"Yes!"
Ayane's figure disappeared from the spot, and half of the surrounding crowd also left, following Ayane to pursue Orochimaru and his three companions.
At the moment Ayane left, Fujima's body moved again, trying to stop Ayane.
His body was commanded to do so, unable to decide anything autonomously.
As he made a move, the Ninja of the Land of Demons surrounding him did not show any sign of fear.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
The Uchiha ninja initiated an attack with Fire Style.
Fujima deliberately avoided the opponent's Sharingan. In his current state, he could not adequately deal with the Sharingan. If he were to be controlled by the Sharingan's Illusion Technique, things would become troublesome.
Hashirama was restrained by the Uzumaki Clan's Vajra Seal, unable to fight alongside him, leaving everything to rely solely on himself to get through the challenges.
Fujima formed a seal with his hands, instantly summoning a stream of water to extinguish the fireball.
The stream of water that doused the fireball maintained its power, spreading around.
Immediately after, he gathered Chakra in his mouth, gently exhaled, and a multitude of water needles shot out, causing the Ninja of the Land of Demons who attempted to attack him to become flustered.
Witnessing the unexpected ninja techniques, Fujima roughly gauged these ninjas' strength, finding it indeed too challenging to confront them alone.
Over there, an Uzumaki Clan ninja retrieved a talisman from the ninja tool bag, approached Hashirama, and placed it on Hashirama's chest.
Hashirama felt a strong binding force suppressing the Chakra within him, locking his body firmly in place, unable to move.
Inside the talisman resided a powerful sealing technique.
The Uzumaki Clan ninja, seeing the talisman take effect, withdrew the golden chain from Hashirama's body and then turned to watch Fujima's battlefield.
Under the heavy assault from the Ninja of the Land of Demons, Fujima was merely struggling to cope, his abilities severely limited, with many secret techniques unable to be used.
The Uzumaki Clan ninja, seeing this, decided to act quickly, directly controlling the golden chain from behind to attack Fujima.
Among those present, only he possessed this ability, which was why Ayane left him there.
Facing an immortal body's ninja, using a sealing technique was the best countermeasure.
"As Konoha's ally, why are you assisting the Renegade Ninja of Konoha?"
Ayane, who broke free from the caged bird, led the Hyuga Clan's branch family to collectively defect, an action Fujima foresaw.
With the Uchiha Clan mixed in, it only indicated the severity of the situation was greater than imagined.
But why is the Uzumaki Clan involved too?
This is the part Fujima couldn't comprehend.
"It seems Lord Fujima still doesn't understand the truth. The Land of Whirlpools vanished after your death."
The Uzumaki Clan ninja controlled the golden chain while explaining to Fujima, disrupting his thoughts.
"How is that possible?"
Fujima appeared incredulous.
The Land of Whirlpools was a neighbor of the Land of Fire, Konoha could reach the Uzumaki Clan within less than half a day for reinforcement.
Even if the Uzumaki Clan encountered some disaster, Konoha, as a neighbor, had ample time to aid the Uzumaki Clan.
Hashirama also widened his eyes, his mind in turmoil.
He always felt grateful to the Uzumaki Clan.
Although Wood Style could suppress Tailed Beasts, the sealing techniques of Jinchuriki were guided over from the Uzumaki Clan.
The majority of Konoha's sealing techniques were also taught by the Uzumaki Clan.
To thank the Uzumaki Clan, he requested that the mark of the Uzumaki Clan be engraved on Konoha's ninja attire, symbolizing the everlasting alliance and friendship between Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan. In times of crisis for the Uzumaki Clan, they could rely on Konoha's strength to protect their clan.
The Uzumaki Clan's territory, the Land of Whirlpools, disappeared, leaving Hashirama more bewildered.
"That's indeed the situation, the Land of Whirlpools vanquished, and the Uzumaki Clan diaspora wandered the Ninja Realm for over ten years, hiding in its dark corners like rats... it was the Uchiha who helped us."
Looking at Fujima's suddenly complicated expression, the Uzumaki Clan ninja felt deeply moved.
Konoha, ultimately, was not the same Konoha under the rule of the first and second generation.
"Who holds the reins of Konoha now?"
Fujima asked through gritted teeth.
"Your good student Hiruzen Sarutobi. Under his leadership, Konoha experienced the Second and Third Ninja Realm Wars consecutively in nearly thirty years, now heavily wounded... can't say the situation is good."
Continuing to disturb Fujima's thoughts, striving to find a flaw in him.
Monkey! For some reason, a surge of nameless anger rose in Fujima's heart.
Hashirama sighed.
"Alas... war..."
The Second and Third Ninja Realm Wars.
Implying, after his death, the First Ninja Realm War occurred, and Fujima should have sacrificed in that battle.
According to the information from the Uzumaki Clan ninja, it had been decades since his death, with three large-scale Ninja Realm Wars exploding in succession.
Giving Hashirama an illusion of returning to the Warring States Era.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Hashirama sensed something, lowered his head to look at his body, enveloped in white radiance.
"This feeling... has the caster lifted the jutsu..."
Feeling a sense of relief.
Hearing that Konoha hadn't been defeated by the major era was somewhat comforting, but worrying about this current Ninja Realm's landscape.