"So this is... the Hokage's power..."
Tsume sat astride her shinobi hound, raising her head to stare at the towering golden giant standing in the distance.
Hiashi immediately activated the penetrating vision of his Byakugan, allowing him to witness Kiyohara's Perfect Susanoo the instant it appeared.
"So this... is the power of the Uchiha..."
At that moment, Hiashi felt an immense sense of relief. Fortunately, he had already decided that his daughter would become Kiyohara's disciple.
Power on this level was truly breathtaking.
This time, the Hyuga Clan had chosen the correct side.
Hiashi was not the only one who witnessed the scene.
Using the unparalleled perception of his Sharingan, Fugaku also saw Kiyohara's Perfect Susanoo.
His brows slowly furrowed.
A Perfect Susanoo of such overwhelming size...
He simply could not produce anything remotely comparable.
So how had Kiyohara accomplished it?
And why had his eyesight not deteriorated?
Fugaku could not make sense of it no matter how much he thought about the matter.
Could the difference between one Uchiha and another truly be this enormous?
He understood the current state of the clan better than anyone.
At present, only three members of the Uchiha Clan possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Shisui.
Kiyohara.
And himself.
Based on that alone, Kiyohara should not have been able to escape the curse of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
At that moment, Fugaku found himself caught in exactly the same confusion as Obito.
Meanwhile, Obito, who stood directly before Kiyohara's Perfect Susanoo, felt the oppressive pressure more intensely than anyone else.
"Nine Tails."
Obito spoke calmly.
"Continue attacking."
The Nine Tails opened its massive jaws.
Deep within its throat, chakra rapidly condensed once again.
But this time, before the Tailed Beast Bomb could fully take shape, the enormous golden warrior had already moved.
Under Kiyohara's control, the Susanoo raised its right fist and drove it straight into the Nine Tails' abdomen.
BOOM!
The gathering Tailed Beast Bomb was shattered before completion.
Immediately afterward, Kiyohara commanded the Perfect Susanoo to swing its gigantic chakra sword toward the Nine Tails.
Unable to evade in time, the beast suffered multiple deep wounds.
Its crimson flesh split open as blood and muscle rolled outward, exposing raw tissue to the air.
Steam rose from the edges of the wounds while its powerful regenerative ability slowly began repairing the damage.
The fresh injuries instinctively filled the Nine Tails with fury.
Throwing back its head, it let out an earth-shaking roar.
Its howl pierced through the barrier surrounding the battlefield and echoed throughout the entire Hidden Leaf Village.
Even the civilians who had already been evacuated to underground shelters instinctively covered their ears.
I can't keep taking hits like this.
The thought flashed through Obito's mind as he immediately ordered the Nine Tails to charge.
The colossal fox planted all four limbs firmly into the ground.
Its forepaws blasted four enormous craters into the earth.
Broken rocks flew in every direction, smashing into distant walls and leaving countless dents behind.
Kiyohara calmly controlled the Susanoo.
The massive golden sword swept horizontally.
It traced a perfect semicircle through the air, leaving behind a brilliant golden afterimage.
At the same time, the Mangekyo Sharingan within Kiyohara's eyes slowly rotated.
Dark flames suddenly wrapped around the blade.
Amaterasu.
In an instant, countless black flames filled Obito's vision before crashing down alongside the sword toward the Nine Tails.
Boom!
The Nine Tails was struck by overwhelming force and sent flying.
Its enormous body rolled through the air several times before crashing back down.
However, the black flames had already spread from the sword onto its fresh wounds.
The eternal fire burned upon its crimson fur with sharp hissing sounds.
The Nine Tails panted heavily.
The flames continuously devoured its flesh, and even Obito, standing atop its head, could feel the blistering heat.
Looking down at the black flames engulfing the Nine Tails, the eye hidden beneath his mask narrowed slightly.
Amaterasu.
Obito recognized the fire immediately.
During the Warring States Era, an Uchiha had once possessed this very dojutsu.
It was hailed as the flames born from the center of the sun.
Legend claimed they would never extinguish until everything within the user's line of sight had been reduced to ashes.
Even torrential rain lasting seven days and seven nights could not put them out.
But Obito also knew its weakness.
He crouched down and pressed one hand firmly against the Nine Tails' thick fur.
His fingers sank deep into its coat.
Drawing upon the beast's chakra, he caused a translucent layer of bubbling Tailed Beast Chakra to emerge over its body.
The chakra flowed outward from within the Nine Tails like an entirely new layer of skin, covering its original fur.
The black flames were gradually pushed upward by the newly formed chakra layer until they separated from the fur itself.
At the same time, the crimson chakra contaminated by the black flames slowly peeled away from the Nine Tails like a discarded outer shell.
The blazing chakra fell to the ground.
Once the chakra had completely burned away, the black flames disappeared with it.
During the entire process, the Nine Tails' pupils trembled slightly.
For the briefest instant...
Its consciousness became a little clearer.
It looked down upon Konoha.
It saw the countless humans in the distance, packed together like tiny ants.
Immediately, it realized the truth.
It was under the control of genjutsu.
Someone was using it as though it were merely a summoned beast.
"Damn Uchiha!"
The Nine Tails violently shook its head, attempting to throw Obito from its back.
Throughout its thousand year existence, only the Sharingan's genjutsu had ever been capable of suppressing it so completely.
"Behave yourself."
Obito immediately cast another genjutsu upon the Nine Tails.
The fox's eyes became vacant once more.
Watching the scene, Kiyohara's expression shifted ever so slightly.
He had no intention of giving the Nine Tails even a moment to recover.
The patterns within his Mangekyo Sharingan changed once again.
This time...
A different dojutsu technique.
Naraku Yomotsu.
Kiyohara's gaze settled upon the Nine Tails.
Invisible Yin Release chakra poured from his eyes and pierced directly into the deepest recesses of the Nine Tails' consciousness.
The Nine Tails' entire body suddenly froze.
Its pupils contracted violently until they became almost nothing more than thin slits.
Then they expanded until they nearly filled the entire eye.
Within those crimson vertical pupils...
Another figure appeared.
A man's back.
Long black hair flowed in the wind.
Red armor reflected the cold moonlight.
His crimson eyes slowly turned as the Mangekyo Sharingan spun within them.
Uchiha Madara.
The Nine Tails remembered that man.
A chill seeped into its very bones.
The days when Madara treated it like nothing more than a summoned beast remained the most humiliating memories of its long life.
And now...
Every one of those memories had returned.
Fear surged from the deepest part of its consciousness.
It completely engulfed the Nine Tails.
Its gigantic body began trembling uncontrollably.
Ordinarily, remembering Madara filled the Nine Tails with both fear and hatred.
It would never have been reduced to such a miserable state.
However, Kiyohara's dojutsu, Naraku Yomotsu, magnified those emotions countless times over.
The Nine Tails found itself continuously swallowed by terror.
Its nine enormous tails instinctively tucked behind its body.
The tips curled inward like a frightened dog.
Obito immediately sensed the abnormality.
The beast he was standing on was trembling.
"So you're still just a beast after all. Pathetic."
Obito snorted coldly.
He activated his own Mangekyo and once again attempted to seize control of the Nine Tails through genjutsu.
But nothing happened.
No matter how he manipulated his chakra...
No matter how much chakra he poured into the fox...
The Nine Tails remained as motionless as a stone statue.
Its eyes stayed wide open.
Within those pupils...
There was only fear.
Obito gritted his teeth.
Kiyohara's genjutsu...
Was actually stronger than his.
Could this be Kiyohara's own genjutsu based Mangekyo ability?
But that made no sense.
Kiyohara had already demonstrated two Mangekyo techniques.
One was Amaterasu.
The other was the singularity capable of manipulating gravity.
So why...
Why was there now a third dojutsu technique?
"Nine Tails!"
Obito shouted.
The Nine Tails' ears twitched slightly.
Its body, however, remained completely still.
'The effect isn't bad.'
Kiyohara thought silently.
"Then next... let's test Wood Release."
He brought both hands together before his chest.
Clap.
Kiyohara carefully refined Earth Release chakra together with Water Release chakra.
The combined chakra flowed through his chakra pathway system into both hands before being released through the chakra points in his palms.
Wood Release!
The earth began to tremble.
Everyone present immediately sensed something unusual.
Standing upon a distant rooftop, Hyuga Hiashi's pale Byakugan widened dramatically.
Through his vision...
He witnessed an unbelievable sight.
Countless massive tree trunks erupted from beneath the ground.
Branches stretched outward in every direction.
Smaller limbs rapidly sprouted from the larger branches.
Tender green leaves unfolded beneath the moonlight at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The countless trees spread outward like a surging green tide.
Wherever they passed, stone roads were forced upward.
Broken rocks became trapped between thick roots and branches.
Collapsed buildings were wrapped in gigantic trunks before eventually disappearing entirely beneath the expanding forest.
Within only a few breaths...
A small forest had materialized around the Nine Tails.
Each tree trunk was so enormous that several grown men together would still struggle to encircle one with their arms.
Above, dense canopies intertwined into an almost impenetrable ceiling.
Massive trunks and countless vines surged toward the Nine Tails from every direction.
Thick wooden restraints dug deep grooves into its fur.
The beast's enormous body was dragged downward.
Its four limbs became completely immobilized.
Its knees were locked in place by thick trunks.
Its waist was tightly bound by twisting vines.
Even its nine tails became entangled among countless branches, leaving them unable to move.
Only then did the Nine Tails finally break free from the effects of Naraku Yomotsu.
Its pupils regained focus.
Within those crimson eyes, it saw the scene before it.
A forest.
An entire forest that had grown beneath its feet out of absolutely nothing.
"This is... the First Hokage's technique!"
The Nine Tails was utterly shaken.
Back then, Madara had brought it into battle against Hashirama.
Facing that colossal Thousand Armed Buddha...
It had possessed absolutely no means of resistance.
Triggered by those memories, the Nine Tails violently lashed its nine tails.
Several branches wrapped around them snapped apart.
Its forelegs strained with all their might.
The muscles beneath its fur bulged powerfully, forcing cracks through the trunks binding its legs.
But even more trunks surged forward.
They immediately filled every crack and tightened their grip even further.
"These trees... they're absorbing my chakra..."
The Nine Tails' expression became incredibly grim.
It opened its enormous jaws once more, and deep within its throat, chakra rapidly began gathering again.
However, before the Tailed Beast Bomb could take shape, a massive tree trunk shot out from the side and wrapped itself tightly around its lower jaw.
One end of the trunk braced itself beneath the beast's chin while the other drove deep into the ground, forcing its mouth open at an awkward angle.
The gathering Tailed Beast Bomb was interrupted.
Crimson chakra spilled from the corners of its mouth before dissolving into countless tiny particles of light.
"Wood Release..."
Obito blurted out in disbelief.
How could Kiyohara use Wood Release?
He had never implanted Hashirama's cells.
So how had he obtained such power?
Hidden outside the battlefield, Black Zetsu, whose face was half black and half white, froze completely.
He had lived for more than a thousand years.
During that endless lifespan, he had witnessed countless miracles and impossibilities.
Yet what stood before him now still exceeded everything he knew.
Kiyohara...
Could actually use Wood Release.
His thoughts immediately drifted back to a plan he had once considered.
If Obito were ever to fail...
Then Kiyohara would become the next vessel.
Originally, what had attracted Black Zetsu was Kiyohara's astonishing number of bloodline limits and his frightening rate of growth.
But now...
Kiyohara had revealed Wood Release as well.
What did that signify?
It meant that Kiyohara simultaneously possessed the power of both the Uchiha and the Senju.
Black Zetsu did not continue thinking.
His body slowly sank into the earth until only a pair of yellow eyes remained above the surface as he silently continued observing the battle.
...
Outside the village...
Kisame wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His own sharp teeth had split his lower lip during the fierce exchange.
Blood slowly trickled down his chin before dripping onto the black cloak decorated with red clouds.
Raising his head, he looked toward the forest that had suddenly appeared in the center of Konoha.
A trace of surprise flashed through his shark-like eyes.
"There's quite a commotion over there."
His normally rough voice had become somewhat hoarse, carrying the metallic taste of blood.
He then turned his attention back toward the man standing opposite him.
Might Guy, dressed in ANBU attire, was completely enveloped in green vapor.
His skin had turned crimson.
Bulging veins covered his body.
The sweat that emerged from his pores evaporated almost instantly beneath the intense heat surrounding him.
His breathing had become heavy.
Every exhale carried waves of scorching air.
"Your opponent is me."
Guy spoke firmly.
He absolutely would not allow these enemies to reach the village.
Kisame grinned broadly, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
"You are the strongest taijutsu user I've ever met."
There was genuine admiration in his voice.
His gaze settled back onto Guy as he prepared another Water Release technique.
No matter what happened, Uchiha Madara was controlling the Nine Tails inside the barrier.
That battle should not present any problems.
…
Outside the barrier...
Hiruzen stood upon the rooftop of a nearby building.
As he stared at the suddenly appearing forest, the fingers gripping his staff slowly tightened.
"So it really is... Wood Release..."
"It certainly appears so."
Enma's voice emerged from within the staff.
Hiruzen fell silent.
Back then...
The entire Konoha had devoted enormous effort trying to recreate the First Hokage's Wood Release.
Yet all those attempts had failed.
And now...
Kiyohara had awakened it naturally.
Hiruzen knew of Yamato's existence.
But he also understood that Yamato's Wood Release was nothing more than an imitation.
It could never compare to what Kiyohara was displaying now.
"Hiruzen-sensei... Kiyohara really is extraordinary."
Orochimaru appeared nearby, casually licking the corner of his lips.
"Orochimaru? Weren't you away on a mission?"
Hiruzen asked.
"I just happened to return tonight."
Orochimaru shook his head.
Originally, he had gone outside the village together with Shinno to establish a new Root base.
He had returned tonight intending to deal with several matters regarding the Cursed Seal.
Instead, he had arrived just in time to witness the Nine Tails' rampage.
"Since you're here, prepare yourself in case we have to intervene."
Hiruzen nodded.
"Perhaps our help won't even be necessary, Sensei."
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
From his perspective, the battle had already become completely one sided.
Anyone could see that Kiyohara was steadily moving toward victory.
"Do not let your guard down."
Hiruzen nodded once more.
Even though Kiyohara clearly held the advantage, the Nine Tails was still the Nine Tails.
One careless mistake could change everything.
"Where's Danzo?"
Hiruzen suddenly asked again.
For some reason, every time a major incident occurred, Danzo seemed to vanish without a trace.
"Danzo is still evacuating the civilians."
Orochimaru replied.
'Well... Root's shinobi were civilians too.'
That thought quietly crossed Orochimaru's mind.
"Good."
Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction.
The master and disciple continued watching the battle ahead.
Meanwhile, more and more Konoha shinobi gathered nearby.
"Hokage-sama can actually use the same technique as the First Hokage!"
"We're saved!"
"The Nine Tails can't possibly defeat Wood Release!"
Cheers and astonished cries echoed continuously among the assembled shinobi.
Kurenai listened to the surrounding excitement.
Her beautiful eyes sparkled with amazement.
"So Kiyohara can even use Wood Release..."
she murmured softly.
Elsewhere...
Rin stood outside Konoha Hospital.
Her hands were clasped tightly before her chest.
Her brown eyes remained fixed upon the distant forest.
Behind her, members of the medical corps busily prepared stretchers and medicine.
Footsteps...
Voices...
The sounds of medical equipment colliding...
Everything blended into a chaotic symphony.
Yet Rin heard none of it.
Her entire attention remained focused upon Kiyohara.
"Rin-senpai!"
A young medical shinobi called from behind her.
Rin did not respond.
"Rin-senpai?"
Only then did she snap back to reality and turn around.
"What is it?"
"The wounded are ready. The first group includes more than a dozen people. Their injuries aren't serious, but several had their fingers damaged by the enemy. Those cases are proving rather difficult..."
The young medic explained.
For a shinobi...
Their hands were nearly as precious as their lives.
If their fingers were permanently damaged...
They might never be able to perform hand seals again.
Unless they possessed techniques requiring no seals, or could somehow substitute another part of their body for the seals...
Their combat ability would be drastically reduced.
"I understand."
Rin interrupted gently.
She took a deep breath, forcing all the distracting thoughts from her mind.
After giving the distant forest one final glance...
She turned and walked into the hospital.
Now was not the time to stand there daydreaming.
Kiyohara was fighting on the battlefield.
She also had her own responsibilities to fulfill.
...
Inside the barrier...
Kiyohara stood upon the forehead of the Perfect Susanoo.
From that lofty position, he gazed down at the Nine Tails below, which remained tightly bound by Wood Release.
The beast was still struggling.
But the tree trunks were simply too massive.
Too numerous.
And they continued growing without end.
Fresh branches continuously sprouted from the trunks, wrapping around the Nine Tails' neck and tightening until its breathing became increasingly labored.
Standing atop the fox's head, Obito struggled to maintain his footing as the fur beneath him shook violently.
"Kiyohara..."
His lone Sharingan glowed crimson within the darkness.
He had not lost.
Not yet.
The Nine Tails was still under his control.
So what if Kiyohara possessed Wood Release?
So what if he could use Amaterasu?
Obito still possessed Kamui.
He still had every contingency Madara had left behind for him.
Taking a deep breath, Obito crouched down once more.
Both hands pressed firmly against the Nine Tails' fur.
The next instant...
He activated Kamui on the Nine Tails itself.
Together with the colossal beast, he shifted to a nearby position, instantly escaping the forest's restraints.
Watching this unfold, Kiyohara remained perfectly calm.
What he had done earlier had merely been the simplest application of Wood Release chakra created by combining Earth and Water Release.
He had not even used an actual Wood Release ninjutsu.
Now...
He intended to test one.
As for Wood Release techniques...
Tsunade had taught him several of them.
"Wood Release..."
"Deep Forest Emergence!"
Rumble!
The ground shook violently.
New tree trunks burst upward from beneath the earth.
Each one was even thicker and more imposing than before.
Like countless gigantic serpents, the massive trunks surged toward the Nine Tails, wrapping tightly around each of its limbs.
In an instant...
The Nine Tails was restrained once again.
This time, the bindings were even tighter than before.
Obito frowned.
Sweat slowly formed upon his forehead.
Using Kamui to transport something as enormous as the Nine Tails consumed an astonishing amount of chakra.
He could clearly feel the reserves within his body draining at an alarming speed.
Maintaining control over the Nine Tails required chakra.
Breaking free from Wood Release required chakra.
Even with Hashirama's cells supporting him...
Fatigue had begun creeping into his body.
'I can't drag this out any longer.'
Obito slowly raised his head.
Through the eyehole of his mask...
He looked directly at Kiyohara standing atop the forehead of the Perfect Susanoo.
Then...
A realization struck him.
From beginning to end...
Kiyohara had never once fought seriously.
Obito slowly tightened his clenched fist until the knuckles creaked.
(End of Chapter)