Hum hum hum!
An extremely bizarre energy appeared on the battlefield, causing the other three Kage to look stunned.
What kind of Forbidden Jutsu is Sarutobi preparing?
The aura is so cold and sinister.
But at this point, the other three Kage had no way to deal with Uchiha Madara. They could only stall him and wait for Sarutobi to unleash his move.
The three exchanged glances.
They immediately decided to release their ultimate moves in turn to buy time separately.
Every second stalled was a second gained.
"Earth Style: Golem Technique!"
Kitsuchi channeled chakra into the ground, causing the earth to shake violently as a colossal figure condensed from the ground.
A stone golem, appearing to be over ten meters tall, smashed towards Madara as soon as it appeared.
"..."
The Third Raikage and Third Kazekage were stunned.
Not because the stone golem was strong or not.
...Just this?
An ultimate move.
We wanted an ultimate move!
Not this mud-pinched clod of earth!
The two Kage felt slightly disappointed.
They thought that even if the Fourth Tsuchikage (implied future/acting) didn't inherit Particle Style, he should at least have a unique Kekkei Genkai, right?
But from beginning to end, it was all Earth Style, not even a compound Ninjutsu.
He's the worst Kage of any generation I've seen; after all, our third generation is all strong.
These thoughts lasted only for an instant.
Relying on a clod of earth couldn't effectively stop the opponent, so the Third Kazekage and Third Raikage attacked simultaneously!
"Lightning Style: Strongest Armor!"
"Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite!"
The Lightning Style Chakra Mode turned into materialized armor, the Third Raikage's strongest shield.
Although his right hand was torn apart by Madara, his left hand still turned five fingers into one!
Strongest Shield + Strongest Spear!
"Magnet Style: Iron Sand World Method!"
The Third Kazekage used iron sand to form large spikes in the air.
A dense iron sand barrier condensed in the sky and poured down.
"Boring..."
Their coordination was terrible. Madara spoke flatly.
Just as he was about to end the battle, a loud shout came from the distance.
"Madara, I'll save you!"
Rumble!
The moment the three Kage's moves were about to erupt, dozens of giant palms, tens of meters large, suddenly appeared from the ground around them!
The sky darkened!
Wood Style: Hotei Technique!
The suddenly appearing giant palms caused the bodies of the three Kage to stagnate.
"...Not good!"
The three were completely surrounded by the giant palms. Looking up, they saw all the palms crashing down boldly!
Controlling the giant palms at will, giving the three no chance to react at all!
Boom boom boom boom!!
Dozens of giant palms covered the three from all directions, smashing down repeatedly, and bursts of roaring echoed across the battlefield.
In an instant, the surrounding ground shattered.
It was estimated that except for the Third Raikage who might be alive, the Tsuchikage and Kazekage might have been smashed to pieces.
They fell too fast.
Leaving no chance to dodge.
Seeing the three submerged by the giant palms, Uchiha Madara's face turned dark.
"Hashirama!!"
"Hey hey, I'm coming, I'm coming."
Hashirama, who had finished suppressing Fukasaku and the other Spirit Beasts, sat on the head of the docile Garaga. Hanging from Garaga's tail were three shivering, shrunken snakes.
"Madara, those three killing moves were so scary. I saved your life, remember to treat me to dinner tonight."
This bastard.
Stealing kills!
Uchiha Madara wished he could beat Hashirama up.
At this moment.
An extremely cold and sinister aura swept across the field, attracting their attention.
Looking at the white-haired Sarutobi Hiruzen not far away with his hands clasped together, Hashirama murmured: "Little Monkey... has gotten so old."
Decades passed in the blink of an eye.
Everything changed with time, and their respective ideals and standpoints had completely changed.
But this was the final war truly leading to peace.
He could not be soft-hearted.
"In the end, he used this jutsu."
The fifty-something Sarutobi Hiruzen was not as frail as the 69-year-old version during the Chunin Exams in the original timeline.
But compared to the fatigue of his body, his heart was even more weary.
"First... Senju Hashirama!"
Seeing the living Hashirama arrive, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt incredibly complex emotions. The feelings suppressed for over a decade erupted again, and he shouted angrily: "Why?!"
"You were the First Hokage, the guardian deity of Konoha. Why join the Demon King's camp? Why destroy Konoha? Why!"
Sarutobi roared with a ferocious expression.
There were a hundred thousand "whys" he wanted to know.
Ever since the Sannin joined the Empire, he had been asking in the middle of the night.
Why on earth?!
Born in Konoha, raised in Konoha, and instilled with the Will of Fire to protect Konoha since childhood.
Yet despite such diligent cultivation.
They couldn't compare to an outsider they had only met a few times!
Even his former faith, the God of Shinobi, had become the Demon King's claw.
Sarutobi was heartbroken.
"Konoha..."
Mentioning Konoha, countless memories flashed through Hashirama's mind, and he immediately said in a deep voice: "For the Land of Fire to have no wars, for children to no longer go to the battlefield, that was the original intention of establishing Konoha!"
But Hashirama's dream was shattered.
The Ninja World was big, and there were too many ambitious people.
If no one suppressed the Ninja World with authority.
Only the cycle of brief peace and outbreaks of war would replay constantly, never stopping.
"Isn't that right? Human life is limited. What the older generation cannot complete, entrust hope to the future..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen became angrier as he spoke, roaring again: "But you are helping the Demon King destroy Konoha, destroy everything!"
"Put away your ridiculous remarks..." Uchiha Madara looked over coldly, arms crossed, and said indifferently: "Remember this!"
"The name 'Konoha', I came up with it."
"..."
Sarutobi's expression froze.
Did you think I didn't know?
At this point, it was all useless.
He didn't know how the final battlefield was going, but he absolutely couldn't let these two go to help.
At least!
At least he had to kill one of them!
Hum hum hum!
The cold and sinister aura thickened; that aura seemed to come from hell.
A massive phantom appeared behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, bizarre and eerie!
After murmuring, Hashirama frowned slightly: "...That jutsu! The Uzumaki Clan's Forbidden Jutsu!"
He didn't think the Uzumaki Clan would actively give a Forbidden Jutsu to Konoha, after all, it was the foundation of a clan.
At the very least.
Before he died, this jutsu was not in Konoha's Scroll of Seals.
After the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan, did Uzumaki Kushina bring it, or did Konoha... snatch it?
Or was it found in the Uzumaki ruins?
Or perhaps.
Did Mito give it to Konoha before she died?
Eh?
Why would I mention Mito?
Hashirama's brow twitched.
"This jutsu..."
Also having some understanding of this jutsu, Madara's interest rose a few notches.
Because Quincies are the natural enemies of Shinigami (Death Gods).
This jutsu happened to target the soul.
"Forbidden Jutsu: Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"
At this moment, the phantom behind Sarutobi became a bit more solid!
That green-faced, fanged white phantom emitted a dense aura of death, holding a knife in its mouth, surrounded by ghost fire!
If other ninjas approached, it would be enough to make their souls tremble.
"Interesting..."
Lucian, who was comprehending space-time on the throne in the main hall, also opened his eyes at this moment, looking through layers of obstacles.
A "Shinigami"!
Clearly a manifestation of the Uzumaki Clan's super-powerful sealing jutsu.
Yet it happens to have the existence of a Shinigami mask.
Of course, all the masks and such from the Uzumaki ruins were taken by Kushina over a decade ago.
But all sealed souls can be unsealed using the Shinigami mask.
However, sealing requires the caster's soul, and unsealing requires the caster to become a sacrifice. In the original timeline, after Orochimaru unsealed it, he directly abandoned his body and switched to a new one using Living Corpse Reincarnation.
"So, this Shinigami is merely a manifestation of the soul sealing form, a medium..."
Lucian felt slightly disappointed.
He really hoped the Shinigami was a Shinigami, that Shinigami had a clan, that Shinigami had...
Unfortunately, pure fantasy.
At the same time!
"Whoosh!"
Uchiha Madara shot a small Holy Destruction Arrow, directly piercing through the Shinigami.
Sarutobi was stunned, but seeing the Shinigami unharmed, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is that all?"
After sensing the Shinigami's aura, Uchiha Madara was also disappointed.
Can't you be a bit more powerful?
Like a Shinigami in a rage, coming from an unknown otherworld to kill him, dancing with him, fighting a great battle for three months and another three months.
Don't worry, I, Madara, can handle it!
But, it's really trash!
"Go to die!"
After sacrificing his soul, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately targeted Madara.
The green-faced, fanged Shinigami moved!
It drew the knife from its mouth extremely sharply, diving towards Madara, slashing down to cut off and devour Madara's soul.
Watch my Shinigami, instant kill!
One slash!
Sarutobi's eyes brightened suddenly!
Another slash!
Sarutobi's expression was slightly dazed.
Another slash, no, the Shinigami slashed repeatedly, as if addicted.
Making Sarutobi watch in bewilderment.
What's going on?
Uchiha Madara's soul.
Is it that hard to cut?
Hashirama was also curious: "Madara, are you okay? If it hurts, say it, I'll comfort you."
Uchiha Madara was speechless: "If an infant hits you with a small fist, would you feel anything?"
"...Small fist?"
Senju Hashirama looked at his hand, clenched his fist, and lightly punched Madara's shoulder: "Like this? How does my little punch feel?"
"Get lost!!"
Kicking Hashirama away.
Under Sarutobi's disbelieving gaze, Madara raised both hands and grabbed...
Grabbed the Shinigami?!
"Impossible?"
Sarutobi couldn't understand this scene.
It was one thing for the Shinigami not to hack the opponent to death, but the opponent had the mood to hit Hashirama and could grab the Shinigami with bare hands.
Sarutobi expressed that his worldview had collapsed.
Then what was the point of sacrificing his soul?
Performing a fancy suicide for the two of them?
Sarutobi: The Uzumaki Clan scammed me!
Kushina: I don't talk to idiots!
"Rip!"
Under Sarutobi's shocked gaze, Uchiha Madara pulled with both hands.
Directly tearing the Shinigami to shreds!
Extremely brutal!
This scene.
Made Sarutobi go cold all over.
Turns out the clown was me!
Thump!
The Shinigami was torn apart, and Sarutobi's soul also collapsed.
"Is this death..."
Sarutobi collapsed on the ground, his eyes full of despair and grief. Countless memories flooded his mind, finally turning into a murmur:
"Where tree leaves dance, one shall find flames... The shadow of the fire will illuminate the village... and... let new tree leaves sprout... When protecting the most precious people... a ninja's true strength will show..."
Returning Senju Hashirama listened quietly to Sarutobi's murmurs without speaking.
Seeming to sense Hashirama listening.
Sarutobi exhausted his last bit of strength to look back at Hashirama, his eyes full of pleading:
"Lord First... I beg you... let Konoha go!"
Hashirama still did not speak.
"..."
Sarutobi's eyes were instantly filled with pain and sadness, and he fell powerlessly, all his aura moving towards destruction.
At this moment.
"Little Monkey, rest assured."
Hashirama's voice drifted over. Before Sarutobi completely perished, he heard the four most beautiful words of his life.
"Konoha... lives forever!"
Third Hokage!
Sarutobi Hiruzen, dead!
Empire, Konoha Scenic Area, lives forever!
Uchiha Madara raised his eyebrows slightly: "I still don't understand what His Majesty meant by '5A Tourist Scenic Area'."
Hashirama rubbed his chin and said: "Literal meaning, I guess, a place for tourism."
"Then what about 5A?"
"It means surprise, right? Ah ah ah ah ah, listen, how surprised!"
"...Dirt."
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