Thick trees were like roaring giant pythons, instantly filling every inch of space in the underground cave.
The violent growth power tore through rocks, whipped up fierce winds, and surged toward Hinata with a momentum that could crush everything.
This was the Wood Release truly belonging to the God of Shinobi; even with only sixty to seventy percent of its original power, it was enough to make any Kage-level expert turn pale.
However, facing this attack capable of altering the terrain, Hinata's pure white eyes held only calm analysis.
Her Divine Sense was already like the most precise radar, locking onto the growth trajectory and energy nodes of every tree.
Instead of retreating, she advanced, her figure moving like a ghost as she wove through the crazily dancing wooden tentacles, spiritual light flickering at her fingertips.
Several arcs of purple lightning, condensed as if solid, erupted from her fingertips. The trees they struck instantly charred and cracked, their violent growth momentum coming to a halt.
Simultaneously, she held her left hand in a hollow grip, and a ball of pure flame quietly emerged.
The flame did not spread out to burn, but instead turned into a thin line of fire that wound its way up the main body of the Wood Release as if it were alive.
Wherever it passed, the Chakra forming the Wood Release was silently purified and annihilated, leaving behind trails of ash, yet strangely without igniting the entire forest.
This was the ultimate control over fire power, only incinerating the target energy without affecting anything else.
With lightning and fire combined, Hinata dismantled the massive Deep Forest Emergence at the most critical points with minimal spiritual energy consumption.
Her figure walked calmly out of the gradually collapsing Wood Release wreckage, her robes fluttering, untainted by dust.
Senju Hashirama's eyes lit up, and he praised loudly.
"Hahaha, beautiful! Precise insight!"
His interest grew even higher, and he clapped his hands again.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
Even larger trees erupted from the ground. This time, huge flower buds quickly bloomed at the tops of the giant trees, releasing dense pollen with a strong anesthetic effect that spread like a yellow mist, while countless tough vines wound toward Hinata from all directions like living snakes.
"Area control and toxin attacks, huh..."
Hinata murmured, the Golden Core inside her body spinning faster. Vast spiritual energy surged out, forming an invisible spiritual energy shield around her.
The pollen, capable of making even a Tailed Beast drowsy, was neutralized into nothingness by the purifying power within the spiritual energy shield the moment it made contact.
Facing the entangling vines, she didn't even dodge.
"Shock!"
She softly uttered a single word, and the spiritual energy around her rippled slightly. An invisible shockwave spread out from her center. The vines, strong enough to crush steel, shattered inch by inch and turned into powder the moment they touched the shockwave, as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.
This was a subtle application of spiritual energy, distributing the power evenly around her body to form high-frequency, low-amplitude vibrations, specifically designed to break all kinds of entangling and binding techniques.
Senju Hashirama clicked his tongue in amazement.
"You didn't even have to move? Just shattered them directly? This defense and counter-method is truly unheard of."
He stopped using large-scale Ninjutsu. With a flicker of his body, he appeared in front of Hinata and threw a punch! Simple and direct, yet containing terrifying monstrous strength capable of splitting mountains and cracking rocks, the wind from his fist compressed the air, creating a sonic boom.
A Taijutsu contest!
Hinata's eyes narrowed slightly. Without dodging, her fair palm, wrapped in condensed spiritual energy, met the attack lightly.
Fist met palm!
There was no world-shaking explosion as imagined, only a dull thud. Centered on the two of them, the rocky ground beneath their feet suddenly collapsed and cracked in a circular pattern!
Hinata's figure swayed slightly before stabilizing. Meanwhile, Senju Hashirama's Edo Tensei body slid back several meters, leaving two deep tracks on the ground.
"What powerful strength!" Senju Hashirama looked at his fist, which had turned slightly translucent for a moment before recovering, his face full of amazement.
Hinata felt a slight numbness in her palm and gained a more direct understanding of the First Hokage's power.
"Shodai-sama, watch out," Hinata warned, deciding to take the initiative.
She summoned two Clones to attack Hashirama from different directions.
"Oh?" With his immense combat experience, Senju Hashirama instantly judged the attacking intentions of the three figures. His fists moved like lightning, accurately meeting the two most threatening ones.
While Hashirama was dealing with the Clones, Hinata attacked, followed by a Flying Sword.
Hashirama's eyes narrowed. He stomped his foot, his arm in a blocking stance. With a "ding," he blocked the Clone's attack, then clapped his hands.
"Wood Release!"
The Wood Release entangled the two Clones and the Flying Sword, just as it was about to wrap around her main body.
Hinata's figure suddenly vanished into thin air and instantly appeared above Hashirama.
"Flying Thunder God!"
And at this moment, a seemingly unadorned brick had appeared in her hand at some point—brick · pseudo-heaven-overturning seal!
She poured spiritual energy into it. A faint, obscure dark light flashed on the surface of the brick, and with a Dao rhyme of "heaviness" and "suppression," she slammed it toward the back of Senju Hashirama's head!
Flying Thunder God Block! (brick Version)
Senju Hashirama's intuition as a top-tier powerhouse made his hair stand on end. Sensing an inexplicable crisis, he jerked his head to the side while simultaneously blocking backward with his arm.
The brick struck his arm.
Buzz!
A peculiar oscillating force transmitted through his arm. It wasn't a physical impact but acted directly upon his "existence" itself.
Senju Hashirama felt his consciousness blur for a moment, and his body made of Edo Tensei became unstable for an instant, his movements stiffening for a split second.
Although it was only for an instant, it was enough!
Hinata's other palm was already pressed against him. Pure spiritual energy gathered in her palm; with just a thought, she could deliver a heavy blow.
The battle ended in a flash.
Senju Hashirama's stiffened body recovered. Sensing the threat from Hinata, instead of being angry, he laughed heartily again and deactivated his combat stance.
"Hahaha! Interesting! So interesting! What kind of treasure is that brick? It can actually directly affect the Soul and the stability of existence? And to think you even know how to use the Flying Thunder God!"
He turned around and looked at Hinata, who had retracted her palm and the brick, his eyes overflowing with admiration.
Hinata dispersed the spiritual energy around her, and the surging energy slowly calmed. She looked at Senju Hashirama and said with a smile.
"Yes, I've studied it. I only barely won this time. The God of Shinobi truly lives up to his reputation."
That was close. I almost triggered a super counter; if he'd used Wood Release plus Gracious Deity Gates, he would've taken me out in one full combo.
Hashirama: I was almost comboed to death by her. Luckily, my skills were a notch higher.
Afterward, Hashirama asked some questions about Konoha and its current state. After chatting for a while, Hinata spoke up.
"I have a general understanding of your current power. I will continue to improve it, striving so that in the next summoning, you will have the same strength as you did when you were alive."
She formed a hand seal, preparing to release the Edo Tensei.
"Wait, little girl." Senju Hashirama suddenly called out to her, his expression becoming somewhat serious.
"Your power is strong, and your potential is infinite. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and it's also easier to lose one's way. You must not go astray..."
[Good grief, are you Spider-Man? Uncle Ben, is that you?]
"Yes, I know," Hinata responded to him.
Hashirama nodded, and his figure began to gradually turn into shimmering dust crystals, slowly dissipating.
Silence returned to the scene, leaving only the messy traces of the battle all over the ground.
Hinata stood in place, reflecting on the battle just now.
Fighting Senju Hashirama gave her new insights into the application of her own power. Although she didn't see the Great Buddha, she guessed Hashirama wouldn't use that move easily.
"Next, it's time to awaken the Second Hokage. His understanding of Souls and Forbidden Jutsu might provide more ideas."
Her gaze turned toward the jar belonging to Senju Tobirama.
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