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As Hashirama Senju formed hand seals, a strange aura began to emanate from his body…
Uchiha Madara paused his attack, his eyes fixed intently on Hashirama.
True enough, with his overwhelming mastery of natural chakra, Madara could sense that Hashirama seemed to have merged completely with nature itself. The natural energy around him was being absorbed into Hashirama's being!
If Madara wasn't mistaken, this was the Sage Mode he had never fully understood!
Black markings spread across Hashirama's face as his presence became one with nature, reaching the state of Sage Mode.
Meanwhile, clutching his broken leg, Tobirama Senju wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Sage Mode… So, Brother is finally serious…"
Under Sage Mode, Hashirama's expression turned grave as he roared at Madara:
"Madara! Today, I will stop you! Sage Art! Wood Release! Forest of a Thousand Hands!"
Rumble… The earth shook violently.
The ground, once covered in massive trees, shattered completely. Towering trees brimming with life erupted from the ground in vast numbers. To Madara's senses, it felt as though the entire forest had risen up in rebellion…
With a thunderous roar from Hashirama, countless towering trees radiating danger surged toward Madara from all directions, engulfing him in an unstoppable wave!
Even Madara broke into a cold sweat!
This "Forest of a Thousand Hands" was far more than just a simple "Wooden World Technique!"
To put it simply: if the "Wooden World Technique" was like Hashirama commanding an entire forest to fight Madara, then the "Forest of a Thousand Hands" was akin to commanding the very essence of the forest itself against him!
Each towering tree exuded a dense aura of life. To Madara, they felt less like trees and more like ferocious beasts of mythical proportions!
At this moment, there was only one option left for Madara…
Without dodging, Madara stood firm amidst the "Forest of a Thousand Hands," allowing countless towering trees to crash into him from all sides.
The violent impact and tremors swallowed Madara whole, burying him beneath a sea of raging, colossal trees…
Tobirama's leg hadn't fully healed yet, but he managed to stand up, observing the chaotic scene within:
"Did we succeed?"
Hashirama shook his head. How could it be so easy to defeat Madara?
The "Forest of a Thousand Hands" ceased its rampage, and as the dust and shockwaves settled, the situation inside became clear.
At the center of the technique, numerous towering trees were entangled together, motionless, eerily silent.
But this silence sent a chilling premonition through Hashirama.
And indeed, his ominous feeling came true.
From the center of the tangled trees, a murky gray-purple aura began to seep out. This eerie gray-purple spread outward along the trees, infecting everything it touched. Any tree it came into contact with immediately withered, cracked, and crumbled into decay…
Hashirama was stunned. What in the world was this?! How could something be so sinister?!
No! He couldn't let it spread further, or else his Wood Release and the surrounding forest would be utterly destroyed!
Hashirama acted decisively, controlling several trees to cut down those about to be infected by the spreading gray-purple aura.
However, to his horror, the trees he controlled were also infected upon contact with the gray-purple energy, quickly withering and crumbling apart…
Cold sweat poured down Hashirama's face as he called out urgently to Tobirama beside him:
"Tobirama! Help me!"
Though his leg hadn't fully recovered, Tobirama wasted no time in acting:
"Water Release! Cutting Water Wave!"
A sharp, high-pressure stream of water shot out from Tobirama's mouth, slicing through the infected trees before the gray-purple aura could spread further.
The severed trees were quickly overrun by the gray-purple aura, crumbling into decay almost instantly.
Hashirama and Tobirama stared silently at the area now filled with shattered, dead wood, their expressions grim and heavy-hearted.
"Brother, do you know what this thing is? It's so sinister…"
"I'm not sure, but it's definitely something Madara has unleashed. Moreover, this gray-purple aura feels completely opposite to my Sage Art Wood Release—it's filled with the essence of decay and destruction…"
As the Senju brothers stood in silence, the pile of dead wood surrounding Madara began to stir.
With a single kick, Madara shattered the wooden debris, emerging calmly as if nothing had happened. He spoke casually as he walked:
"As expected of Hashirama, your Sage Art Wood Release is truly unparalleled…"
Hashirama and Tobirama were shocked to see Madara in his current state.
For now, Uchiha Madara had activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and his entire body radiated that ominous gray-purple aura!
Both Senju brothers tensed up. Until now, Madara had never used his Mangekyō Sharingan in battle!
"Madara! What are you doing? What is this aura?!"
"Heh, Hashirama, do you feel it? Your life-infused Sage Art Wood Release being countered? That's right—it's being countered! This is the unique power of my Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"The power of the Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
"That's right! This technique is called… Destruction Beckons!"
With a defiant roar, the gray-purple aura of destruction surged outward from Madara's body in a radial shockwave!
Every tree struck by the gray-purple wave instantly withered, decayed, and crumbled beyond recovery!
The destructive wave spread rapidly, layer by layer obliterating the vast forest Hashirama had just created with his "Forest of a Thousand Hands."
Just as the wave was about to reach Hashirama, Tobirama swiftly grabbed his brother and teleported them away using the Flying Thunder God Technique!