Senju Haruto did not call upon the Adamantine Sealing Chains unique to the Uzumaki clan.
Instead, he chose to use the Magnet Release of Shukaku, the One-Tail.
Though Shukaku was considered the weakest among all the Tailed Beasts, it possessed sealing techniques unlike any other. Magnet Release itself was a style of ninjutsu that relied heavily on the terrain to gain advantage, making its offensive and capture range incredibly vast.
Just as the waves of sand surged upward, threatening to engulf Hashirama and Tobirama, both brothers reacted at the very same instant.
From beneath Hashirama's feet, a wooden construct burst forth—a massive wooden warrior created by his Wood Release—lifting him clear of Haruto's seal.
Beneath Tobirama, a grand and towering Water Formation Wall rose up, straining to hold back Haruto's Magnet Release.
It lasted only a few breaths. Within moments, Tobirama's water barrier was devoured by the endless tide of sand. But in that short window, his body leapt upward, tearing free of the magnetic bind, and he appeared directly in front of Haruto.
"My body… it isn't listening to me…"
Tobirama's brows furrowed tightly, his face darkening with frustration. He had resigned himself to being sealed, even fought to suppress Orochimaru's control—yet still, his body resisted his will.
Could it be… Orochimaru's mastery over Edo Tensei had already surpassed his own?
"It seems… this fight is unavoidable, Haruto."
Hashirama's expression was heavy with conflict.
Senju Haruto was not only the inheritor of the Will of Fire but also the blood of the Senju. For him to take the mantle of Fifth Hokage was destiny itself. And yet, despite all of that, they were still being forced into battle against him.
"No matter the era, there is always war…"
Hashirama muttered bitterly, though there was a strange admiration hidden beneath his words.
"Orochimaru really was something else. Even in death, his jutsu holds this much control."
"You're right…" Tobirama gave a curt nod. "And his grip has grown even stronger. I can't even break free to cancel Edo Tensei myself."
As the very inventor of Edo Tensei, Tobirama knew better than anyone that a reverse hand seal would free him from the caster's control.
But Orochimaru's bindings were suffocatingly strong—strong enough that he couldn't even form the seals.
"Haruto… it's up to you to stop us now."
Tobirama's gaze locked firmly on him, placing the burden upon his shoulders.
"Yeah."
Haruto nodded sharply. He could already guess Orochimaru had placed a failsafe into Edo Tensei, just like Yakushi Kabuto had done later.
When Kabuto had summoned the Four Hokage, he too had used a similar mechanism—forcing them to strike back just before sealing could take effect.
That same trick was now at work on Hashirama and Tobirama.
But Haruto's lips curled upward.
"…This is fine."
This situation was, in fact, exactly what he wanted.
If Hashirama and Tobirama had been able to remain calm and cooperate with him, he would have had no chance to showcase his true power. But now?
Now he would stand before the eyes of every witness and defeat not one, but two Hokage.
Even though Orochimaru's Edo Tensei could not perfectly restore their full living strength, the crowd didn't know that.
To them, Haruto would stand as the lone shinobi who crushed two legendary Hokage in combat.
That—was truly awe-inspiring.
And Haruto had no intention of following the hot-blooded, reckless path of simply trading blows.
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life once again, its power spilling forth like an inferno.
"Not good!"
Tobirama's face twisted suddenly, and his body flickered, vanishing into a blur—Flying Thunder God Technique!
It was a reminder of just how many of Konoha's forbidden techniques and legendary jutsu bore Tobirama's name as their creator.
But this time, he didn't use the Flying Thunder God Slash to end the fight. Instead, his right hand plunged into his robes.
"Haruto, move! This is a technique meant to work in tandem with Edo Tensei! Even Susanoo won't withstand it!"
Tobirama's voice thundered with urgency. He was genuinely trying to warn Haruto to flee.
But to his shock, Haruto didn't move at all. He stood rooted, calm as ever.
"Damn it, Haruto! What are you doing just standing there!?"
Tobirama's voice grew frantic. "My brother may have been the God of Shinobi, but the techniques I created are no less destructive! Use the Body Flicker, now!"
His warning turned into a roar, but his hand was already in motion. The explosive tag flew from his grip.
Thanks to Edo Tensei, even if Tobirama was blown apart into dust, he would simply reform. He had no reason to evade his own attack.
"This technique is my creation—the Tandem Explosive Tags! An A-rank jutsu of infinite detonation. A single tag will endlessly summon trillions more, chaining explosions without end, striking the same target again and again!"
Tobirama's voice rang out even as he cast his jutsu, explaining the horrors of his invention.
But Haruto still didn't move.
BOOM!
The first explosion went off, birthing smoke and summoning a fresh set of tags.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Just as Tobirama had claimed, each detonation instantly called forth another, creating an endless, cascading inferno that battered Haruto's Susanoo, drowning him in a storm of destruction.
The dense black smoke rolled outward, sealing away every path of escape. Even Tobirama himself was caught in the chain blasts, his body ripped apart again and again, only to reform.
The cloud grew, thicker and darker, until Haruto's Susanoo vanished from sight, swallowed whole.
"That… that's the Tandem Explosive Tags…"
Kakashi's lone Sharingan confirmed it from afar, and a storm raged in his heart.
Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and the others nearby were equally shaken, their faces pale with disbelief.
They had seen this technique before. Back in the Land of Waves, Haruto had used this very jutsu to annihilate Hidan, the immortal.
If it could destroy even an undying body… then Haruto's chances here were grim.
"No…"
Kakashi instinctively moved forward, but Yamato's hand clamped around his arm, shaking his head urgently.
"With destruction on this scale… we'd never even get close."
The explosions raged for over half an hour before at last they began to die down.
Scraps of paper drifted through the air from every direction, gathering together and stitching Tobirama's body whole once again. He descended slowly from the sky, his gaze fixed on the towering mushroom cloud still rising before him.
His heart sank.
Even though his Edo Tensei form could never rival his living strength, the Tandem Explosive Tags were different. They unleashed devastation regardless of his state.
By all rights, even Susanoo could not withstand it.
Haruto had been far too confident.
"Damn it…"
Tobirama cursed under his breath, grief heavy in his chest.
But then—
A massive chakra blade tore through the heart of the mushroom cloud, gleaming like a storm of divine fire, and in an instant, it pierced straight through Tobirama's body.