The only thing that could be considered good news was that Tsunade was somewhat wise this time. She didn't bet everything, avoiding a bad situation if things went south. Her demeanor remained unchanged as she placed her points on the one with the highest odds. Regardless of the significant difference in strength between the two rivals.
After placing their bets, everyone's attention shifted to the duel arena, where Naruto and Sasuke were getting ready for their showdown.
Sasuke, exuding confidence, declared, "Naruto, I'll show you how strong I have become!" His assurance stemmed from his strength and the confidence gained after killing Danzo and unlocking his potential with the help of super-divine water in the last mission.
On the opposite side, Naruto appeared much calmer, having faced many challenges, including fighting Sasuke and The Strongest Uchiha during the Fourth Ninja War and reaching middle age during his tenure as Hokage.
As the duel began, Naruto activated Sage Mode which covered his entire body with the golden Nine Tails Chakra, instantly reaching his strongest state.
Sasuke was momentarily stunned and exclaimed, "What's this!"
Disbelievingly, he wondered when Naruto had acquired such flashy abilities. The other Hokages, watching the match, were impressed.
Minato remarked proudly, "My son has learned Sage Chakra!" recognizing the utilization of Senjutsu along with Nine Tails.
Unable to dwell on Naruto's newfound strength, Sasuke swiftly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and summoned Susanoo. The two collided in a fierce clash. However, there was nothing more to describe the collision. Naruto's power was overwhelming compared to Sasuke's Susano and he didn't even need to use his signature jutsu.
Naruto scratched his head, looking rather calm. "Huh? This Sasuke is weaker than my Sasuke?"
"Naruto is stronger than me?"
On the flip side, Sasuke began to question life. "Naruto, what's going on? Why are you so much stronger than me? I couldn't even use a single ninjutsu yet! You can completely crush me in both speed and strength. How did you get this powerful?"
Seventh Hokage Naruto, having undergone many battles, had experienced much more than Sasuke. Not to mention inheriting the Sage of Six Paths during the Ninja World War and numerous strength improvements later on. It was no wonder Sasuke found himself overmatched at this stage.
Obito, his excitement palpable, exclaimed, "It's so cool! I've made a lot of money!"
Minato laughed, shaking his head. "Hahaha! Do you doubt my son's strength?"
Kakashi, with a proud smile, chimed in, "As expected of Naruto!"
The group shared a joyous laugh, all having bet on Naruto and reaping their rewards. However, the only discontented person in the group was the Tsunade duo and Hashirama.
"Ten thousand points! Ten thousand points gone!" Tsunade exclaimed, letting out a howl. For others, more points meant more earnings, but for her, it was the complete opposite — the more points she gained, the more she lost.
"I'm going to find someone to..!" Tsunade declared, clenching her fist. Losing the gamble meant she had to fight hard and let out her frustration. She scanned the present Hokages and then pointed to Ryan.
Hashirama called out, "Tsuna, wait! We can ask Tobirama and Madara for points if we need more."
Tsunade and Tobirama both looked at him sharply and denied it. "Hell no."
"Ryan!! Come and fight with me!!"
Hearing her challenge, the other Hokages turned with great interest. Tsunade vs. Ryan? Such a battle promised to be very interesting!
Ryan smiled in response. There was no need for excuses; he entered the arena confidently. "Then come on! I haven't gone all out since last time. After getting the limit breaker. Even I don't know how strong I am!"
'Well, let's seize this chance to put it to the test,' Ryan thought. Tsunade also enters the arena, and Ryan just stands opposite, his body looking very relaxed, not even moving. There was no intention to release any ninjutsu. Seeing him like this, Tsunade was very upset.
"Ryan! I didn't challenge you to take it easy on me!" she said to him.
Ryan just loosened his shoulders. "This time, I've decided not to use any ninjutsu or Dojutsu. I'll only use pure taijutsu to fight with you."
His words sent a ripple of shock through the gathering of Hokages.
"Are you out of your mind?" Tobirama exclaimed, narrowing his eyes skeptically.
"Don't underestimate him," Hashirama interjected, trying to maintain some level of calm. "He must have confidence in his taijutsu skills!"
"Taijutsu alone?" Minato raised an eyebrow, doubt evident in his tone. "Does he really believe he can outmatch Tsunade in that arena?"
The question hung heavily in the air. Tsunade, renowned for her formidable Chakra Enhanced Strength, was a powerhouse in combat. The idea of anyone—let alone Ryan—challenging her to a test of raw strength seemed ludicrous.
"What kind of strategy is that?" Kakashi muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Does he not realize the risks?"
As they exchanged glances, the uncertainty was palpable. A contest of pure strength against Tsunade? It was a gamble that could easily backfire.
Tsunade was also very surprised. "Since you say so..." she began, "Then I won't hold back!"
Saying that Tsunade moved directly near Ryan, with the chakra condensed on her fist, ready to unleash her terrifying punch.
Ryan saw the situation in front of him and with a slight movement, he waved his fist.
Boom! The two fists faced each other, and a terrifying shockwave erupted immediately! Under the shock, it felt like the entire arena was trembling slightly.
As the smoke cleared up, the eyes of the audience present widened instantly in disbelief. Ryan still maintained the posture of his casual punching. As for Tsunade, she flew and was stuck in the arena's wall. She was defeated with a single punch!
Hashirama's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, did I see that right? Has Tsunade's Chakra Enhanced Strength... failed?"
Tobirama stared at the unfolding scene, a mix of astonishment and skepticism on his face. "No way. That can't be possible! She's always been a force to be reckoned with. How could she let her guard down like this?"
"No! It's just Ryan's physical strength is greater than Tsuande." Madara said with a surprise.
Tsunade stood up from where she was, looking confused. When attacking just now, Tsunade felt nothing but an overwhelming force of terror from Ryan's punch, and then she flew out like a kite with a broken string, with no power to fight back. As one of the two sides of the battle, Tsunade knew better than the audience - Ryan's strength completely crushed her!
Hashirama looked interested. "Is Tsunade's Chakra Enhanced Strength can't even delay Ryan's punch? I'm a little intrigued!"
The same sentiment echoed from Second Hokage Tobirama. "Perhaps it's a new kind of Taijutsu or another forbidden Ninjutsu!"
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