As Second Tsuchikage 31

Chapter 31: The Successors of the Kage (Part 2)

There was no time to dwell on Madara Uchiha’s defeat.

Immediately afterward, a new figure entered the fray. He had no health bar, only a progress bar. The founder of Konohagakure, the First Hokage, the God of Shinobi, wielder of the legendary Wood Release, husband of Mito Uzumaki, elder brother of Tobirama Senju, the sworn friend of the Shura of the shinobi world, and the reincarnation of Asura, Hashirama Senju, had arrived.

On the battlefield, Mū and Gengetsu Hōzuki were fending off wave after wave of Wood Release assaults. While doing so, Mū was also supporting both the Raikage and Shamon, dividing his focus without losing precision.

Suddenly and without any signal, Mū created a clone with astonishing speed. The act happened so quickly it left even seasoned shinobi stunned. Without delay, he commanded the clone to charge into the battlefield and assist the Second Raikage and Shamon in their ongoing battle.

“Mū-dono, Shamon-san, lend me your strength! We need to find a way to land a clean shot on Hashirama Senju!”

The Second Raikage’s voice was low, steady, and full of intent.

“Understood,” Shamon replied immediately, summoning forth a massive wave of sand. The torrent surged forward like a storm, tearing through the air and crashing toward Hashirama like a sea unleashed.

“Now, for my Light–Weight Boulder Jutsu.”

Spotting the opening, Mū activated his signature technique. After swiftly forming the necessary hand seals, he muttered an incantation under his breath, and a wave of power erupted from his body.

At the same time, he vanished into the shadows using Dust Concealment and silently latched onto the Second Raikage’s back. From this position, Mū could clearly observe the flow of battle and prepare for a surprise strike at just the right moment.

Sensing Mū’s presence behind him, the Second Raikage gave a faint, knowing smirk. His lips curled into a confident grin. He tightened his fists, power coursing through his frame, and felt impossibly light, as if he could take flight with the gentlest push.

Hashirama’s eyes locked onto the approaching wave of sand. Reacting with blinding speed, he vanished, his body disappearing in a streak of motion as swift as lightning. In less than a heartbeat, he was gone from where he had stood.

Then, without missing a beat, Hashirama slammed both palms to the earth. A tremendous wave of Wood Release chakra burst from his hands.

“Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!”

In a single moment, a massive forest erupted skyward. Towering trees shot upward like a living tsunami, surging forward to meet the incoming sand with unstoppable momentum.

A thunderous explosion followed, shaking the ground beneath them. The clash of elements, sand and trees, produced a deafening roar as clouds of dust and debris soared into the air. Splinters rained from above, and the sheer magnitude of the impact darkened the sky, cloaking the battlefield in shadow.

Then, in the heart of the chaos, a flash of lightning split through the smoke-filled air.

It was the Second Raikage.

Harnessing the full force of his Lightning Body Flicker Technique, he darted through the confusion like a living bolt, reappearing instantly at Hashirama’s side.

“Lightning Style: Heavy Current Burst!”

The Second Raikage roared, unleashing a violent surge of lightning between his hands. The energy exploded outward, taking the form of a furious, crackling dragon. It tore through the air, jaws wide, lightning arcing wildly around it as it hurtled toward Hashirama. The distance closed in the blink of an eye.

Yet Hashirama remained completely still. His face showed no emotion, not even a flicker of interest in the incoming attack.

“Wood Style: Ranking Barrier Technique.”

His voice was calm as he formed a new sequence of hand seals. Another wave of Wood Release chakra pulsed from his body, causing the massive forest to quiver. In an instant, countless thick branches sprang to life, weaving together at blinding speed to create an immense wooden wall between him and the lightning.

Boom!

The battlefield shook with the force of the impact as the Heavy Current Burst crashed into the wall. The explosion echoed like thunder across the plains. Yet even with the power behind it, the wooden barrier didn’t so much as splinter. There wasn’t a single visible crack.

“This thing is ridiculously sturdy...”

Hidden just behind the Second Raikage, Mū narrowed his eyes. He was startled. From what he remembered, this same Ranking Barrier had once withstood even Tailed Beast Bombs and direct assaults from Madara himself.

Whoosh!

A sudden slicing sound cut through the air. Hashirama’s figure blurred into existence right beside the Second Raikage, his movement so fast it left a vacuum in his wake. The Raikage’s eyes widened in alarm, pupils contracting.

He had no time to react. No chance to dodge. Before he could raise a hand in defense, Hashirama’s fist, coated in a whirling sheath of blue chakra, smashed directly into his chest.

Boom!

The impact was explosive. The blow sent the Second Raikage and Mū’s clone flying off the battlefield in a violent arc, like kites with their strings abruptly severed. Their bodies hit the ground hard, kicking up clouds of dust on impact.

“That strength... Hashirama Senju is this powerful?!”

The Second Raikage struggled to his feet, his chest heaving. It felt like a massive hammer had caved in his ribcage. His eyes remained locked on Hashirama, filled with disbelief.

He had always believed Hashirama’s real threat lay in his Wood Release, but now he realized just how wrong he’d been. The man’s physical might alone was on a different level. That punch far surpassed anything he’d ever experienced. Stronger than his own record-breaking lifts back at the Kumogakure training grounds.

If anyone told him Hashirama wasn’t on some kind of enhancers, he wouldn’t believe it for a second.

Mū’s expression also tightened slightly.

Hashirama was nothing like Madara Uchiha. At least Madara had the arrogance that could become a weakness. He left openings that sharp eyes could take advantage of. But Hashirama didn’t.

He was overwhelmingly strong and frustratingly cautious.

“Die!!!”

And he had no intention of letting up.

Hashirama’s figure disappeared into a blur again, charging at the Second Raikage with breakneck speed. His movements sliced through the air like a whirlwind, giving his opponent not even a moment to breathe.

“Hah!!”

With a thunderous roar, Hashirama drove another savage punch into the Raikage’s chest. This blow landed even harder than the last, its force sending the Raikage hurtling through the air once again.

Pfft!

Whatever scraps of fabric remained clinging to the Raikage’s body were shredded instantly. The sheer force of the impact tore through his clothing, scattering ribbons of cloth into the sky. His body slammed into the earth like a falling meteor, carving deep into the ground on impact.

Whoosh!!

Hashirama showed no intention of letting up. He followed immediately, soaring high into the air before diving down with a devastating kick aimed directly at the Raikage’s forehead. The speed was lightning-fast, the power behind it enough to crush solid rock.

The Raikage’s instincts screamed. He could feel the cold shadow of death descending upon him, and for a split second, fear rooted him in place.

Damn it! Is he really trying to kill me?!

He knew without a doubt that if that kick landed, it would be the end.

At that critical moment,

“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!!”

Gengetsu Hōzuki’s shout rang out. He extended his arm and unleashed a surge of water, which rapidly shaped itself into a towering dragon. The beast opened its maw and lunged toward Hashirama with crashing momentum.

Hashirama didn’t flinch. A vibrant green glow pulsed around him as a colossal wooden dragon coiled into existence at his side.

“Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!”

With a resounding command, he sent the wooden dragon flying like a released arrow. It collided head-on with the oncoming water dragon in midair.

ROAR!!

BOOM!!!

The two dragons met with an earth-shattering impact. Shockwaves rippled outward, flattening everything in their path. Water exploded in every direction, and the very air seemed to quake under the weight of their collision.

Yet the result was inevitable. The water dragon, despite its size and ferocity, was just elemental ninjutsu. It couldn’t stand against the living power of Hashirama’s Wood Release.

The wooden dragon tore through its watery counterpart, splintering it as though it were made of mist. Within moments, it sank its jaws into the creature, devouring it completely.

But even that wasn’t the end. Having absorbed the momentum of its enemy, the wooden dragon surged forward with even more fury. Roaring like an unleashed force of nature, it rocketed toward Gengetsu Hōzuki like a falling star set ablaze.

“Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!”

On the other side, still suspended in the air, Mu swiftly formed hand seals and threw his arms outward. A radiant beam of light burst from his palms and struck the wooden dragon dead center.

There was a blinding flash.

In the next instant, the dragon was cleaved in half by an unseen force. The giant wooden body shattered, and huge splinters rained down from the sky. Dust and debris erupted in a wave, momentarily blinding the battlefield.

It was then that the Second Raikage and Mū’s clone, who had been flattened moments before, suddenly sprang to their feet. Covered in dirt and battered, they wasted no time. Seizing that narrow window, they immediately retreated, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and Hashirama Senju.