"Cough… cough…"
After taking several deep breaths, Senju Tobirama finally managed to suppress the agony in his mind.
The pain felt like ten thousand needles stabbing at once.
Like venomous snakes tearing at the depths of his soul.
His body trembled.
His hands struggled.
He clenched his teeth so hard that the Edo Tensei material forming them cracked like splintering wood.
Only then did he barely manage to raise his head.
Those icy blue eyes were now bloodshot.
They locked onto Uchiha Kai below the tower.
His entire face burned with fury.
Humiliation.
Unwillingness.
Rage.
Shock.
And a heavy sense of helplessness.
He was a proud member of the Senju clan.
One of the true rulers during Konoha's founding era.
The fastest shinobi in the world.
A supreme master whose entire arsenal consisted of forbidden techniques.
When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
Being forced to kneel—
By an Uchiha brat.
And a mere boy at that.
It was absurd.
This was like grinding the honor of his entire life into the dirt.
For a moment, a strange thought crossed his mind.
Perhaps the dead should remain in the Pure Land.
Why bring him back at all?
If he defeated the boy, people would say he was bullying a junior.
If he lost?
Then his dignity would be utterly destroyed.
His face—gone.
"Ha…"
Tobirama took another deep breath.
Then turned toward Hashirama and said hoarsely,
"As expected of an… evil Uchiha brat."
"Using such sinister techniques."
"But…"
"I've already discovered your weakness."
His voice was rough and cracking.
Every word seemed squeezed out between clenched teeth.
If he were alive, he would have already shattered them.
"Tsk, tsk. Lord Tobirama seems a little exhausted."
Kai stepped forward lightly.
He climbed onto the rooftop one step at a time.
Even he was a little surprised.
He hadn't expected the newly generated trait to produce such powerful effects when enhanced by Yin Release chakra.
Moreover—
Kai had suddenly thought of a bold possibility.
If his mutated Yin Release could affect souls…
Then perhaps it could also counter other soul-based techniques.
For example—
The King of Hell from the Naraka Path.
Or the soul extraction ability of the Human Path.
Or even—
The Shinigami summoned by the Reaper Death Seal.
Thinking of this, Kai narrowed his eyes.
Did Tobirama know the Reaper Death Seal?
The answer wasn't hard to guess.
The Third Hokage knew it.
The Fourth Hokage knew it.
Even Orochimaru had learned it eventually.
As a master of forbidden techniques, Tobirama certainly should know it as well.
As for Hashirama?
That wood-loving blockhead probably didn't.
So all Kai had to do now—
Was force Tobirama to use the Reaper Death Seal.
Then he would know whether his ability worked against it.
Besides…
Kai also wanted to see if his Light Body could resist the Shinigami.
Step.
Step.
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Kai's footsteps never stopped.
He continued walking forward.
Calm and composed.
Compared to the half-kneeling Tobirama—
The difference was like heaven and earth.
When Kai finally approached—
Tobirama suddenly raised his head and shouted to Hashirama,
"Big brother! Use the Bringer of Darkness!"
"That brat's weakness is light!"
"I will never allow the Uchiha to stain Konoha!"
Immediately after shouting, he began forming seals.
Slowly.
A cold and ominous aura descended.
Even the air itself seemed to dim.
These hand seals were far more complicated than the previous Bringer of Darkness technique.
Much more complex.
Much slower.
The long preparation forced him to ask his brother for help.
When Hashirama saw the seals—
His expression changed drastically.
"That seal…!"
"Stop, Tobirama!"
The gentle aura around Hashirama vanished instantly.
What remained was overwhelming strength.
He rushed forward—
Intent on stopping his brother from doing something reckless.
But as he moved—
His eyes briefly passed over the surrounding figures.
The old Sarutobi.
The grinning Orochimaru.
The stunned shinobi watching from afar.
In that instant—
Hashirama understood.
"So… you're willing to sacrifice your soul just to protect your pride."
"Tobirama… you're still as stubborn as ever."
He sighed.
And stopped moving.
Tobirama did not refuse defeat.
But he refused to lose—
To the Uchiha.
And especially not to a mere boy.
"If that's the case…"
"I'll hold him off for you."
After leaving those words behind—
The First Hokage turned to face Kai.
For once, his dark eyes were completely serious.
"Sorry, kid."
"Say sorry to Madara for me."
The moment the words fell—
An overwhelming aura exploded from his body.
It soared straight into the heavens.
The entire village of Konoha erupted into chaos.
WHOOSH—
WHOOSH—
Trees trembled violently.
Many of the smaller ones snapped instantly.
CRACK!
Walls began splitting with spiderweb-like fractures.
CLATTER!
Tiles from distant rooftops shattered as they fell.
All of this—
From nothing more than Hashirama's intent.
A pressure equivalent to a Category 9 gale swept across the village.
The spectators who had just been shocked by Tobirama kneeling—
Were instantly dragged into an even greater shock.
"That… that's the First Hokage!"
"Hahaha! Incredible!"
Ōnoki trembled with excitement.
He looked like a fan meeting his idol.
Forgetting about village politics entirely.
Beside him, the Fourth Raikage A said nothing.
But his face was full of shock.
He had always known Hashirama was powerful.
He had even briefly considered challenging him.
But now—
That thought vanished completely.
Just the aura alone had crushed his will to resist.
"So once he steps in…"
"The battle should be over, right?"
Raikage muttered.
Ōnoki nodded heavily.
"Of course."
"Even Uchiha Madara wasn't this man's opponent."
On the street below—
Shikaku Nara frowned deeply.
"First Hokage-sama…"
"Kai-sama hasn't done anything against Konoha."
Although he trusted Kai's strength—
The title God of Shinobi carried overwhelming weight.
Just appearing made him seem unbeatable.
Kai was strong.
But not yet legendary.
Inside a nearby building—
A young villager asked his father,
"Is he really that strong?"
"Why does everyone look so worried about Kai-sama?"
The father took a deep breath.
"The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, ended the age of war with his own power."
"He is called the God of Shinobi."
"Kai-sama is strong, but…"
"He's still too young."
"If he had twenty more years…"
"The result might be different."
The boy nodded thoughtfully.
But stubbornly added,
"I still think Kai-sama will win."
"Hehe."
For the young people of Konoha—
Uchiha Kai had already become their hero.
Hashirama listened to the voices around him.
His expression softened slightly.
"It seems…"
"You're not a bad kid."
"But…"
"I'm sorry."
"I still have to take away your light."
He raised his hands—
And clapped them together.
Genjutsu — Bringer of Darkness!
The next instant—
An even greater darkness descended from the sky.
Unlike before—
This time it did not spread outward gradually.
Instead—
It formed with the Hokage Tower as the center.
Silent darkness swallowed everything.
A full one-kilometer radius vanished into pitch black.
"Without light…"
"You shouldn't be able to use that ability anymore."
Hashirama said calmly.
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