Senju Hashirama stood atop the head of the massive Kannon statue, looking down as Ryūjin walked forward at an unhurried pace.
Even he could not hide his surprise.
"You still don't intend to use Susanoo?" Hashirama asked, his voice carrying a hint of disbelief.
Even he felt that Ryūjin was being overly arrogant.
"No need," Ryūjin replied casually, as if the matter was beneath consideration.
If he did not possess the Tenseigan, then yes, Susanoo would have been his only viable option against the True Several Thousand Hands.
But things were different now.
With techniques like the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, capable of splitting the moon, and the Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, which could pierce through it, this towering construct in front of him did not amount to much.
"What? Lord Ryūjin still isn't using Susanoo?"
"Is he serious? Does he plan to handle that with ninjutsu alone?"
"This is bad. He needs to use Susanoo!"
His response sent shockwaves through the watching crowd.
Facing something of that scale empty handed sounded insane.
Some even wondered if he planned to use that same sword strike that wiped out three thousand Kumogakure shinobi.
But could that really work here?
Even thirty thousand shinobi would not compare to that monstrous Kannon statue.
No one felt confident.
"This guy has lost it," Obito muttered, his voice tight with disbelief.
The statue was already hundreds of meters tall while seated. If it stood, it would be even more terrifying.
And those countless arms were clearly meant for destruction.
Even Obito doubted whether Susanoo could withstand such power.
Yet Ryūjin intended to face it directly.
"Since you are so confident, let me see how you plan to break my True Several Thousand Hands," Hashirama said.
He stopped wasting words.
Standing atop the statue, he directed the countless arms. They clenched into fists and descended all at once.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The sky itself seemed to disappear under the barrage.
No one doubted that even a mountain would be crushed into dust.
"So this is the First Hokage's true strength."
"This really could destroy the world."
"The legend of the Valley of the End makes sense now."
The surrounding ninjas whispered in awe and fear.
Even though the attack was aimed at Ryūjin, everyone felt suffocated, as if an invisible hand was gripping their throats.
Their bodies stiffened. Their hearts pounded wildly.
This was power that shattered understanding.
Facing that overwhelming force, Ryūjin finally moved.
He raised his hand, and a Tailed Beast Ball condensed instantly, forming a radiant golden sword.
Without hesitation, he swung it.
A sharp, piercing sound cut through the air.
A streak of light flashed forward, slicing cleanly across the waist of the giant Kannon statue.
Rumble!
The world seemed to tremble.
The massive statue was sent flying backward, completely unable to resist.
Then, mid air, it split into two.
Cleanly.
The cut was smooth, precise, absolute.
Boom!
Boom!
Both halves crashed to the ground, triggering a violent quake that made standing nearly impossible.
Dust and debris filled the air, and for a moment, it felt like the end of the world had arrived.
"...It was cut in half…"
"With one strike…"
"What kind of power is this…"
The crowd fell silent.
Mouths opened, but no sound came out.
They were too shocked to speak.
Obito stood frozen, his expression filled with disbelief and fear.
"Zetsu… how are we supposed to fight someone like that?"
Despair crept into his voice.
Against Ryūjin, even reviving Uchiha Madara might not be enough.
"There will be a way," Black Zetsu replied after a long pause, though even his tone lacked certainty.
Then his voice grew more serious.
"Yomi, Shinno… people like them hold dangerous power. If we gather them, we might stand a chance."
"We need to move faster."
Ryūjin's strength had forced their hand.
Their plans could no longer proceed slowly.
At that moment, Hashirama reappeared using the Body Flicker Technique, landing in front of Ryūjin.
Shock still lingered on his face.
He had never imagined encountering someone so overwhelmingly stronger than himself.
And this person was still so young.
"Uchiha Ryūjin… you win."
After a brief silence, Hashirama spoke.
There was no hesitation in his voice.
Even his strongest technique had been destroyed instantly. The gap between them was undeniable.
Continuing would be pointless.
"The First Hokage… conceded?"
"Lord Hashirama admitted defeat?"
"Lord Ryūjin actually won…"
The crowd erupted into stunned murmurs.
For them, Hashirama had always been an undefeated legend.
Yet he had acknowledged defeat himself.
"I have been called the God of Shinobi," Hashirama said with a faint shake of his head. "But that title no longer belongs to me. You are the true God of Shinobi now."
"God of Shinobi?" Ryūjin shrugged. "Yeah, sure."
"First Hokage, do you agree to me becoming the Fifth Hokage?" Ryūjin asked with a faint smile.
"You have already proven yourself," Hashirama replied, returning the smile.
Strangely, after losing, he felt lighter.
The burden he carried had finally been lifted.
Now he could accept Ryūjin without hesitation.
Around them, the ninjas looked at Ryūjin differently.
That young figure now felt untouchable, like something beyond human.
"His strength is ridiculous… even a hundred years wouldn't be enough to catch up," Might Guy muttered, his usual enthusiasm replaced with rare bitterness.
Then he clenched his fists again.
"Still, that just means I have to work harder!"
Kurenai Yuhi stood quietly, her eyes fixed on Ryūjin.
The rumors about him had sounded exaggerated before.
Now, they felt understated.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"If that's the case," Ryūjin continued, "come attend my Hokage inauguration ceremony. I invited you earlier."
Hashirama scratched his head with a laugh.
"Well, you beat me, so I guess I'll listen to you."
In the next instant, both figures vanished.
"Let's go. We can't miss the Fifth Hokage's inauguration," Uchiha Fugaku said immediately.
The Konoha shinobi were filled with excitement as they rushed back.
When Ryūjin and Hashirama returned to the village plaza, the crowd erupted.
"Hokage-sama is back!"
"It's the First Hokage too!"
"It's settled!"
Relief spread through the crowd.
Utatane Koharu let out a long breath she had been holding.
Once Ryūjin returned to the platform, Hashirama blended into the crowd like an ordinary villager.
The ceremony proceeded smoothly.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire village, Ryūjin officially became the Fifth Hokage.
His speech was brief, direct, and carried a natural authority that silenced any doubt.
Cheers erupted as he stepped down.
Later, in the Hokage's office, Ryūjin sat across from Hashirama.
"Back here again. How does it feel?" Ryūjin asked casually.
Hashirama looked around, nostalgia in his eyes.
"It reminds me of the past."
After a short silence, Ryūjin spoke again.
"What are you planning to do now?"
"I am someone who belongs to the past," Hashirama replied. "Now that everything is settled, I should return."
"Not staying for a while?" Ryūjin asked.
"There's no need. Seeing Konoha again is enough for me."
"Alright then."
Ryūjin's Sharingan spun silently.
Kotoamatsukami activated without warning.
"Then sorry about this, First Hokage."
Caught completely off guard, Senju Hashirama fell into the genjutsu instantly.