Natsuhiko suddenly made his move, instantly causing a violent tide of energy.
This tide of energy not only detonated and ignited the forest, but also sent a powerful shockwave directly toward Konoha.
Once strength reached their level, they truly could no longer choose to attack casually.
Because every movement they made after using chakra would cause damage to their surroundings that was difficult to measure.
Because of that, Natsuhiko absolutely could not allow this battle to affect Konoha. At the very least, he could not allow it to affect Konoha too much and cause irreversible losses.
He had talked nonsense with Ōtsutsuki Urashiki for so long precisely to buy time for his shadow clones.
And now, no matter how one looked at it, his shadow clones should have already completed their tasks.
Since that was the case, Natsuhiko would not hesitate much.
He planned to draw this guy's attention, then use the Flying Thunder God to leave this place.
Only by bringing this guy far away could he fight without any restraint.
Of course, to avoid this guy not following his steps, Natsuhiko had also made preparations in advance.
Senju Hashirama was not only there to block the aftermath of the collision between their energy torrents. He also had to directly protect Konoha from being affected by their battle.
That was why Natsuhiko's shadow clone had spoken to him so seriously. Natsuhiko wanted to cut off every hidden danger.
His attack this time could be considered seizing the first move. At the same time, it was also meant to anger this guy and test just how strong he really was.
However, what made Natsuhiko frown tightly was that this guy had not moved at all.
He still floated quietly in midair, looking at Natsuhiko, whose whole body was releasing golden chakra, with a playful expression.
A ring of red chakra quietly appeared around his body, and this chakra completely blocked Natsuhiko's black chakra sphere.
At the same time, Natsuhiko clearly saw that the fishing rod behind this guy had also turned red.
A barrier?
Natsuhiko silently thought this. He truly had not expected this guy to have such a move.
In fact, Natsuhiko had also considered this kind of technique before. After all, the characteristics of ninja were right there.
If he could find a way to improve his own defense, Natsuhiko would naturally be very, very willing.
Unfortunately, chakra as a power could probably be considered a flowing, irregular kind of...
Gas?
Natsuhiko truly did not know how to describe this power. Wanting to completely fix this kind of energy in place was really not a simple matter.
Even though Natsuhiko had already completed the two key steps of chakra shape transformation and nature transformation.
If he wanted chakra to maintain both flowing and solidified characteristics to form a defensive barrier, he truly could not do it.
"Your strength does not seem like much."
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki smiled at Natsuhiko with a somewhat teasing tone. Although Natsuhiko's attack looked impressive, it had not caused him any harm.
"You used natural energy and the broken power of the Ten-Tails, yet this is all the effect you achieved?
"Are you testing me, or are you only at this level?"
"Why do you not guess?" Natsuhiko's tone was very calm. He truly had not used much power.
After all, he was not like the man before him. He had concerns in his heart.
No wonder many people said that the strongest experts did not necessarily need bonds in their hearts.
The power of protection was indeed terrifying, but if one left behind bonds and then encountered an unreasonable enemy, those bonds would become the most fatal thing.
Those who had nothing to worry about did not have this kind of concern, but people with no attachments also lacked the restraint of morality and reason. In the end, it would not be strange for them to walk toward destruction.
Wanting to become strong was definitely difficult, and wanting to reach the very peak was even harder.
However, no matter how difficult this path was, Natsuhiko had already been moving forward along it without stopping.
His eyes kept sweeping over the energy barrier before him, searching for flaws in it.
His eyes themselves possessed extraordinary insight. Perhaps they could not compare to the Sharingan in terms of dynamic vision.
But when it came to finding flaws, Natsuhiko's eyes were absolutely first-class.
In just a moment, Natsuhiko had roughly understood the chakra flow of this barrier.
"You want me to guess? Sorry, I have no interest in guessing. I only summarize what I see."
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki shook his head disdainfully. His expression was still calm and arrogant.
"Your body is passable. After all, it has been tempered by the Ōtsutsuki bloodline, but its strength is only at that level.
"If not for the broken power of the Ten-Tails protecting you, you would have been injured just now.
"The power you released is still worth looking at, but if this is all you have, then you can die."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki reached his right hand behind him, and the fishing rod glowing with red chakra fell into his grasp.
In an instant, a powerful chakra swept over, and the terrifying power of Yin-Yang Release erupted.
"Since you are only at this level, then I will make my move as well."
In the next moment, his gaze sharpened, and a destructive aura spread from his body.
Without any warning, the place where Natsuhiko stood exploded with a loud crash.
A deep pit appeared in the ground, and dust spread in all directions with the massive explosion.
However, it was clear that his attack had missed. In the distance, Natsuhiko stood quietly on a treetop.
His gaze was locked on Ōtsutsuki Urashiki in the distance, and a trace of doubt appeared on his face.
He suddenly discovered a problem. Why did this Ōtsutsuki Urashiki not have Truth-Seeking Balls?
If this guy had used Truth-Seeking Balls just now, although Natsuhiko could still have escaped, that damned thing definitely would not have let him be this relaxed right now.
According to Natsuhiko's understanding, should the Truth-Seeking Balls not be something one could condense after possessing Yin-Yang and the five elemental chakra natures?
Yet in his memory, why was it that aside from Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and her descendants, none of the other Ōtsutsuki had ever used them?
In the original story, it was truly only Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's line that could use Truth-Seeking Balls.
There was no need to mention Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo. Later on, Asura, Uchiha Madara, and Uchiha Obito could also use them.
Naruto and Toneri, those two, had also fought using Truth-Seeking Balls.
But looking back at Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, whom Natsuhiko had seen, he had never used Truth-Seeking Balls in battle at all.
Could it be that using Truth-Seeking Balls has some other requirements, and is not simply a matter of possessing Yin-Yang and the five elemental chakra natures and fusing them?
Natsuhiko silently muttered in his heart, but in the next second, his expression changed slightly.
Because he clearly saw a "door" suddenly open behind him, and a hand quickly stretched out from inside.
Space-time ninjutsu was an extremely difficult technique for ordinary ninja, and one that was almost impossible to learn.
But for these Ōtsutsuki, it truly did not seem to be anything difficult.
...
"Hashirama, what exactly is going on?"
Uzumaki Mito felt the terrifying tide of energy, and her expression also changed slightly.
Although it was somewhat hard to believe, after confirming it several times, she already knew that this young Hokage was definitely not inferior to her husband.
According to her husband, this young Hokage was even someone who had surpassed him.
Although this sounded like a fantasy, Uzumaki Mito truly did not think her husband was joking.
And now, whether it was her husband or that young Hokage, both of their expressions were extremely serious.
Along with that terrifying tide of power and their conversation, Uzumaki Mito had already realized that the situation was probably very bad.
She truly could not understand it. She had only left this world for a little over twenty years, so how had this world become something she could no longer understand at all?
Aside from that, she had heard her husband mention matters related to the moon.
But he had only spoken up to the moon and then stopped. After that, he did not go any deeper.
Uzumaki Mito was a smart person. Since her husband was unwilling to talk too much, she would not ask too much either.
Even if she was curious inside, she would not make the same mistake again.
However, the situation was different now. Judging by how things were developing, it seemed the battle had already affected Konoha.
Uzumaki Mito could no longer suppress her curiosity and concern. She knew her husband would not answer this question, and asking it was only to confirm something.
She wanted to confirm whether her husband could handle it, and whether he could remain safe.
"It is very dangerous and very complicated, but do not worry."
Senju Hashirama took a deep breath and spoke with a serious expression.
"With me here, with Tobirama and Natsuhiko here, everything will be fine.
"Do not forget that we are all Hokage. Even if we have to risk our lives, we will protect Konoha."
Senju Hashirama did not give too many direct promises. He understood what his wife meant far too well, because back then, when he and Uchiha Madara were about to settle things for the last time, she had asked him the same way.
That time, his answer had also been that there would be no problem, but that time had also led his life toward its final end.
In Senju Hashirama's view, this time was even more dangerous than the last. But no matter how dangerous it was, he still had to show enough confidence.
Just as he said, in order to protect Konoha, even if he had to risk his life, he would not hesitate.
After saying this, Senju Hashirama directly ran out the door. The previous tide of energy had already proven that Natsuhiko had made his move.
Moreover, the strength at the start of the battle could not possibly be too high. This was a test between them, and also a buffer for his side.
Senju Hashirama naturally would not waste time. After coming out, he already saw ninja beginning to evacuate Konoha's residents quickly and in an orderly manner.
This made Senju Hashirama very satisfied, but he also noticed that quite a few ninja were rushing toward the source of the disturbance, which made him extremely worried.
If these ordinary ninja rushed into a battle like this, how was that any different from seeking death?
Thinking of this, Senju Hashirama's speed became even faster.
But at this moment, he suddenly sensed a kunai flying to his side. In the next instant, a figure appeared and brought him away from where he stood.
Space shifted, and Senju Hashirama's vision blurred slightly. When everything before his eyes became clear again, he had already arrived at the outer area of Konoha.
Standing beside him was Senju Tobirama, whose expression was extremely grave as he stared into the distance.
"Thank you. I suddenly realized that the Flying Thunder God Technique is quite useful sometimes." Senju Hashirama spoke in a low voice. As he spoke, he also quickly formed hand seals. "Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique."
"Shadow Clone Technique." Senju Tobirama formed a seal with one hand, and in the next moment, the same number of clones as Senju Hashirama's were summoned. Only then did he speak calmly.
"Natsuhiko has already found me, and I also know what the problem is.
"Damn it. This kind of legendary figure is truly troublesome to the extreme."
"Do not think too much. What we need to do is protect Konoha." Senju Hashirama shook his head. At this moment, his expression was extremely serious.
"Also, as ninja, we should not feel fear when facing an enemy.
"As long as we remain calm enough and believe that Natsuhiko can gather enough intelligence, we will definitely be able to defeat this guy.
"But right now, we have another task. Are you ready?"
"Hmph." Senju Tobirama did not answer the question. His shadow clones had already placed their hands on Senju Hashirama's wood clones.
Chakra stirred slightly, and in an instant, they disappeared from where they stood.
At different corners around the outer edge of Konoha, their figures quickly appeared. At the same time, their chakra also began to circulate.
Senju Hashirama smiled slightly. Although they had not worked together for many years, the understanding between him and his younger brother had not weakened at all.
"Since everything is ready, then…"
Senju Hashirama formed hand seals again, and in the next moment, the chakra inside his body erupted completely.
"Ninja Art: Four Red Yang Formation!"
The Four Red Yang Formation was a secret technique of the Uzumaki clan. It required four top-class ninja with extremely large amounts of chakra.
They would each form seals from the four directions of east, west, south, and north, creating a rectangular barrier of red transparent flames.
This technique could isolate the target from the outside world, and the barrier itself carried red flames.
It prevented people outside from entering the barrier, and also prevented enemies inside the barrier from escaping.
Once someone touched the four walls of the barrier, they would be burned by chakra flames.
Most importantly, its toughness was enough to withstand the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb.
In the Fourth Great Ninja War of the original story, Senju Hashirama had relied on this technique to trap the Ten-Tails.
And now, he was using it to surround Konoha, preventing the people inside from coming out carelessly.
After finishing all this, Senju Hashirama randomly surged his chakra again, but this time, he did not form hand seals.
What he needed to do now was maintain the greatest possible flow of chakra so that he could release ninjutsu at any time.
He knew that what would happen next would be the most terrifying part.
Sure enough, after the red barrier rose wildly, two powerful waves of chakra surged fiercely toward them.
...
When space split open and a hand quickly reached toward Natsuhiko, Natsuhiko immediately activated the Flying Thunder God and dodged away.
However, just as Natsuhiko landed, he suddenly discovered that the black space door had appeared behind him again.
Natsuhiko immediately knew that his Flying Thunder God had been damn well broken again.
This Ōtsutsuki was even more troublesome than Senju Hashirama, because this guy had the Byakugan.
This meant that Senju Hashirama needed to use his sensing ability to lock onto Natsuhiko's seeds, while this guy only needed to look.
Natsuhiko was now increasingly realizing that if the Flying Thunder God Technique did not undergo a more complete and all-around reform.
Then in the future, it would probably only be useful for bullying weaker opponents, or for traveling.
"Since you like chasing me so much, then I will let you chase to your heart's content."
Natsuhiko immediately activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again, but this time, he kept an extra thought in mind.
After activating the technique, he instantly and quietly condensed a Tailed Beast Bomb once more.
In three years, Natsuhiko's improvement had also been enormous. Even though he rarely used the Nine-Tails' power, his use of this power was definitely not weak.
Moreover, he also had the help of the system. His Tailed Beast Bomb was released both quickly and fiercely.
However, Natsuhiko did not have much confidence in this kind of sneak attack at all. His goal was only to interfere with this guy's movements.
When he stopped after traveling through the Flying Thunder God, a space door appeared behind him again, just as expected.
Yet what Natsuhiko never imagined, even in his dreams, was that when he did not hesitate to slam the Tailed Beast Bomb fiercely toward the space door behind him—
what he saw was Ōtsutsuki Urashiki's slightly stunned face, and this guy seemed to have no time to react at all.
"Boom!"
There was no reaction, and there was no dodging movement. Natsuhiko's attack struck Ōtsutsuki Urashiki directly.
That powerful spiral, mixed with Natsuhiko's terrifying chakra, formed a destructive force that was hard to imagine.
Amid the violent roar, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki's body was forced back several steps, and that black space also quietly began to close.
Natsuhiko quickly pulled his hand out of the black hole. He did not want his hand to be cut off by space.
"Blue Rinnegan?"
At this moment, Natsuhiko seemed to notice some changes in Ōtsutsuki Urashiki.
And Ōtsutsuki Urashiki was still very powerful after all. The terrifying power of the Tailed Beast Bomb had not fully bloomed for long before it strangely came to an abrupt stop.
Clearly, the remaining power of the Tailed Beast Bomb had been directly absorbed by his pair of Rinnegan.
However, at this moment, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki looked somewhat miserable. His body was slightly charred.
The clothes on the left half of his body had also disappeared without a trace, clearly shredded by Natsuhiko's Tailed Beast Bomb.
His body looked somewhat strange at this moment. The half of his body struck by the Tailed Beast Bomb looked rather dreadful.
But very soon, white smoke rose from his body, and a wave of Yang Release power quietly emerged as his body quickly recovered.
His expression was very dark. Clearly, he had not expected this scene.
Not only him, even Natsuhiko himself had not expected it either.
His counterattack, which had purely been meant to disrupt the enemy's attack and force the enemy to give him room to move, actually had this kind of effect.
This made Natsuhiko's expression somewhat strange. He was one hundred percent certain that even if he used this kind of move against Sarutobi Hiruzen, that old man would be able to counter it.
Even though Sarutobi Hiruzen was now so old that, in Natsuhiko's eyes, he might as well be unable to move, that did not mean the old man lacked this ability.
So how could this ridiculously powerful Ōtsutsuki make such a foolish mistake?
Was he too arrogant, so he got careless?
Natsuhiko silently thought this in his heart. After thinking it over, he found that only this explanation seemed to make sense of everything he had encountered now.
Could it be that this guy's actual combat experience was not very good, and that was why he slipped up?
However, Natsuhiko did not have time to think too much about these things, because he also noticed one detail. Ōtsutsuki Urashiki did not seem to have senjutsu.
Earlier, Natsuhiko had been thinking about why these Ōtsutsuki did not have Truth-Seeking Balls.
Instead, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and her descendants were the ones who could use Truth-Seeking Balls.
After Natsuhiko struck Ōtsutsuki Urashiki fiercely with a Tailed Beast Bomb combined with senjutsu, he seemed to have thought of something.
He himself possessed senjutsu, so during this contact, he naturally discovered that Ōtsutsuki Urashiki did not have senjutsu chakra at all.
In other words, they did not seem to possess the power of nature.
Whether it was Ōtsutsuki Urashiki before him, or Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki and Kinshiki in Natsuhiko's memory, it was the same.
As for those who had used Truth-Seeking Balls, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo had learned how to use senjutsu from the old toad.
Ōtsutsuki Hamura very likely learned it from him, since he also possessed Truth-Seeking Balls.
Going further down, Ashura was simply Naruto's earlier version, so it was not strange for him to know senjutsu.
As for the future Uchiha Madara, he had absorbed Senju Hashirama's senjutsu, and there was even less need to mention Naruto.
As for Obito, he had indeed never learned senjutsu, but do not forget that he became the Ten-Tails jinchūriki.
Naruto had once sensed the Ten-Tails' power, and what he sensed was a monster that possessed endless natural energy.
The Ten-Tails' power itself came from nature, so when Obito became the Ten-Tails jinchūriki, he naturally counted as possessing the power of nature.
And by relying on the Ten-Tails, he became what was called Six Paths-level, looking almost like an Ōtsutsuki.
His source of power was probably the Sharingan, Madara's Rinnegan, and the power of the Ten-Tails.
Because of that, he could also be considered to possess senjutsu, and perhaps that was why he could use Truth-Seeking Balls.
So the key to using Truth-Seeking Balls is actually related to senjutsu?
When Natsuhiko thought of this, he felt it was somewhat unreliable, but it also seemed to be the only explanation that made sense as to why these people did not have Truth-Seeking Balls.
Looking at Ōtsutsuki Urashiki, who was still recovering before him, Natsuhiko suppressed the impulse in his heart and sighed helplessly.
With such a good opportunity, according to his qualities as a ninja, he should be launching a fierce attack. It was impossible for him to let the enemy recover so comfortably.
Unfortunately, Konoha's defense had not been fully set up yet. If he attacked now, he would have to use even greater power.
The consequence of that would likely be that he could suppress the enemy, but might not be able to kill him.
Meanwhile, Konoha would suffer an even stronger impact and face unimaginable destruction.
Because of that, Natsuhiko could only endure helplessly. Once the defense behind him was fully established, Natsuhiko would absolutely no longer be polite.
"It seems I really did underestimate you."
At this moment, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki suddenly spoke.
"Your reaction speed is indeed very fast, and I have to say, with the power of nature, you are truly worth taking seriously."
That counts as underestimating me?
Hearing this, Natsuhiko's expression became even stranger.
What he had done was not anything more than a normal ninja's method of escaping pursuit. He had only used slightly stronger power.
This kind of standard action could definitely be done by even a well-trained genin.
However, Natsuhiko had no time to think too much, because at this moment, a barrier had already risen behind him over Konoha.
That scorching red barrier enveloped the entire village, and at this moment, Natsuhiko knew that he could increase his strength.
When that blazing barrier rose, Natsuhiko also decided not to hold back anymore.
The chakra inside his body surged wildly at this moment, and the Yin-Yang Release within him began to circulate without the slightest restraint.
At this moment, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki finally noticed just how troublesome the person before him truly was.
The power of Yin-Yang Release was one of the powers the Ōtsutsuki clan was best at.
Likewise, this power was also something that could injure them, and even kill the Ōtsutsuki clan.
There were actually quite a few powers the Ōtsutsuki clan feared. Whether Yin and Yang Release were separated or fused together, they were powers capable of harming them.
Especially when fused together into Yin-Yang Release, that power became so terrifying it could make one feel suffocated.
Aside from that, there was the power of nature. Although natural energy was not as intense as Yin-Yang Release, it was still a power that absolutely could not be underestimated.
Moreover, once one possessed natural energy, it could adapt to any kind of power. Even Yin-Yang Release could completely fuse with it.
But natural energy was far too difficult to obtain. Even beings as powerful as them had no way to absorb natural energy from the outside world.
They could capture people who possessed senjutsu power, then forcibly absorb it and rely on themselves to suppress it.
But the problem was that if they could not obtain more after absorbing it, then whether they absorbed it or not made no difference and had no meaning.
Could they only obtain Truth-Seeking Balls through the Ten-Tails?
That was not impossible, but the Ten-Tails was the tool they used to plant the God Tree. How could they possibly seal that thing inside themselves?
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki had already noticed earlier that Natsuhiko used senjutsu, but a single senjutsu alone had not made him care too much.
However, now this person had also erupted with Yin-Yang Release, along with his reaction speed from before, and that truly made him somewhat wary.
"But this is also normal. After all, he possesses the bloodline of the Ōtsutsuki. It is not strange for him to be special."
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki looked coldly at Natsuhiko, then suddenly revealed a smile.
But from now on, I really cannot be careless. Otherwise, the result might not look very good.
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki was still thinking this, but in the next moment, Natsuhiko had already appeared directly behind him.
This time, Natsuhiko took the initiative to attack. A brand-new ninja blade appeared in his hand, and with the power of Yin-Yang Release, he swung it at Ōtsutsuki Urashiki without the slightest hesitation.
However, in the next moment, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki's entire body turned into scattered red paper cranes.
And under the gaze of Natsuhiko's Jōgan, this guy had already appeared behind him.
In the next second, Natsuhiko had already turned around, and his ninja blade once again slashed fiercely toward Ōtsutsuki Urashiki.
This time, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki also responded. The fishing rod that had originally been carried on his back had already appeared in his hand.
"Clang!"
His hand moved slightly, and the fishing rod blocked the path of Natsuhiko's ninja blade.
The sound of metal clashing rang out, and Natsuhiko's ninja blade was actually blocked by him so lightly.
Moreover, no matter how much strength Natsuhiko used, his ninja blade could not advance even a little.
What powerful strength. This guy's physical quality is far too good, is it not?
Natsuhiko silently muttered in his heart. However, as someone with plenty of experience in the shinobi world, Natsuhiko had gone through no small number of battles.
Especially since he had joined the ANBU at a young age, he had experienced far too many battles where the difference in strength was uneven.
Even now, although his physical quality had already become frighteningly strong, he had not forgotten any of the experience he had accumulated back then.
Even if he could not gain an advantage in strength and had even fallen into a disadvantage, then he would find a way to work on technique.
Thinking of this, Natsuhiko was the first to pull back the ninja blade in his hand.
This ninja blade was newly prepared, but what made him depressed was that the instant he pulled it back, he noticed that cracks had actually appeared on it again.
However, he could not be bothered to care too much. After all, the material of this kind of ninja blade limited its upper limit. Besides, Natsuhiko also had a better choice, only it was not yet time to use it.
After Natsuhiko withdrew his blade, he immediately took a forward-pressing posture. Because after he withdrew his blade, the enemy would instantly lose balance due to having too much force leaning forward.
At this time, what they needed to do was maintain balance while preventing him from pressing forward.
Those who were skilled would even find a way to make countermeasures at this moment. Once he pressed forward, they could attempt to counterattack and turn passivity into initiative.
However, in the next moment, Natsuhiko was stunned, because the moment he pressed forward, he discovered that Ōtsutsuki Urashiki had also directly pressed toward him.
A counter? Such a decisive countermeasure?
Natsuhiko had taken the initiative to press forward. No matter how good his physical coordination was, he could no longer change direction now.
What he could do now was only brace himself and continue meeting it head-on.
At the same time, the power in his eyes also began to stir. Using the power of the Jōgan to activate the Jōgan Chakra Mode could definitely ease the current situation.
However, the distance between them was far too close, and activating it required time.
Natsuhiko knew that this would most likely not make it in time, but he still tried to make up for it.
"Bang!"
However, in the next moment, a muffled sound suddenly rang out in the forest.
Natsuhiko stared blankly at the guy who had collided with him. He had already prepared himself for the possibility of getting injured.
In the end, he discovered that he and Ōtsutsuki Urashiki had only crashed into each other, and the counterattack he had imagined never came.
This left Natsuhiko somewhat stunned. What exactly did this guy mean?
He had predicted Natsuhiko's thoughts and made such a decisive counter, so how had it ended in such an unbelievable way?
Chakra stirred slightly, and Natsuhiko quickly pulled away. He still had not quite figured out the situation.
However, a thought appeared in his mind. Could it be that this guy really did not have much actual combat experience?
Once this thought appeared, Natsuhiko found that he could not stop himself from thinking in this direction.
After a long while, he seemed to have truly reached a conclusion.
That was, this guy did not seem to be acting. He was really weak.
--------
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