Uchiha Madara, observing through the genjutsu link, couldn't help but smirk.
> "Originally, I had some expectations… wondering if Senju Tobirama's disciple might prove impressive. But it seems he's merely ordinary. How dull."
"You bastard!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened instantly.
Even if he couldn't compare to the First Hokage's godlike power or the Second Hokage's ingenious techniques, he was still the Third Hokage—once hailed as the God of Shinobi in his own right. To be dismissed so easily by a boy possessed by Madara's will was an insult beyond measure.
His grip on the Adamantine Staff tightened. His eyes hardened, the hesitation in them fading.
> "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Hiruzen's hands flashed through seals, combining Earth and Fire in one seamless chain. Twin dragons—one of molten flame and the other of solid earth—coiled forward in tandem.
The ground erupted, fire roaring through the debris, creating a blazing inferno aimed straight at Yagura Karatachi.
As the Professor of Ninjutsu, Hiruzen had mastered all Five Chakra Natures; compound techniques like this were his hallmark.
> "Tch."
Yagura—no, Madara—snorted in disdain. Holding his coral staff in one hand, he weaved a single seal with the other.
> "Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
The ocean itself seemed to rise at his command.
A towering tsunami surged forward, engulfing both of Hiruzen's dragons as though they were mere candles before a storm.
Steam exploded upward as fire met water, hissing violently before being smothered completely.
Hiruzen's eyes widened.
> "This Water Release… it's nearly on par with Lord Tobirama's level!"
A flicker of disbelief crossed his face. He'd known Yagura was the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki—but this level of chakra output was monstrous.
> "Am I truly getting old?" he muttered bitterly.
He barely had time to think.
> "What are you standing there thinking about?"
Yagura's voice came from his side—cold, cutting.
"Not good!"
Hiruzen reacted instantly, swinging the Adamantine Staff to his flank.
> CLANG!
The impact was tremendous. The sheer strength behind Yagura's blow sent shockwaves through Hiruzen's arms, numbing them. He was flung backward, sliding dozens of meters across the soaked battlefield.
> "Hiruzen! What kind of monster are you fighting this time?!"
Enma's voice rang with disbelief. Even with his adamantine body, the Monkey King felt the strain—his indestructible form creaked under the force.
> "How should I know the Mizukage was this powerful?!"
Hiruzen gritted his teeth, his sandals digging into the wet earth as he steadied himself.
> "Ninja Art: Coral Palm!"
Yagura's form blurred, reappearing beside Hiruzen in an instant. His hand glowed with coralized chakra that spread like infection wherever it touched.
"Damn it!"
Hiruzen barely managed to parry again, deflecting the attack with Enma's staff. The ground around them shattered under the pressure of their clash.
> "Be serious," Yagura's voice taunted coldly. "Didn't Senju Tobirama teach you never to get distracted in battle?"
"You—!"
Hiruzen wanted to retort, but Yagura was already upon him again, leaving him no room for words.
Each exchange drove him further back. Despite his skill, his stamina and chakra reserves were fading fast, while Yagura's power—bolstered by Isobu's chakra and Madara's combat instincts—seemed endless.
> "Your seniority isn't even as high as mine," Hiruzen muttered between strikes. "Why do you keep lecturing me like some ancient elder?"
If not for the chaos of the battle, he would've started cursing outright.
---
Elsewhere, the battlefield was ablaze with combat.
Hōzuki Gengetsu, commanding the Mist's elite, locked blades with Uchiha Fugaku.
Glancing at the distant clash between Hiruzen and Yagura, Gengetsu sneered.
> "It seems your Third Hokage isn't much after all. Our Mizukage-sama is toying with him!"
> "Hmph. The true victor hasn't been decided yet."
Fugaku's tone was cold, his Sharingan spinning with fury.
Truth be told, watching Hiruzen falter stirred bitter satisfaction within him.
> "What's wrong, Hokage-sama?" he murmured mockingly under his breath. "Weren't you always powerful when it came to suppressing the Uchiha Clan?"
Now, seeing the man struggle on the real battlefield, the hypocrisy was impossible to ignore.
> "Strongest Hokage in history? Don't make me laugh," Fugaku spat inwardly. "You're the weakest."
Gengetsu's grin widened, twirling his flatfish blade.
> "Let's see if your Sharingan can keep up, boy!"
Their clash continued until the sky dimmed to orange and the sun dipped beyond the horizon.
Finally, as if by silent agreement, both sides withdrew.
The battle paused—not because either side had achieved victory, but because both had reached their limits.
---
When the dust settled, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood among the wounded, his robes torn, his chakra nearly depleted.
He hadn't been defeated outright—but only because Yagura, under Madara's control, had chosen to stop.
The Mizukage remained eerily calm, not a single scratch marring his young face.
> "If this fight continued," Hiruzen admitted silently, "I would have been the one to fall."
For reasons unknown, Yagura had suddenly ordered a retreat.
Perhaps Madara had seen enough.
---
The Uchiha Clan had suffered the heaviest casualties. Nearly every member bore wounds, and several had fallen.
Yet, for once, the civilian and other-clan ninja of Konoha—long resentful of the Uchiha—couldn't help but feel reluctant admiration. The Sharingan warriors had fought with ferocity and discipline that turned the tide again and again.
Hiruzen noticed it too.
For now, he needed the Uchiha Clan's strength. He could not afford division within Konoha's ranks—not yet.
Still, the social rift was far from mended.
The Uchiha's arrogance kept others distant, while the rest of Konoha's ninja remained wary, shaped by years of distrust and fear.
The air in the camp was heavy with tension, fatigue, and unspoken resentment.
---
Later that night, within the command tent, Hiruzen approached Uchiha Fugaku, his face lined with exhaustion but softened by sincerity.
> "Fugaku… thank you. For everything today."
He rarely praised the Uchiha Clan, but this time, the gratitude was genuine.
Fugaku stood tall, armor scorched and blade at his side, his face expressionless.
> "Hokage-sama," he said formally. "We did what any shinobi of Konoha would do. This is for the sake of the village."
His tone was respectful—but distant.
Even so, in that brief exchange, both men silently acknowledged the same truth:
They were allies for now… but trust was a fragile thing in Konoha.
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