As soon as the Quest Stone touched the ground, it exploded, unleashing the six powers contained within, reducing everything it touched to nothingness!
The terrifying energy wave spread widely, even reaching the Four Shadows, who were halfway down the road.
Shihe clapped his hands to the ground, causing numerous Earth Flow Walls to rise up. However, these walls gradually disappeared under the explosive energy wave.
He stroked his beard helplessly and said, "All we can do is try to minimize the impact. This is a terrifying jutsu unleashed in the Iron Country; we need to leave quickly."
Shihe turned to Mu, who was confused, and said, "Mu, after we return to the village, take the envoy team to Taki Hidden Village. Since our two countries are adjacent, it's necessary to build a good relationship."
"Understood."
At this moment, Mu realized that the terrifying energy wave was likely caused by Ryuuri. He understood that Hashirama and Tobirama would not use such jutsu; this obliterating power was even stronger than his Dust Release.
On the other side, Rendou and Shamon exchanged glances, each seeing deep apprehension in the other's eyes. They were most familiar with the Land of Taki, aware of the policies proposed by Ryuuri during the meeting. They understood that once those development policies took effect, the strength of the Land of Taki would be on par with other countries, especially with a powerful Taki Shadow like Ryuuri. It was likely to foster another formidable entity like the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire.
Haku, walking with his hands behind his back, felt a slight tremor from the energy wave. As the eldest among the Six Shadows, Ryuuri was probably still younger than him, yet his power seemed to completely surpass Haku's. Before feeling this energy wave, Haku had intended to visit Taki Hidden Village to question them about the origins of Water Release, but now that thought was entirely abandoned.
Ai quickened his pace, so fast that his guards struggled to keep up. The series of footprints, each half a foot deep, revealed his inner unease.
"Let's go."
Ryuuri gasped for breath several times, knowing that the Quest Stone explosion had exhausted his chakra, draining even the chakra from the Seven Tails. This attack, though slightly misaligned, had been his all-out effort.
Although the compensation promised to Hashirama could yield a significant amount of resources, even S-rank jutsu and forbidden techniques, he still chose to act. He was the Taki Shadow, one of the Six Shadows; he couldn't just swallow his pride when others resorted to lethal force.
"Leaving? But..."
Kakuzu glanced at the smoke rising from the explosion's epicenter, where Hashirama and Tobirama had been. After such a shocking explosion, could they still be alive?
"You've fought Hashirama; he's not that easy to kill. Even with this level of explosion, he might not be injured," Ryuuri replied with a sigh. He realized he was still a bit behind the likes of Hashirama and Madara. Even though he had utilized the Quest Stone and the chakra of the Seven Tails, he could only execute an attack that posed a threat to their lives. While undoubtedly stronger than any current jutsu, such an attack could only be used once.
"Is he that strong...?" Kakuzu asked, surprised. If that were true, their previous battle might have been Hashirama using only a fraction of his strength. Perhaps the one he fought throughout was just a Wood Clone.
"Understanding the gap is good. Don't let his somewhat foolish demeanor fool you; the man standing at the peak of the ninja world isn't easy to deal with."
As Ryuuri walked, he considered that they needed to expedite the village's development. It seemed there would be no achievements completed in the short term, relying solely on the village's growth to enhance their strength.
"Yes, brother! I will definitely train hard!" Kakuzu's determination ignited. It seemed that his abilities had been limited by the Land of Taki; originally undefeated there, he now felt like a frog in a well after seeing Hashirama's strength.
Kakuzu looked earnestly at Ryuuri, his older brother who had grown increasingly inscrutable, feeling a sense of pressure to not fall too far behind.
After a long walk, sounds finally emerged from the city.
Most of the samurai had never left the Iron Country in their lives, and their understanding of ninjas was mostly hearsay. They only occasionally conversed with passing ninjas, and battles among ninjas were deliberately avoided near the Iron Country.
This lack of exposure led to a superficial understanding of ninjas, with some old-fashioned samurai even considering ninjutsu akin to magic—easily cut down with a single sword strike.
However, everything that transpired today left them utterly stunned. When Hashirama summoned the Forest of Birth, the samurai in the city were already too scared to speak. Creating a forest out of thin air? That was a miracle!
When the forest was instantly consumed by a wave of black flames, they were at a loss for words, struggling to find the right expression. The black flames—what a terrifying aura! Was it the fire of hell?!
Then, when the explosion occurred, they had become numb to the chaos.
Even when the shockwaves erased half of the city wall, their hearts were unmoved. Within a single day, they had endured far more than a samurai was ever meant to withstand.
People inside their homes instinctively stepped outside, gathering together in fear of even more terrifying events.
After the dust from the explosion settled, a pit the size of a football field appeared on the ground outside the city. The earth seemed to have vanished, leaving a smooth, gleaming pit, with two figures at its edge.
It was Tobirama and Hashirama. Hashirama fared better; his shadow gradually dissipated. Thanks to Sage Mode, Wood Release, and his formidable chakra, he barely withstood the explosion of the Quest Stone. He realized that Ryuuri had held back, changing the position of the Quest Stone at the last moment to avoid their being in the center of the explosion.
Even if he had been in the center, Hashirama was confident he could endure it, but Tobirama was not so fortunate.
Tobirama had sustained serious injuries. Unlike Hashirama, he lacked Wood Release, Sage Mode protection, and chakra comparable to that of the Tailed Beasts.
Even with Hashirama absorbing most of the energy impact, he still suffered from the explosion's energy, resulting in the loss of his arm.
In other words, the Tensou Tobirama, who would later gain fame for numerous forbidden techniques and space ninjutsu, was now disabled—his arm had vanished, rendering him unable to form hand seals.
He felt no pain from the severed arm; his eyes were hollow, numbly gazing at the space where his arm once was. For a ninja, losing an arm and being unable to form hand seals equated to the end of their ninja career.
Hashirama patted Tobirama on the shoulder, brushing the dust off him. It would be a lie to say he felt no resentment. Even with his easy-going personality, he couldn't help but resent someone who had severed his brother's arm. Yet, he could not allow himself to hate, nor could he start a war over it.
For the sake of this hard-won peace, Hashirama had to prioritize the greater good. Whether he was seen as obstinate or naive, this peaceful situation was the result of years of effort, and he couldn't let one arm ruin it.
"Tobirama, let's go home."
Hashirama walked in front of Tobirama, squatting down to carry him on his back.
"??? Big brother, what are you doing? I lost my arm, not my legs!"
Tobirama regained some vitality and struggled, but it was of no use.
"You always wanted me to carry you like this when you were a kid, and our father scolded you for it!"
Tobirama paused, no longer resisting, and quietly said, "Big brother, let's go back to the Hidden Leaf Village. I really don't know how Madara will tease me this time."
"Let's go! Overthinking will only make you dull. We should enjoy this hard-earned peace!"
After the two left, the samurai in the city dared to come out, staring at the enormous pit, continually murmuring things like "divine visitation." Some curious individuals even erected a sign nearby, writing phrases like "First Taki Shadow" and "Miracle."