"Boom, boom, boom!"
A chaotic battle erupted.
One roar after another echoed continuously, causing the surrounding earth to shake without pause.
Shockwaves spread out, sweeping in all directions with an overwhelming momentum!
Hashirama's strength after entering Sage Mode was absolutely terrifying. His Wood Release, enhanced by Senjutsu Chakra, possessed devastating destructive power.
The surrounding sea of trees churned relentlessly as vines and branches strangled everything in their path!
Nagato also continuously unleashed the Dōjutsu of his Rinnegan. Repulsive force surged and erupted, repelling every incoming attack and preventing anything from getting even an inch closer.
Coupled with the power of the Preta Path's Blocking Technique Absorption Seal, ordinary Ninjutsu would simply be absorbed by him!
Behind Seiryū, Golden Chains danced wildly, each strike carrying immense force.
Various Kidō spells were unleashed in a dizzying display. Clad in his purple Chakra cloak, he demonstrated formidable strength!
As for Tobirama, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique and Water Release to their absolute limits, his attacks transitioning seamlessly.
Although his raw strength might not have matched the other three, his arsenal of techniques was vast, making him incredibly difficult to hit!
The great battle had become a complete free-for-all!
The entire area had transformed into a forbidden zone where ordinary people simply could not approach.
It also left those witnessing such an intense battle for the first time dumbfounded, their mouths hanging open for a long time!
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The Rinnegan in his sockets glowed slightly as the Chakra and Dōjutsu power within Nagato's body reached a boiling point.
"Banshō Ten'in!"
Unleashing the Dōjutsu of the Rinnegan, Nagato raised his left hand, pulling a massive chunk of the earth forward to smash into his target.
It crushed the incoming sea of trees, sending countless wood chips flying!
After dodging another attack, Nagato's body levitated into the air!
He spread his arms as if embracing the entire world, his voice cold and indifferent. "No matter who it is, before these eyes of mine, there is only total defeat!"
Anyone who coveted his eyes would be crushed by him.
He was the one who inherited the will of the Sage of Six Paths.
These eyes would be used to create a peaceful world!
True peace would be born from their hands!
Anyone who obstructed him was an enemy!
"Super Shinra Tensei!"
The Sharingan is the eye that reflects the heart, and the Rinnegan is the final evolution of the Sharingan.
Naturally, it was also related to the heart.
Those with a steadfast will could make their Dōjutsu bloom with even stronger power!
This was the factor behind the Sharingan's evolution.
A type of Chakra would be born from the heart and will.
That was Dōjutsu power!
Even if the true owner of these eyes was someone else, they were currently transplanted into Nagato's body.
They had the same effect!
This time, the Shinra Tensei unleashed by Nagato was even more powerful, and its range was incredibly vast.
It was even stronger than his full-power outburst just moments ago!
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Boundless repulsive force swept across the surroundings. Everything was destroyed and repelled.
It was like an invisible giant hand, altering the very geography of the area!
"To think he possesses such power. These eyes are even more terrifying than Madara's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan from back then."
The vast, sweeping invisible repulsion caused even Hashirama to show a look of surprise.
Even Madara's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan could not compare to these Rinnegan in terms of offensive power.
The eyes of the legendary Sage of Six Paths were indeed extraordinary!
"Summoning Technique: Quintuple Rashōmon!"
Despite his surprise, Hashirama's movements were lightning-fast. He bit his thumb, formed hand signs, and pressed his palm against the ground.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The earth shook as five massive sounds rang out, followed by five gates with ferocious faces rising from the ground.
They stood before him, shielding him from the attack.
The mountain-like gates were incredibly thick, possessing immense defensive power.
They bore the brunt of the rolling repulsion crashing in from the front!
"Rumble!"
In the next instant, the boundless repulsion slammed into them, clashing head-on with the Quintuple Rashōmon.
Immediately, a world-shaking roar echoed incessantly, and a vast airwave was generated the moment they collided.
It swept out from the center in all directions, creating an ear-piercing whistling sound.
The people nearby couldn't help but cover their ears at that moment. As they looked forward, their eyes were filled with uncontrollable fear.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The collision continued without pause. The shockwave became even more terrifying, and the very air began to distort.
The scene was absolutely horrific.
Then, a series of cracking sounds rang out.
Faced with the irresistible boundless repulsion, the gates of the Quintuple Rashōmon were crushed one after another, emitting the sounds of shattering.
Seeing that even his Quintuple Rashōmon couldn't completely withstand the vast repulsion, Hashirama's expression turned solemn. He clapped his hands and shouted, "Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"
Amid the shaking of the earth, wooden shields appeared out of thin air.
There wasn't just one, but several stacked together, making the defense even more formidable.
"Boom!"
After being weakened by the Quintuple Rashōmon, the power of Shinra Tensei had been reduced by seventy or eighty percent. The impact against the Wood Release shields roared again, but it failed to completely break through the defense.
Nagato's full-power strike had been blocked!
"What a terrifying technique. To think such a powerhouse would appear in the current Ninja World. But Madara, what exactly are you trying to do?"
The wind continued to swirl, causing Hashirama's long black hair to flutter incessantly as he took a deep breath and muttered to himself.
He was not only shocked by the power of the Rinnegan, but also baffled by what Madara was actually planning.
That Chakra was indeed Madara's Chakra, and it seemed to be transmitted through those Rinnegan.
These Rinnegan were related to Madara!
"You're a sharp one, kid, but you'd better be more careful. Didn't you even notice me getting this close?"
Behind Hashirama, Tobirama's voice rang out.
Then came a booming sound as waves swept and crashed, and a water vortex spun rapidly.
It seemed to contain powerful cutting force, churning the sea of trees in that area into dust.
"Don't worry, Second Great-Grandfather, my perception is quite good. I won't be ambushed that easily. In fact, I'm an expert at ambushing others."
"Just like this!"
Seiryū's voice came through at just the right time as he dodged Tobirama's sneak-attack Water Release Ninjutsu.
When Nagato unleashed his full-power Shinra Tensei earlier, Seiryū hadn't intended to take it head-on.
With the Flying Thunder God Technique, it was impossible for him to be hit by such a "sluggish" attack.
Sensing Hashirama making his move to block, he took the opportunity to flash behind the man.
Using this method, he avoided the attack of Shinra Tensei!
"Bakudō #79. Kuyō Shibari!"
At that moment, another Seiryū abruptly appeared behind Tobirama.
The high-level Bakudō he had been preparing already fell upon Tobirama.
It was like a type of space-time Sealing Jutsu.
It could bind space, making movement difficult!
"Sizzle, sizzle."
At the same time, Golden Chains extended from this Seiryū's body.
They transformed into blades that pierced through Tobirama's body.
Following that, one Uzumaki Clan Sealing Jutsu after another was applied.
They completely locked down Tobirama's movements, sealing him firmly!
"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Abandon and paralyze! Interfere with sleep! The crawling queen of iron! The eternally self-mutilating doll of mud! Unite, repulse, fill the earth and know your own powerlessness! Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi!"
Seiryū's original body wasn't idle either. Taking this opportunity, he unleashed the incanted Kurohitsugi.
"Clack, clack!"
Irregular black squares fitted together one after another, quickly enveloping Tobirama within them.
With the final black square fitting into place, the Kurohitsugi was complete, isolating the inside from the outside!
"Is this the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique? No, it feels a bit different."
Enveloped by the Kurohitsugi, Tobirama found himself unable to see his own hand before his face, and even his perception was affected.
He raised an eyebrow slightly. "And this feeling. Even in my current state, I can feel a threat?"
"A technique that can attack the soul!?"
Tobirama's understanding of Ninjutsu could be said to be unrivaled in the Ninja World.
Furthermore, the Edo Tensei and soul-binding techniques he developed were all related to the soul.
His research into the soul was very deep!
Being in here, he could feel a special power.
It made even his soul tremble slightly.
This was a technique that could attack the soul!
In other words, it could directly cause damage to him in his current state!
"How does this kid have so many strange techniques? I've never seen them before. Could it be that he developed them all himself?"
Tobirama was extremely surprised.
The techniques used by Seiryū, who claimed to be Tsunade's childhood fiancé and future partner, were all things he had never seen before!
In order to develop all sorts of techniques back then, he had studied the vast majority of techniques in the Ninja World. He could be considered a walking encyclopedia of Ninjutsu.
Yet he had never seen these techniques of Seiryū's.
Could it be that they were all developed by the boy himself?
If that was the case, such talent was indeed terrifying!
"Otherwise, why would I call him a monster?"
The small white snake on Tobirama's shoulder flicked its tongue, its face showing a human-like look of solemnity.
He had investigated Seiryū.
But in his memory, he had never seen the other party use this kind of technique.
It was another brand-new technique!
Every once in a while, the other party would develop another new technique.
This was also the reason he felt wary of Seiryū.
You would never know what the other party's true trump card was.
The mysterious and the unknown were what made people most wary!
Seiryū's voice abruptly echoed within the Kurohitsugi space. "From what I understand, even with a clone technique, as long as the soul is attacked, it will be reflected back to the main body."
"Feel it properly, Orochimaru!"
Hearing this, the small white snake, which was Orochimaru's special clone, or rather, another body, had a slight change in expression.
It controlled Tobirama's body to perform the Flying Thunder God Technique.
However, this time the Flying Thunder God Technique failed.
Under the state of being sealed, even his Chakra was being interfered with.
If one could not mobilize Chakra, how could one perform Ninjutsu?
Unless, like Madara, one used Izanagi to change the unfavorable reality.
Otherwise, they could only obediently endure the attack of Kurohitsugi!
The small white snake Orochimaru's expression was grim and unsightly. "Your methods are truly endless, Seiryū-kun. Don't tell me this kind of Ninjutsu was specifically developed to deal with me."
A technique that directly attacked the soul could indeed cause damage to Edo Tensei Shinobi.
Seiryū had already guessed that he had mastered Edo Tensei. Could it be that this technique was specifically developed to target him and the Forbidden Jutsu that was Edo Tensei?
If that was the case.
His wariness of Seiryū grew even more intense!
Seiryū's voice continued to echo in the space. "Who knows? When inspiration comes, it can't be stopped. I just somehow developed this technique that directly attacks the soul."
"Hehe, inspiration, is it?"
Orochimaru's eyes were solemn, but his voice didn't change much, remaining as raspy as ever. "I admit your talent in Ninjutsu is very strong, but this technique will also cause damage to the Second Hokage-sama."
Before Orochimaru could finish, Tobirama interrupted, his tone calm. "Do it, kid. I'm already dead anyway, and now I've become your enemy. You shouldn't be soft-hearted toward an enemy, you."
"Got it!"
Without even waiting for Tobirama to finish, Seiryū responded.
Then the power of Kurohitsugi erupted at that moment!
Tobirama: "..."
What a decisive kid!
Great talent, staggering strength, and even more decisive actions.
Aside from being young, he was indeed qualified to be his grandson-in-law!
He approved of the boy!
What it felt like to have one's soul attacked was an experience Tobirama was having for the first time.
As an Edo Tensei body, he wouldn't feel physical pain, but the stinging pain in his soul was so clear.
It was simply torture!
Inexplicably, Tobirama felt a bit of regret, regret for letting this kid use such an attack on him.
Pain!
It was too painful!
"Gah."
Orochimaru on the other side was having a similar experience. He wasn't an Edo Tensei body or a puppet, but a special clone.
With the pain of both body and soul added together, he couldn't help but let out a low, suppressed sound from his mouth.
"Hum."
Two seconds later, the Kurohitsugi dissipated, revealing the scene within.
Tobirama's body was tattered, and the Chakra fluctuations on him were also very weak.
If this were on an ordinary person, such an injury would already be considered critical, perhaps even fatal.
And the small white snake on his shoulder had now slumped down limply, its life force extinguished.
"I didn't expect that I would be injured even in this state."
As the pain in his soul receded, Tobirama inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like he had survived a disaster.
Those few seconds just now had felt incredibly long in his perception.
If possible, he never wanted to experience that feeling again in his life.
It was truly too much of an ordeal.
"Cough."
On the other side, Orochimaru's main body coughed up a large mouthful of blood, his Chakra fluctuations also weakening, yet his body continued to tremble.
The stinging pain in his body and soul from just now was still fresh in his memory!
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Orochimaru looked at Seiryū, who was charging toward him, and said coldly, "I really can't underestimate you at all."
"But it won't end so easily!"
"Summoning Technique!"
He formed hand signs and performed a Summoning Technique, summoning Hashirama to stand before him!
As soon as he appeared, Hashirama clapped his hands and shouted, "Sage Art: Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The earth shook as trees rose from the ground. Dense branches and vines strangled the surroundings, enveloping a vast area and turning it into a sea of trees.
At the same time, with the infusion of Hashirama's Chakra, flower buds opened on several branches. As the flowers bloomed, pollen with a paralyzing effect also drifted out.
It made it impossible for anyone to approach!
"Tch."
Seeing this, Seiryū clicked his tongue and flashed back to retreat.
Because Orochimaru's main body was constantly changing positions and Seiryū didn't have a Flying Thunder God Seal as a coordinate, he couldn't arrive instantly.
In the end, Orochimaru had still managed to summon Hashirama over.
With Hashirama there, unless he could also be sealed or restricted, it would be truly impossible to pose much of a threat to Orochimaru.
As for using clones, that wouldn't work well either.
Clones required splitting half of the main body's Chakra.
It would weaken his own strength.
He might not be able to defeat Hashirama in Sage Mode and Nagato with his Rinnegan, Madara's Chakra, and Dōjutsu power.
Moreover, Seiryū felt that Madara might also make an appearance later.
He still needed to maintain a good state, which was why he hadn't stacked the Eight Gates yet.
"You're not the only one who can find help!"
It wasn't as if he had no options. Seiryū snorted and formed a sign. "Summoning Technique: Tsunade Beast!"
(To be continued.)