Hashirama hesitated only a moment before speaking gravely. "Ryosuke, I'll say it once more. If you abandon that foolish dream of yours, we don't have to fight today. But if you persist, I will seal you. Using living people for experiments is unforgivable."
Ryosuke shrugged, voice casual. "They're just criminals and enemy shinobi. Not from our village. What's the harm?"
"You don't see it," Hashirama pressed. "Capture and slaughter shinobi from other villages, and their clans will never forgive Konoha. The hatred will live on. If one day the three of us are gone, how will the village withstand the fury of the Four Great Nations?"
That was his deepest fear. From the day Konoha was founded, Hashirama had sworn to protect it.
"Which is why we should do as I say—wipe out the four villages! Then Konoha will be safe. The whole shinobi world will be ours!" Ryosuke roared.
"Your path is wrong." Hashirama's eyes were cold. His old comrade was blinded by faith in violence.
"Ryosuke, do you remember when we were children, going on missions together? Back then, you were hardened by the fall of the Sato clan, but I believed you would change."
Ryosuke said nothing. In truth, he had arrived in this world after the Sato clan was already gone. He had never felt much attachment to them. Weak and untalented, he had lived in fear—until he discovered the Azure Dragon fruit and the undying body that made him unbreakable.
Hashirama spoke of extremism, but Ryosuke had only killed enemies to strengthen himself.
"There's no more to say. Today, you and I are destined to fight." His voice was ice. The bond between them shattered, Ryosuke now wanted only to prove that his way was the true way. Strength ruled, and the world belonged to the strong.
"I'm sorry, Ryosuke!"
BOOM! A vine lashed at him, but Ryosuke swung his spiked club, smashing it to splinters.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon!"
A massive dragon of timber erupted from the ground, jaws wide to devour him. Ryosuke smashed a fist into its head, already knowing the outcome, while Hashirama wove more seals.
"Wood Release: Birth of the World of Trees!"
The earth split as forests surged skyward, a sea of trunks enclosing Ryosuke and even Madara within.
Ryosuke scowled. "So this is how it is? Bully me because my attacks are for single targets? I don't have any wide-scale techniques?" He hacked apart lunging trees, teeth gritted in frustration.
"Fire Release: Majestic Flame Annihilation!"
Madara's flames roared to life, a sea of fire washing through Hashirama's wooden domain.
When the smoke cleared, three figures stood upon the trees. Even against two gods of Konoha, Ryosuke remained unscathed.
The sight made Madara grit his teeth. Nothing enraged him more than being looked down upon, yet Ryosuke taunted him again and again, reminding him of his defeats at Hashirama's hands.
"What terrifying power. To have such a kekkei genkai… I want it," muttered a Cloud elite in awe.
"Invulnerable to blades and fire… who wouldn't envy that?"
"These three from Konoha… how could we ever resist them?" another whispered, staring at Hashirama's forests, Madara's infernos, and Ryosuke's unyielding figure.
If Hashirama had embraced Ryosuke's vision and unified the world, could the other villages have resisted at all?
Madara's patience broke. He lunged forward, fist swinging. From behind, Hashirama's attack came as well, a perfect pincer.
Ryosuke frowned, slipping away in a flash. He could not be hurt, but every clash drained his stamina. If he let them wear him down, Hashirama would seal him without hesitation.
"What speed!" the First Raikage muttered, brows furrowed. He realized bitterly that Ryosuke had not even fought him at full strength.
In taijutsu, aside from the three of Konoha, none could compare. And to be dismissed as nothing more than fodder burned his pride raw.