. But he pushed himself up, eyes blazing with determination.
"This fight… is far from over!"
Indra smirked, lowering his blade, fire still burning along its edge.
"Good. I'd hate for the so-called Hokage to fall too quickly."
The air grew heavier again. The ground shook under the pressure of their chakra. The clash of titan and prodigy was far from over.
The ANBU watched, trembling. Danzo's cold eyes glimmered. Itachi's heart pounded.
And Indra's calm smirk promised only destruction.