Under the relentless assault of the Lightning Dragon, cracks finally began to spread across the dark space. Light seeped through, and Uchiha Zhan's vision gradually cleared.
As the Lightning Dragon continued its rampage, the cracks widened, and the surroundings grew brighter. At last, Uchiha Zhan locked onto Senju Tobirama's position—while Tobirama was still struggling to maintain the Darkness of Night Technique.
"Heh… I see you now. Take this, Senju Tobirama!"
With a sharp motion, Zhan directed the Lightning Dragon straight at him.
"Oh no!"
Faced with the incoming attack, Tobirama immediately abandoned the Darkness of Night Technique and leapt away.
Boom!
At the cost of one of his legs, he barely avoided the strike. The Lightning Dragon slammed into the ground where he had stood, exploding violently and leaving behind a massive fifty-meter crater.
Losing his balance, Tobirama fell heavily to the ground. Staring at the devastation, his eyes widened.
"What terrifying power… How did that bastard Isamu raise such a monster? This is absurd."
Uchiha Zhan didn't care that the attack had missed. His goal had only been to break the technique. Step by step, he advanced toward Tobirama.
Watching him approach, Tobirama instinctively retreated, dragging himself backward. Then, realizing what he was doing, he cursed inwardly.
I am the Second Hokage… and I'm retreating from a mere brat?
---
Not far away, Isamu also noticed that Zhan had broken the Darkness of Night Technique.
"Uchiha Zhan… you've finally grown. Now I can rest easy."
But that single moment of distraction—
—was all Senju Hashirama needed.
"You're distracted! Take this!"
Hand seals flashed.
"Wood Release: Wood Binding!"
Trees erupted from the ground beneath Isamu, binding his limbs and interrupting his attack.
Without pause—
"Wood Release: Binding Eternal Burial!"
Dozens of trees surged upward, wrapping tightly around him. They constricted, attempting to crush him to death.
---
Inside the distant cave, Uchiha Madara erupted in anger.
"What is that brat Isamu doing?! Getting distracted in a fight like this—how embarrassing!"
---
But Hashirama didn't relax. His gaze remained fixed on the writhing mass of wood.
He didn't believe Isamu would fall so easily.
And he was right.
---
Inside the crushing prison, Isamu smiled.
"As expected of Senju Hashirama. I was distracted for only a moment, and you seized it instantly… impressive."
"…but that just makes this more interesting."
"Son Goku, your turn."
In the mental space, the Four-Tails stepped forward as the Five-Tails retreated.
"Understood, Lord Isamu."
A surge of chakra erupted—
—and blazing lava armor coated Isamu's body.
From the outside, he looked like a man engulfed in flames.
"Lava Release: Scorching Current River!"
Molten lava burst forth, instantly melting the surrounding wood.
---
"As expected… it wouldn't be that easy."
Hashirama's eyes sharpened as he formed new hand seals.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
A massive forest surged forward.
---
"Deep Forest Emergence, huh?" Isamu grinned. "Now you're getting serious. But you're not the only one who knows this technique."
He formed hand seals as well—
—and unleashed the same jutsu.
Two vast forests collided.
Wood shattered. Splinters flew everywhere.
For a moment, they were evenly matched—
Then Hashirama's forest began to give way.
Isamu's surged forward.
---
"Impressive… to actually suppress me in Wood Release. The younger generation truly is formidable."
Hashirama smiled faintly.
"But don't underestimate me."
His hand seals changed instantly.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Bloom!"
A new forest erupted—
—and four massive crimson flowers bloomed, releasing thick yellow pollen into the air.
---
Isamu prepared to counter—
—but suddenly staggered.
His body weakened.
He dropped to one knee.
"Damn… this pollen… too late…"
---
"Isamu," Hashirama said calmly, "stop struggling. Once the pollen enters your body, you'll lose all ability to resist for an entire day."
"You've already lost… or rather, the Uchiha have lost."
---
That did it.
Isamu's expression darkened instantly.
"You dare bring up the Uchiha?!"
"If my father hadn't lost to you at the Valley of the End back then, do you think you'd still be standing here talking to me like this?!"
"I'll show you the true power of the Uchiha!"
---
His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun violently.
A surge of blue energy erupted around him—
—and he slowly rose into the air.
A 600-meter Semi-Perfect Susanoo formed around him, towering over the battlefield, with Isamu standing within its chest.
Facing the advancing forest below, the Susanoo manifested dual blades and slashed downward—
—shattering Hashirama's Deep Forest Bloom.
---
In the cave, Uchiha Madara heard Isamu call him "father."
For a moment—
he fell silent.
He simply stared at the figure standing within the Susanoo.
---
"What a massive Susanoo… It's even larger than Uchiha Madara's."
Hashirama's expression finally turned serious.
"It seems I really have to go all out."
He clapped his hands together.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
A massive Wood Dragon surged forward, roaring as it charged at Isamu.
---
The Susanoo swung its blade—
—but the Wood Dragon snapped its jaws shut, biting down on the weapon.
Seeing his left blade restrained, Isamu swung the right one, cleaving the Wood Dragon in half instantly.
---
"What a troublesome opponent… Looks like I need more power."
Hashirama summoned two more Wood Dragons.
Both lunged forward—
clamping onto the Susanoo's blades.
At the same time, their tails coiled tightly around its legs.
With a powerful pull—
the massive Susanoo lost its balance and began to topple backward.
---
Watching it fall, Isamu's expression twisted in irritation.
"Damn it… not this again!"
"Orochimaru's Manda pulled this same trick—why do you use it too, Hashirama?!"
"Can't you come up with something new?!"