Chapter 554: The Real Battle Has Only Just Begun

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

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

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

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

Touching the external equipment tucked into his ninja tool pouch, Uchiha Kagami indicated that he could still put up a fight; it would be a real pity to exit the scene like this.

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

Having already turned around, Tobirama Senju rolled his eyes and used his gaze to signal Uchiha Kagami, who was wearing 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 into 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 a party, and without looking back, he took the lead in retreating.

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

"Finally left, have they?"

Uchiha Madara, in the middle of the battlefield, turned his head to watch their retreating backs, as if letting out a sigh of relief. Taking advantage of his distraction, Clone No. 9 raised its weapon to stab him again, the spike-covered spear blade flickering with a murderous, icy glint.

"Clang!"

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

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

It was clear that just a moment ago, its attacks had been forcing the opponent into a steady retreat; why was it that now that the transformation had ended and the teammates had run off, Uchiha Madara's strength had actually increased significantly?

"Just as the eldest cousin said, once 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 discovered in horror that it was actually being pushed back step by step by Uchiha Madara.

"Whoosh!"

Before it could think further, the immense force from the axe face sent No. 9 flying. It performed several backflips in the air to dissipate the momentum before landing 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 stature was rising layer by layer, surging from his previous height of 1.79 meters to over two meters. His already lean, leopard-like muscles bulged high; looking at those exaggerated deltoids, it was as if he had used the same drug regimen as Arnold.

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

(Side effect: The wearer's physical form undergoes slight changes)

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

Having completed his magnificent transformation, Uchiha Madara pursed his lips and looked down at the scattered clothing fragments, shaking his head with great regret. The gorgeous clan robes he had carefully selected before setting out could not withstand the strain; after being burst open, they hung on him as mere strips of cloth.

"Crack! Crack!"

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

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

Uchiha Madara, now an incarnation of a forest fairy, licked his lips. Despite his seemingly cumbersome body, his speed remained undiminished.

"Boom!"

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

The pupils of several clones constricted, and they subconsciously raised their weapons to block.

"Smack!"

Accompanied by a crisp cracking sound, 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 falling 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 shouldered it. His scarlet eyes swept over the silent, terrified clones, and his mouth pulled into a suffocating smile.

"The game has only just begun."

On the other side, Tobirama Senju, who was leading the F6 in their escape, kept trying to perform the Flying Thunder God Jutsu along the way. However, even after they had left the battlefield by several miles, the space energy around him remained completely motionless.

"What kind of method is this?"

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

Until the very last moment of their flight, the mastermind who had kidnapped his older brother had not appeared; merely sending a few clones had nearly crippled them.

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

"Everyone, hurry!"

Uchiha Kagami was anxious to return; Uchiha Madara was disregarding his own safety to cover their retreat, and 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."

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

"Don't waste your effort."

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

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

Homura Mitokado also spoke with a bitter face to warn him; in the previous battle, he was the only one who had dragged the team down.

For some reason, all the storage scrolls he carried had failed, and the tool-manipulation techniques he relied on had become a joke.

"Let's keep moving. As long as nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to make it back to Konoha before dark."

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

Nothing unexpected, huh...

It seems the teacher has recently awakened a "poisonous milk" constitution; whatever he says won't happen, inevitably happens.

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?"

Tobirama Senju, 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, upright figure stood against the glaring sunlight, blocking their only path forward.

"It's him! He's actually not dead!"

Danzo Shimura, seeing the person clearly, widened his eyes in disbelief. From the severely damaged clothing, he deduced that the person blocking their path was none other than Clone No. 6, who should have perished under his combined ultimate technique.

"So he is still alive."

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

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

For example, his signature Flying Thunder God Jutsu, the infinitely destructive Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, and the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation 2.0, which had been perfected under Uchiha Gin's improvements.

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

"Tap~ Tap!"

Clone No. 6 seemed to have been waiting for Tobirama Senju and the others. After they appeared, it slowly began to walk forward, its hands naturally coming together.

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Bloom."

Rumble—

Countless thick wooden branches burst from the ground, surging toward Tobirama Senju and the others from all directions. Seeing this, the group instantly tightened their nerves, focusing all their attention to prepare for battle.

"Roar!"

The clone lifted a hand, and a massive wooden dragon emerged from the Wood Style jungle, roaring as it charged toward them.

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

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A surging stream of water appeared out of thin air, transforming into a water dragon of a scale no less than the wooden dragon, and crashed straight into it.

It must 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.

"Bang!!"

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

Tobirama Senju held the Tiger seal with both hands, his concentration at its peak, fearing that any slip-up while controlling the water dragon would lead to total defeat.

"Hiruzen!"

Seeing the two dragons locked in a stalemate and knowing he couldn't just stand by, Uchiha Kagami shouted to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his hands the first to begin forming seals.

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

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

The two, one after the other, spat out bloated fire dragons from their mouths. 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 entangled wooden and water dragons. Due to the collision of heat and cold, the water dragon was evaporated instantly, and the high temperature generated by the steam annihilated the arrogant wooden dragon, leaving not even a scrap of wood behind.

"Well done!"

Homura Mitokado, watching the two's brilliant operation, immediately turned into a cheerleader, waving his arms and shouting for his teammates with an excited face, providing emotional value since he couldn't help otherwise.

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

Monkey, you've changed.

"Tap!"

"Well done."

With the help of his disciples, Tobirama Senju, who had successfully broken the enemy's Wood Dragon Jutsu, felt his pressure ease significantly; he flashed to the side of the two Jing-boys, his eyes showing undisguised appreciation, though the gravity on his face did not diminish.

One could not become complacent just because of a slight advantage; this Wood Dragon was merely a probe, and the strength of the clone was by no means something the few of them could contend with.

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

The more he thought about it, the angrier Danzo became; he immediately body-flickered to the side of Hiruzen Sarutobi, looking at his best friend—with whom he had shared trousers since childhood—with a face full of anticipation.

"Sorry, Danzo, I'm afraid Jing might misunderstand."

Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected Danzo's proposal without even thinking.

Although the two had a deep friendship, the way the other released ninjutsu was too bizarre; his current status was no longer what it used to be, and he could not afford to create any more scandalous material.

Unexpectedly, having been entrusted with the mission by Tobirama Senju in a moment of crisis, Hiruzen Sarutobi already had an "idol burden" before even assuming the position of leader, cutting ties with his own dark history at light speed.

"Monkey, you..."

Rejected heartlessly, Danzo widened his eyes, trembling as he raised a hand to point at the averted face of Hiruzen Sarutobi, unable to speak for a long time.

"Master! He's charging over again!"

Just then, Uchiha Jing, who had been keeping a close eye on the clone's movements, let out a loud roar, and everyone immediately entered a state of alert.

"Rumble—"

This time, the clone did not hold back, directly summoning a towering Arhat Wood Man, giving Tobirama Senju and the others not a moment to catch their breath.

"It's over."

Looking at the hill-like Wood Man, a trace of despair appeared on everyone's faces; Tobirama Senju gritted his teeth and began to form hand seals.

"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"

Based on his understanding of his older brother, this Wood Man could not withstand his high-pressure water blade, which he took great pride in.

"Whoosh!"

A linear water jet shot out at high speed, cutting across like a sharp blade; the Wood Man that was struck faltered in its movements.

"Splurt~"

After a brief moment of stiffness, the Wood Man was split in two from the waist; looking at the smooth wound, Tobirama Senju immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, the smile he hadn't yet fully formed froze on his face.

The clone standing atop the Wood Man's head brought his hands together once more, and a visible glow of chakra erupted from his body; the Wood Man, whose upper half was about to slide to the ground, suddenly reached out to brace itself against the ground, and countless buds sprouted from the severed waist wound.

In the astonished eyes of everyone, the Wood Man that had been split in two actually proliferated into two separate entities.

The two giant Wood Men stood left and right, glaring at the tiny humans before them like insurmountable mountains blocking their path.

"Gulp."

It was unclear whose swallowing sound broke the silence of the moment; Tobirama Senju glanced at the disciples behind him, a flash of determination in his eyes.

"You go first; I will cover the retreat."

Even if this body of his were sacrificed now, it would not cause any real loss, but the F6 were different—one dead was one less; Tobirama Senju could not allow his disciples to sacrifice themselves due to his own miscalculation.

"How can that be!?"

The F6 were instantly stirred by these words; Torifu Akimichi stepped forward, clenching his fists, his chubby face filled with radical fervor.

"Master, it's just a Wood Man; I can fight it!"

"Torifu! Do not be reckless."

Tobirama Senju shook his head; although the Akimichi clan's Expansion Jutsu could inflate their bodies to the size of a Wood Man, they were, after all, mere flesh and blood, fundamentally unable to contend with a Wood Style creation capable of forcibly absorbing chakra; he feared that in a single exchange, his disciple would be sucked dry into a husk.

"Master!"

The others also raised their heads with emotional expressions; in such a situation, how could they abandon Tobirama Senju, their master, and flee?

"As a ninja, one must first learn to examine oneself and maintain a calm understanding of one's own strength; if you drag things out like this, you will only plunge your comrades into crisis. You are still young; the future of the Hidden Leaf Village is ultimately yours."

Tobirama Senju raised his hand to stop the agitated group, delivering a profound speech of dissuasion; the F6 lowered their heads one by one, their hearts filled only with regret for their own weakness.

Danzo looked up in despair, watching the two towering Wood Men, and finally lowered his proud head, his fists clenched so tightly that he did not even notice his nails digging into his flesh.

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

"Hoo... Master is right. Hiruzen, you take everyone and retreat; I will stay behind to assist Master in covering the rear."

Suddenly, a curly-haired head lifted from the bowed group; Uchiha Jing took a deep breath, and a burning fighting spirit reignited in his scarlet eyes.

"Huh? Jing, what are you saying?"

Tobirama Senju was stunned, looking at the Jing-boy standing in line with him, inwardly lamenting that the heartfelt words he had just spoken had all fallen on deaf ears.

Uchiha Jing revealed a smile that was inexplicably reassuring, slowly pulling a somewhat familiar blue prop from the ninja tool pouch behind him.

"The real battle only begins now." (End of chapter)