Chapter 438: The God of Shinobi Saves the Day (?)
Only now did Shiromo understand why people who use time-stop abilities like to carry a few throwing knives on them.
He glanced at the others nearby. Leaving everyone else aside, Senju Tobirama definitely had kunai on him.
But Shiromo felt there was no need for that.
In the split second before the masked man could make his escape, Shiromo activated the time-stop once more. Then...
He grabbed Senju Hashirama, who was standing nearby, and hurled him like a giant shuriken.
After being thrown by Shiromo, Hashirama plunged headfirst into the filth on the masked man's face, suspended mid-air.
Then, time began to flow again.
"Aaaah—"
Hashirama let out a tragic scream, but the sound was cut short abruptly.
Along with the masked man, he had been sucked into the Kamui dimension.
"I'm sorry... I really couldn't bring myself to do it..."
Uchiha Naori deactivated her Susanoo and retreated, apologizing to the group.
"It's okay, it's not your fault," Uchiha Hikari stood on her tiptoes and patted Naori's shoulder, "If it were me asked to use Yachihoko like that, I couldn't have done it either."
"...If I had known beforehand that such tactics existed in the modern ninja world, I would have definitely been on guard," Naori said, filled with regret.
"Actually, this is a unique feature of Konoha Village," Uchiha Hikari explained with a straight face, "Konoha has something called the 'Will of Fire.' It says that leaves will burn and turn into nutrients to nourish the new budding leaves. Just think about it—how much nutrients can burning leaves really provide? The real 'nutrients' have to be that stuff. So, it's perfectly normal for Konoha ninja to play around with that."
As Hikari gave her deadpan explanation, Senju Tobirama tried to open his mouth to retort. Suddenly, he felt his chakra being drained away again. His legs went weak, and he fell headfirst toward the sea.
However, the sea below wasn't real water. Konan raised her hand, and the scenery shifted into countless sheets of paper, catching the chakra-depleted Tobirama and lifting him back up.
"What happened to him?" Naori asked, looking at the retrieved Tobirama in confusion.
"He realized his elder brother is in grave danger and is worried sick. His chakra became unstable from the stress, so he fell. Right?"
Hikari "helpfully" provided another explanation.
"...Right."
Tobirama struggled internally for a moment before nodding. The memory of the last time he lost his chakra and was dumped in front of Uchiha Madara was too humiliating; he never wanted to revisit those dark days again.
"So, where is his brother? He seemed to vanish along with that man just now," Naori realized, turning her gaze toward the spot where the masked man had disappeared.
"That's right. The masked man claimed to be Uchiha Madara, and Madara is the beloved soulmate of his brother, Senju Hashirama. Hashirama couldn't stand the thought of someone using his beloved's name to commit such atrocities, so he ignored the risks and charged right in," Hikari said, nodding sagely.
"He knows space-time ninjutsu too?" Naori was puzzled.
Hashirama had clearly appeared on top of the masked man in an instant. That was definitely not a feat achievable through pure speed. Moreover, they were being watched by multiple Mangekyou Sharingan, yet no one had detected any movement trajectory.
Has space-time ninjutsu become so common these days? Did everyone know it?
"Of course. His younger brother, Senju Tobirama, knows space-time ninjutsu. Hashirama is known as the 'God of Shinobi,' so naturally, he knows it too."
"..."
Tobirama watched helplessly as this wicked Uchiha woman spun her tall tales, yet he had no way to refute her. A sense of profound sorrow welled up in his heart.
However...
The thought of the masked man facing his elder brother alone in the Kamui dimension made Tobirama's mood brighten considerably.
That inherently evil Uchiha was finally going to face the justice of the Senju.
"My brother should be able to subdue the masked man quickly. The key now is how he'll get out. We need to go to Konoha and find Kakashi," Tobirama suggested.
It didn't matter that Hashirama didn't actually know space-time ninjutsu—even if he did, it wouldn't help. Tobirama could no longer sense the Flying Raijin mark he had placed on his brother. This meant that unless the masked man used his Mangekyou to open a portal, no other space-time ninjutsu could enter or leave.
It was the same principle as when his Flying Raijin Slash hit the masked man earlier.
"Kakashi? Is that the name the guy shouted at the end?" Naori frowned. She remembered the masked man's final words: "The thing that propelled me to become the Sage of Six Paths is Konoha's Will of Fire! Thank you, Kakashi!" or something to that effect.
"Yes. The masked man's other Mangekyou is with that Kakashi," Hikari nodded.
"Are they... male colleagues?"
"They are."
"..."
--
Inside the Kamui Dimension.
Senju Hashirama was spitting repeatedly, gagging and clutching his throat with an expression of absolute despair and misery.
The masked man, meanwhile, stared blankly at the person in front of him, momentarily paralyzed with indecision.
If he opened the Kamui dimension now to throw Hashirama out, Tobirama would likely sense the Flying Raijin mark and warp everyone inside to continue the beatdown.
But if he didn't open it?
That would mean he'd have to fight this "Undead Plant Man" without the benefit of his intangibility.
There was the option of just leaving himself, but that was even more impossible.
What the masked man couldn't understand was how Hashirama had suddenly appeared in front of him at the final moment to be brought along. Looking at how miserable Hashirama looked right now, it didn't seem like he had come along willingly.
Had the Second Hokage developed some new space-time ninjutsu?
"Young man of the Uchiha... you've gone too far this time!"
Hashirama, having finished spitting, wore a dark expression as he took step after step toward the masked man.
Don't forget, Senju Hashirama was currently installed with the "Reanimated DLC: Sensory Taste Bud Jutsu." This meant he had literally tasted that filth just now. It was no wonder he was in such agony.
"Wait, First Hokage! Why don't we talk about the Infinite Tsukuyomi and world peace?"
The masked man took a step back, maintaining a forced composure as he tried to change the subject, attempting a bit of "Talk no Jutsu."
"Sure. Talk to my Wood Golem!"
Hashirama clapped his hands together, and a massive wooden head erupted directly from his body.
He wasn't even pretending anymore. Normally, Wood Style surged up from the earth, but since there was no soil in the Kamui dimension, it came straight out of his own frame.
"Wood Style: Cutting Technique!"
The masked man tore at his severed arm, unleashing the growth of Hashirama cells as countless wooden spikes flew toward the First Hokage.
However, this was an act of pure desperation. Using the First Hokage's own power against him? That was as futile as Orochimaru trying to use Hashirama cells to control a reanimated Hashirama.
The wooden spikes struck the Wood Golem, but far from leaving a scratch, they were instantly absorbed into its mass.
A second later, a Wood Golem, built with the proportions of an Akimichi clan member, towered within the Kamui dimension. This was an entity capable of clashing with a Complete Body Susanoo.
The masked man, on the other hand, couldn't even manifest a Susanoo of his own.
Hashirama leapt onto the head of the Wood Golem.
"Weren't you calling yourself Madara? Then come! Madara, let's settle this once and for all!"
From his high vantage point, Hashirama spotted several buckets stored within the Kamui dimension. Some were empty; others were full. These were the "props" the masked man had been using.
Seeing these, Hashirama was filled with grief and indignation. He commanded the Wood Golem to reach out, snatching the buckets and crushing them in its grip.
(End of this chapter)