Sage Mode had a time limit.
Very few shinobi across the entire ninja world were aware of that weakness, but Iwagakure was not careless. They had been gathering intelligence on Hayashi for a long time. During every battle, Sensor Ninja observed him from afar, carefully measuring how long he could sustain Sage Mode.
Roshi had been waiting for this exact moment.
The instant the black markings on Hayashi's face faded, the opportunity he had been anticipating finally arrived.
Heat surged violently.
Scorching flames rose once more around Roshi, distorting the air with intense waves that spread outward in visible ripples. His chakra flared like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"Lava Release: Flower Fruit Mountain!"
Magma burst from the ground in massive quantities, spreading rapidly in all directions. Within moments, it covered dozens of meters, transforming the battlefield into a churning sea of molten rock. The earth disappeared beneath the rolling heat as the magma advanced without restraint.
The remaining Iwagakure ninja did not hesitate. Even from a distance, the sheer intensity of the technique forced them to retreat further, unwilling to be caught in something that resembled a natural disaster.
Hayashi had already moved.
Before the magma could reach him, he retreated swiftly while forming hand seals. The ground beneath him rose abruptly, lifting him above the spreading lava. Within seconds, a wide area of earth elevated, leaving him standing like an island surrounded by a burning ocean.
Without wasting time, Hayashi flicked his right middle finger. A black scroll slipped out from his pouch, hooked with precision. Strange markings covered its surface, and the single character written across it stood out clearly.
Sage.
A faint smile formed on his face.
"You thought losing Sage Mode would leave me helpless? Your information is lacking. Or maybe you have never pushed me far enough to see everything I can do."
The scroll unsealed.
Almost instantly, the familiar black markings returned to his face. Natural energy surged back into his body, stabilizing his state as he clasped his hands together again.
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation, Flame Binding Eternal Burial!"
The surrounding magma responded.
Infused with Sage Chakra, the molten rock seemed to gain life. Streams of magma twisted and surged like living vines, coiling tightly toward Roshi. In moments, they wrapped around him, restraining his movements with crushing force.
Roshi's eyes widened.
It was not just the return of Sage Mode that shocked him. The magma he had created was no longer under his control.
Then, something new appeared.
A massive blue skeletal arm manifested in midair beside Hayashi.
He did not summon the full form of Susanoo, only an arm, but the pressure it emitted was undeniable. From within it came a sharp, piercing sound, like countless birds crying at once.
Lightning gathered.
A black, flowing pattern, similar to a writhing tadpole, merged into the crackling energy along the arm.
"Sage Art: Susanoo Chidori!"
The skeletal hand clenched, forming a blade-like shape. Wrapped in Sage-enhanced lightning, it cut forward with overwhelming force, aiming directly at Roshi, who was still bound by the living magma.
Roshi reacted instantly.
Instead of relying on Lava Release Chakra Mode as before, he released a burst of chakra to break free from the restraints, if only for a moment. Twisting his body to the side, he narrowly avoided a direct hit.
For a split second, he thought he had succeeded.
Then the lightning expanded.
The black current surged outward violently, striking him like a massive bell. His body trembled from the impact before being thrown sideways through the air.
He struggled to regain control mid-flight, forcing himself to land against the magma with a heavy step that halted his momentum.
But the damage was done.
His right arm had been cleanly severed.
The cut was smooth, almost unnatural. Without the Four-Tails intervening at the critical moment, the attack would have split him in half.
Roshi's expression darkened.
His Lava Release Chakra Mode, which he trusted as nearly impenetrable, had been torn apart effortlessly. Under that lightning, it offered no resistance at all.
And it was not over.
More streams of magma were already chasing him, moving with unnatural precision. Hayashi clearly intended to repeat the attack without giving him time to recover.
Roshi gritted his teeth and pushed off the ground again, forcing his body backward. Distance was the only thing keeping him alive.
Then, a voice echoed within him.
"Hand over control."
It was deep and heavy, carrying a presence that could not be ignored.
The Four-Tails.
Roshi hesitated.
Their relationship had improved over time, but giving up control completely was not a decision to take lightly.
"Stop wasting time," the voice continued. "At this rate, you will die. And I have no intention of going down with you."
Silence lingered for a brief moment.
Then Roshi exhaled slowly.
"I'm counting on you, Son Goku."
The moment he spoke its name, the Four-Tails let out a low, satisfied snort.
It had been a long time since anyone addressed it directly like that.
Power erupted.
A massive surge of chakra exploded from Roshi's body, far exceeding what he had shown before. The surrounding magma reacted violently, rising and spreading as flames intensified around him.
The chakra began to take shape.
Gradually, a massive form emerged from within the fire. The molten glow faded slightly as the figure became clearer, solidifying into something enormous.
A towering creature appeared.
It resembled a giant ape, its body radiating heat, with four long, red tails swaying behind it.
The Four-Tails had fully manifested.
Hayashi observed calmly.
"So you went all the way."
The beast roared in response, slamming its forearms against its chest, shaking the battlefield with its sheer presence.
"As expected," Hayashi muttered, his tone steady, "still a primate."
The Four-Tails heard him clearly.
Its eyes sharpened with anger.
"You talk too much, brat!"
It raised its head, opening its mouth wide. Lava began to gather rapidly inside, condensing into a dense, glowing mass.
Within seconds, the molten energy formed a massive sphere, over ten meters in diameter.
The temperature soared.
The air warped violently around it, the heat distorting everything in sight. This was far beyond ordinary Fire Release.
Hayashi remained unmoved.
He could counter it with an equally powerful technique if needed, but there was no reason to engage directly.
Facing a Tailed Beast head-on like that would be reckless.
If a Tailed Beast was the problem, then the solution was simple.
Use another one.
He formed hand seals.
"Summoning Technique!"
In the distance, Shukaku vanished instantly from where it had been restrained by Iwagakure ninja. In the next moment, it appeared beneath Hayashi, its massive form stabilizing him atop the battlefield.
Almost at the same time, the Four-Tails launched its attack.
The enormous lava sphere shot forward, crashing toward Hayashi with unstoppable force.
Shukaku did not back down.
With a loud roar, it raised a massive wave of sand, shaping it into a defensive wall that surged upward to meet the incoming attack.
The collision was inevitable.
One-Tail against Four-Tails.