I am the new Hokage of Konoha.

Knowing that the opportunity was too good to miss, and also knowing that he couldn't persuade Maki, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't say another word.

Knowing what he should do most right now, he once again raised the Vajra Staff that the Monkey King had transformed into, and together with four Konoha Jonin, charged towards Hashirama Senju, who was now unimpeded.

at the same time.

The resurrected Hashirama Senju didn't even glance at Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others who were closing in.

His cold, colorless eyes stared straight at Maki.

Gradually, a ripple unexpectedly appeared deep within those stagnant eyes.

Chapter 297 Teaching?

boom!boom!boom!boom!

Like a battle of thousands of troops, the two forests from different sides became entangled and fought fiercely, each containing the other.

At this moment, Maki's face was tense, her hands still clasped together, and large beads of sweat were streaming down her face.

What she told Hiruzen Sarutobi earlier, "It won't take much time," was indeed true.

Although I really don't want to say it.

However, he had to admit that, as the rightful heir of the Senju clan, his mastery of Wood Release was far inferior to that of the "imposter" on the other side.

The current situation has been maintained thanks to her unexpected advantage.

However, as time went on, the advantage they had gained was rapidly diminishing.

"If only I could cultivate for a few more years..."

Having witnessed her father's Wood Release technique firsthand, and knowing that the true power of the Senju clan's Wood Release was far greater than that of this "imposter," Maki endured the increasing pressure while inwardly feeling resentful.

However, she soon discovered that when the pressure from the "fake" Wood Release reached her limit, it unexpectedly stopped increasing.

Maki was slightly taken aback and subconsciously looked at Sarutobi's grandfather, thinking that the "imposter" had used the remaining power on them.

However, what she saw next was not as she had imagined.

With the help of Maki's Wood Release, the team consisting of Hiruzen Sarutobi and four Konoha Jonin has successfully reached Hashirama Senju and achieved considerable success.

At this moment, Hashirama Senju's Edo Tensei body was constantly being torn open, and although it could heal quickly, the battle situation was clearly becoming increasingly unfavorable to him.

Even so, he never used the power of Wood Release.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, who thought that Maki's Wood Release would completely hold them back, naturally put in even more effort.

Maki herself was quite puzzled.

In her perception, the "counterfeit" should still have some spare capacity.

But why not use it?

Or is there some kind of conspiracy?

Maki wanted to think further, but reality didn't allow her to be distracted any longer.

Although the "fake" Wood Release technique did not exceed his limit, under its control, it was like a seasoned hunter, launching various attacks against his Wood Release technique with agility and precision, causing heavy losses to his side.

Maki quickly regained her composure and, no longer daring to be negligent, concentrated on fighting the "imposter."

At this moment, if the vast sea of ​​trees were viewed as thousands upon thousands of soldiers, Maki and Hashirama Senju would be the commanders of the army.

Under normal circumstances, such a massive scale would not require any special operation; it could simply be crushed to obliterate everything in its path.

However, when faced with an incredibly powerful enemy, a commander is needed to arrange and deploy troops in order to inflict damage and improve efficiency.

Hashirama Senju today is an incredibly experienced veteran.

Although he was caught off guard at first, he quickly recovered and, through strategic deployment, managed to overpower the fledgling Maki who only knew how to fight recklessly.

Seeing her side suffer defeat after defeat, Maki was naturally unwilling to accept it.

As a member of the most orthodox Senju clan, she inherited the excellent genes of her parents. Although she was still young, her talent in ninja was highly praised even by her incredibly powerful father.

During her battle with Hashirama Senju, Maki's eyes grew brighter as she observed him closely.

Soon, with a thought in her mind, the rhythm of the large number of trees brought about by the Tree World Descent Technique changed.

If we were just acting recklessly before, and a lot of our efforts were wasted...

Now, under Maki's control, the sea of ​​trees' attacks are becoming increasingly efficient and swift.

If you look closely, you'll find that it's very similar to Hashirama Senju's Wood Release attack.

The enemy is the best teacher.

Although she was quite annoyed by the "imposter," Maki wouldn't pretend to be an ostrich and deny the fact that the other party's Wood Release was indeed stronger than hers.

She would even choose to learn on her own initiative.

Just like it is now.

With her exceptional talent, Maki continuously absorbed knowledge and experience from Hashirama Senju's Wood Release attacks, gaining a deeper and deeper understanding of Wood Release.

In the end, she, who had previously suffered repeated defeats in the Tree World Descent Technique, not only regained her footing but also launched a counterattack, once again competing with her enemies.

But before she could be happy for long, Hashirama Senju's Wood Release technique increased in power again, forcing her back once more.

Maki gritted her teeth; she had no choice but to start all over again.

Thus, Maki would gain the upper hand every time, while Hashirama Senju would put even more pressure on her.

Maki had been mentally calling the enemy in front of her an "imposter."

However, during this time, she felt the terrifying power of the other party's mastery of Wood Release, and even thought that her father's experience in Wood Release was not as comprehensive as this person's. She had already put aside the word "imposter".

Maki was eager to know this person's identity.

but not now.

As her opponent continuously demonstrated various Wood Release techniques and abilities, she knew she couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. She kept her eyes wide open and, with her strong learning talent, absorbed Wood Release knowledge from her opponent like a sponge.

"Why does Maki's aura feel more and more terrifying!"

Naruto, who was originally responsible for protecting Maki but had nothing to do at the moment, looked at Maki in surprise.

With his superhuman senses, he discovered that Maki was undergoing some kind of extraordinary transformation.

"No way? He's already this strong and he's still improving? Are you even going to leave room for us older brothers to survive?!"

Naruto scratched his head, his gaze shifting from Maki to the trees that were launching attacks from all around.

He and Sasuke were already quite familiar with Maki's Wood Release, having suffered a lot at her hands.

But upon closer inspection, it was found to be quite different from before.

The difference is too complex to describe in detail given Naruto's academic performance, which makes him dread studying.

Generally speaking, while Maki's Wood Release was powerful, it was more about overwhelming others with sheer force, making it appear rigid and inflexible.

Now, those trees seem to have truly come alive.

It exerts the same power but puts more pressure on people.

"I thought I could defeat Maki after learning Dad's Rasengan. But it seems I'm still far from good enough! Hmm! Keep trying!"

Undeterred by Maki's rapid progress, Naruto was filled with enthusiasm and encouraged himself.

Meanwhile, inside Naruto's body, the other half of Kurama, after noticing the commotion outside, especially Maki's current state, said in a very bad mood, "Is it another Hashirama Senju?"

It has not forgotten who beat it up back then and then imprisoned it in a dark and sunless sealed prison for decades.

"Hmph! Even in this state, they still remember to help their juniors."

Although Kurama (the Nine-Tails) didn't know what the Impure World Reincarnation technique was, he knew perfectly well that the current Hashirama Senju was just a puppet without a will.

Even so, his actions when facing Maki were completely unexpected and went beyond what was expected.

"Their bond is truly deep. If only..."

The Nine-Tailed Fox's eyes were filled with a cold light.

But when I looked up, I saw the seal in front of me.

Then, he noticed that Hashirama Senju's eyes, completely devoid of any emotion, had coincidentally turned to look at him the moment his thought arose.

Even if they know that the other party is now just a puppet controlled by others and whose strength has been weakened.

But Nine-Tails couldn't help but tremble.

"...The Senju clan is full of freaks, so let's not bother with them."

Chapter 298 This is your great-grandfather

Kurama noticed Hashirama Senju's unusual behavior.

As the person involved, Maki, who was focused on her work, had not yet noticed anything amiss.

However, during the fight, she clearly realized that her control over Wood Release was rapidly increasing, and she hoped that the battle could continue.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, who were anxious about the overall battle situation, were unwilling to wait any longer.

When they realized that Guy's ability to stall was getting weaker and weaker, they, who had already pushed the resurrected Hashirama Senju to the brink of death, sped up their pace once again.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!"

A Konoha Jonin spat out a burst of intense flames, heading straight for Hashirama Senju.

Although his energy was mostly focused on Maki, Hashirama Senju reacted very quickly to the attack that was within arm's reach.

He turned his body in time and dodged the fire attack at just the right moment.

At that very moment, another Konoha Jonin swiftly formed hand seals and said:

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

In an instant, the rising earth dragon opened its mouth and spat out countless mud bullets that shot towards Hashirama Senju like bullets.

boom! boom! boom!

As Hashirama Senju leaped and dodged, the ground he passed was riddled with deep craters from fist-sized mud bullets.

After a few breaths, although the mud bullets did not hit the target, they forced it to the predetermined position.