The armored form of Susanoo held a sword of Amaterasu flames in its right hand, while the Yasaka Magatama spun rapidly in its left palm, as if about to burst forth the next second.
Izuna stood inside holding Mito's hand, his eyes coldly surveying the surrounding Uzumaki and a portion of Senju shinobi.
"Damn Kaguya. With such a good opportunity, they still didn't manage to kill more?"
Izuna cursed inwardly.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Countless chains covered with golden light burst from the earth, binding Susanoo's arms.
This was a sealing technique that countered Tailed Beasts—when used by high-level shinobi, it could even temporarily suppress the Nine-Tails. Both offensive and defensive!
However, the next second, another arm grew from Susanoo's right forearm, Flames of Amaterasu forming a longsword upon it as it swung down.
Crash!!!
The chains were instantly shattered, scattering to the ground before turning to dust and dispersing into the air, having lost their chakra supply.
"Too bad I'm neither a Tailed Beast nor a Jinchuriki."
Izuna said flatly.
For him, these techniques from the Uzumaki were merely high-level ninjutsu with sealing effects—they held no special advantage over him.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
"Earth Release: Heaven-Descending Clay!"
Such a diverse array of elemental techniques in coordinated attack—in the entire Warring States period, only the Senju and Sarutobi clans could pull this off.
Izuna's gaze shifted slightly as he controlled Susanoo to swing its sword to intercept. "But these parlor tricks won't impress me."
Boom!!!
The Flames of Amaterasu danced through the air, emitting a piercing whoosh as they met the barrage of varied elemental techniques and instantly nullified them.
But before the Senju shinobi could react in time, the Yasaka Magatama from Susanoo's left hand had already been launched.
"Kill as many as you can now, so they won't be a nuisance on the battlefield later."
Izuna said coldly.
"Dodge qui—"
The dozen or so Senju shinobi were shocked and tried to evade, but Izuna coldly said, "Too late."
"Wood Release: Great Wall of the Tree World!"
The ground began to shake violently as countless vines rose from the earth like a mud wall, forming a thick wooden barrier.
Thud!
The Yasaka Magatama pierced through the wooden wall but had its trajectory altered, striking a building in Uzushiogakure in the distance instead.
"He got here this fast?"
Izuna's expression hardened slightly as he saw the wooden vines gradually retract into the earth and a figure rapidly approaching from afar.
"Hashirama!"
"Clan Head!"
Whether Uzumaki or Senju, they all revealed expressions of joy.
This was the most powerful reinforcement possible!
Senju Hashirama!
As for Mito, who stood behind Izuna looking timid and frightened, Senju Hashirama only glanced at her once before raising his hand and shouting, "Stop!!!"
Hearing this, everyone froze collectively, not understanding Senju Hashirama's meaning, but recalling his overwhelming strength, they still halted their attacks.
Even Izuna stopped Susanoo's pursuit.
Of course, he wasn't afraid of Senju Hashirama's strength—he had simply guessed what the man intended to do.
Senju Hashirama surveyed his surroundings and called out, "I've already heard the whole story from Lord Shigemitsu."
Uzumaki Shigemitsu, a high-ranking Uzumaki shinobi, had just helped Senju Hashirama open the Konpira Barrier, allowing him to enter without having to destroy it.
He had also learned the full sequence of events from him.
Senju Hashirama continued, "Since Izuna kept his promise and didn't let the Uchiha attack, and faithfully assisted the Uzumaki and Senju in repelling the Kaguya, then naturally our side should also honor our word and let him leave."
Uzumaki Hiro'umi drew a sharp breath. He desperately wanted to retort that Uchiha Izuna hadn't kept any promise—he was simply taking advantage of the chaos.
Moreover, like the Kaguya, the Uchiha army had appeared outside Uzushiogakure in an instant using some unknown method.
Anyone with half a brain could tell this had been premeditated.
However, the determination on Senju Hashirama's face and the resounding conviction in his voice...
left everyone at a loss for how to refute him.
"He..."
Mito behind Izuna also looked utterly incredulous.
Until today, she had never properly communicated with Senju Hashirama; his character and style were all described to her by clansmen.
Seeing him in person today, while she couldn't say she felt any particular fondness for Senju Hashirama, she could at least tell at a glance that this man was different from others.
Integrity?
Promise?
If Izuna heard those words from anyone else's mouth, he would sneer dismissively, then cut them down with one sword.
Yet hearing them from Senju Hashirama's mouth, somehow they carried a different weight.
Perhaps it was because of the Ashura bloodline's innate bonus to talk-no-jutsu.
More precisely, though, it was the inherent aura of righteousness that emanated from Senju Hashirama.
Thinking carefully, in this Warring States era of betrayal and counter-betrayal, the fact that Senju Hashirama could single-handedly establish Konoha in the future was likely inseparable from his reputation for keeping his word.
If it were Izuna—acknowledged as the Warring States period's foremost schemer—
who suddenly said, "I want to build a village where all shinobi clans can coexist in harmony,"
everyone would probably assume he was setting a trap to lure them all in and slaughter them wholesale.
Only someone like Senju Hashirama, who had always valued keeping his word, could attract so many great clans of the Warring States period, couldn't he?
Uzumaki Hiro'umi finally spoke. "The promise was only that he could take Mito and leave. We never said we wouldn't try to stop him."
After the previous battle, everyone could see that while Uchiha Izuna was indeed stronger than Senju Hashirama, it was only by a slight margin.
Now with so many people on their side, plus Senju Hashirama's arrival, they could completely bridge that small gap.
Taking down Uchiha Izuna would deal the entire Uchiha a crippling blow.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—there would never be a second chance!
Senju Hashirama said seriously, "It's precisely this betrayal and broken faith among the Warring States clans that has caused the grudges between them to deepen.
If I'm to change this world, I must be true to my word. Please agree, Grand Elder."
The next moment, Senju Hashirama's tone shifted. "If you don't agree, I won't stand in your way, but...
I won't participate in this battle."
That last sentence was the key.
With the clan head's declaration, all the Senju immediately stood down.
And after intense inner struggle, Uzumaki Hiro'umi finally forced two words through gritted teeth: "Stand down."
Seeing this, Izuna dismissed his Susanoo and looked at Senju Hashirama, saying, "Ending this era is what we want to do as well."
Hearing this, Senju Hashirama's face lit up with joy, and he was about to say, "Why don't our two clans join forces?"
But noticing the current circumstances, the words wouldn't come out no matter what, and he could only swallow them back down.
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