Chapter 499: The real battle has only just begun

Watching Uchiha Madara brandish his two heavy weapons with such fierce momentum, Senju Tobirama subconsciously clamped his legs together; memories of his past death surged back into his mind.

"That... let's retreat first."

Lowering his head to look at the slightly warm driver in his hand, Senju Tobirama turned his head and waved at the F6, who were equally dumbfounded.

"Do we really not need to stay and help?"

Touching the plug-in item tucked inside his ninja tool pouch, Uchiha Kagami indicated that he could still put up a fight; it was truly a pity to exit the stage like this.

"Do you want to take a hammer to the face?"

Senju Tobirama, who had already turned around, rolled his eyes and gestured with his gaze toward Uchiha Kagami, who wore a hesitant expression. The latter immediately followed his gaze.

Not far away, Uchiha Madara looked like a god descending to earth. The ferocious giant hammer in his hand smashed heavily onto the head of one of the clones, instantly cracking it open. Blood splattered everywhere—the scene was as cruel as it could possibly be.

*Gulp. *

"I believe in the Hokage!"

Kagami's gaze was as firm as if he were about to join the Party; he was the first to start retreating without looking back.

The remaining few looked at each other, said nothing more, and immediately leaped to follow.

"Finally left, have they?"

Uchiha Madara, in the midst of the battlefield, turned his head and watched their retreating backs, as if letting out a sigh of relief. Taking advantage of his distraction, Clone No. 9 raised its weapon again to stab at him; the spear-blade, covered in spikes, flashed with a predatory, chilling light.

*Clang! *

Uchiha Madara looked back, holding his Black Cleaver horizontally, and easily blocked No. 9's sneak attack with the broad surface of the axe. The metallic ringing sound produced upon impact was enough to set one's teeth on edge.

Seeing that his full-power strike had been easily neutralized by Uchiha Madara, even though No. 9 was currently in AI-autopilot mode, a trace of horror appeared on its face uncontrollably.

Clearly, just a moment ago, his attacks had been able to force the opponent into a steady retreat. How was it that now, after the transformation had been dispelled and his teammates had run off, Uchiha Madara's strength had actually increased significantly?

"Just as my cousin said, after there are no teammates nearby, this ninja tool triggers a magical effect."

Feeling the explosive growth of power within his body, Uchiha Madara revealed a cruel smile behind the giant axe.

*Riiip! *

Hearing a crisp tearing sound, No. 9 was horrified to find that he was being pushed back step by step by Uchiha Madara.

*Whoosh! *

Before he could think further, the immense force transmitted from the axe face sent No. 9 flying. After performing several backflips in the air to dissipate the force, he landed on the ground in a sorry state.

*Riiip~ Riiip~*

The eerie tearing sound continued. While the group of clones was still wondering where the sound was coming from, the giant axe face that had been blocking Uchiha Madara's figure slowly moved aside, revealing a mountain-like silhouette.

Uchiha Madara's figure was seen growing layer by layer, surging from his previous height of 1.79 meters to over two meters. His muscles, originally lean and strong like a leopard's, bulged high; looking at those exaggerated deltoids, it was as if he were using the same supplement list as Arnold.

【Hullbreaker】: When no teammates are nearby, the wielder gains a 6x constitution bonus and increases damage by 30%.

(Side effect: The wielder's body shape changes slightly.)

"Tsk! What a waste of this custom-made outfit."

Uchiha Madara, having completed his magnificent transformation, curled his lip. He looked down at the scattered fragments of his clothes and shook his head with great regret. The gorgeous clan robes he had carefully selected before setting out could not withstand the pressure; after being burst open, they hung on his body as mere strips of cloth.

*Crack! Crack! *

Stretching his body, which was overflowing with a sense of power, Uchiha Madara exuded such an unusual pressure that, for a moment, the group of clones dared not act rashly.

"Not attacking? Then I won't be polite."

Uchiha Madara, now an incarnation of a Forest Fairy, licked his lips. His seemingly clumsy body showed no decrease in speed.

*Boom! *

As soon as he finished speaking, the ground beneath his feet was violently stomped into a large crater, and his sturdy figure vanished from the spot, accompanied by a piercing sonic boom.

Several clones' pupils shrank, and they subconsciously raised their weapons to block.

*Thwack! *

Accompanied by a crisp sound of a skull cracking, No. 3, known for its defensive capabilities among the clones, collapsed to the ground.

The perfectly fine blue turtle head from a second ago had been hammered into a mist of blood, leaving only a headless corpse twitching on the ground.

The surviving clones subconsciously tightened their nerves. Their gazes fell upon the blood-dripping Hullbreaker in Uchiha Madara's hand, and they all took a step back in unison.

Shaking off the red and white matter stuck to his weapon, Uchiha Madara hoisted it onto his shoulder. His scarlet eyeballs swept over the clones, who were now as silent as cicadas in winter, and he pulled his mouth into a suffocating smile.

"The game has only just begun."

On the other side, Senju Tobirama, leading the F6 in their escape, tried to perform the Flying Thunder God Technique repeatedly along the way. However, even though they were already several miles away from the battlefield, the space-time force around him remained completely motionless.

"What kind of method is this?"

Lowering his fingers with a furrowed brow, the sense of unease in Senju Tobirama's heart grew stronger and stronger.

Until the very last moment of their escape, the mastermind who had kidnapped his older brother had not appeared; merely sending out a few clones had been enough to almost wreck them.

As for the culprit behind the suppression of space-time power, it was highly likely to be the person hiding behind the clones.

"Everyone, hurry up!"

Uchiha Kagami was anxious to return. Uchiha Madara was holding the line for them regardless of his own safety; the sooner they reached Konoha to bring reinforcements, the sooner the Hokage would be out of danger.

"I have it! I can have Enma notify Father and the others."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, equally anxious, suddenly slapped his forehead and made a move to bite his finger, ordering his summoning animal to notify Sarutobi Sasuke, who was far away in Konoha.

"Don't waste your effort."

Seeing this, Senju Tobirama spoke up to stop Sarutobi Hiruzen's action. Currently, they were still in an environment where space-time power was suppressed; any space-related ninjutsu would not take effect.

"Yes, Hiruzen, don't waste your chakra."

Mitokado Homura also warned with a bitter face. In the battle just now, he was the only one who had dragged the team down.

For some unknown reason, all the storage scrolls he carried had failed, and the Tool Manipulation Technique he relied on had become a joke.

"Let's keep moving. As long as there are no accidents, we can make it back to Konoha before dark."

Senju Tobirama shook his head and ordered the others to speed up. Hearing this flag-filled statement, the F6 looked at each other, and all discovered a trace of worry in each other's eyes.

No accidents, huh...

The teacher seems to have awakened a "poisonous milk" constitution recently; whatever he says won't happen, always ends up happening.

Sure enough, after the group had traveled less than a kilometer, Kagami, acting as the scout, saw his pupils shrink and raised his hand to signal a halt.

"What is it, Kagami?"

Senju Tobirama, who was thinking about how to break the anti-air buff, frowned. Seeing the solemnity on Uchiha Kagami's face, he immediately activated his own sensory detection, and his expression instantly turned incomparably gloomy.

Not far away, a tall, straight figure stood against the glaring sunlight, blocking their only path forward.

"It's him! He actually didn't die!"

Danzo, seeing the person clearly, widened his eyes in disbelief. He deduced from the heavily damaged clothing that the person blocking them was none other than Clone No. 6, who should have perished under his combined ultimate technique.

"So he is still alive."

Senju Tobirama drew a kunai and stepped forward to block in front of his disciples. After assuming a fighting stance, his scarlet eyes were full of calculation.

Because space-time power was suppressed, many of his methods could not be used.

For example, his famous Flying Thunder God Technique, the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Technique with infinite destructive power, and the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation 2.0 perfected under Uchiha Gin's improvement.

Without these forbidden techniques, Senju Tobirama's combat power had plummeted by more than half. Plus, given the special nature of his current body, he absolutely could not gain any advantage from this clone in front of him.

*Tap~ Tap! *

Clone No. 6 seemed to be waiting for Senju Tobirama and the others. After they appeared, it slowly took a step forward, and its hands naturally clasped together.

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Bloom."

*Rumble—*

Countless thick wooden branches broke through the ground, surging toward Senju Tobirama and the others from all directions. Seeing this, the group instantly tightened their nerves, putting in 120% of their focus to prepare for battle.

"Roar!"

The clone raised one hand, and a giant wooden dragon emerged from the Wood Style jungle, charging toward the group with a roar.

Senju Tobirama reacted quickly, his hands waving rapidly, skillfully forming three seals in less than a second.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A surging stream of water was born out of thin air, transforming into a water dragon no less impressive than the wooden one, crashing straight into it.

It can only be said that he is worthy of being the Water Shadow of Konoha, able to simplify the complex 44 seals of the Water Dragon Bullet into just 3.

*Boom!! *

The two giant dragons collided in mid-air and then intertwined. Under the control of both sides, the giant dragons began to bite each other, splashing water into the sky. The falling droplets mixed with broken wood chips, shrouding the entire battlefield like a rainstorm.

Senju Tobirama held the Tiger seal with both hands, his attention highly focused, fearing that any slip-up in controlling the water dragon would lead to total defeat.

"Hiruzen!"

Seeing the two giant dragons locked in a stalemate, Uchiha Kagami, knowing he couldn't just stand by, shouted at Sarutobi Hiruzen, his hands already starting to form seals.

Sarutobi Hiruzen understood instantly, his hands also starting to dance rapidly, his fingers moving so fast they were almost smoking.

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

The two sprayed a bloated fire dragon from their mouths one after the other. Under their deliberate manipulation, the two fire dragons merged in mid-air, finally transforming into a giant flame dragon comparable in size to the wooden dragon.

*Boom! *

The scorching fire dragon slammed into the wrestling wooden and water dragons. Due to the collision of cold and heat, the water dragon was evaporated instantly, and the high temperature produced by the water vapor annihilated the arrogant wooden dragon in an instant, leaving not even a scrap of wood behind.

"Well done!"

Mitokado Homura, watching the two's brilliant operation, turned into a cheerleader, shouting and cheering for his teammates with excitement, providing emotional value.

As for Danzo, who hadn't helped, he looked at the two who were cooperating seamlessly with a resentful expression, wishing he could take out a handkerchief and bite it.

Monkey, you've changed.

*Tap! *

"Well done."

With the assistance of his disciples, Senju Tobirama, who had successfully broken the enemy's Wood Dragon Technique, felt his pressure greatly reduced. He flashed to Kagami and Hiruzen's side, the appreciation in his eyes undisguised, but the solemnity on his face did not decrease.

He could not be complacent just because they had a slight advantage; this wooden dragon was just a probe. The strength of the clones was definitely not something they could contend with.

"Monkey! Let's do that ultimate technique from before again!"

Danzo, getting angrier the more he thought about it, immediately shunshinned to Sarutobi Hiruzen's side, looking at his best friend, with whom he had grown up wearing the same pair of pants, with anticipation.

"Sorry, Danzo, I'm afraid Kagami will misunderstand."

Sarutobi Hiruzen refused Danzo's proposal without even thinking.

Although the two had a deep friendship, the way the other released ninjutsu was too "grass-growing" (cringe-inducing). His current status was no longer what it used to be, and he could not create any more black history.

Unexpectedly, after Senju Tobirama's emergency appointment, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had not yet taken the position of leader, already had an idol burden, cutting ties with his previous black history at light speed.

"Monkey, you..."

Danzo, rejected ruthlessly, widened his eyes, trembling as he pointed his finger at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had turned his head away, unable to speak for a long time.

"Teacher! He's charging again!"

Just then, Uchiha Kagami, who had been paying attention to the clone's movements, let out a loud shout, and everyone immediately entered a state of alert.

*Rumble—*

This time, the clone did not hold back, directly summoning the towering Arhat Wood Statue, giving Senju Tobirama and the others no chance to catch their breath.

"It's over."

Looking at the mountain-like Wood Statue, a trace of despair appeared on everyone's faces. Senju Tobirama gritted his teeth and started forming seals.

"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"

Based on his understanding of his older brother, this kind of Wood Statue could not withstand his proud high-pressure water blade.

*Whoosh! *

A straight water column shot out at high speed, cutting across like a sharp blade. The Wood Statue that was hit paused in its movements.

*Pfft~*

After a brief stiffness, the Wood Statue was split in two from the waist. Looking at the smooth wound, Senju Tobirama breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, the smile that hadn't even fully formed froze on his face.

The clone standing on top of the Wood Statue clasped its hands together again, and visible chakra light erupted from its body. The upper half of the Wood Statue, which was about to slide to the ground, suddenly reached out to support the ground, and countless tender buds emerged from the waist-cut wound.

In the astonished eyes of the group, the Wood Statue, which had been split in two, actually proliferated into two statues.

Two giant Wood Statues, one on the left and one on the right, stared at the tiny humans in front of them, like high mountains that could not be crossed.

*Gulp. *

Whose swallowing sound broke the silent atmosphere? Senju Tobirama glanced at the disciples behind him, a flash of determination in his eyes.

"You go first, I'll hold them off."

Even if this body of his were sacrificed now, it wouldn't cause any loss, but the F6 were different; one less for every one that died. Senju Tobirama could not allow his disciples to sacrifice themselves because of his own mistakes.

"How can that be!?"

The F6 were instantly stirred up upon hearing this. Akimichi Torifu stood out, clenching his fists, his chubby face full of radicalism.

"Teacher, it's just a Wood Statue, I can fight it!"

"Torifu! Don't push yourself."

Senju Tobirama shook his head. Although the Akimichi clan's Multi-Size Technique could expand their body size to that of a Wood Statue, they were flesh and blood after all and could not compete with Wood Style creations that could forcibly absorb chakra. He feared that in just one exchange, his disciple would be sucked dry into a human husk.

"Teacher!"

The others also raised their heads with excitement. In this situation, how could they leave Senju Tobirama, their teacher, behind and escape?

"As a ninja, the first thing you must learn is to examine yourself and stay calm to understand your own strength. If you drag it out like this, you will only put your companions in crisis. You are still young; the future of Konoha is ultimately yours."

Senju Tobirama raised his hand to stop the excited group and said a profound piece of advice to persuade them to retreat. The F6 lowered their heads one by one, their hearts filled only with regret for their own weakness.

Danzo raised his head in despair, looking at the two towering Wood Statues, and finally lowered his arrogant head, his fists clenched so tightly that he didn't even notice his nails digging into his flesh.

If I also knew Wood Style, if I could also pilot a Susanoo Gundam, I could save everyone, I could become Hokage!

"Hoo... The teacher is right. Hiruzen, you take everyone to retreat. I will stay to assist the teacher in holding them off."

Suddenly, a curly-haired head lifted from the lowered ones. Uchiha Kagami took a deep breath, and a fierce fighting spirit reignited in his scarlet eyes.

"Huh? Kagami, what are you saying?"

Senju Tobirama was stunned, looking at Kagami, who was standing in a row with him, his heart crying out that the heartfelt words he had just spoken had been heard by a dog.

Uchiha Kagami revealed a smile that made people feel inexplicably at ease and slowly took out a familiar blue item from the ninja tool pouch behind him.

"The real battle has only just begun." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 500 =====