Chapter 261 Countering Global Warming

The Cursed Spirit's primary weapon was undoubtedly its claws. It had used them moments ago in an attempt to launch a surprise attack on Hashirama.

But the reason the monster was now unable to escape lay in Hashirama's skillful use of Wood Style ninjutsu. During the Cursed Spirit's earlier assault, Hashirama had discreetly planted the seeds of his Wood Style on it. Now, with the infusion of his chakra, those seeds had sprouted and begun growing at an incredible rate.

In mere moments, a massive tree had erupted from the Cursed Spirit's body, anchoring it firmly to the ground. The monster had no way of knowing that its own body would serve as the nourishment for these trees. Struggling under the weight of the towering growths, it collapsed awkwardly, unable to maintain its balance.

"Haha! I knew it! This guy didn't stand a chance!" Hashirama said with a triumphant grin as he approached the trapped Cursed Spirit.

"Brother! Be careful!" Tobirama called out urgently from behind him. "That thing might still try to attack!"

Just as the words left Tobirama's mouth, the Cursed Spirit let out a deafening roar and exploded with violent energy. A sudden strike shot toward Hashirama with terrifying speed, aiming directly at two critical points—his heart and head.

The impact was devastating. Such a precise and powerful attack would have meant instant death for any ordinary person.

But as the dust settled, Hashirama's figure remained unmoved. His body didn't fall—instead, it transformed into a block of wood.

"A wood clone..." Tobirama murmured in astonishment, watching as the Wood Style clone began to grow and expand, its branches twisting and wrapping around the struggling Cursed Spirit.

Hashirama stepped out from the shadows, his real body unharmed. With a calm and commanding presence, he channeled his chakra into the rapidly growing tree. The branches now not only restrained the Cursed Spirit but also began draining its energy—its chakra and even its very life force.

The once-powerful spirit, with its huge physique, started to wither before their eyes. Its body, once brimming with strength, shriveled and collapsed in on itself, resembling a desiccated husk.

In the end, the Cursed Spirit crumbled into ashes, scattered by the wind.

Hashirama stood tall, his expression steady as he surveyed the aftermath. "And that's why you don't underestimate the power of nature," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.

"Is this thing dead?" Hashirama asked, his tone laced with disbelief as he surveyed the aftermath.

He truly hadn't expected it to go this way. The Cursed Spirit had been so careless. With just a casual flick of his hand, it had been defeated.

"Seriously?" he muttered, disappointed. "I didn't even put in any real effort, and it's already done for? I haven't even warmed up yet."

Tobirama let out a sigh, shaking his head at the anti-climactic conclusion. "Brother, how strong do you think you are? Don't you realize this is exactly what happens when you fight anything less than a god?"

"Exactly!" Tobirama continued, exasperated. "An ordinary cursed spirit doesn't stand a chance against you. Honestly, it'd be strange if you didn't one-shot something like this."

Hashirama froze for a moment, processing his brother's words, before bursting into laughter. "Haha! You're right! Maybe this is just my curse for being too strong," he joked, scratching the back of his head. "Still... that wasn't fun at all."

"Now that this is settled, let's move on," he said, turning to leave without a second thought.

Madara, who had been silently observing, shrugged and followed, his cloak swishing as he walked.

Tobirama left standing in the middle of the chaos, stared after the two with a mix of frustration and disbelief. "You two!" he called out, gesturing toward the remains of the battlefield. "The entire area's been turned into a forest! Are we just going to leave it like this?"

Hashirama paused, looking over his shoulder with a bemused expression. "Why are you panicking? Think of it as an act of public service. We've improved the environment—greening the world, you know?"

"Greening?" Tobirama echoed, incredulous.

"Yeah! Consider it a gift," Hashirama added cheerfully. "We've created a lush, virgin forest for them. Who wouldn't be thrilled by something like this?"

With that, he waved dismissively and strolled off, leaving Tobirama standing there, muttering under his breath. "A gift, huh? If only they could return it..."

Madara smirked slightly as the trio moved on, the "gift" of an unplanned forest behind them, and the lingering chaos ahead.

On the far side of the city, Ryan led the two of them through the quiet streets with an air of ease. His movements were relaxed, almost leisurely, while the two Tsunades following him were anything but.

They voiced their frustrations one after another.

"We've been walking for so long!"

"Why haven't we run into any decent enemies yet? It's so boring."

Their complaints hung in the air, and Ryan couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Patience," he said, glancing back at them with a calm smile. "I'm pretty sure some monsters will come knocking on our door soon enough."

His words carried a peculiar sense of certainty, and the expression on his face was enigmatic, as though he knew more than he let on.

Unbeknownst to the trio below, atop a distant rooftop, a Cursed Spirit silently observed their every movement.

Perched like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike, the creature exuded an aura of malice, akin to a volcano on the verge of eruption. Its grotesque face was marked by a wide, disfigured mouth, the corners stretched into an unnatural grin that revealed sharp, jagged teeth. A single, unblinking eye glowed with a malevolent intensity, its gaze fixed unrelentingly on the three figures below.

Tattered remnants of what might have once been clothing flapped in the wind, a testament to the spirit's long and dark existence. This was no ordinary curse—it was a special-grade Cursed Spirit, born from the collective fear of humanity.

Kuchisake-Onna, a cursed legend born from the fear of a woman's disfigurement, had become an urban myth that had plagued generations. It was said that her mutilated face, hidden behind a mask, would be revealed to unsuspecting victims, who would be asked, "Am I beautiful?" No matter how they answered, the result was always the same: death.

This particular Cursed Spirit had been molded from that collective fear—fueled by the terrifying stories passed down through generations. The mere thought of her would strike terror into the hearts of those who had heard the tales.

Unlike the mindless curses that roamed freely, this one was different. It had intelligence, a cunning mind capable of manipulation. It was not a random manifestation, but a pure embodiment of human fear. A predator lying in wait for its next victim.

It crouched on the rooftop, the twisted remnants of its body shifting with subtle malice as a dark plan began to form in its mind. Its eye glinted with cunning as it prepared for the strike.

The Tsunades' boredom would soon be shattered. Ryan turned to the two Tsunades with a calm yet commanding tone.

"Hold on a moment. I want to test my new ability. Once I'm done, you can take action."

As he spoke, his gaze sharpened, and his eyes transformed into a pair of radiant Kokugan. At the same time, the sacred tree of the Ōtsutsuki clan began to stir, its dormant power awakening under his command.

Ryan's goal was simple: to experiment with his newly acquired abilities. He wanted to see if he could shrink the cursed spirit before them to a minuscule size and then absorb it into his personal Daikokuten space.

While it was commonly believed that living Cursed Spirits couldn't be stored in such a space or shrunk directly, the cursed spirit standing opposite him didn't seem entirely biological. It was a construct of human fear and negative energy—a being of curses rather than flesh and blood.

Using his Kokugan on the target, Ryan activated his power.

In an instant, the massive, menacing form of the cursed spirit began to shrink. Its hulking body dwindled rapidly, the grotesque features of its disfigured face distorting further as it became smaller and smaller. Within moments, it was no larger than a speck of dust—smaller than an ant. If one didn't look closely, it would be impossible to see.

Without hesitation, Ryan activated Daikokuten, absorbing the shrunken curse spirit into his personal space.

And just like that, a special-grade Cursed Spirit was defeated—effortlessly. To anyone watching, it was nothing short of an instant kill.

Tsunade, however, wasn't impressed. She crossed her arms, a deep frown forming as she glared at Ryan.

"Really?" she huffed, irritation clear in her voice. "I wanted to study that cursed spirit to see how it compares to chakra beasts like the Tailed Beasts. And you just—" She threw her hands up in exasperation.

Ryan turned to her with an amused smirk, clearly unbothered by her complaint.

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