The three Hokages walked cautiously, their steps echoing in the eerie silence of the corridor. At first glance, nothing seemed unusual—the walls, the floor, and even the surrounding pillars appeared mundane. Yet Tobirama's expression grew increasingly grave as they ventured deeper.
"Have you noticed something?" Tobirama's voice cut through the quiet, sharp, and serious. "There's no visible trace of anything out of the ordinary, but… look closely." He gestured subtly to their surroundings. "The walls, the ground, even the pillars—they're all tainted with an evil energy. It's not something you can see with the naked eye. You need the Sharingan to detect it."
Hashirama and Madara exchanged a glance before following Tobirama's lead. They activated their Sharingan, scrutinizing the area with a newfound wariness. After a moment, both nodded in agreement.
"As expected of you, brother," Hashirama said, his tone both impressed and uneasy. "Your sensing skills are as sharp as ever. The other party is definitely hiding something. No traces, no signs—yet their energy lingers. But why? Have they deliberately left their energy behind? Where could they be hiding?"
They pressed on, the tension in the air growing heavier with each step. According to their calculations, they were now in the center of the formation. This should have been the heart of the disturbance, the place where the monster or its victims were located. Yet nothing was out of place. It was too quiet—eerily so.
Madara finally broke the silence, his voice laced with suspicion. "You don't suppose… that thing ran off? We came in from this direction, but there's no guarantee it didn't escape through another route. That would explain why it's so peaceful here."
Hashirama frowned, considering the possibility. "You might be right. But—"
Before he could finish, a sudden burst of movement shattered the calm. A whirlwind-like force surged out of nowhere, barreling straight toward them. Hashirama barely had time to react as it struck him square in the chest.
Boom!
The impact sent him flying backward, his body slamming into the wall with a resounding crash. Dust and debris rained down as he slid to the ground, coughing but still conscious.
"Hashirama!" Tobirama's voice was sharp with alarm as he rushed to his brother's side, his senses on high alert.
Madara stepped forward, his Sharingan glowing ominously as he scanned their surroundings. His voice was cold, resolute. "It's here. And it's not running anymore."
Tobirama and Uchiha Madara both froze, their eyes widening in shock at the scene before them.
"What!?" they both exclaimed in unison, their voices thick with disbelief.
At that moment, the area around them remained eerily still, as if nothing had changed. But Hashirama, lying on the ground, had a gaping wound in the center of his chest. The scar was deep and grotesque, resembling the marks left by a pair of massive claws tearing through his flesh. Yet, despite the severity of the injury, Hashirama displayed no sign of pain or distress. His body was already in the process of healing—rapidly.
Within less than three seconds, the wound closed completely, leaving no trace of the damage. His chest was as good as new, though his torn clothes were a clear reminder of the battle's intensity. The speed at which his body healed was a testament to the sheer strength of his physical prowess.
"Brother, are you okay?" Tobirama asked, his voice laced with concern as he knelt by his sibling's side.
Hashirama simply nodded, his expression calm. "This level of injury? It's nothing at all."
His words were not boastful. He wasn't exaggerating. Hashirama possessed an extraordinary regenerative ability that allowed him to recover from physical injuries at an astonishing rate. After two rounds of physical enhancement, his body had become a near-invincible force. Even if the injury had been more severe, he would have bounced back in moments.
Madara, his old rival, watched in silence, his gaze keen and understanding. He had fought alongside Hashirama long enough to know the depths of his resilience. There was no need for further questioning.
"The attack was too sudden," Madara finally spoke, his voice laced with a hint of unease. "The movements of our opponent are... unlike anything I've ever encountered. It's not human. I've seen its appearance, but it's something beyond comprehension. It's not alive in the way we know."
The tension in the air grew thicker, as the realization sank in. This wasn't a battle against a ninja or a creature bound by life. Their opponent was a cursed spirit, long beyond caring about its survival, a thing that had nothing to lose.
"We need to be careful," Madara added, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed their surroundings, a flicker of wariness in his gaze. "This is not going to be like any fight we've faced before. It's already dead, and that makes it far more dangerous than anything alive. It's driven by instinct and malice now."
After hearing Uchiha Madara's question, Tobirama couldn't help but voice his thoughts.
"You're right," he began, his brow furrowed. "Just now, I couldn't fully understand what happened. It moved too quickly." He paused, clearly trying to recall the details. "I saw the creature... it seemed to have seven or eight eyes on its head. What the hell was that thing?"
Hashirama chuckled, his voice light. "Isn't that normal?" he replied, a teasing tone creeping into his words. "You've been fighting humans for so long, you've probably forgotten that not everything we fight is human." He shook his head in amusement. "This is a cursed spirit, Tobirama. A pure monster. If it has seven or eight eyes, it's just part of the deal. There's no need to make a big fuss over it."
Tobirama stood there for a moment, stunned before a sheepish smile tugged at his lips. "You're right," he admitted, laughing at himself. "I suppose I've been in the lab too long. My thinking's become a bit... rigid." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "This thing is a cursed spirit, no doubt about it. It doesn't need to look like us."
He glanced around, a slight frown crossing his face. "It's just unfortunate that we're in its domain. I don't know where it's gone, but next time, it'll definitely strike again. We all need to stay on guard."
Hashirama smiled at his younger brother's words, clearly amused. "Tobirama, you underestimate me too much," he said with a smirk. "You think that creature was the only one to attack me? Did you forget that I made my move the moment it tried?" His voice grew more serious as he continued, "When it attacked, I used my Wood Style on it instantly. I can still feel my chakra in the air."
Tobirama and Madara both exhaled in relief, and the tension seemed to lift from the group. Then, a shared laugh filled the air.
"You're something else, Hashirama," Madara said, his tone both fond and impressed. "I knew you could handle that thing."
Tobirama nodded, a rare grin spreading across his face. "Always the first to act. As expected of you, big brother."
Hashirama laughed, clearly enjoying the moment. "It's all in a day's work."
Hashirama turned toward the two of them, his expression hardening with resolve.
"Since this bastard decided to sneak up on me," he declared, voice low and determined, "I will not let him escape. You two stay back. This one's mine."
With a confident flick of his wrist, Hashirama clapped his hands together.
Sage Mode activated.
Instantly, black eye shadow spread around his eye sockets, and a dark pattern materialized in the center of his forehead. The very air around him seemed to shift as his aura expanded, brimming with raw power. He had complete mastery over the natural energy and the environment around him, sensing everything with acute precision.
Hashirama closed his eyes slightly, allowing his senses to sharpen. The atmosphere felt charged.
There, in the distance, a faint but unmistakable presence—someone, or rather, something, was preparing to strike again.
The creature had been using the vents between the floors to move unnoticed, aiming to launch another surprise attack. But Hashirama wasn't caught off guard this time.
A confident smile curved his lips.
"How dare you sneak up on me," he muttered under his breath. "Let me show you what true strength looks like."
In a single motion, Hashirama slammed his hands together again.
The earth beneath their feet trembled, and with an explosive burst of energy, Wood Style chakra erupted from the ground, flooding the space around them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Massive tree branches shot up from the floor above, extending outward with wild abandon. The entire steel structure morphed into a primal jungle in an instant—steel beams entwined with living wood, the walls overtaken by nature's ferocity.
The monster, unable to withstand the crushing pressure, let out a guttural screech as it was forced to plummet from above, crashing down into view.
For the first time, the creature's true form was fully revealed to the three of them. It was humanoid in shape, but everything about it was grotesque. The most striking feature was its face—a gigantic, bloody mouth that stretched across its head, flanked by eight eyes, each gleaming with malice. Its hands were like jagged claws, now drenched in blood.
As the trio stared at the cursed spirit, a shared understanding passed between them. This was no ordinary foe.
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