Board Thread:Naruto Discussions/@comment-36006024-20180926134241/@comment-34194151-20181006182351

I said he more than likely died from it because it's the only thing that made sense. It's possible he died in battle, but there isn't any proof either way. Your guess is as good as mine, I'm simply countering the statement of a user who claimed he died in battle as if it's some absolute fact. Madara as, you said, was the only person who could even hope to touch him in battle during that time. we know madara was capable of injuring him, as he even bit off a piece of hashirama's chest during their battle at the valley of the end.

Also, even if it wasn't an actual jutsu, he could have easily modified his own biology such that all his cells can accomplish it even after he is long dead.

So, this argument is a stalemate.