"Are you kidding me? Mere wood..."
Not only the Three Calamities, the Flying Six, and the Third Raikage were dumbfounded, but even Kaido himself was shocked by the defensive power of the Sage Art Wood Release: Hōbi Technique.
If his normal-state Three Worlds Ragnaraku had been blocked, then Kaido would definitely not have been surprised at all.
But the key was that this move was a serious blow from Kaido, a serious blow from his dragon-human form.
Also made of wood, the mangrove trees of the Sabaody Archipelago, if hit by Kaido's Three Worlds Ragnaraku, would have snapped on the spot, just like being hit by Kizaru's light-speed kick.
However, the area and size of the Sage Art Wood Release: Hōbi Technique, compared to the mangrove trees of the Sabaody Archipelago, were dozens of times smaller.
Yet such a small wooden shield had completely blocked Kaido's blow, which was infused with Conqueror's Haki Infusion and his fruit ability.
Facing the full-power Third Raikage, even if he had been slightly injured, Kaido, who had a high and mighty appearance, couldn't help but be shocked.
"Sage Art Wood Release: Silent Killing Binding Technique!"
While Kaido was shocked, the demon-faced mask in front of him suddenly opened like a door.
Then, several branches extended from inside and, like pythons, bound towards Kaido.
Whoosh—!
As if he had sensed something, Kaido's seven-meter-one huge body transformed into an afterimage and disappeared, causing the binding branches to miss.
In fact, it was fortunate that he had escaped a little faster, otherwise the price would have been more than just that.
The most terrifying thing about Wood Release was not just its area-of-effect attacks, but also its sealing ability, which was second only to the Rinnegan and which even the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan could not compare to.
The reason why the Uzumaki clan was destroyed was because the various countries and great ninja villages feared their sealing jutsu.
However, at the end of the Warring States period, the person who was best at sealing jutsu was not the Uzumaki clan, nor was it Mito Uzumaki, but Hashirama Senju.
It wasn't just the branches that had the attribute of absorbing chakra; almost every move of the Wood Release developed by Hashirama Senju had a sealing ability.
It was precisely because of this terrifying chakra absorption and sealing ability that Hashirama Senju had become the God of Shinobi who could single-handedly beat the complete Nine-Tails and always completely dominate Madara Uchiha.
Kaido, who had successfully extracted chakra, once he was bound by these branches, as strong as he was, would also have his chakra mercilessly absorbed.
What was even more terrifying was that the chakra would not only strengthen the binding branches.
As long as Hashirama Senju, the strongest "charging station" in the ninja world, continuously infused chakra into the branches, these branches would be like the "Chains of Heaven" that were a counter to divine treasures. The stronger a person's divinity, the more impossible it would be for them to break free from the restraint.
Even Kaido would have to expend a great deal of effort to break free from these branches.
So, dodging was definitely a smart move.
Seeing his surprise attack miss, Hashirama Senju did not control the branches to chase after him. He looked at Kaido, who had appeared not far away with a body flicker, with a smile and praised, "That magical power, is it the Haki of your world? It's really very similar to my chakra, especially that blow just now that was wreathed in black lightning. If I, in my lifetime, had taken that blow head-on, I would have been seriously injured."
"The physical constitution and taijutsu of these otherworldly people are several levels ahead of our world."
"But..."
His tone paused, and Hashirama Senju continued with a smile, "I've sensed a chakra fluctuation on you."
"Combining the power systems of two worlds is a great advantage for you, but for me, it is also an advantage!"
"Since you are unwilling to retreat, then I will not be polite."
After finishing, a powerful Sage Art chakra fluctuation suddenly erupted from Hashirama Senju's body.
His long black hair was blown back by the storm formed by the Sage Art chakra fluctuation.
Rumble rumble...
Immediately after, the entire battlefield suddenly produced a tremor that was not strong, but everyone could feel it.
"Sage Art Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
The next second, a giant wood dragon, enhanced by Sage Art chakra, suddenly tore through the earth and roared out from the crack.
"Roar..."
A deafening dragon's roar came from the mouth of the giant wood dragon.
"...It's actually a dragon!"
Looking at the giant wood dragon created by Hashirama Senju with his Wood Release, the faces of the Three Calamities and the others changed drastically again...
Because under the perception of their Observation Haki, this wood dragon also contained a very terrifying energy fluctuation.
As if... it were a giant dragon formed by the great sea.
"Roar..."
Seeing this giant wood dragon, Kaido, equally unwilling to show weakness, let out a deafening dragon's roar.
Then his dragon-human form's body, in the eyes of the people, twisted and elongated in an abstract way.
The next moment, a scene that made the Kage and the numerous cloud ninjas show a look of horror appeared.
The originally seven-meter-one Kaido had transformed into a several-hundred-meter-long azure dragon, coiling in the sky above the battlefield.
It was daytime, but the pirates and ninjas on the battlefield found that the sky had darkened.
Because they were all under Kaido's shadow.
"How amazing! He can actually turn into a dragon..."
Looking at Kaido, who had transformed into an azure dragon, Hashirama Senju said with a look of amazement, "This size, even the tailed beasts are far inferior. Is this the Devil Fruit of another world?!"
Although he was marveling, there was not the slightest panic on Hashirama Senju's face.
He calmly looked around and reminded everyone without distinction, "Ninjas, pirates, if you don't want to get hurt, retreat quickly. The upcoming battle is not something you can watch from a close distance."
After finishing, Hashirama Senju once again slapped his hands together, "Sage Art..."
"Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!"
Rumble rumble...
A tremor that surpassed the previous one quickly swept across the entire battlefield.
The ninjas and pirates who had received Hashirama Senju's reminder and were quickly retreating, their body flicker and running sounds wavered slightly, their sense of balance stolen by this strong tremor.
Immediately after, another giant shadow, like a great mountain, covered the entire battlefield.
A wooden arhat rose from the ground.
A giant wood dragon was coiled around its body. It was the unsolvable combination that had beaten Madara Uchiha's Perfect Susanoo, forcing him to capture the Nine-Tails and find a helper before he dared to challenge Hashirama Senju again—the Wood Golem + Dragon.