"You seem surprised?"
Neji stared into Madara's eyes, his tone devoid of either joy or sorrow. He didn't sound at all like a youth who had just struck a blow against the "Shura of the Shinobi World." To him, it was as if this outcome were simply a matter of course.
"Who are you?"
Madara's expression turned uncharacteristically solemn. As a veteran of a thousand battles, he understood exactly what had happened in that fleeting instant. Specifically, those Chakra threads erupting from the boy's pressure points possessed a density and structural integrity that far surpassed his own Perfect Susanoo.
Without the augmentation of Yin-Yang Release, such a feat would be absolutely impossible. This meant the Hyuga brat before him possessed Chakra on the same tier as his own and Hashirama's.
"Neji Hyuga. Current head of the Hyuga Clan!"
With those words, Neji settled into the classic starting stance of the Hyuga Gentle Fist. However, unlike the traditional Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, Revolving Heaven, or Vacuum Palm, the path he now walked was fundamentally different. Although the movements appeared similar on the surface, the underlying principles and destructive potential were no longer in the same league.
"So, you're the genius of the Hyuga clan who defected from Konoha with Allen and recently killed the Fourth Raikage with your own hands." A look of realization flashed in Madara's eyes.
There was no need to ask; Black Zetsu had undoubtedly mentioned the name "Neji Hyuga" while briefing him on the current state of affairs. He just hadn't paid much attention at the time, subconsciously dismissing the boy. Now, however, the Shura of the Shinobi World finally viewed Neji as an equal opponent.
Meanwhile, witnessing this from the other side, Hashirama instinctively furrowed his brows and roared at his younger brother, "Look at what your handiwork has wrought! If it weren't for your extremist ideologies and 'clever' schemes, how could Konoha have ended up like this? Even the Hyuga clan has abandoned the village!"
"I'm sorry, Anijya. I know I was wrong." Tobirama lowered his head in shame.
There was no escaping it. The Third Hokage, Danzo, and those two meddling advisors were all students he had personally mentored. Who could have guessed that after his death, these individuals would commit such insane and atrocious acts in their scramble for power? Even worse, their dark history had been fully exposed, causing Konoha to lose the hearts and minds of its people. Had it not been for the imminent threat of the Resistance, the village likely would have disintegrated by now. In this matter, he bore undeniable responsibility.
"Sigh, forget it. This is no time for such talk. Let us do everything in our power to stop Kabuto from becoming the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails."
Hashirama turned his gaze toward the young woman standing before him. He asked in a somewhat uncertain tone, "You are a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, aren't you?"
"That's right. My name is Karin Uzumaki. As long as I am here, don't even think about getting near Allen-sama," Karin replied, tightening her fists.
"Hahaha! A true orphan of the Uzumaki! No wonder you look so much like Mito. If possible, I'd really rather not fight you." Hashirama laughed, scratching the back of his head.
His wife, Mito Uzumaki, had been the first Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. Because of her, and because Karin's personality seemed similar to hers, he couldn't help but feel a certain affection for the girl. Unfortunately, the current situation didn't allow him to make decisions based on personal preference. Anyone witnessing the terrifying power of the Ten-Tails knew that allowing someone to become its Jinchuriki was unacceptable. If the power over life and death in the entire shinobi world fell into a single person's hands, the result would be catastrophic.
"Hmph. Don't act as if you've already won! You should know that after sparring with Neji so many times, he hasn't beaten me once. Take this!"
The moment she finished speaking, Karin initiated the attack. Although she hadn't awakened a Rinnegan or used Six Paths power, she relied on the immense vitality of her Sage body to close the distance at staggering speed.
The next second… BOOM!
A terrifying punch smashed the "God of Shinobi's" right hand and half of his torso into pulverized dust. Such staggering destructive power stunned Hashirama, and even Tobirama and Madara couldn't help but look over in shock. As for the Edo Tensei army, they simply couldn't fathom how these two youngsters could be this powerful, matching and even slightly suppressing top-tier legends like Madara and Hashirama who had survived the warring states era.
Fortunately, Hashirama was currently in a reanimated state, so his shattered body quickly began to reform. Realizing how formidable the girl was, he immediately wove hand signs and shouted, "Wood Release: Wood Human Jutsu!"
"You think you're the only one who can use Wood Release?"
Karin watched the massive wooden titan rise from the earth and immediately mimicked the signs: "Wood Release: Wood Human Jutsu!"
In the blink of an eye, two identical wooden titans erupted from the ground and began to grapple with one another.
"You can use Wood Release too?!" Hashirama's jaw dropped in shock.
In the Senju clan of old, countless people had yearned to learn his Wood Release, yet not a single one had ever succeeded.
"Wood Release? No. This isn't just Wood Release. This is the result of fusing Yang Release with Water and Earth Chakra. Without Yang Release, even if you learn Wood Release, its power would only be at the level of an ordinary B-rank Ninjutsu," Karin explained, her chin tilted up with a hint of pride.
"Damn! This is going to be trouble!"
As a master of forbidden arts, Tobirama's understanding of the theoretical systems of Ninjutsu was deep. He realized instantly that Karin hadn't stumbled upon Wood Release by accident; she truly understood the principles behind it. This meant her Wood Release wouldn't be much weaker than his brother's, it might even be stronger. With his strength alone, there was no way to gain an advantage over Allen, let alone stop Kabuto, who was currently absorbing the Ten-Tails into his body.
"Sage Mode!" both shouted simultaneously.
Just as the Second Hokage was worrying, Hashirama and Karin both revealed their first trump cards. They drew in massive amounts of natural energy, and distinct markings appeared around their eyes. Before those around them could react, the two clashed again.
In an instant, the land that had just been ravaged by various Ninjutsu was covered in a massive explosion of flora. Trees and vines split into two opposing camps, strangling and lashing at each other. The spectacle was enough to strike awe into the heart of anyone watching. They all realized why, whenever the older generation spoke of Wood Release, their eyes filled with both yearning and absolute dread.
To ninety-nine percent of ninjas, standing before such power made them no different from ants, liable to be swallowed by a sea of green at any moment.