ROAR!
The water dragon summoned by the Second Hokage was a testament to his mastery over the very elements themselves. Its colossal form, easily matching the golem in sheer size and presence, serpentined through the rain-soaked air with fluid grace. In the blink of an eye, it had crossed the battlefield and materialized directly before the massive statue, its aqueous body gleaming with condensed chakra and natural moisture.
The sight was breathtaking—two titans of different natures facing each other across the devastated landscape. The water dragon's form was in constant motion, its surface rippling with contained power, while the golem remained unnaturally still, as if carved from stone yet somehow radiating malevolent intelligence.
Ssshhh!
But the golem's response was swift and devastating. The massive creature's entire body trembled as it drew upon forces that transcended simple ninjutsu. From the storm clouds overhead, enormous bolts of lightning descended like the wrath of the gods themselves, each one crackling with enough raw power to obliterate a small building.
The lightning struck the water dragon with pinpoint accuracy, and the result was catastrophic. The magnificent construct exploded instantly, its carefully maintained form dispersing into countless droplets that sparkled briefly in the air before falling like metallic rain.
"It can actually manipulate celestial phenomena," the Second Hokage observed, his eyes narrowing with professional concern.
This was no ordinary technique. The lightning the golem had summoned wasn't generated through chakra transformation—it was genuine atmospheric electricity, the raw power of nature itself being bent to the creature's will. The implications were staggering, suggesting the golem had access to forces that existed beyond the traditional understanding of ninjutsu.
But Tobirama hadn't become legendary through hesitation. Even as his first technique dissipated, his hands were already moving through a new sequence of seals, his analytical mind adapting to the new tactical reality.
Roar! Roar! Roar!
The water mist created by the destroyed dragon didn't simply vanish—instead, it responded to the Second Hokage's continued chakra manipulation. The scattered moisture rapidly condensed and reformed, but this time not as a single massive construct. Instead, dozens of smaller water dragons materialized, each one measuring roughly fifteen meters in length but possessing concentrated density and purpose.
These new constructs moved with coordinated intelligence, swarming around the golem's massive form like a pack of predators. They wrapped themselves around the creature's limbs and torso, their aqueous bodies functioning like enormous restraining cables that tightened with increasing pressure.
The tactical shift was brilliant—rather than presenting a single large target for the golem's lightning attacks, Tobirama had created multiple smaller objectives that would be far more difficult to eliminate simultaneously.
"You must succeed!" the Second Hokage called out to his allies, knowing that his water dragons could only restrain the golem temporarily.
Meanwhile, on another section of the battlefield, two distinct pillars of chakra light erupted skyward in front of the towering wooden giant. The energy signatures were remarkably similar in hue and intensity, both manifestations of the legendary Susanoo technique but each carrying the unique characteristics of its wielder.
Itachi's Susanoo materialized in its complete form, wreathed in deep crimson energy that flickered like eternal flames. In its left hand, the ethereal warrior grasped the legendary Yata Mirror, its surface reflecting light in impossible ways that seemed to bend reality itself. From the gourd held in its right hand, the blade of the equally legendary Totsuka Sword extended with supernatural sharpness, its edge capable of sealing away anything it pierced.
Beside him, Uchiha Yoruki's own Susanoo took shape, its form radiating the same crimson intensity but with subtle differences that spoke to his unique combat style and personality. As he raised his eyes to focus on their towering opponent, a blazing light ignited within his left eye—the unmistakable sign of a Mangekyou technique preparing to activate.
Clang!
Before the wooden giant's massive fist could complete its devastating descent, a clear, resonant sword hum filled the air. Flames erupted from seemingly nothing, their heat so intense that the air itself seemed to warp and shimmer. These fires coalesced and took shape, forming into a colossal red sword that blazed with otherworldly power.
The giant blade met the wooden construct's attack head-on, its supernatural edge cleaving through what should have been impenetrable defense. The red sword light swept past with surgical precision, and even the wooden giant's enormous fist was no match for its cutting power. The appendage was severed cleanly, half the arm separating and falling away like a felled tree.
The Fire Sword possessed the theoretical ability to cut through anything—a power that transcended physical durability and struck at the very essence of what it encountered. Even the legendary defensive capabilities of the First Hokage's Wood Release techniques couldn't withstand such fundamental destructive force.
But their opponent was far from helpless. The wooden giant's remaining fist descended with earth-shaking force, targeting both Uchiha warriors within their protective Susanoo constructs. The attack carried not just the weight of the massive appendage, but also the enhanced power of natural energy that continued to flow into the First Hokage's techniques.
Whoosh!
Itachi's Susanoo moved with fluid grace, positioning itself protectively in front of Yoruki's construct. The Yata Mirror, which normally could only cover a portion of the Susanoo's form, suddenly expanded beyond its usual limitations. The legendary artifact grew to enormous proportions, forming a complete shield that could protect both warriors simultaneously.
BANG!
The wooden giant's fist struck the Yata Mirror with tremendous force, but the impact was absorbed and redirected in ways that defied conventional physics. Instead of the shield taking damage, the ground in front of the mirror cracked and split, spider-web fractures spreading outward as the earth itself bore the brunt of the redirected energy.
"Such incredible weight!" Itachi gasped, blood beginning to flow from his eyes as the strain of maintaining both techniques simultaneously pushed his visual prowess to its limits.
The sacred artifact known as the Yata Mirror possessed the legendary ability to alter the fundamental properties of any chakra-based attack, theoretically rendering it harmless through perfect counter-manipulation. However, the most terrifying aspect of the wooden giant's assault wasn't its chakra content—it was the sheer physical force behind each blow.
Even the Yata Mirror, powerful as it was, could only withstand such overwhelming kinetic energy a limited number of times before the wielder's body gave out from the strain of channeling such defensive power.
Swish!
While Itachi and Yoruki engaged the wooden giant in direct frontal combat, creating the crucial distraction their plan required, Kakashi and Shisui executed the second phase of their coordinated assault. Moving with the speed and precision that had made them legendary, they approached the massive construct from its blind side and began their rapid ascent.
The wooden giant's body was so enormous that climbing it was comparable to scaling a mountain. Its surface provided numerous handholds and footholds, but also presented unique dangers as the living wood could potentially reshape itself to trap or attack climbers.
"You intend to approach the main body directly?" Madara's voice carried across the battlefield, filled with cold amusement at what he perceived as a predictable tactic. "Planning to use genjutsu to alter the course of this battle?"
His analysis was accurate, but his tone suggested complete confidence in his ability to counter such an approach.
"In the face of absolute power, any clever tricks are meaningless," he declared, his expression showing no concern whatsoever.
The moment Shisui and Kakashi set foot on the wooden construct's surface, the living material beneath them began to shift and respond. The wood that had seemed solid and stable suddenly became fluid, rising and falling like ocean waves. From these undulations, massive wooden hands began to emerge, each one large enough to crush a building.
The tactical situation was immediately perilous. The wooden hands weren't simply attacking from above—they were forming directly beneath the infiltrators' feet, cutting off potential retreat routes even as they presented overwhelming offensive threats.
Recognizing the mortal danger, Shisui immediately enveloped both himself and Kakashi in brilliant green chakra light. His Susanoo manifested with incredible speed, its protective form taking shape almost instantaneously around both men.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wooden hands rained down on the Susanoo's defenses like massive hammers, each impact creating thunderous sound that echoed across the battlefield. The ethereal construct held firm under the assault, but the continuous barrage was clearly testing its limits.
On the Susanoo's arm, chakra began to condense and take physical form, shaping itself into a massive spiral sword that gleamed with cutting power. The weapon swept outward in a wide arc, its enhanced edge slicing through the attacking wooden hands like a scythe through wheat.
Wood chips and splinters fell like snow around them, but even as each wooden hand was destroyed, new ones emerged to take their place. The wooden giant seemed to possess unlimited regenerative capacity, able to replace damaged portions as quickly as they were eliminated.
Suddenly, the brilliance of Shisui's Susanoo began to dim noticeably, its vibrant green light becoming paler and less stable.
"This wooden construct can absorb chakra directly!" Shisui exclaimed, shock evident in his voice.
The discovery was deeply troubling. Susanoo was formed through advanced chakra manipulation, maintaining its existence through constant energy expenditure. If the wooden giant could drain that energy directly, their primary defensive technique would become a liability rather than an asset.
"Shisui!" Kakashi called out urgently, and his partner immediately understood the unspoken plan.
As their mental coordination activated, an opening appeared in the Susanoo's protective shell, creating a precise gap that would allow Kakashi's technique to function.
Chirp!
Lightning began to condense in Kakashi's hand, but this wasn't ordinary Chidori. The electrical energy took on an almost bird-like quality, emitting a sharp cry that seemed to echo with supernatural resonance.
Whoosh!
The lightning technique launched from his hand, but instead of maintaining its usual concentrated form, it spread outward like wings. The energy construct soared through the air with remarkable grace, resembling a bird of prey more than a simple ninjutsu attack.
Crack!
The lightning bird struck the tip of one of the wooden hands with pinpoint accuracy. After a brief moment of resistance, the electrical energy overwhelmed the wood's natural durability, piercing through and continuing its flight pattern.
In that instant, Kakashi placed his hand on Shisui's shoulder with practiced timing.
Swish!
Both figures vanished from their position within the encircling wooden hands, only to reappear exactly where the lightning technique had marked its passage through the air.
This was one of the advanced applications of the Flying Thunder God technique that Minato had developed—using the lightning as a mobile coordinate marker that could be tracked and utilized for instantaneous transportation. The innovation allowed for rapid movement across three-dimensional space without requiring pre-placed markers.
The wooden giant could only absorb chakra when it made direct contact with ninjutsu techniques. Since Kakashi's space-time manipulation allowed them to move through the air without touching the construct's surface, the absorption ability became irrelevant.
Through this method, the wooden hands that could appear at any location on the giant's body were unable to surround the two infiltrators, who could relocate themselves instantly whenever threatened.
Kakashi and Shisui managed to cover considerable distance through multiple space-time jumps, each teleportation bringing them closer to their ultimate objective. However, their progress wasn't without cost—each use of the technique required chakra expenditure, and Kakashi's reserves weren't unlimited.
Just as he prepared to execute another lightning-marked teleportation, the wooden giant beneath them began to tremble with new purpose.
Rumble!
Thick tree trunks erupted from the construct's surface with explosive force, growing at incredible speed until they formed a dense forest that covered vast portions of the giant's body. In mere moments, what had been a relatively clear climbing surface became an impenetrable maze of interwoven branches and leaves.
The density of the newly formed forest was staggering, instantly blocking all lines of sight and creating a three-dimensional labyrinth that would be nearly impossible to navigate conventionally.
"This is bad!" both Kakashi and Shisui thought simultaneously, recognizing the tactical nightmare they now faced.
If they became truly trapped within this wooden maze, with its chakra-absorbing properties and constantly shifting structure, escape would become virtually impossible.
Swish!
But Kakashi's contingency planning proved its worth. Both men vanished from their position within the forest, reappearing in a clear area beneath the canopy of branches.
A kunai lay embedded in the wooden surface before them, its blade bearing the distinctive markings of a Flying Thunder God seal. This was a backup coordinate that Kakashi had placed earlier in the battle, insurance against exactly this type of situation.
"Fortunately, it appears that this wooden construct absorbs chakra much more slowly from indirect markers than from direct contact with active techniques," Kakashi observed with relief.
However, their strategic situation remained dire. The forest barrier now blocked their path to the top of the wooden giant, where the First Hokage continued to absorb natural energy and grow stronger with each passing moment.
The legendary ninja's power had already increased dramatically since the battle began, and without some way to interrupt his enhancement process, he would soon become completely unstoppable.
Without providing any respite, the wooden surface around them began to sprout new growth, tree trunks emerging with relentless persistence to further complicate their approach.
CRASH!
At that critical moment, salvation came from an unexpected direction. A massive puppet construct came hurtling down from the sky above the wooden giant's head, launched from the back of a large white bird that circled the battlefield with predatory grace. The puppet landed with tremendous impact directly opposite where the First Hokage and his companion Uzumaki Mito maintained their position.
The arrival of aerial reinforcements had dramatically altered the tactical equation of their desperate battle.