"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
Might Guy leapt high into the air, his body like a blue comet, aiming directly at Orochimaru behind Hashirama.
Though he didn't fully understand the Impure World Reincarnation, Guy was convinced that since Orochimaru was the one who had summoned and now controlled the two Hokage, defeating the manipulator himself might very well undo this nightmarish situation.
But opening the Eight Inner Gates put an unbearable strain on his body. On top of that, to break Orochimaru's Four Purple Flame Formation, he had unleashed the full force of his Daytime Tiger.
Even now, still burning through the Seventh Gate, his body was faltering under the crushing toll. In midair, his movements stalled for just an instant.
That brief hesitation was enough. Orochimaru darted backward, and in the same breath, the reanimated Hashirama stepped forward to intercept, blocking Guy's attack with inhuman calm.
Boom!
Guy's right leg sliced across like a reaper's scythe, cutting Hashirama's body in half at the waist.
This was one of the rare weaknesses of the Impure World Reincarnation.
Hashirama's power was too overwhelming. If Orochimaru allowed him anything close to his original strength, he would inevitably break free of control and turn against his summoner.
To prevent such a disaster, Orochimaru had no choice but to suppress Hashirama's strength, forcing him to fight at only half his true might.
The side effect of that restraint was reduced durability. Against Guy in the Seventh Gate, his Konoha Strong Whirlwind tore him apart instantly.
But… Orochimaru hardly cared.
As Guy landed and prepared to follow up with another strike, the broken chunks of Hashirama's reanimated body swiftly pulled back together. Within a few breaths, his body was whole again.
"The Eight Inner Gates truly are terrifying. But unfortunately for you," Orochimaru sneered, lips curling in mockery, "you chose the wrong opponent."
At his command, Hashirama surged forward, purple chakra radiating violently as his hand clenched into a fist.
Back when Orochimaru and Tsunade had fought side by side as the Legendary Sannin, he had witnessed her monstrous strength firsthand. And this man before him—her grandfather, the God of Shinobi—certainly had no shortage of raw, destructive might.
Hashirama's body flashed with violet chakra as his fist swung down toward Guy like a thunderbolt.
In desperation, Guy twisted into a spin.
"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"
No matter what, his flesh and bone could not withstand Hashirama's blow head-on.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two clashed again and again, fist and leg colliding in a furious dance.
Guy's speed gave him the edge, but he couldn't shake off Hashirama's relentless pursuit.
"To think even Guy, after opening the Seventh Gate, still struggles this much against the First Hokage…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's breath caught sharply. He knew better than anyone: though Hashirama's taijutsu was formidable, taijutsu alone was not what made him the God of Shinobi.
In other words—Hashirama still hadn't revealed his true strength.
"Lord Third!"
Kakashi appeared suddenly at Hiruzen's side, watching the battle with grim focus.
Guy had neither gained the upper hand nor fallen behind; the fight was dead even.
In Kakashi's judgment, the best move now was to focus on sealing away Tobirama first. Only then could they regroup to help Guy against Hashirama.
"Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation has grown more refined than before," Kakashi said quickly. "It's nearly flawless—no weaknesses, no risks. Even if we kill him now, the jutsu won't end. The only way… is sealing."
Hiruzen nodded, though regret flashed in his eyes. Neither Kakashi nor Guy specialized in fūinjutsu. The last time they had managed to restrain the Third Kazekage, it had only been possible thanks to Senju Haruto.
"Then sealing it is."
Hands flashing through seals, Hiruzen split into several shadow clones.
"First, we'll trap the Second Hokage."
He signaled Kakashi with a quick hand gesture, sending his clones into position.
"Understood."
Kakashi pushed his chakra to the limit, entering the second stage of his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. In a blur of speed, he caught up to Tobirama, paralyzing him momentarily with a surge of lightning chakra.
"Triple-Sided Sealing Technique!"
Hiruzen's shout rang out as he and his two clones formed a triangle around Tobirama. Brilliant green light flared from their palms, chakra weaving together.
Kakashi used the opening to leap backward, leaving the immobilized Tobirama standing in the middle.
The green chakra grew into a luminous barrier, snapping shut into the shape of a pyramid. Tobirama was sealed inside.
"Well done, sensei," Orochimaru's voice hissed mockingly. "Using the S-rank Triple-Sided Sealing Technique to restrain the Second Hokage… impressive. But it leaves your real body anchored to the jutsu. You can no longer fight."
Without another word, Orochimaru tilted his head back, his jaws opening unnaturally wide. From his throat slid the Kusanagi Sword, gleaming wickedly.
In a whip-like motion, he launched it straight at the real Hiruzen.
"Sensei!"
The Monkey King Enma roared in panic, but trapped in Hashirama's wood release, he couldn't move a muscle.
And for Hiruzen, maintaining the seal required total concentration; he couldn't even flinch away.
Clang!
At the last second, Kakashi's kunai intercepted the blade, infused with lightning chakra, transforming into a glowing Raikiri blade that knocked the Kusanagi aside.
Meanwhile, Guy's condition worsened. Fighting Hashirama relentlessly under the strain of the Seventh Gate had taken its toll.
He could no longer hold it. His body collapsed back into its natural state, and instantly, unbearable exhaustion and pain ripped through him. His movements faltered.
That moment of weakness was all Hashirama needed. His leg lashed out in a devastating kick, sending Guy crashing through the air.
Hashirama spun smoothly, raising his right hand. His entire arm swelled and hardened, transforming into dense wooden armor.
"Wood Release…"
Kakashi cursed under his breath, forced to meet the First Hokage head-on. At first, his lightning blade could slice through the growing wooden branches, but the reanimated Hashirama's chakra seemed limitless. His wood release only grew stronger and stronger, forcing Kakashi onto the defensive.
Just as he was about to reach his limit, another surge of wood release crashed into the battlefield, slamming against Hashirama's jutsu.
Kakashi froze. Someone else had joined the fight—using wood release against the God of Shinobi himself.
Turning sharply, Kakashi finally saw the man's face.
It was none other than… Yamato, who had arrived to reinforce them.
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