Being manipulated by the Sharingan into enforcing the "Bloody Mist" era had dealt a crushing blow to Terumi Mei.
But just as she herself said—
She was, and always would be, the Fifth Mizukage.
Even if she had erred, even if she had been forced down a path of blood and regret, she was still the leader of Kirigakure, the guardian of her village.
Perhaps Senju Haruto truly was a remarkable man. The world he described, a world free from endless bloodshed, was a vision that made one's heart yearn. But no matter how alluring that dream might sound, she could not simply hand over a village with nearly a century of history to him.
"Unless you step over my corpse first."
Mei's voice was low and steady as she steeled herself for a desperate fight to the death. If she were to die here, then it would be as one who gave her life for Kirigakure.
Perhaps her death would never wash away the sins of the Bloody Mist. But for Mei, it was the only form of atonement she could offer.
She and the Hidden Mist—
Would live or die together.
"Hhh…"
Mei drew in a sharp, deep breath, channeling every ounce of her chakra into her throat.
From her failed assault just moments ago, she had realized something important: Senju Haruto's Susano'o possessed defenses that bordered on the absurd.
Feints, probes, simple assaults—
Such methods were meaningless against someone of his caliber.
Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!
Without reservation, Mei released all her chakra at once, transmuting it into a raging torrent of Boil Release that surged outward.
A scalding, corrosive mist burst from her lips and expanded at terrifying speed, spreading like a vast net that threatened to engulf Haruto and his allies.
The mist swelled outward, its radius nearing a hundred meters in a matter of breaths.
Zabuza, Yamato, and Haku all tensed, their brows furrowed tight.
They knew all too well the terror of Mei's Boil Release. Even Wood Release constructs could dissolve in an instant under its corrosive touch, melting away until nothing remained.
Its power and sheer destructive force far outstripped her Lava Release.
Especially Yamato—he felt with absolute certainty that under these circumstances, the only wise choice was to evade and wait out the technique.
But Senju Haruto… would never follow such advice.
Master a thousand jutsu if you wish. I'll shatter them all with one.
His eyes narrowed, and with forceful determination, he clasped his hands together.
This wasn't merely about defeating Terumi Mei—
This was about shrouding the entire Hidden Mist in despair.
This was momentum.
This was true power.
The colossal Susano'o that had been shielding Haruto suddenly began shrinking before everyone's eyes, until it dissolved completely into nothingness.
The sight made Mei, Zabuza, Yamato, and every Mist shinobi watching from afar collectively suck in a breath.
Especially Mei. She had thrown herself into this attack, burning her life and chakra for one decisive strike, but in truth she had never truly believed she could pierce Haruto's Susano'o.
And yet—he hadn't reinforced it.
He had dismissed it outright.
Could it be…?
Did he sense the rapid drain of my chakra and choose to avoid my strike altogether?
Her brows knitted. Even if that was the truth, what difference did it make? In her heart, she was furious at his apparent disregard.
But reality was not as Mei imagined.
As the torrent of Boil Release bore down on him, Senju Haruto stood firmly on the water's surface, unmoving, unflinching.
Instead, he began frantically drawing in the natural energy all around him.
Sage Art: Sage Mode!
His gaze sharpened as distinct markings flared across his face.
"Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands!"
With a guttural roar, Haruto unleashed half his chakra in one overwhelming instant, invoking his strongest Wood Release technique.
Rumble—
The entire Hidden Mist shook violently. The earth split, the sea roared, and the world itself seemed on the verge of collapse.
"What… is this…?"
Zabuza's eyes widened in disbelief, though deep down he already suspected the truth.
"This must be… Lord Haruto's Wood Release…"
Yamato swallowed hard, his gaze locked on Haruto's back.
Years ago, he had entertained the thought of measuring his Wood Release against Haruto's. But over time, he had been forced to recognize the vast gulf between them.
Still, he had never been sure—
Could Haruto truly wield the legendary jutsu of the First Hokage?
Now, at this very moment, the answer was undeniable.
Senju Haruto wasn't simply the closest shinobi to the First Hokage—
He had already surpassed him.
Splash—
The waters beneath Haruto's feet parted violently, surging aside like a massive flood that crashed into Kirigakure itself.
The very jutsu Mei had unleashed against her enemy was instantly turned against her village.
And that was only the beginning.
From the parted waters, colossal wooden arms rose skyward. Each wrist alone spanned over ten meters across, thick and towering.
"This… this is…"
Mei's eyes went wide. Her body went slack, and she collapsed to her knees.
This was not power a human could possibly oppose.
Beneath Haruto's feet stood an immense statue—a thousand-armed Kannon, vast and immeasurable. Its towering form blotted out the sky and sun alike.
From atop its head, Haruto, Zabuza, Yamato, Uchiha Izumi, and Haku could see the entire Hidden Mist spread out below them, every detail laid bare.
As for Mei, in their sight she was nothing more than a speck, an ant beneath a god.
"This power…"
Zabuza shivered, a cold sweat running down his back. He had been wondering how Haruto would withstand Mei's Boil Release.
The answer stunned him: Haruto hadn't even considered it worth defending against.
From their vantage point atop the Kannon's head, Mei's deadly mist barely reached its knees.
And it wasn't only Wood Release at play—
Haruto had infused his jutsu with the chakra of Sage Arts.
Its strength was not ten times Yamato's…
But hundreds, thousands of times greater.
Haruto looked down from above, his gaze no longer fixed on Mei alone.
No—by now, Mei herself no longer even registered in his eyes.
In the end, she was merely one of the Five Kage.
She had no chance of withstanding the might of the True Several Thousand Hands.
In fact… even if all five Kage stood together, whether they could so much as break through the statue's knees was doubtful.
"Byakugan—open!"
Haruto activated the Byakugan, piercing through the dark of night, locking onto every shinobi within Kirigakure.
"This war… will end with me!"
His voice thundered like judgment itself.
And then—he moved.
The thousand-armed Kannon surged forward under his command, releasing an overwhelming barrage of fists that crashed down toward every stronghold and force within the Hidden Mist.
In truth, Haruto didn't even need to aim.
Each strike was enough to send shockwaves tearing through the ground, the impacts rippling outward in devastating waves that hurled entire platoons of shinobi through the air like leaves in a storm.
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