Chapter 190 : Relentless Mockery
Outside the town in the Land of Iron, everyone's eyes were focused on the edge of the destroyed clearing in the distance.
Three silhouettes flickered rapidly there, moving at speeds far beyond what a normal person's eyes could track.
The battle between them was incredibly perilous. There were no explosive clashes of ninjutsu, making the commotion seem relatively small. Yet, it was precisely this lack of spectacle that sent shivers down the spines of the onlookers. The techniques being used were fundamental skills that everyone watching possessed, and many even prided themselves on mastering.
However, no matter how skilled they considered themselves, if any of them were to accidentally step into that three-way battle, they would undoubtedly be killed in an instant.
That realization alone was enough to make their scalps tingle with dread.
The three combatants were currently engaged in a duel of the purest taijutsu, kenjutsu, and assassination techniques. It looked ordinary on the surface, but the sheer speed and lethality had completely surpassed the comprehension of ordinary ninja.
This was especially true for Raikage A. His eyes darted back and forth, tracking the movements of the three figures. His pupils spun rapidly in their sockets, and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
He was a ninja renowned for his speed and explosive power. His Lightning Style Chakra Mode allowed him to reach speeds unattainable by normal people. Yet, as he watched the battle unfolding in the clearing, only one thought echoed in his mind—*Fast. They're too fast.*
It wasn't the speed of the Body Flicker Technique; it was pure physical movement, so fast that even his eyes struggled to keep up.
The Jonin standing beside him fared even worse. Some stood with their mouths agape, others squinted in concentration, and some simply gave up trying to track the three figures altogether, settling for watching the afterimages and dust trails they left behind.
In the center of the battlefield, the three figures intertwined like three threads caught in the wind—tangling, separating, and tangling once more.
Uchiha Taiga's entire body radiated a pale golden glow.
It wasn't a chakra aura; it was Light Style.
A thin layer of pale golden light coated his skin, pushing his speed to the absolute limit.
With a mere tap of his foot against the ground, he would glide forward over ten meters, sweeping across the earth like a beam of light. His movements left behind a series of pale golden afterimages, and before they could even fade, his true body had already appeared in another location.
His punches and kicks carried that same radiant glow, moving so fast that they tore through the air with sharp, piercing whistles. Among the three, he boasted the fastest linear movement speed.
Senju Tobirama's figure flickered intermittently.
One moment he was in the east, and the very next he appeared in the west. There was no travel time in between; he simply vanished from one point and materialized at another.
Whenever he teleported, a soft pop echoed out—the sound of air being suddenly displaced.
He gripped a kunai in his hand, its edge gleaming with a cold light. Every time he appeared, it was accompanied by a lethal strike. His movements were incredibly erratic, making it impossible for anyone to predict where he would strike next.
He was the most troublesome opponent of the three.
Senju Hashirama was the slowest of the trio, but his footwork was the most stable.
His feet planted firmly on the ground, each step solid and deliberate, leaving shallow footprints in the dirt.
Unlike Taiga's blinding speed or Tobirama's erratic teleportation, he simply moved step by step. Yet, he wasn't slow by any means; every step he took landed in the most critical and advantageous position.
When he threw a punch, there were no flashy movements—just a straightforward strike. However, the sheer force behind it was so immense that it compressed the air into a white shockwave that exploded in front of his fist. He wasted no motion as he moved; every action was perfectly executed.
He was the most grounded and steady of the three.
Their battle was straightforward and decisive.
There was no Wood Style, no Water Style, and no large-scale ninjutsu. They were fighting using the most fundamental ninja techniques.
Taijutsu, trading punches and kicks.
Kenjutsu, clashing blades.
Assassination arts, flickering silhouettes.
Uchiha Taiga appeared exhilarated in the midst of the fight.
His face looked somewhat battered, with two trails of dried blood running from the corners of his eyes down to his chin, leaving dark red streaks. Despite this, the corners of his mouth were turned up in a grin, and his eyes shone brightly.
At that moment, he blocked a front kick from Senju Hashirama, slapping his palm against the sole of Hashirama's foot and using the momentum to slide back over ten meters. His body seamlessly transformed into a streak of golden light as he retreated. The very instant he vacated his previous spot, Senju Tobirama materialized there, his kunai carving an arc through the empty air where Taiga had just been standing.
Having evaded Tobirama's attack, Taiga twisted his body in mid-air, landed gracefully on the ground, and let out a laugh.
"Exhilarating."
He steadied himself, glancing first at Senju Hashirama and then at Senju Tobirama.
"As expected of the God of Shinobi who pacified the Warring States period. You truly don't have a single weakness."
Senju Hashirama didn't respond. He took a step forward, his body bearing down toward Taiga.
He thrust his right fist out from his waist, aiming straight for Taiga's chest. There was no chakra behind the punch—just pure, unadulterated physical strength.
Taiga raised his left hand, pressing his palm against Hashirama's fist. He stepped back, moving with the force of the blow to perfectly deflect its power.
Using the momentum, he spun around and swept his right leg toward Hashirama's waist. Hashirama raised his left arm to block the kick, his body swaying slightly, but he didn't give an inch of ground.
The moment Taiga retracted his right leg, Senju Tobirama's figure appeared right beside him.
Tobirama flashed out of the void, thrusting his kunai at Taiga's ribs from the side. The strike was so fast that the blade left a trail of cold light in the air.
Taiga tilted his body to the side, allowing the kunai to graze past his clothes, slicing open a small tear in the fabric.
He raised his right hand and delivered a backhand palm strike aimed at Tobirama's face. However, Tobirama vanished before the strike could connect, disappearing as if he had never been there at all.
Taiga's palm struck empty air, producing a loud, explosive crack.
"The Second Hokage's speed is truly remarkable."
His voice remained casual, carrying a tone of genuine admiration.
"I, Uchiha Taiga, am willing to declare you the greatest mind in the ninja world."
Senju Tobirama stood a short distance away, still gripping his kunai. The blade was as clean as new; despite fighting for this long, he hadn't managed to leave a single scratch on Taiga.
When it came to being troublesome, Uchiha Taiga was unlike anyone he had ever faced in his life.
Hearing Taiga's words, he let out a cold snort.
"Damn brat, shut your mouth. I don't need your evaluation!"
Senju Hashirama stood on the other side, his body leaning slightly forward, his feet planted firmly on the ground, and his hands hanging loosely by his sides.
His demeanor was solemn, devoid of any smile, his eyes locked onto Taiga.
He wasn't distracted by Tobirama's words, nor was he swayed by Taiga's praise. His entire focus remained fixed on the young man.
"Taiga, the ninja world needs peace."
His tone was earnest, like an elder trying to reason with the younger generation.
"You shouldn't harbor any designs on the Tailed Beasts."
Hearing this, Uchiha Taiga let out a scoff.
"By the way."
He shifted his gaze away from Hashirama and looked off into the distance.
"Uchiha Madara has been gone for a while now. Do you think he's coming back?"
The corner of Senju Hashirama's mouth twitched.
Senju Tobirama appeared on the other side, not far from Hashirama. The expression on his face shifted from his previous impatience to an irrepressible anger.
"Damn it, brother! I told you that guy couldn't be trusted!"
As he spoke, his lips were pressed tightly together, his brows were furrowed, and the veins on his temples throbbed slightly.
Senju Hashirama remained silent. He stood there, his expression turning complicated.
He looked at Taiga, then glanced in the direction where Madara had disappeared. His mouth moved as if he were thinking of something, but no words came out.
It was obvious that he had realized it too.
Madara had been gone for quite some time now. Given his speed, whatever he had set out to do should have been finished by now.
If he intended to return, he would have done so already. The fact that he still hadn't shown his face meant he had other plans.
This made the situation incredibly awkward.
Hashirama pursed his lips, the light in his eyes dimming slightly.
Watching the shift in his expression, Taiga immediately burst into laughter.
"Hahaha..."
His laughter wasn't loud, but in this ruined battlefield, every sound rang out clearly.
"Then take another guess. Why do you think that guy isn't showing up?"
He tilted his head, his gaze shifting back and forth between Hashirama and Tobirama.
"It couldn't possibly be for the safety of the ninja world, right?"
"If you actually think that, I'm going to laugh at you."
After saying that, he stood there looking at Hashirama, the smile on his lips unchanging as he waited for a response.
Senju Hashirama looked at him, saying nothing.
Senju Tobirama looked at him, also saying nothing.
The atmosphere instantly became incredibly awkward.
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