Madara used the exact same Jutsu, and surprisingly he was proficient in it. The amount and strength of the trees that emerged rivalled Katsuro's as they clashed and entangled.
The Stormbreaker looked at the sight in a mix of confusion, shock and somewhat horror.
How is he able to use that! What's happening here?
Katsuro's first thought was that he had somehow been trapped in a Genjutsu and moved his chakra to break it even though he instinctively knew he wasn't. Despite this, it seemed more likely that he was trapped without knowing, considering Madara's visual prowess rather than accepting what his eyes were witnessing.
When it obviously didn't work, he was forced to accept what had seemed impossible as truth. Somehow Madara was using the Wood Style he thought was exclusive to himself, and at an impressive level at that. He only got to this point via careful training, largely in the Shikkotsu Forest, and somehow Madara could not only do it, but at similar power levels? It didn't make sense, and there was clearly a wider secret at play.
He couldn't use wood style before… unless he was hiding it? No. His personality and fights with Lord First means he wouldn't have been able to if he did. So he didn't have it, so how does he have it now? It must have something to do with Lord First, that's the only logical explanation… And if it wasn't recorded anywhere, and with his own words that he lost to the First, it was during that battle. But what? And how?
Within that brief time that huge widths of logs clashed around them, Katsuro had accurately determined the time in which Madara had gained his wood style. Despite this, Katsuro gritted his teeth, not pleased with the position he was now in. Madara had an acclaimed impenetrable defense and now a jutsu that only the God(s) of Shinobi could use. But compared to worry, it was more out of annoyance and anger. Katsuro respected his opponent, but had far too much confidence in himself to see him losing to an old man, even if that old man wasn't showing the signs of ageing. He felt slight anger realising that Madara had clearly used his ancestor the First somehow as it was the only logical explanation.
But he couldn't get to the bottom of the dilemma himself with just deduction, so using what had worked before, he simply asked the man.
"How are you able to use that? The Wood Style is the Kekkei Genkai of the Senju clan, and you are clearly not part of it."
Madara's lips curled up in amusement hearing the question and seeing Katsuro's reaction. The man before him stood firm despite witnessing something heavily demoralising and spoke freely like he was in no danger at all. "It was the gift Hashirama left behind for me after our last battle… perhaps you are familiar, I hear recently you discovered them being used in experimentation after all."
That sent sparks in Katsuro's mind, "Shodaime's cells…"
"Yes, that's right. Hashirama's cells. A testament to his strength and body, even beyond death his cells can remain active and produce miraculous results with their vitality. It is thanks to those cells I lived, and it is thanks to them I got stronger."
Despite their battle, this seemingly leisurely but revelation filled conversation was being held. Madara, seeing this battle as the last stop before his death, was more than willing to have a conversation with a man he had come to respect other than Hashirama. From what he had heard from his Zetsu and witnessed, Katsuro likely was stronger than both him and Hashirama when they were his age. That alone forced him to view him as an equal, something even Tobirama Senju didn't achieve.
The revelations themselves made Katsuro think and realise just how much sense it made. It makes sense… Why he's still alive and why his chakra is still so high. Shodaime's cells are filled with the vital yang chakra he should have lacked. Somehow the cells have also given him the ability to use Wood Style. But this is bad, and dangerous. Does simply transplanting the cells enable anyone to use Wood style… No, clearly not. Danzo's experiments all ended in failure, and none were able to produce Wood Style. At most they lead to enhanced healing factors… So there is a condition… I need to look into this later.
As the brief pause of their battle came to an end, the winds condensed around Katsuro, allowing Madara to witness his self made chakra mode and combination Jutsu that made him the God of Storms. Katsuro blurred, zooming past the chaos around him as Madara's roots attempted to intercept. With his wind chakra mode he had a surprising amount of versatility and manoeuvrability meaning even as Madara's experienced moves attempted to trap him, sudden changes in direction that should be impossible, or brief periods of flight would make his plans useless. Of course Madara adapted, and being underground limited Katsuro space and also allowed trees to grow from the ceiling, but anything that came close was cut apart by his sword coated in his Jutsus.
It also helped that the Kekkei Genaki was not his own, and even if he managed to inherit Hashirama's strength from it, he had not gained the experience of its usage. As Katsuro surged towards him in zigzagged patterns, he unleashed the Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation.
Using Fire Style in such an enclosed environment was highly dangerous. With the scale of the B rank Jutsu elevated to S rank by his expertise would consume the entire cavern and even unleash backlash to where he was. Of course his Susanoo would protect him, but the smoke caused by it would become dangerous. Unfortunately for Katsuro Madara was willing to take such a risky action, his plan included him being revived after all.
As expected the flame filled the cavern, Katsuro immediately erected a wooden barrier to block it as the Kekkei Genkai being much less vulnerable to flame than normal wood.
"Wood Style: Tree Wall Barrier!"
But as Madara kept his Jutsu up, the flames spread surrounding Katsuro. While they weren't so destructive after being blocked and any residual damage was fended off by the condensed wind surrounding him, the sheer heat and smoke were making things difficult.
The smoke was fine for now, with his Wind Chakra mode once again showing its sheer versatility as it helped filter the air, but Katsuro had to douse the flames.
From behind the wall Katsuro made a shadow clone which behind the cover of the wooden barrier used Earth Style and the Tunneling Jutsu to get into the ground. Even Madara's Sharingan wouldn't let him see through solid objects like the Byakugan could, and this cover was the perfect time for Katsuro to test the theory that the Susanoo would be vulnerable from underground.
In the meantime he worked handsigns straightaway and within less than a second was spewing water with the Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave. The massive waves reached even the top of the Susanoo threatening to engulf it, but of course they did little against its defenses. It was like watching natural waves collide against a cliff, no visible damage at all. The water quickly doused the previous flames as intended, sloshing against the cavern walls as the levels rose. Naturally some of it escaped through the tunnel with it being pushed up the gradient, and the earth gradually began to absorb a large amount of water.
Finally completing the Jutsu, the Water levels would have been at least above both of their waists if they weren't standing on it.
Using the new environment to his advantage, Katsuro performed a similar manoeuvre that he had all those years ago at the very start of his journey. Back then it had been to win over a hero and a legend. Now it was to kill one who was already dead.
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