Chapter 48

Cracking apart, piece by piece!!!!!!

In that instant,

the two of them had already decided victory and defeat!!!!

Madara Uchiha's Susano'o was utterly defeated by Wood Release!!!!!

And the live-stream audience who had watched the entire battle fell into complete silence!!!

42. There's also an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?!

【Tobirama Senju: Brother… your Wood Release… is it really this insane?】

【Hashirama Senju: What are you talking about… the Wood Dragon Technique I'm using right now is probably no more than one-third the size of that… this really is absurdly overpowered…】

【Madara Uchiha: I never expected that even after I pushed myself so hard, I still couldn't keep up with Hashirama's rate of growth…】

【Orochimaru: There's no way around it—with chakra comparable to a Tailed Beast, plus Wood Release ninjutsu, only the Sage of Six Paths returning to life could defeat this Hashirama Senju…】

【Minato Namikaze: Compared to this, the power of Wood Release far surpasses the Sharingan!!】

【Shikamaru Danzo: I already possess the Sharingan—if I could only obtain Wood Release too! Then no one in the entire ninja world would be my match!!!】

【Hiruzen Sarutobi: Danzo… don't forget your position!!!】

…

"I never thought… I never thought I trained so hard…"

"The gap between us hasn't narrowed—it's grown even wider…"

"Hashirama…"

Lying on the ground after the battle,

Madara Uchiha looked up at the sky and smiled bitterly.

He had once again suffered a crushing defeat!!

And this time, he lost even more badly than before!!

That was what made him feel utterly helpless!!!

He had thought,

that having perfected the complete form of Susano'o,

he could never again be defeated as badly as he had years ago!!

But the outcome still exceeded his expectations!!!

Over these past few years,

he had entertained the idea of challenging Hashirama Senju more than once!!

But each time, he felt he still lacked sufficient confidence!!

So he suppressed that thought every time!!

But he never expected…

that when he finally mustered the courage to challenge him,

the result remained unchanged!!!

Hashirama Senju released the Wood Dragon Technique,

jumped down from the air, and helped up Madara Uchiha, who lay on the ground.

"Madara… you're already incredibly strong…"

"In the entire ninja world, you're probably the only one who can force me to use Wood Release at full power!!"

"Only you have the potential to keep training and one day defeat me!!!"

Leaning on Hashirama Senju's shoulder,

Madara Uchiha was speechless.

This guy…

Are you complimenting me, or yourself?!

Although Hashirama Senju's words weren't pleasant to hear,

Madara Uchiha knew he was telling the truth!!!

Aside from Hashirama Senju,

even Madara Uchiha himself,

now found almost no one in the entire ninja world who could serve as his rival!!!

"I heard recently the head of the Uzumaki clan wanted to marry his daughter to you?"

"You have an engagement? How come you never told me?"

Finding a patch of open ground,

Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju sat down.

"Hmm… I learned about this from my father."

"When I was just born, he arranged this betrothal for me…"

"But… I've already canceled it…"

"I have no interest in marrying a woman I have no feelings for…"

Upon hearing Hashirama Senju say this,

Madara Uchiha seemed to finally exhale a breath of relief.

"The Uzumaki clan isn't full of good people…"

"I've heard of your fiancée's reputation before…"

"She doesn't seem very good at all… temperamental, arrogant, and unreasonable…"

"If you married a woman like that, it would definitely affect your cultivation!!!"

"Hashirama, it's a good thing you cancelled the marriage with the Uzumaki clan. A woman like her is definitely not suited for you!!!"

【Fourth Raikage: Why do I get the feeling... that the relationship between Madara Uchiha and the First Hokage is a little strange... He seems extremely opposed to the First Hokage marrying Uzumaki Mito...】

【Terumi Mei: I have that same premonition!!! There seems to be something off about these two...】

【Sakura Haruno: Agree!!】

【Ino Yamanaka: Agree!!】

【Hinata Hyuga: I... I also agree!!!】

"Madara, let's not talk about this anymore. It's a small matter..."

Hashirama Senju shook his head.

"The speed at which your Mangekyo Sharingan is improving is a bit too fast..."

"These past few years, have you been frequently using the ocular techniques of the Mangekyo Sharingan?"

Hashirama Senju said in a deep voice.

"If this continues... I'm afraid your eyes might go blind..."

After hearing him say this,

Madara Uchiha was silent for a while before slowly speaking.

"There's no helping it, Hashirama. You know my personality..."

"If there's a way to get stronger, then I will spare no effort in getting stronger!!!"

"Standing still in place — that's not the life I want..."

"Besides strengthening my research on the Mangekyo Sharingan and increasing my ocular power... I don't know what other method there is to become stronger, strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with you..."

"We still have this shared ideal... We are companions... How could I let you carry our ideal alone!!"

Hashirama Senju looked at the stubborn-faced Madara Uchiha and sighed.

"So... Hashirama, you don't need to try to persuade me either..."

"I know what consequences continuing to use these eyes will bring..."

"But this is the path I have chosen for myself. No matter how difficult it is to walk, I will keep walking it!!!"

Madara Uchiha said with a look of firm resolve.

"Madara, I don't mean to stop you..."

"It's just that you don't need to be too pessimistic. Things might take a turn you couldn't imagine..."

"I've looked through the clan's records. Your Uchiha clan should have an even more powerful ocular technique above the Mangekyo Sharingan..."

Pulling a scroll from his bosom, Hashirama Senju handed it over.