Chapter 16: The Clash of Top-Tier Warriors

Squatting in the grass, Chu Yang had nothing to do, so he looked up to count the stars, but tonight the sky was thick with clouds, not a single star visible.

When the clouds obscured the moon for the third time.

Chu Yang’s Observation Haki sensed two extremely powerful auras.

The auras were so formidable they made Chu Yang’s heart race—he was forced to shut off his Observation Haki.

Immediately, Hashirama Senju whispered beside Chu Yang: “They’re here!”

They’re here!

Just those two simple words made Chu Yang’s heart leap!

Chu Yang cautiously lifted his head and finally saw Hashirama Senju’s figure.

Opposite him stood the legendary Madara Uchiha.

The two fated rivals gazed at each other across a small stream.

“Madara, surrender!” Hashirama Senju shouted. “Let’s end this meaningless war! We can build a peaceful world where the children of our clans live safely and happily.”

"Itachi're as naive as ever—sometimes I truly envy Itachi..." Madara Uchiha regarded Hashirama Senju with complex eyes, shook his head, and asked coldly, "Where's Izuna? Did Itachi kill him?"

Hashirama Senju replied: “He’s not dead.”

Hearing his brother was alive, Madara Uchiha’s cold expression softened slightly, a flicker of relief passing through his eyes.

Madara Uchiha said: “Hashirama, unless we settle this today, this war won’t end. If Itachi crave peace, then let your fists speak.”

At these words, Hashirama Senju finally abandoned his last hope, took a deep breath, and prepared for battle.

Madara Uchiha smiled—he wanted to see his opponent give his all. What they’d fought before on the battlefield was merely child’s play.

The next instant, the two figures collided, beginning a fierce battle.

From Chu Yang’s observation, he noticed that neither Madara Uchiha nor Hashirama Senju used ninjutsu frequently—most of their combat consisted of taijutsu exchanges.

At this level, top-tier warriors mastered their ninjutsu to such an extent they needed no complex hand seals, often reducing them to just two or three.

Otherwise, the brief window between hand seals would be a fatal opening in the enemy’s eyes.

So far, Madara Uchiha had used only fire release as support, while Hashirama Senju had used only wood release.

Yet it was precisely this brutally simple combat that delivered an overwhelming visual impact to Chu Yang.

Gradually… their battle speed surpassed human visual limits—Chu Yang could only see a blur of motion, no distinct movements.

Standing beside Chu Yang, Hashirama Senju noticed his distress and offered a few words of comfort.

There was no help for it—unless one possessed a Sharingan or Byakugan, special dōjutsu that greatly enhanced vision, ordinary eyes simply couldn’t keep up with top-tier warriors.

Even Chu Yang’s body, strengthened by wood release, could only see slightly longer than an ordinary person.

Their battle ravaged a vast area—the entire valley was torn apart, the earth shattered, trees and flowers reduced to ash, all things obliterated.

Chu Yang watched in horror, before he could react, Hashirama Senju seized him and swiftly dragged him away from the battle’s edge.

Moments after they left, a fireball the size of a three-story building crashed onto their former position—the explosion’s shockwave scoured the ground three feet deep.

When Chu Yang landed and turned back, all he saw was a vast expanse of blackened charcoal—if he’d still been standing there, even heaven’s own lord couldn’t have saved him.

Instantly, cold sweat soaked his back; he began trembling uncontrollably.

Hashirama Senju chuckled: “See? Even a simple Great Fireball Technique can vary wildly in power depending on who wields it!”

Chu Yang couldn’t help but roll his eyes!

Itachi call that a Great Fireball Technique?

Anyone else would think a mushroom bomb just landed on my head!

Hashirama Senju, even now, couldn’t resist lecturing the still-shaken Chu Yang: “Itachi’re clever—but your problem is Itachi’re too clever. Itachi learn everything too easily, so Itachi want to learn everything, and in the end Itachi’re just a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.”

Chu Yang didn’t deny Hashirama Senju’s point—but wasn’t he fighting with more than just himself?

So many clones learning from each other, merging knowledge—ordinary human limitations wouldn’t be his. His path was destined to be unimaginable and incomprehensible to others.

As the moon in the sky grew brighter, the battle escalated into its fiercest phase.

The trembling earth caught Chu Yang’s attention.

He looked up—and saw an indescribably massive figure rise from the ground!

A thousand-zhang-tall tree giant blocked out the moonlight, like an ancient demon god descending.

[Wood Release: Tree Man Technique]

Standing on the Tree Man’s shoulder, Hashirama Senju’s expression was grim. The battle had reached this point—both had now revealed their ultimate techniques; victory or defeat rested on this single moment.

BOOM!

The Tree Man moved—each step shook the entire valley.

Directly ahead, Madara Uchiha began forming hand seals, the tomoe in his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning rapidly.

Madara Uchiha pushed his ocular power to its limit!

He consumed ninety percent of his chakra in one breath—blue flames erupted from the void, coalescing into a skeletal phantom.

As the flames burned fiercer, the phantom solidified—its bones gradually forming a complete human shape, finally crystallizing into a colossal spectral warrior clad in samurai armor.

The mighty warrior was [Susanoo]—its size matched the Tree Man, its armored back sprouting wings and four arms, each gripping a sword.

Under Madara Uchiha’s control, the Susanoo drew closer to the Tree Man and struck first with a slash.

The Tree Man reached out, seized the energy-blade in the Susanoo’s hand, yanked it violently forward, and slammed a fist into its face.

The clash of these two titans sent Chu Yang’s blood boiling!

“Big brother will win—Madara Uchiha doesn’t have enough stamina to sustain Susanoo; his ocular power is nearly exhausted,” Hashirama Senju said coldly.

Chu Yang now noticed that as Susanoo persisted longer, its movements grew slower and slower.

In prior combat, Madara Uchiha had accumulated many injuries, while Hashirama Senju, with his superior healing ability, was in far better condition.

Madara Uchiha, having drained his body to summon Susanoo, was already at his last breath!

Hashirama Senju sighed deeply: “How ironic—his current state mirrors the entire Uchiha clan’s fate.”

With that sigh, the demonic Susanoo collapsed in ruins!

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(End of Chapter)