While Hashirama and Hades exchanged blows in their high-speed battle, Alex observed closely, confirming his fears: the gods of this universe were far stronger than their manga counterparts. Even Hades' regular movements were almost imperceptible to an ordinary viewer. This only strengthened Alex's conviction that his decision to send clones into the battle instead of real people was absolutely the right one. He understood that none of humanity's representatives—even Qin Shi Huang—would likely be able to stand against such a powerful god.
Furthermore, this step was taken to prevent more Valkyries from losing their lives alongside their partners. Alex saw how each strike from Hades shattered the sound barrier, and his spear seemed capable of piercing any defense. If a different fighter had been in Hashirama's place, their fate would likely have been sealed by the first blow.
However, Alex also noticed something important: Hades had yet to show his full power. He was just beginning to pick up momentum, causing the audience to hold their breath in suspense. Göll watched the battle with a sparkle in her eyes, admiring Hashirama's skill as he deftly dodged blows while simultaneously finding openings for counterattacks.
Brunhilda, on the other hand, clenched her fists, realizing how much she had underestimated Hades. Now she understood why he was considered one of the strongest gods. A memory resurfaced, of Hades single-handedly holding back the Titans that had escaped their prison in Helheim.
Having confirmed his strength, Brunhilda began to understand that the battle was far from over. She also acknowledged that Alex had been right when he said that Hashirama was not just a shinobi, but truly a God of Shinobi.
A real storm was brewing on the arena floor. The strikes of Hades and Hashirama created powerful shockwaves, cracking the surface beneath them. Their movements were so fast that the fighters literally disappeared, only reappearing at the moment of impact. Hashirama avoided direct strikes from Hades, wary of damaging Valkyrie Alvida's armor, which had become an integral part of him. He redirected blows or evaded them, displaying incredible skill and caution.
Another clash in the center of the arena was especially powerful—the ground beneath them split open into deep cracks, resembling a shattered mirror. Both fighters retreated, taking a moment to catch their breath.
Hades glanced at his spear, seemingly contemplating his next move. Then, he adjusted his grip, moving his hands closer to the tip, assuming a stance meant for crushing strikes.
«You're a good man, Hashirama,» Hades said, a shadow of respect in his voice. «But I won't back down. For my younger brother, Poseidon, as the elder, I must win.»
Hashirama frowned, his face set with determination.
«Then I will stop you, as I once stopped my friend, who was also blinded by vengeance,» he said, preparing for the next clash.
An invisible tension arose between Hades and Hashirama as their gazes met, as if an unspoken battle of willpower was unfolding between them. Hades' eyes darkened with seriousness, and his grip on the spear's shaft tightened. Suddenly, as if on an invisible signal, he launched his attack.
Hades' movement was so swift that to the spectators, he seemed to disappear and reappear before Hashirama in an instant, as though he had teleported. His hand, holding the spear, slid down the shaft with such speed that the friction made it feel as if his very hand was heating up. The powerful swing of the spear was accompanied by a series of shockwaves as the weapon broke through several sound barriers in succession.
Hashirama, watching the falling spear, saw its approach as if in slow motion. Chakra poured out of his body, flowing to the ground, and from the cracks spreading across the arena floor, massive roots began to grow. In the blink of an eye, a giant tree rose before Hashirama, positioning itself between him and the attack.
«Wood Style: Release of the Unbloomed Tree,» he calmly said, watching his creation.
Hades, unfazed by the obstacle, simply intensified his strike. His spear, imbued with divine power, split the tree in half with a thunderous crack. The loud snap of the shattered tree made the spectators freeze, and from the force of the spear's impact, a deep crater formed beneath the feet of both fighters. The arena trembled from the destructive power of Hades.
The fighters' gazes met once again. Hades raised his spear, preparing for a new attack, but this time Hashirama took the offensive.
Leaping over the tree's wreckage, he closed the distance so quickly that Hades' long spear became an inconvenient weapon. The shinobi delivered a series of rapid, powerful blows to Hades' torso. Each strike felt crushing, and even the god of the underworld felt his body shudder from the force of the blows. It almost seemed as though tiny cracks were forming in his bones.
Snapping out of the instant shock, Hades managed to raise his spear in time to block a swift kick. Hashirama's foot collided with the spear's shaft with a loud bang. Neither fighter retreated, freezing in a tense standoff. Hashirama's foot pressed down on the spear, as if trying to snap it, but Hades wouldn't allow that to happen.
As if feeling a surge of new strength, Hades pushed Hashirama's foot away, creating the necessary distance.
«You're strong, mortal, but you haven't seen my true power,» Hades said quietly, yet with a threatening tone, lifting his spear once more.
Regaining his balance, Hashirama charged back into the fray, but this time Hades adopted a different tactic. His attacks became more precise, powerful, and relentless. The thrusts of his spear rained down on Hashirama like a storm of steel, forcing the shinobi to retreat.
Hashirama jumped backward, dodging a series of strikes, but Hades didn't give him the chance to create distance. The god of the underworld continued his assault, closing the gap with each step, and the spear became a deadly weapon, leaving no room for maneuver.
Realizing the danger, Hashirama slammed his palms onto the ground. A massive wall of stone rose from beneath the arena, blocking Hades' path and line of sight.
«Earth Style: Earth Shield,» he said, behind the wall, hiding his next strategy.
The battle was heating up, and the spectators watched with bated breath, following every move.
Hades, noticing the stone wall before him, didn't hesitate. Focusing his strength into the spear, he delivered a powerful thrust, piercing the wall straight through. Then, without wasting any time, he made a wide swing, shattering the wall into splinters. Stone shards flew across the arena, and the spectators in the stands held their breath, watching the spectacle. Everything unfolding before them seemed incredible, like a scene from a legend brought to life right before their eyes.
Everyone was in awe of Hashirama's mastery—the legendary shinobi who tirelessly used technique after technique, managing to deflect the attacks of Hades himself. The young Valkyrie Göll, mesmerized by the scene, with eyes burning with excitement, tried to mimic Hashirama's movements, but he was forming hand seals so quickly that she could barely catch the sequence. G.I.R. came to her aid, using projections to demonstrate the correct movements.
Alex, standing nearby, struggled to hold back a smile, understanding that he clearly remembered every technique and hand seal sequence. He wondered where all this knowledge was stored in his memory, but quickly brushed the thought aside.
Meanwhile, Brynhildr remained focused on the battle. She was amazed at how skillfully Hashirama used his techniques to prevent Hades from taking the initiative. She briefly glanced at Alex, as if seeking an answer.
«How many more elements can Hashirama use?» she asked, slightly furrowing her brow. «He's already shown wood, fire, and earth. Does he have any more tricks up his sleeve?»
Göll, hearing the question, froze and stopped trying to form the hand seals. Now she was also curious about what else Hashirama could do.
Alex, stroking his chin, replied:
«He can use all five basic elements: fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning. But wood is a different story.»
Brynhildr and Göll exchanged glances, unsure why Alex singled out the wood element. Then Brynhildr remembered that Hashirama was the only shinobi in history to possess that ability.
«You mentioned that he's the only one who uses wood. Why?» she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Alex paused for a moment before explaining:
«Shinobi have a concept called 'Kekkei Genkai'—a special genetic gift they're born with. It allows them to combine elements, creating new ones. For example, Hashirama can use wood because his body combines water and earth. Such combinations are rare, and every shinobi with a Kekkei Genkai has unique abilities.»
While Alex was explaining the nature of Kekkei Genkai to the Valkyries, the battle in the arena continued. Hades, having destroyed the stone wall, saw Hashirama standing, his hands positioned as if holding invisible pistols. A cunning smirk appeared on the shinobi's face.
«Water Style: Double Water Pistol!» he announced with a mischievous grin, aiming his index fingers at Hades.
The spectators in the stands froze, awaiting the next incredible move of the battle.
Streams of water shot from Hashirama's fingers under immense pressure, heading straight for Hades. He reacted just in time, spinning his spear to use it as a shield. However, the power of the water blasts was enough to force Hades to take several steps back. He was surprised at how strong the attack was, and after shaking his numb arm, he realized that this battle would not be easy.
«Not bad, but it's not enough to stop me, shinobi!» Hades declared, disappearing from his position.
A moment later, Hades appeared behind Hashirama, swinging his spear for a devastating strike. The spectators held their breath—it seemed that Hashirama wouldn't be able to react in time. Hades' spear pierced him through, but instead of blood, nothing came from the wound.
«Is it happening again?» Hades frowned, realizing this was yet another trick.
Instinctively, he looked down at the ground, checking if Hashirama was hiding underground, like last time. Hades struck the ground with force, destroying it, but found no one. The body impaled by the spear still remained, which only increased his confusion.
«You think your tricks will work twice, shinobi?» Hades spat out in irritation.
«That's why I used a different, more sophisticated tactic,» came Hashirama's voice from behind him.
Hades turned and saw a second Hashirama emerging from the trunk of the tree he had previously cut down. The first Hashirama, pierced by the spear, tightly held onto the shaft, not allowing Hades to retrieve his weapon.
«How... two?» Hades muttered in disbelief, as gods and mortals in the stands exchanged shocked glances, trying to comprehend what was happening.
Brynhildr and Göll, as confused as the rest, turned their gaze toward Alex.
«It's a cloning technique,» Alex explained calmly. «But Hashirama's clones aren't simple illusions. They are much more... unique.»
Hades felt the situation slipping out of his control and intensified his attempts to pull his spear free from the clone's grip.
«Too late,» the second Hashirama said, forming a hand seal. «Wood Style: Piercing Wooden Spikes.»
Suddenly, sharp wooden spikes shot out of the wooden clone's body, heading straight for Hades. Realizing the danger, he released his spear and protected his vital points with his arms. Despite this, the spikes pierced his arm and leg. The Coliseum froze as the first drops of the god's blood fell to the ground.
Mortals in the stands began whispering to each other, realizing that the human representative had once again been the first to shed blood from his opponent. The wooden clone disappeared in a puff of white smoke, leaving Hades with spikes protruding from his body.
Grinding his teeth, Hades forcibly pulled the spikes out and threw them aside. Blood trickled from the wounds, staining the arena. He bent down, picked up his spear from the ground, and slowly straightened up.
«You have more tricks than I expected, Hashirama,» Hades acknowledged, glaring at the shinobi.
«That's what being a shinobi is all about. You always need a couple of trump cards up your sleeve to win,» Hashirama replied with a slight smirk.
At these words, a faint smile appeared on Hades' face. Hashirama noticed it and also gave a slight smile but remained in a combat stance, waiting for the next move from his opponent.
«But I can't afford to fall here. I made a vow, and I intend to keep it,» Hades said, tightening his grip on his spear, blood still dripping from his hand.
«Then I'll do everything in my power to stop you,» Hashirama responded calmly.
Hades lunged forward, swinging his spear. As he almost reached Hashirama, the shinobi began rapidly forming hand seals.
«Wood Style: Celestial Wood Dragon!» the shinobi declared, completing the technique.
Visible chakra flowed from Hashirama's body, and the ground behind him trembled, cracking open. From the depths emerged a massive wooden dragon, charging toward Hades. Caught too close, Hades didn't expect such a sudden attack. The dragon slammed into his spear, which he had raised in defense, knocking him back a considerable distance.
Hades rolled and sprang to his feet, only to see the dragon coming for him again. Instead of retreating or dodging, he charged toward the monster.
As the distance between them shrank to a minimum, Hades leapt onto the dragon's head at the last moment. Balancing on its massive body, he began running swiftly toward Hashirama, using the dragon as a path.
Reaching the tail, Hades used it as a springboard, jumping even higher. The force of inertia propelled him upward, and he shot directly toward Hashirama, preparing a powerful strike with his spear.
But the shinobi lifted his gaze and stood unfazed. His hands remained in a seal.
«Wood Style: Wooden Golem!» Hashirama declared with confident resolve.
From beneath the ground, a massive wooden golem emerged, instantly smashing its fist into the tip of Hades' spear. The impact was so powerful that it sent Hades soaring even higher, causing him to lose control of his flight.
The spectators watched in stunned silence. The giant dragon, suddenly appearing from beneath the earth, had already been an event that shook everyone. But now, a wooden golem had risen, protecting its creator and throwing Hades away.
The golem towered behind Hashirama, while the wooden dragon coiled around its massive body, as if strengthening the defense. Hades landed heavily, breathing hard, struck by the sight before him.
«Now I understand why they call you the God of Shinobi,» he gritted, baring his teeth. «Your strength is truly god-like. But I can't allow myself to stop.»
Gripping his spear even tighter, Hades charged forward once more, more determined than ever.
«No matter how many obstacles there are, I've always fought alone to protect my brothers. This battle will be no exception,» he said, closing the distance to Hashirama.
The shinobi, seeing that Hades wasn't about to give up, quickly formed another seal.
«Wood Style: Underground Roots!» Hashirama said, stomping his foot on the ground.
The earth trembled again, and massive roots began bursting from the ground around Hades, like giant serpents ready to seize him.
Wooden roots erupted from beneath the earth, aiming to ensnare Hades and slow his progress.
Hades skillfully wielded his spear, spinning it like a pair of pruning shears, cutting through everything that came close. Each root aiming for him shattered into splinters with ease. He continued cutting, not slowing his pace, swiftly closing in on Hashirama. Just as it seemed he was almost at his goal, a wooden dragon appeared in his path.
Without hesitation, Hades leapt onto the dragon's head and thrust the spear's tip directly into its skull, not pausing for a second. The wooden beast staggered, but before it could react, Hades reached its tail and with one powerful strike, split the dragon in two.
Next in Hades' path stood a massive wooden golem, blocking the way of the god of the underworld. With a decisive strike, Hades pierced the golem through, shattering it into splinters. Landing on the ground, he rushed forward again, not slowing down. His goal remained unchanged — to reach Hashirama.
As Hades closed in, he didn't notice the chakra sphere swirling in Hashirama's hand, sparkling and rotating in different directions.
«Rasengan,» Hashirama calmly said, holding the energy in his palm.
Hades didn't have time to react. Hashirama took a step to the side, dodging the spear strike, and in that instant, with a powerful motion, he struck Hades directly in the chest with the Rasengan. Pain seared through Hades' body, as though he were being torn apart from the inside, but he stubbornly kept hold of his spear.
The force of the blow sent Hades flying. He spun in the air and then crashed into the wall with a loud crash, burying himself beneath a pile of rubble. The coliseum fell into a deathly silence. All eyes were locked on the point of impact.
When the dust settled, Hades emerged from the debris. His face was twisted in a mixture of pain and determination. He glanced at Hashirama, who stood in the same spot, showing no signs of fatigue. Not a scratch on him, and his clothes remained impeccably clean.
«I never thought I would suffer so much at the hands of a mortal,» Hades rasped, touching his chest where the blow had landed. «This... Rasengan, as you called it, turned out to be quite painful.»
The spectators, including the gods, froze in astonishment. They had witnessed how the mighty form of Hades, with divine endurance, had been marred by injuries that no mortal should have been able to inflict.
«Do you still want to continue fighting?» Hashirama asked calmly.
«I have an oath I must fulfill,» Hades replied firmly. His voice sounded as though he were speaking to himself.
Hashirama sighed. Although he was a clone of Alex, their thoughts aligned. Neither of them wanted Hades' death. He was one of the few gods worthy of respect, a protector of his family. But the thirst for vengeance had clouded his mind, turning a noble warrior into an obsessed one.
«I think it's time to stop holding back, right, Hashirama?» Hades' face twisted into a slight smile.
Before Hashirama could respond, Hades did something unexpected. He plunged the tip of his spear directly into his own body. Blood poured from the wound, staining the earth. The spectators gasped. The spearhead began to writhe, as though alive, its shape gradually shifting. Within moments, the spear had taken on a new, terrifying form: massive, ominous, as if it embodied death itself.
Hashirama looked at his opponent, his hands folding as if in prayer.
«Hah... You're right, Hades. Enough holding back,» he said with a light smile.
A powerful surge of chakra erupted from Hashirama's body, shooting into the sky. In that instant, he activated Sage Mode, and his appearance changed. Green markings appeared around his eyes and under them, and a symbol appeared in the center of his forehead. The pressure emanating from Hashirama earlier now seemed insignificant compared to what was felt now. Those who understood power could sense how he had merged with nature itself, becoming part of it.
Brunhild and Göll, watching the transformation, were stunned. They turned to Alex for an explanation of what was happening.
«What are those markings on Hashirama's face? Why does it seem like he's become part of nature?» Brunhild asked in surprise, not taking her eyes off the arena.
«That's Sage Mode,» Alex answered briefly, thinking about what actions his clone might take.
Brunhild rolled her eyes, clearly irritated. She wasn't satisfied with such a brief response.
«Can you explain it in more detail?» she insisted, her tone more like an order than a request.
Noticing her displeasure, Alex shrugged but decided to give a more detailed explanation.
«Alright. Sage Mode allows one to absorb natural energy and add it to their own. While a regular person's body holds their personal energy tied to a certain element, natural energy combines all elements in harmony, like the cycle of life. It strengthens the body and techniques, but if used improperly, there can be unpleasant consequences,» Alex explained, trying to be clear.
While Alex explained the principle of Sage Mode, Hashirama's chakra flow gradually diminished, merging with his body. Hades felt the atmosphere change, as though Hashirama himself had become the embodiment of nature. Despite this, Hades was not about to retreat.
Gripping his spear, he charged, but Hashirama didn't even move, keeping his hands in their prayer-like position. Suddenly, he changed his hand seal, and the arena floor trembled. Massive cracks spread across the stone surface, as though something enormous was about to break through.
«Wood Style: Thousand-Armed Truth!» Hashirama declared loudly.
From beneath the earth, a giant wooden structure began to rise, resembling a Buddha statue with a thousand arms.
Buddha, watching the broadcast from Alex's rest room and enjoying some sweets at that moment, choked on a candy when he saw the familiar shape.
«Is that... a statue of me?» he whispered, stunned.
MIMI, ZeroFuku, and Stitch cheered loudly, like children, thrilled by the sight they were watching on the battle broadcast. The trio of Valkyries also paused their show and focused on the fight, shocked by the spectacle unfolding on the screen.
Rebecca, watching the scene, smirked.
«Dammit, I should've gone to the arena instead of watching this from afar,» she muttered with slight annoyance.
Brunhild and Göll were also distracted from Alex's explanation, amazed by the grand spectacle unfolding in the arena.
The gods and mortals couldn't believe their eyes. None of them, even in their wildest imaginations, could have predicted that a human was capable of summoning such a giant wooden statue with a thousand arms.
Zeus, sitting on Olympus' balcony among other gods, involuntarily assumed his massive form out of shock. His astonishment only confirmed thoughts that humans were indeed capable of the incredible. Hermes and Ares, usually quick with witty remarks, stood frozen, unable to find words to describe what they had just seen.
Even the unexpected appearance of Adamas, who was thought to be dead, did not snap them out of their shock. Adamas had been resurrected by Beelzebul, and now he stood among the gods, his gaze fixed on the arena. Noticing the god, Alex pondered: if Adamas didn't repeat his mistakes from the original world, perhaps he would be allowed to live.
Meanwhile, Hades, rushing toward Hashirama, suddenly stopped, looking up at the giant statue, atop which his opponent stood.
«Incredible,» Hades muttered. «You've been hiding such a powerful trump card, Hashirama.»
Hashirama, standing atop the «Thousand-Armed Truth,» changed his seal. His calm voice resonated throughout the arena:
«Wood Style: Buddha's Relic.»
The wooden arms of the statue came to life, raining down blows on Hades like a meteor shower. From the outside, it looked as though the entire sky was filled with massive wooden fists crashing down upon the god.
Hades began to retreat, but the attack followed him, offering no respite. He realized that if he hesitated for even a moment, the storm of blows would crush him. Weaving between the fists, Hades searched for an opening to counterattack.
Spotting a chance, he drove his spear into one of the wooden arms, anchoring himself to it. Using the arm as leverage, Hades jumped to the next, higher arm, and then pushed off with force. Now, he flew toward Hashirama, like a meteor, aiming directly for the top of the statue.
Hashirama looked up, noticing the approaching Hades. Assessing the situation in an instant, he leapt to the side just before the god collided with the statue.
With a crash, Hades' spear pierced the «Thousand-Armed Truth» through, the tip embedding into the ground. The strike was so powerful that the statue shattered into pieces, destroyed down to its base.
Hades struggled to pull his spear out of the ground, and then he felt a strong gust of wind. Turning his head, he saw Hashirama. In his hands, a rotating ball of chakra gleamed, as massive as a storm, ready to strike his foe.
«Wind Style: Rasengan Shuriken,» Hashirama said, his voice sounding like the harbinger of doom.
Before Hades could react, Hashirama hurled the giant Rasengan Shuriken in his direction.
Hades instinctively raised his spear in an attempt to defend himself, but the force of the attack was so overwhelming that it threw him backward, dragging him across the stone floor. He tried to hold his ground, but the force kept pushing him toward the center of the arena.
Gathering his strength, Hades tried to redirect the deadly ball of energy into the sky, but he didn't manage to. The Rasengan Shuriken exploded, and the god's body was engulfed in the fierce whirlwind of chakra.
Every fiber of his being was pierced by millions of tiny energy needles. The sensation was as if his body were slowly being torn apart, atom by atom.
The gods of Olympus jumped to their feet in unison, unable to believe their eyes. Their gazes were fixed on the massive sphere of energy that had consumed Hades. Despite the fear and shock, they still hoped that he might survive.
Alex watched the scene with cold composure. His eyes were focused on the rotating sphere, which was literally grinding the Underworld god's body to pieces.
When the energy finally began to dissipate, the remains of Hades' body flew toward the ground. However, the god never reached the surface—his body had turned to ash before even hitting the floor. The wind scattered the ash, and only Hades' spear, heavy with silence, remained, its tip embedded in the stone floor of the arena.
The moment stretched into eternity.
None of the spectators—gods or humans—could fully comprehend what had just happened. The image of the giant sphere of energy that had entirely consumed the Underworld god remained etched in the minds of all.
Hashirama slowly approached the spot where the spear had fallen and sighed heavily. He hadn't wanted such a fate for his opponent, but in battle, there was no room for mercy.
«And the winner is Hashirama Senju! In the seventh battle, humanity claims victory!» Heimdall declared loudly.
His words shattered the crowd's stupor. The humans erupted in celebration, rejoicing over yet another victory. They hailed Hashirama as a hero, one who had saved their fate.
The gods, on the other hand, sank into bitterness and rage. None were angrier than Adamas, now known as Adamantite. The youngest brother of Hades, who had miraculously survived after being killed by Poseidon and later found refuge with Hades in Helheim, was boiling with fury.
Alex, watching his rage, narrowed his eyes. «If he dares to do something foolish, Olympus will lose another god today,» he thought, with icy calm.
To be continued...