As Might Duy charged forward, Kaito swiftly equipped the “Rose of the Battlefield” title buff, flashed in front of him, and threw a punch.
Duy raised his fist to meet it head-on.
Boom!
Their fists collided, unleashing a violent shockwave.
Kaito laughed arrogantly.
“Hahaha!
Come, dance to your heart’s content!
Entertain me as much as you can!”
Might Duy’s expression turned serious.
“To think you’re superior to me in both strength and combat skill…
As expected of the hero who ended the Warring States period.
Unfortunately, your speed falls short.”
At his current level, Duy’s speed clearly surpassed Kaito ‘s.
The two exchanged dozens of blows in rapid succession, fists and kicks colliding relentlessly, neither able to gain the upper hand.
Whoosh!
Duy dodged Hashirama’s devastating side kick and instantly appeared behind him, throwing a right punch.
But his fist struck a wooden wall instead.
Crack!
Fractures spread across its surface, but the barrier barely held.
Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!
“A weakness!”
Kaito immediately unleashed his signature technique.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
Countless roots erupted from the earth.
This time, even Might Duy found himself overwhelmed.
“The Gate of Limit—OPEN!”
Green chakra instantly enveloped his body, and both his speed and strength increased once again.
Duy stomped on the ground, shattering the floor beneath him.
With a sharp crack, the force of his punches destroyed the advancing roots, only for new branches to emerge wherever chakra gathered.
Taking advantage of the opening, he rushed directly toward Kaito , who was still performing hand seals.
Yet he was blocked once more.
“These things are so annoying.
Then take this—Hidden Lotus!”
His speed exploded.
He weaved through the forest of giant trees with astonishing agility, like a blooming rose on the battlefield.
Even Madara couldn’t help but praise him.
“Such mastery of taijutsu…
I acknowledge you.”
“Oh?
You can still get stronger?”
After Might Duy used the final strike of the Hidden Lotus to barely break through the defense of Wood Release: Hōbi Technique, Kaito ‘s expression grew serious.
He first activated Wood Release: Hells’ Embrace, sending countless wooden hands toward his opponent.
Then he clasped his hands together.
He entered Sage Mode on the spot.
Sage Art: Wood Release — True Several Thousand Hands!
“You’re an opponent worthy of my respect.
Let’s decide this battle with a single move!”
At first, the sight of the colossal Thousand-Armed Buddha nearly shattered Might Duy’s fighting spirit.
But after hearing Kaito ‘s words, his own blood began to boil.
“Good!
To have an opponent like you—I can die without regrets!”
He immediately began opening more gates.
“The Gate of View—OPEN!”
“The Gate of Wonder—OPEN!”
“And…”
“The Gate of Death—OPEN!”
Kaito frowned.
“For the sake of someone as rotten as the Daimyo…
why go this far?”
Might Duy lowered his head.
“It has nothing to do with him.
A man must honor his promises and fulfill his vows.
A debt of gratitude must be repaid with everything one has.”
“I understand.”
Kaito looked at him solemnly.
“You’re a fool…
but also a true hero.”
“Then let’s begin.”
“Sage Art: Wood Release — True Several Thousand Hands: Top Transformed Buddha!”
The gigantic Thousand-Armed Buddha surged forward.
Countless wooden fists descended upon Duy.
Yet instead of retreating, he charged directly into the attack.
Evening Elephant: Four Consecutive Strikes!
The afterimages of his attacks tore through the wooden fists, allowing him to contend with the Thousand-Armed Buddha itself.
Unfortunately, his stamina was limited.
After prolonged combat, his attacks began to slow.
“Damn it…
my body can’t hold out much longer.”
“Then I’ll stake everything on one final attack.”
Whoosh!
His figure vanished instantly.
“Not good!”
Kaito immediately tried to retreat into the wooden construct.
But before he could fully merge with it—
Thud!
Might Duy’s fist pierced through his abdomen from behind.
“Your technique is powerful…
but its weakness is too obvious.”
“I win.”
“Cough…!”
Blood poured from Kaito ‘s mouth.
Yet a strange smile spread across his face.
“Why do you think…
I left that opening?”
“Sorry.”
“I’m a ninja.”
The moment he finished speaking, his body transformed into wood.
“A substitute?!”
Just as Duy tried to retreat—
A voice sounded behind him.
“Modified Five Elements Seal!”
“Sage Art: Wood Release — Wooden Prison Eternal Burial!”
Kaito pressed one hand against Duy’s back, sealing his chakra.
With the other hand, he formed seals.
Roots erupted beneath Duy’s feet, wrapped around him, and dragged him into the wooden construct, leaving only his head exposed.
“Give up.”
“There are only dead members of the Might Clan.”
“Never surrender!”
“AAAAAAAH!”
Even now, Might Duy struggled desperately.
Kaito was speechless.
“Why keep fighting after all this?”
“You…
don’t…
understand!”
“This is my conviction!”
His chakra pressure surged.
He actually forced his way through the seal.
The violent chakra burst apart the wooden prison, and he shot forward once more.
“Senju Hashirama!”
“This is my final attack!”
Wrapped in crimson chakra, he dove forward and launched a kick straight at Kaito .
Evening Elephant: Final Strike!
“Excellent!”
Kaito could not dodge.
Nor did he want to.
At first, he had feared the Gate of Death.
But now, he had been infected by Duy’s spirit.
His blood boiled.
His entire body burned with fighting spirit.
He roared:
“I am Senju Hashirama!”
Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!
At full power, he created fifty clones.
All fifty charged forward.
They simultaneously deployed every defensive technique they could.
Triple Rashōmon!
Deity Gates!
Successive Wood Locking Walls!
Multiple Wood Release: Hōbi Technique!
Yet in mere moments, Might Duy smashed through them all.
Still, his speed and power were finally beginning to diminish.
The clones attacked one after another—
Only to be instantly destroyed.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The pain and sensation of death transferred back to Kaito , nearly driving him mad.
“I…
can’t give up…”
Veins bulged on his forehead as he gritted his teeth and endured.
But the fifty clones had achieved their purpose.
Might Duy had visibly slowed.
Taking advantage of the opening, Kaito unleashed the new technique he had recently developed.
Sage Art: Heavy Armor!
A layer of dark-brown wooden armor engraved with senjutsu markings completely covered his body.
This technique dramatically increased strength and defense at the cost of speed, mobility, and continuous stamina consumption.
Kaito took a heavy step forward.
Feeling the tremendous power coursing through his body, his confidence surged.
He sprinted forward and leaped into the air with a flying kick.
Their legs collided.
Might Duy’s cloth shoes and black trousers instantly exploded into pieces.
The deafening impact drew the attention of the others.
Madara stood atop the third stage of his Susanoo, arms crossed.
He nodded.
He had acknowledged their strength.
Abe Akiteru also abandoned his arrogant demeanor and began reevaluating them.
Silently, he cast a glance toward the observing Daimyo.
Madara noticed it immediately.
Without hesitation, he activated his Complete Body Susanoo.
“What?!”
“How can people like you possibly exist?!”
Even the White Snake Sage, who had been battling several shikigami, paused to observe.
At that exact moment, while Abe stood frozen in shock, a mass of black substance quietly attached itself to the shadow beneath his feet…
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Kaito and Might Duy were both blasted backward.
Half of Kaito ‘s life seemed to have been shaken out of him.
Cracks covered his armor.
Its defensive power was more than three times greater than the Hōbi Technique, which only highlighted the terrifying strength of Duy’s attack.
Slowly, Kaito climbed back to his feet.
After confirming that Duy could no longer stand, he dismissed the armor and staggered over.
Might Duy’s right leg had completely disintegrated.
His entire body looked charred.
Even so, he still retained a sliver of consciousness.
Kaito placed his hand over Duy’s heart.
Natural Energy slowly flowed into him.
“Cough…”
“Opening the Gate of Death means certain death.”
“I don’t know whether what you said was true.”
“But I have one shameless request.”
“My wife and child are in a certain place.”
“Please…
keep them away from the Daimyo and away from conflict.”
“I beg you…”
He gave Kaito the location.
Kaito felt a deep sense of regret.
A hero like this dying for the Daimyo was simply too tragic.
After hesitating for a moment, he made up his mind.
“I’ll bring them to see you.”
Might Duy immediately became agitated.
“Cough!
I misjudged you!”
“You’re actually planning to kill women and children too?!”
“What?”
Only then did Kaito realize the misunderstanding.
“I mean I can save you.”
“As long as you stop serving the Daimyo.”
Duy finally understood.
Without hesitation, he nodded.
“The debt has been repaid.”
“This new life will be given by you.”
“Naturally, I will follow you.”
Hearing this, Kaito increased the flow of Natural Energy.
At the same time, his own life force flowed into Duy’s body, slowly repairing the damage.
Sage Art: Life Restoration!
This was a technique Kaito had created after receiving the green leaf markings from the White Snake Sage and combining the Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Regions.
It could revive anyone who had died within four hours.
The drawback was enormous chakra consumption and the expenditure of his own life force.
As for that green leaf marking, he called it the “Sage Seed.”
He had discovered that ever since obtaining it, neither he nor Madara needed to painstakingly balance Natural Energy anymore.
The Sage Seed automatically absorbed, stored, and balanced Natural Energy for them.
Who knew what other miraculous abilities it might possess in the future?
Ding!!!