Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Longest Journey Is Hashirama's Schemes
Read 20+ Chapter's Ahead in Patreon
On the battlefield, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama had become the most dazzling stars.
Anyone below Jonin level would essentially meet death if they got involved.
Even Jonin could easily lose their lives with just a single misstep when facing these two.
Eventually, both sides agreed to let these prodigious young clan leaders handle things themselves.
Fire release: Great Fire Annihilation!
Uchiha Madara's growing strength exuded an increasingly commanding aura.
A fan-shaped inferno swept forward, leaving many Uchiha who prided themselves on mastering fire-style techniques utterly awestruck.
"The young clan leader is a genius among geniuses."
"I heard that Kyosuke from the southern forces is also quite remarkable."
"Who knows? I still think Lord Madara is stronger."
The sea of fire advanced, burning everything in its path.
Seeing this, Hashirama sighed, realizing that his friend was once again getting overly serious.
"Why take it so seriously? Isn't it better to pretend?"
Clapping his hands together, wooden walls burst from the ground, quickly forming a formidable barrier.
No matter how ferocious the flames were, they couldn't break through the unified defense.
Wood Style: Tree Wall Barrier!
Hashirama had become adept at using Wood Style techniques.
However, limited by his current strength, he couldn't yet unleash powerful moves like the Wood Dragon, Wood Golem, or even Deep Forest Emergence.
Nevertheless, his abilities had grown significantly, making him resistant to most conventional ninjutsu.
"Damn Wood Style," Madara muttered, annoyed. If long-range attacks didn't work, he would settle things in close combat.
With the Sharingan's support, he was confident that Hashirama wasn't his match.
He activated the Body Flicker Technique, a deceptively simple yet effective move.
In an instant, Madara vaulted over the wooden barricade, appearing directly above his friend.
"Prepare to die, Hashirama!" he shouted, swinging his scythe in a vicious downward arc.
Hashirama dodged by ducking, but he overlooked Madara's already-prepared fan in his left hand.
Whack!
The fan smacked Hashirama's head, sending him flying. Before he could hit the ground, Madara was already upon him again.
"You've lost," Madara declared, his tone cold and brimming with confidence.
Hearing this, Hashirama twisted his body despite the scythe inches from his face, extending one hand toward his friend.
Wood release: Smothering Binding Technique!
Wooden tendrils erupted from his arm, wrapping around Madara in an instant. No matter how he struggled, the bindings wouldn't budge.
"Haha!"
Hashirama laughed foolishly.
But before the laugh faded, Madara shook his head and vanished with a poof.
"Surprised?"
Madara's scythe pierced through Hashirama's back, the blade emerging from his chest and shattering his chest armor.
"This is Kyosuke's Shadow Clone technique. Unless you have a highly advanced Sharingan, it's impossible to discern."
"Blame yourself for not being an Uchiha," Madara said coldly, though his trembling voice betrayed his hesitation.
Should he truly kill Hashirama?
Though he had resolved to do so, at the critical moment, he deliberately avoided striking any vital organs.
Despite the seemingly severe wound, Hashirama's internal organs were unharmed. For someone as resilient as him, a month of rest would suffice for full recovery.
"Madara, you're such a weak-willed fool," Madara muttered, attempting to provoke himself into action.
But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't bring himself to deal a fatal blow.
"Madara," Hashirama's trembling hand reached out, his voice weak, "I... I'm not going to make it. Do you... still remember our dream? Our friendship?"
What's happening?
Madara's eyes widened in panic, thinking he might have accidentally hit a vital point.
"Don't move! I'll get a medical-nin right now. Hang on!" he said frantically.
"Don't go," Hashirama grabbed him, his eyes filled with a hazy, dying glow. "I've been dying for a while. Wood Style has consumed too much of my life force. As your best friend, I'm happy you could send me off."
"Hashirama..."
"Tell me, Madara, do you still remember our dream?"
Holding his friend's hand, Madara wanted to say that not only did he remember, but he knew Kyosuke still held onto it too.
But before he could speak, Hashirama's body shattered into pieces of wood.
"Damn it!"
Hashirama emerged from behind the wooden wall, slamming his hand down in frustration, his face full of regret.
So close. He had been so close to getting Madara to open up.
If he could just speak the words, their relationship wouldn't have to remain as it was.
"Haha," Hashirama awkwardly scratched his head, muttering, "That's my new Wood Style technique. Even the Sharingan can't see through it, can it?"
Hearing this, Madara couldn't help but recall the earlier scene.
His anger flared uncontrollably.
Uchiha Madara: (╬◣д◢) "You bastard, I'm going to kill you today!"
Furious and humiliated, the "Dance King" charged at Hashirama, and the two clashed again.
Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique!
Four fiery dragons roared toward their target.
Forest Barrier!
Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction!
The fireball, resembling a falling meteor, was far more potent and expansive than the Great Fireball Technique.
Hashirama: "My Forest Barrier!"
"Damn it, Hashirama, don't you have any other jutsu?!"
Madara realized that facing this guy made it too easy for him to lose his usual composure.
Despite knowing better, he always ended up matching ninjutsu with him.
Taking a deep breath, Madara regained his calm and used Body Flicker Technique to close in on Hashirama again.
"Now, it's a life-or-death battle, Hashirama!"
With his ancestral scythe, Madara dominated in close combat, having relied on it to win several previous fights.
However, the Senju clan also had their fair share of legendary weapons.
Seizing an opportunity when Madara was pushed back by Wood Style, Hashirama retrieved a scroll from his waist, performed a series of seals, and unsealed a pair of sharp dual blades.
Madara wielded a scythe in his right hand and a fan in his left, so Hashirama naturally countered with twin swords.
That's only fair!
"Madara!"
"Hashirama!"
Both unleashed their chakra to the fullest, clashing like two titans, creating shockwaves that shook the battlefield for hundreds of meters.
Amid the chaos, a figure wielding a short sword crept closer.
The target? A fatigued Uchiha Madara, momentarily drained from the intense battle.
[Chapter End's]
🖤 Night_FrOst/ Patreon 🤍
Visit my Patreon for Early Chapter:
https://www.patreon.com/Night_FrOst
Extra Content Already Available