Chapter 15: The Fusion of Taijutsu and Ninjutsu

Chapter 15: The Fusion of Taijutsu and Ninjutsu

"Tobirama, we're currently at an advantage. There's no need to take the risk of dueling that Uchiha Madara guy."

Upon receiving the news, Tobirama Senju rushed over to stop Hashirama Senju. He knew his brother's personality well and was certain he would agree to the duel.

Hashirama remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Tobirama, do you know how many of our clansmen have died in this war so far?"

Tobirama was stunned by the question.

It was a heartbreaking number to even think about.

Seeing the expression on his brother's face, Hashirama's eyes filled with sorrow as he said gravely, "I know that advancing cautiously, step by step, is the safest way to win. But that victory would come at the cost of more lives. I can't bear that."

"When Kawarama and Itama sacrificed themselves, I swore to end this war as soon as possible."

"The sooner the war ends, the more lives can be saved."

Hearing this, Tobirama knew that his elder brother had made up his mind, and nothing he could say would change it.

Watching his brother's conflicted expression, Hashirama patted his shoulder and smiled boldly, "Tobirama, have some faith in me. Do you really think I would lose?"

"Of course, you won't lose. I'm just worried that, at a critical moment, you might hesitate to strike hard," Tobirama said with a bitter smile. He then gave a serious warning, "You must remember that you are the clan leader of the Senju. This isn't just about winning or losing; the fate of thousands of our clansmen depends on it. Don't forget that!"

Hashirama solemnly nodded in agreement.

"I promise no one will interfere with your duel," Tobirama said, and without another word, he turned and left the room.

Hashirama, sensing his brother's frustration, watched with a sense of guilt as Tobirama's figure disappeared from sight.

Tobirama, now outside, couldn't shake his unease.

He aimlessly wandered the streets, eventually finding himself near Chu Yang's residence.

At that moment, Chu Yang was practicing Fish-Man Karate in the courtyard.

Tobirama stood silently outside the courtyard, watching intently. Gradually, he became intrigued by this new style of taijutsu.

Focusing on Chu Yang's movements, Tobirama found his worries dissipating.

"Yang, your taijutsu seems to contain some elements of water-style chakra transformation," Tobirama couldn't help but inquire after a long period of observation.

Chu Yang had actually sensed Tobirama's presence long ago but pretended not to notice. Only when Tobirama spoke did he feign surprise and greet him with a bright smile.

"Sensei, hello," Chu Yang said respectfully.

"Hmm," Tobirama responded casually, but quickly followed up, "Your taijutsu is quite special. Can you explain it in more detail?"

Chu Yang nodded.

In fact, what Chu Yang had been practicing earlier was a special technique from Fish-Man Karate—Water Control!

Fish-Man Karate allows the user to manipulate water, but this ability is partially tied to the natural abilities of the Fish-Man race.

As an ordinary human, Chu Yang knew he could never achieve this level of mastery.

Realizing this, Chu Yang decided to take a different approach by incorporating water-style ninjutsu to simulate the technique.

Wood Release itself is a combination of water and earth chakra.

Given his familiarity with water-style ninjutsu, Chu Yang had already made some progress. However, with Tobirama's arrival, he decided to explain his ideas and ask for advice.

After all, Tobirama was the foremost inventor in the history of the ninja world. His mind was far sharper than Chu Yang's.

Listening to Chu Yang's explanation, Tobirama smiled and nodded frequently.

While techniques that combine taijutsu and ninjutsu do exist in the ninja world, they are without exception extremely difficult to develop. The fact that Chu Yang could create the initial form of such a technique through his own efforts was impressive.

In Tobirama's eyes, Chu Yang's way of thinking was already a cut above the rest, aligning with his own research-driven mentality.

"Not only can you inherit my brother's Wood Release, but you also have the potential to innovate with my ninjutsu," Tobirama thought, seeing endless possibilities in Chu Yang.

After explaining for a long time, Chu Yang's mouth was dry, yet he hadn't received any advice.

When he looked up, he saw Tobirama smiling warmly at him.

Chu Yang shuddered!

Could the sun be rising in the west today? Tobirama, who was always so serious, was smiling?

Was he hallucinating?

But when Chu Yang looked again, Tobirama had already returned to his usual cold demeanor.

It really was a hallucination!

"Your approach to taijutsu is sound, but your understanding of water-style chakra is still at a basic level. This will hinder the progress of your technique."

"If you want to perfect this taijutsu, from today on, you must study water-style ninjutsu with me."

Chu Yang's eyes lit up. What was the Second Hokage best known for?

The Flying Thunder God?

No!

The answer was water-style ninjutsu!

Before creating the Flying Thunder God, Tobirama had made a name for himself with water-style techniques, dominating the battlefield during clan wars.

Excited, Chu Yang began eagerly asking Tobirama for guidance on water-style ninjutsu. Tobirama, in turn, switched to teaching mode, patiently explaining the basics.

The two of them became deeply immersed in their conversation, only stopping when night fell.

Before leaving, Tobirama hesitated at the door, as if making an important decision.

"The clan leader is going to duel Uchiha Madara. As of now, I'm the only one who knows the location. I plan to take you with me. What do you think?"

Hashirama versus Madara?

Did that even require consideration?

This would be the most spectacular battle in the history of the ninja world! With the Second Hokage as a bodyguard, what was there to worry about?

"I want to go!" Chu Yang said excitedly.

Tobirama smiled, as if he had already predicted Chu Yang's reaction. "Watching such high-level combatants duel may be dangerous, but it will benefit you greatly."

"As a fellow Wood Release user, you must pay close attention to how the clan leader fights."

Chu Yang understood that this was an invaluable opportunity.

On the battlefield before, he had been too busy trying to stay alive to observe Hashirama's techniques.

The following night, two figures moved like phantoms through the forest, arriving at a hidden valley.

However, this place didn't match Chu Yang's memory of the Valley of the End. There were no waterfalls, only a small stream, indicating they were somewhere else.

Besides, the storyline hadn't reached the final battle at the Valley of the End yet.

Upon arrival, Tobirama concealed himself and Chu Yang, scouting the area thoroughly.

While Madara's honor meant he wouldn't set a trap for the duel, Tobirama, to be safe, left numerous Flying Thunder God marks and placed explosive tags around the area.

If anything went wrong, he would stop the duel.