"Uncle Yamashita!"
Hashirama and Tobirama froze, eyes wide, hearts tight. A flash of grief crossed their faces—what should have been a routine mission had twisted into a farewell. Yamashita-san had thrown himself into death to stop the threat.
"Now is not the time to mourn!" a cold voice cut through from a nearby tree.
The two brothers turned sharply. There, standing unharmed, was the very ninja Yamashita had risked his life to stop. Calm, composed, and looking down at them like a predator surveying its prey.
"You're still alive?" Tobirama roared, anger and disbelief coiling in his voice. Hands clasped, he summoned a deafening roar.
"Water Style: Water Turbulence!"
A torrent shot from Tobirama's hands, crashing toward Raizen. Standing on the tree branch, Raizen's left arm flickered with lightning. The sparks coalesced, screaming like a thousand birds trapped in storm clouds.
Perfect. Chidori time.
Raizen launched forward, hand glowing, piercing the roaring torrent with the chaotic strike of his Chidori. He aimed to take out the young Second Hokage in one swift motion.
"Tobirama, watch out!" Hashirama yelled.
Life energy and chakra swelled between Hashirama's palms. He slammed his hands down:
"Wood Style: Wooden Wall!"
Boom! A row of wooden pillars shot up from the ground, arching into a protective barricade before the brothers. Raizen's Chidori slammed into the wall, sparks and lightning flashing. Yet, though powerful, it pierced only halfway. The wooden structure held firm, metal-like against the assault.
Huh.
Raizen's eyes narrowed. Two figures emerged behind the wooden wall—Hashirama flanking him on either side. Hands clasped again:
"Wood Style: Treebound!"
The ground trembled as massive vine whips erupted from the earth, lashing toward Raizen. He dodged with a flicker of movement.
"Wood Style: Wood Prison Technique!"
Six massive wooden pillars rose, boxing Raizen in, limiting his escape. The vine whips lashed more violently. One misstep, one unchecked strike, and he would be pinned.
Time to improvise, Raizen thought. His right hand glowed, a blue chakra sphere forming—the Rasengan. Dodging a whipping vine, he slammed the spinning ball into one of the wooden stakes.
Boom! Sawdust flew, the pillar cracked and splintered. Raizen leapt out, slipping free from the wooden prison.
"What kind of jutsu is that?" Hashirama exclaimed, eyes wide. "It destroyed my Wood Prison in a single strike!"
Raizen grinned beneath his mask. Flying Thunder God Technique—his ticket out. But as he materialized, a shock of blue water formed before him. He plunged in instinctively.
"Water Style: Water Prison Technique!" Tobirama pressed a hand atop the swirling cell, eyes cold as ice.
"Good, Tobirama," Hashirama murmured, sighing. He stepped closer.
"Now that you're in our hands, Raizen," Hashirama said, voice tinged with gravity, "you'll answer for Uncle Yamashita's death!"
Tobirama's tone was brutal for a child barely over five—sharp, hateful, deadly.
Raizen, trapped in the water prison, let out a silent sigh. He smiled faintly, disdain curling on his lips.
"You're all way too confident when you think you've got me cornered."
Tobirama's face twisted with rage. He shouted, trying to seal Raizen further.
But Raizen's eyes glittered with calculation. And in a heartbeat, the water swirled… and he vanished.
Gone.