Konoha, Year Three.
The only junction between the Land of Thunder and the Land of Fire stretches across a vast, seemingly endless plain.
"Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique!"
With a mighty roar, First Hokage Senju Hashirama summoned a torrent of Wood Style chakra from the ground. A colossal wooden dragon, its size rivaling a tailed beast, surged forth toward the two figures clashing ahead.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
His opponent? None other than Uchiha Madara, the man who once founded Konoha alongside Hashirama.
Though it was technically a B-rank ninjutsu, in Madara's hands, it unleashed the power of an S-rank technique. A massive sea of flames erupted, capable of turning mountains into ashes in an instant.
But even as these two titans of the ninja world joined forces, the young man in the torn black samurai robe facing them showed no fear.
Instead, he grinned—wild, ghostlike, thrilled.
"Hahahaha!"
"Yes!"
"Fighting someone strong—this is the greatest joy in life!"
He laughed maniacally, the tiny bells tied to his spiked hair jingling in the wind.
The man was Zaraki Kenpachi, and his smile was more terrifying than the flames or dragons rushing at him.
Clutching a ragged, saw-toothed zanpakuto in one hand, he swung it forward without hesitation.
"Drink!"
No formal training. No hand signs. Just pure instinct.
From deep within, Reiatsu erupted, forming an overwhelming sword pressure that collided directly with the attacks of the two shinobi legends.
Boom!
The collision created an explosion that shook the heavens.
The ground cracked.
Mountains trembled.
Even Senju Tobirama, who was watching from afar and preparing to strike, had to shield his eyes.
"As big brother said… this guy really is a monster," he thought grimly.
"If the three of us don't stop him now, Konoha may never become the head of the Five Great Nations!"
Farther back, countless Konoha shinobi were frozen with fear.
"Even the combined assault of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara couldn't stop him?!"
"This Cloud shinobi... is he really that strong?!"
"We can't even get close! All we can do now is observe and survive!"
They had always seen Hashirama and Madara as gods.
But even gods were struggling now.
"Madara!"
Hashirama rushed to his comrade's side, seeing blood trickle from Madara's lips and a deep gash across his chest.
He broke into a cold sweat.
They had been fighting Kenpachi for five days and five nights.
The once-vast Qianli Plain was a shattered war zone.
All three had sustained injuries.
Madara was the worst off.
Tobirama had stayed on the perimeter, so he was relatively fine.
Hashirama himself was only still standing thanks to the regenerative power of his Wood Style chakra.
And Kenpachi?
Still smiling.
Still laughing.
Still fighting with undiminished strength.
Every swing of his sword was heavier than the last.
He wasn't slowing down—he was thriving in the chaos.
"I'm fine."
Madara wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression grim.
If someone had told him weeks ago that he and Hashirama together couldn't bring down a single man, he would've scoffed.
But now?
Now he understood.
Kenpachi still hadn't shown his full power.
"We can't keep this up," Madara said darkly. "We have no choice. If we don't unleash everything now—even at the cost of our lives—he'll wipe us out."
Hashirama nodded without hesitation.
Konoha was his legacy.
He would protect it, no matter the cost.
"I understand."
"Madara, follow my lead. I'm about to use a power I haven't fully mastered."
Madara's eyes widened.
So Hashirama had been holding back too.
He gave a sharp nod.
Hashirama pressed his palms together.
Wood chakra surged around him, stronger than ever.
No, it wasn't just Wood Style.
This was Sage Chakra.
Black markings crept across his face.
"Wood Style: Sage Art—True Several Thousand Hands!"
BOOM!
The earth split.
A gargantuan wooden Buddha rose from the shattered ground, easily dwarfing tailed beasts.
As it finished forming, Madara growled, "Hashirama! Wooden Golem Technique!"
Hashirama responded with another surge of chakra.
A towering wooden golem formed, standing alongside the Buddha.
Madara, without a word, activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Susanoo!"
Blue chakra exploded outward.
A full-body Susanoo, clad in Sengoku-era armor and wielding a mountain-cleaving blade, stood beside the wooden constructs.
But that wasn't all.
Madara fused his Susanoo onto the back of Hashirama's golem.
"Perfect Susanoo Fusion!"
Hashirama blinked.
"You... you put Susanoo on the Wooden Golem?!"
Even he had to admit—it was genius.
This was a fusion of their greatest techniques.
Unstoppable.
Unthinkable.
Unmatched.
"Brother!"
Tobirama's voice rang out across the battlefield.
"Track his movements. I'll get him in place! You just unleash everything!"
Only Tobirama—with his mastery of Flying Thunder God—could make this work.
This would be their final attack.
A once-in-a-generation gamble.
The only question was—
Would it be enough to kill a man like Zaraki Kenpachi?