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The sound of the battle resounded in all directions at this moment. All the ninja coalition had assembled. Even in the early morning, it didn't have much impact, because everyone was waiting for this day and had been preparing for a long time.
Boom!
In the front, a loud explosion suddenly came, instantly overwhelming all the sounds.
Looking ahead, there was lightning and thunder in the air. In every flash of lightning, two figures could be seen colliding in the air. The energy overflowed between their fists and feet, like sharp arrows, crushing the few vegetation below.
This was just a test. After the two figures landed, they retreated at the same time to keep their distance, and then—at the same time—made seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"Water Release: Turbulent Water Rush!"
Whoosh!
Crash!
The flames shot out like sharp arrows, and more like artillery fire, straight toward Ishigami Hara.
The huge waves rushed, like a tsunami, pressing toward Uchiha Madara.
Puff, puff, puff!!
The flames collided with the huge waves, making a series of muffled sounds, and then the waves turned into mist, spreading and surging around like an explosion. In an instant, the figures of the two were covered.
But the next moment, both Ishigami Hara and Uchiha Madara rushed forward again, piercing through the thick fog and colliding once more.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Muffled sounds echoed everywhere. The collision between the two was far more direct and fierce than the previous test. They were both over 1.8 meters tall, very similar in height and physique. At this moment, they were truly evenly matched.
"Little brat, you have grown up."
Uchiha Madara could still speak in the gap between attacks.
Ishigami Hara grinned, staring at the other party and said, "Old ghost, is this your prime posture?"
At this moment, Uchiha Madara was in his prime; his every move was powerful, and his attack method was gorgeous and tricky, full of an almost artistic beauty.
"Heh, kid, are you scared?" Uchiha Madara asked back.
Ishigami Hara smiled and said, "I'm afraid you'll be killed too easily by me."
As he said this, his hands kept moving. Compared to Uchiha Madara's graceful movements, Ishigami Hara's movements seemed more primitive, with a punch and a kick carrying an inexplicable charm, as if an antelope were hanging its horns, so wonderful that it reached the peak of wealth.
As a true master of fighting, Uchiha Madara could naturally feel that they were extraordinary.
While he was secretly shocked in his heart, he did not show it on his face.
He only felt that the young man in front of him was so strong that it actually brought him a faint pressure, a pressure that he had never felt even from Senju Hashirama.
"Hahaha!"
Thinking of this, Uchiha Madara laughed out loud, and at the same time, he wiped his hand behind him, took a kunai shot from the distant battlefield, and stabbed it toward Ishigami Hara's head.
Dang!
Ishigami Hara pulled out the short blade from his waist with his backhand. This short blade had been with him for several years, and he naturally brought it for this battle. It was just in time to use it.
Dang!
Dangdangdangdang...
From the first clang, dazzling sparks burst out between them. They waved their hands, leaving afterimages. Sparks flew between the kunai and the blade, creating a dazzling display.
The two fought from mid-air to the ground, and then from the ground to mid-air. They were like two blurry shadows—indistinct yet extremely dangerous. Every blow was a lethal move. Anyone else would have been terrified.
You must know that whether it is taijutsu, kenjutsu, or ninjutsu, the two are undoubtedly at the pinnacle of the ninja world. The danger within this fight is something few could comprehend.
"Ha!"
Uchiha Madara shouted, threw away the broken kunai, flew back to distance himself from Ishigami Hara, clapped his hands, and laughed, "It's too boring to fight like this, kid. How are you going to handle this move?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the air trembled, and everyone behind him felt a sense of pressure, an instinctual foreboding.
Someone subconsciously looked up, and their pupils shrank in shock as they saw a huge object descending from the thick clouds.
In the flash of lightning, its general outline became clear.
It was... a massive meteorite!
"Tengai Shinsei!"
Only then did Uchiha Madara shout the name of this technique.
Ishigami Hara seemed prepared, completing a seal with one hand, and lightly stepped on the ground.
"Wood Release: Heavenly Throne Embrace!"
Somewhere on the battlefield, a sapling emerged from the earth, quickly growing and expanding as if time itself had accelerated. In an instant, it had turned into a towering tree, with no slowing in its growth.
Within seconds, a giant tree, four or five hundred meters tall, had taken shape. The branches spread out like a canopy, covering the sky and sun, and positioned directly under the falling meteorite like a vast net.
The next moment.
Boom!
The meteorite crashed into the canopy net. The giant tree's trunk bent under the impact, straining against the weight, appearing on the verge of breaking.
But the canopy continued to expand, with branches wrapping around the meteorite like vines. From a distance, it looked like a strange tree with a massive head standing on the ground.
All the shinobi were stunned. They had never anticipated such an attack falling from the sky, nor had they imagined their side's protection would be so formidable. The towering tree's appearance was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Cheers erupted across the battlefield as the massive meteorite lost its momentum, firmly ensnared by the giant tree, which had stabilized.
At that moment, countless White Zetsu emerged from the ground on the front lines, near where Ishigami Hara and Uchiha Madara fought. Swarming in numbers, they advanced on the shinobi coalition like a wave of ants.
Though Ishigami Hara didn't look back, he sensed it but was unconcerned. All arrangements had been made long ago; the White Zetsu were the coalition's responsibility, not his.
Ishigami Hara smiled as light red chakra ignited around him, and then... a colossal Susanoo over 200 meters high rose from the ground.
"Uchiha Madara, come on, let's fight!"
As his voice faded, a blue Susanoo formed around Uchiha Madara, expanding rapidly to match Ishigami Hara's Susanoo in height, standing over 200 meters, facing Ishigami Hara from afar.
"Hahaha, kid, you're pretty good!"