Naruto: Fatherhood Made me Invincible

"Hand over Izuna's soul! Otherwise, I will never let you go!" Hashirama Senju's gaze pierced the void, fixed directly on the Sage of Six Pat

"Hand over Izuna's soul! Otherwise, I will never let you go!" Hashirama Senju's gaze pierced the void, fixed directly on the Sage of Six Paths. Even a legendary god could not deter him. In this moment, Hashirama had but one thought: no matter the cost, he must retrieve the soul of his best friend's brother and honor their unfinished bond.

"Hashirama..." Uchiha Madara looked at his old friend, a complicated warmth rising in his chest. He hadn't expected Hashirama to stand by him, to defy the legendary Sage of Six Paths without hesitation.

The Sage of Six Paths stood in the sky, facing Hashirama's storm of rage. His face remained calm, but a barely perceptible coldness flickered in his eyes. "Hashirama, you know that everything I do is for the greater good. Uchiha Kagami is our true enemy!" Though the Sage's voice was soft, it carried an unquestionable majesty. Even now, he sought to manipulate Hashirama with the righteousness of his cause.

But he had underestimated the depth of Hashirama's feelings for Madara. To use Madara's brother as leverage had crossed a line Hashirama would not tolerate. Hashirama remained unshaken, his eyes hardening with determination. "The greater good? Is threatening Madara with Izuna's soul your 'greater good'?" Hashirama's voice was firm. "I, Senju Hashirama, may not be the smartest, but I am no fool! Your actions today have shown me your true colors. I will no longer believe your words!" He clenched his fists, veins bulging. "Release Izuna's soul, or even if you are my ancestor, I will show no mercy!"

The Sage's hypocritical smile froze, then dissolved into an expression of grim indifference. He knew that Hashirama no longer trusted him. With a sinister chuckle that echoed like a night owl's cry, cold and piercing, he dropped all pretense. "Hehehehehe..." After a moment, his laughter ceased, and he looked at Hashirama and Madara with contempt. "If you had simply been obedient and dealt with Uchiha Kagami, I wouldn't have resorted to such despicable tactics! But unfortunately... you just wouldn't listen to me!" A hint of disappointment, quickly replaced by ruthlessness, flashed in his eyes. "In that case, you leave me no choice!" His face hardened, and the hand holding Izuna's neck tightened. He looked at Madara, his eyes cold. "Follow my orders and kill Uchiha Kagami! Otherwise, I will make your brother Izuna's soul completely disappear into ashes!"

"Dont you dare!" Madara roared, his eyes widening in fury, murderous intent flooding the air. Hashirama's eyes were about to spit fire, but a profound doubt filled his heart. Why would the Sage threaten them with Izuna's soul to kill Kagami? This situation was not as simple as it seemed. The Sage's actions now could not be called just. Was Kagami, whom he so desperately wanted to kill, truly as evil as he claimed? Hashirama's opinion of Kagami shifted dramatically in that moment.

Izuna, too, understood the horrifying situation. He was being used as a bargaining chip against his brother. Although he didn't know who Kagami was, he did not want Madara's hands to be stained with the blood of an innocent simply because of him. Understanding the truth, Izuna tried to commit suicide, to prevent Madara from being threatened. But his soul was completely bound.

Seeing this, Izuna looked at Madara with desperate resolve. "Brother, don't listen to him! I'm not afraid of death. There are no cowards in the Uchiha clan who fear death! Please, let me die with honor!" An unyielding light shone in Izuna's eyes, a determination that would never compromise.

"Izuna..." Madara's eyes turned blood red, a mix of anger and pain. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the Sage, wishing to tear him apart. He had failed to protect his brother once. Was he now to watch Izuna's soul dissipate forever? Pain consumed him, fueling his rage against the Sage.

"Old bastard Six Paths!" Madara's voice was low and hoarse, squeezed from between his teeth, filled with an agonizing fury.

Izuna smiled faintly at Madara, the light in his eyes brighter than ever. He struggled, using all his remaining strength to convey his feelings. "Brother, I understand you! But I cannot be your weakness. The honor of the Uchiha clan cannot be tarnished! Please, let me protect this honor and you in my own way!" The silent communication between the brothers was a testament to their bond, a defiance against fate itself.

Izuna's words echoed in Madara's mind, tearing at his heart. He didn't want Izuna's glory and spirit to be tarnished by the Sage's manipulation. He hesitated.

The Sage's expression flickered. He quickly sealed Izuna's mouth, preventing him from speaking further. He feared that if the brothers spoke another word, Madara might truly lose control. To maintain his leverage, he sent Izuna back to the Pure Land, denying Madara the choice of sacrificing Izuna himself.

Seeing Izuna return to the Pure Land, Madara visibly relaxed. The agonizing choice was taken from his hands. But he only glared at the Sage, making no move to attack. Though he yearned to rip the Sage apart, he knew that if he acted now, the Sage would destroy Izuna's soul. He owed his brother too much. He would save Izuna's soul, no matter the cost. When the opportunity arose, he would kill the Sage.

Below, Hashirama, who had initially held some admiration for the Sage, now watched the Sage use Izuna's soul to threaten Madara, and all his good feelings vanished. His expression darkened, his eyes burning with unprecedented rage. "How dare you, you use Izuna's soul to threaten Madara?" Hashirama's hands clenched, veins bulging. He knew Madara's deep love for Izuna, and he understood the raw anger and pain in Madara's heart. The last vestiges of his awe for this legendary ancestor shattered. Without hesitation, he entered Sage Mode, then clapped his hands together. "Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!" As his roar reverberated, the ground shook, dust billowed, and a majestic, thousand-armed wooden Buddha slowly rose from the earth. Each arm, a towering ancient tree, pulsed with a faint green light, the very embodiment of nature's spirit. This thousand-meter giant, seeming to hold up the sky, dwarfed everything.

Obito, meanwhile, watched, his excitement barely contained, eager for the ultimate fight to begin.

Hashirama leaped, landing on the Wooden Buddha's head. Though small in comparison, he was like an eagle atop a mountain, his eyes blazing with an unprecedented resolve. He was willing to make an enemy of a god to protect his best friend.