"He can become even stronger!" Sasuke growled through gritted teeth, his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan spinning rapidly as he analyzed the increasingly desperate situation unfolding before him.
The power radiating from the First Hokage was unlike anything he had ever encountered. Even without formal training in senjutsu, the enhanced perception granted by his evolved eyes allowed him to see something that would have been invisible to most shinobi—streams of natural energy flowing through the air like luminous rivers, all converging toward the legendary figure atop the wooden construct.
These currents of power had been disrupted earlier when the Fourth Hokage actively drew upon the same natural forces, creating a tug-of-war between the two masters of sage techniques. But now, as Minato's body approached its limits for safely channeling natural energy, those streams were flowing unobstructed into the First Hokage's form. Each passing moment made the legendary Senju stronger, more dangerous, more unstoppable.
Sasuke's jaw clenched with frustration, but beneath the anger lay cold pragmatism. He wasn't a fool who let pride override tactical assessment. The harsh reality was undeniable—no matter how much his power had grown, no matter how perfectly he had mastered his Eternal Mangekyou, he could not defeat Hashirama Senju in single combat. The gulf between their abilities was simply too vast.
With that bitter acknowledgment came a shift in strategy. Instead of pressing forward with increasingly desperate attacks, Sasuke began to adopt a more defensive approach, buying time while scanning the battlefield with his enhanced vision. He had already spotted the distinctive chakra signatures of Shisui and Uchiha Yoruki materializing in the combat zone.
If reinforcements were already arriving, others would surely follow. The key was surviving long enough for proper coordination to become possible.
"Sasuke is in danger!" Naruto's voice cracked with alarm as he witnessed his friend's deteriorating situation.
But even as concern for Sasuke consumed his thoughts, Naruto found himself trapped in his own increasingly perilous circumstances. Under Madara's malevolent influence, the golem had become a creature of pure destructive instinct. Its massive form moved with surprising speed and coordination, launching attack after attack with single-minded focus.
Both Naruto and Kushina had become primary targets, their previous interference having marked them as significant threats in the creature's rudimentary consciousness. This forced Yoruki and Shisui into purely defensive roles, their legendary abilities reduced to desperately maintaining protective barriers against the golem's relentless assault.
"Kurama, how much longer do you need?" Naruto asked urgently, his mental voice tight with barely controlled anxiety.
Deep within the seal, the Nine-Tails sat in a meditative posture, its massive paws pressed together in the traditional mudra for chakra refinement. The great fox's usual fierce expression had been replaced by one of intense concentration, every fiber of its being focused on the delicate process of restoration.
"While I can utilize natural energy to accelerate chakra recovery," the Nine-Tails replied without opening its eyes, "the First Hokage is simultaneously drawing from the same source. The competition for natural energy is slowing my regeneration significantly."
The bijuu's mental voice carried a note of strain that Naruto had rarely heard. Even for a creature of the Nine-Tails' immense power, competing with Hashirama Senju for access to natural energy was an exhausting endeavor.
"You must be patient, Naruto. Rushing this process could result in incomplete restoration, leaving us vulnerable at a critical moment."
"Damn it!" Naruto cursed, his fists clenching in helpless frustration. Every instinct screamed at him to act, to help his friend, but wisdom demanded he wait for his strength to return properly.
Meanwhile, high atop the wooden giant, Madara observed the unfolding battle with cold satisfaction.
"The sage technique concentration does appear to be proceeding more slowly than optimal," he mused, his voice carrying dark amusement, "but this level of power should prove sufficient for current needs."
His attention shifted to Sasuke, noting how the young Uchiha's eyes remained fixed on him with unwavering intensity despite the desperate circumstances. There was something in that gaze—a combination of hatred, determination, and analytical calculation—that stirred old memories.
"That expression... those eyes... Let's put them to proper use."
At Madara's subtle command, the battle dynamics shifted dramatically.
ROAR!
A massive wooden dragon materialized around the wooden giant's form, its serpentine body coiling with predatory grace. The construct moved with fluid precision, spiraling upward like a living rope before striking with devastating speed. Its powerful form wrapped around Sasuke's Susanoo with crushing force, binding the ethereal warrior's upper body in an inescapable embrace.
The dragon's strength was magnified far beyond ordinary Wood Release techniques. Infused with natural energy and guided by the First Hokage's legendary skill, its binding power was sufficient to restrain even the complete form of Susanoo. Sasuke struggled against the constriction, pouring more chakra into his construct, but the wooden dragon's grip only tightened in response.
At the same moment, atop the wooden giant, the First Hokage began to gather power for a finishing blow. Though he had not yet absorbed sufficient natural energy to fully enter Sage Mode, the partial enhancement was more than adequate for the task at hand. His massive hands came together in a focused mudra, chakra condensing with ominous intent.
Bang!
The wooden giant's fist launched forward like a battering ram, every ounce of its enhanced strength focused into a single, devastating straight punch. The attack struck Sasuke's bound Susanoo with apocalyptic force, the impact creating shockwaves that rippled through both constructs.
BOOM!
The collision unleashed forces that the already damaged battlefield simply could not contain. The ground beneath both titans exploded into fragments, creating a massive crater that continued to expand outward. As the earth gave way, both the wooden giant and Sasuke's Susanoo plummeted into the newly formed chasm.
During the chaotic descent, the accumulated damage finally proved too much for Sasuke's construct to bear. The Susanoo, already riddled with cracks from previous battles, began to shatter like a mountain of crystalline glass. Fragments of ethereal armor rained down around Sasuke as his ultimate defense crumbled.
Sasuke himself was caught in the collapse, struck by debris from his own failing technique. He let out a muffled grunt of pain as blood began to flow from the corner of his mouth, his body wracked by internal injuries from the massive impact.
But physical pain was the least of his concerns in that moment. Through the swirling dust and falling debris, he caught sight of an enormous wooden hand reaching toward him with deliberate menace. Simultaneously, the wooden dragon was coiling its body tighter, compressing his available movement space to virtually nothing.
Trapped between two overwhelming forces, with his ultimate defense shattered and his body battered, Sasuke found himself in a position with no viable escape routes. This was it—the moment when all his growth, all his determination, would be rendered meaningless by the sheer magnitude of his opponent's power.
Just as the combined assault of wooden giant and dragon was about to crush him completely, something extraordinary happened. Both constructs suddenly froze mid-attack, their movements stopping as if time itself had been suspended.
Sasuke's expression of grim acceptance transformed into one of shocked confusion. What could possibly have the power to halt the First Hokage's techniques at such a critical moment?
"Tobirama, hurry up..."
The voice was barely a whisper, almost lost in the chaos of battle, but it carried clearly to Sasuke's enhanced hearing. Atop the wooden giant, the First Hokage's usually vacant eyes suddenly flickered with a spark of genuine awareness. For just an instant, the legendary ninja's true personality broke through the constraints of the Edo Tensei.
That moment of clarity was fleeting, disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared, but it had been enough. The wooden constructs' frozen state lasted only seconds before returning to their attack pattern, but those seconds were all that was needed.
A familiar figure materialized beside Sasuke with the speed of advanced Body Flicker technique, strong hands grasping his shoulders with practiced efficiency.
Swish!
Both figures vanished just as the wooden dragon and giant's fist converged on the space they had occupied moments before.
"Sasuke, are you alright?"
When vision cleared and solid ground materialized beneath his feet, Sasuke found himself staring into a face marked by deep concern and unmistakable relief. Itachi's usually composed expression showed rare emotional vulnerability as he quickly assessed his younger brother's condition.
"Brother?" Sasuke's voice carried genuine surprise. In all his tactical calculations, he hadn't anticipated Itachi's arrival, let alone with the perfect timing necessary for such a rescue.
But Itachi wasn't alone. Standing nearby, Kakashi maintained his characteristic alert posture despite the obvious exhaustion from recent battles. His visible eye was sharp and focused, already analyzing their new tactical situation.
Most surprising of all was the third figure in their group. A man with distinctive white hair and blue armor stood with the bearing of absolute authority, his presence commanding immediate attention despite his relatively modest stature.
"The Second Hokage!?" Sasuke's exclamation carried both shock and recognition.
The legendary figure before him was unmistakably Tobirama Senju, his appearance matching perfectly with the carved visage on Konoha's Hokage Monument. His face bore the same stern, analytical expression that had made him feared as much for his strategic brilliance as for his jutsu innovations.
Tobirama paid no attention to Sasuke's reaction, his full focus directed toward the distant figure of Madara with eyes that burned with decades-old hatred and resentment.
"Tobirama..." Madara's voice carried across the battlefield, soft with dark recognition.
The Uchiha leader's analysis of the situation was swift and accurate. In the precise circumstances that had just unfolded, only one person possessed both the knowledge of Edo Tensei's mechanics and the skill necessary to interfere with its control: the technique's original creator.
That Black Zetsu creature really is proving useless, Madara thought with mild irritation, though the development didn't particularly concern him. Even if it's Tobirama Senju, even if more of these revived legends appear, they still cannot match the power of my brother's Edo Tensei form.
The First Hokage, having lost his target, caused his wooden giant to leap from the collapsed crater with earth-shaking force. The massive construct landed heavily in front of Itachi's group, its impact creating new fissures in the already devastated landscape.
"So this is the true power of the First Hokage..." Itachi murmured, his Sharingan spinning as it attempted to process the sheer scale of chakra and technique before them.
Kakashi nodded grimly, his own assessment equally sobering. "I recently faced Sarutobi-sensei father's Edo Tensei form, and that battle was already incredibly difficult. But compared to this... the difference in power is almost incomprehensible."
The Copy Ninja's visible eye was wide with something approaching awe. He had heard legends of the First Hokage's abilities, but witnessing them firsthand was an entirely different experience.
Even if all three of them combined their abilities—Itachi's genjutsu mastery, Kakashi's thousand techniques, and his own considerable power—there was no realistic scenario in which they could match Hashirama Senju in direct combat. And Sasuke, who had been their strongest fighter, was clearly suffering from serious injuries.
"We need to retreat immediately," the Second Hokage declared without hesitation, his tactical assessment cutting straight to the heart of their situation.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The wooden giant's continued assault further devastated the surrounding terrain, each impact creating new craters and expanding the network of destruction that had turned the once-peaceful Iron Country into a lunar landscape of interconnected basins and shattered earth.
From a strategic perspective, Naruto's group found themselves in an equally desperate situation. The convergence was inevitable as both teams were forced back by overwhelming opposition, their defensive perimeters gradually overlapping.
"Sasuke, are you okay?" Naruto called out urgently as the two groups came within communication range. The memory of how Sasuke had protected him earlier in the battle was still fresh in his mind, and seeing his friend injured filled him with both guilt and determination.
Sasuke managed a curt nod, though his pale complexion and labored breathing betrayed the extent of his injuries. "I'll manage."
ROAR!
The golem and wooden giant, two colossal embodiments of destruction, advanced in tandem. The sight was genuinely terrifying—massive forms moving with synchronized purpose, their combined presence making the air itself feel heavy with impending doom.
The tactical situation had deteriorated from merely dangerous to potentially catastrophic.
"Itachi," Shisui called out, his voice cutting through the chaos with familiar authority, "has your ocular power recovered sufficiently for what we discussed?"
Itachi's response was a slight shake of his head, frustration evident in his usually composed features. "The previous battle against the Second Hokage required me to push my abilities beyond safe limits. Even with the transplanted eyes and the First Hokage's cellular enhancement, my visual prowess is still far from fully restored."
The admission was particularly bitter given their current circumstances. Itachi's mastery of genjutsu represented one of their few potential advantages against overwhelming physical force.
"Shisui, you're suggesting..." Itachi began, then paused as understanding dawned in his eyes.
"You intend to use the same method we employed against elder brother's previous technique," the Second Hokage interjected, his analytical mind immediately grasping Shisui's tactical framework. "Genjutsu interference with the Edo Tensei's control mechanisms."
Shisui nodded, his expression grim but determined. "Given our current circumstances, attempting to match these opponents in direct combat would be tantamount to suicide."
His eyes swept across their assembled force, taking quick inventory of available capabilities and limitations.
"The First Hokage's power is indeed beyond our ability to counter through conventional means. However, with the Second Hokage's intimate knowledge of the technique's weaknesses and Kakashi's mastery of the Flying Thunder God, we may be able to create an opening."
It was a desperate plan, requiring precise timing and flawless execution, but it represented their only realistic chance for success.
The Second Hokage considered the proposal with the calculating mind that had made him one of history's most feared strategists. After a moment, he nodded slowly.
"This approach does represent our most viable option under current conditions."
His gaze shifted to Itachi, assessing the younger man's potential with the same analytical precision he had once applied to enemy formations.
"This young man's illusion techniques and ocular abilities are indeed exceptional, among the finest I've encountered. However, his current power reserves are insufficient, and even at full strength, overcoming my brother's resistance to genjutsu would be extremely challenging."
The legendary Senju's assessment was brutally honest. While the First Hokage had never specialized in illusory arts, his mental discipline and chakra control were so advanced that breaking through with genjutsu required overwhelming force.
"But this one..." Tobirama's eyes shifted to Sasuke, and for the first time, genuine surprise colored his expression. "If it's this young Uchiha, success becomes possible."
His analytical gaze had identified something that set Sasuke apart from even his exceptionally talented brother. The pattern within Sasuke's eyes wasn't the standard Mangekyou Sharingan that, while formidable, had its limitations.
These were the same Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan that Madara had possessed in their era—eyes that had once challenged the very foundations of the ninja world.