'Boom, boom, boom!'
Wood Style spread wildly across the battlefield, but Madara destroyed it with ease. An immense repulsive force swept outward, preventing the branches and vines from approaching him and shattering them into countless fragments.
"Wood Style."
Madara's gaze involuntarily shifted toward Tsunade. This woman had actually awakened Wood Style, and she had even incorporated Senjutsu into it.
"Is it because of that guy? He can actually do something like this."
Madara narrowed his eyes. He naturally understood the reason. That man who had arrived from another space-time had left something within Tsunade.
What surprised Madara was not Tsunade's current strength, but the fact that Seiryū could actually raise her strength to this level. The ability to do something like that alone was enough to show just how terrifying he was.
"So it really is Wood Style. Not only did he allow me to use Senjutsu, he even awakened Wood Style within me? That 'partner' of mine from another space-time really is unfathomable."
Tsunade herself was equally surprised. After entering this state, she had vaguely felt a new power awakening within her.
A Kekkei Genkai.
Wood Style.
And just as she expected, that power had truly awakened. Without the slightest hesitation, she had immediately used it in battle.
"Tsunade, what exactly is going on?"
Hashirama flashed to his granddaughter's side, looking at her with obvious curiosity. She had been unable to use Wood Style only moments ago, so how had she suddenly awakened it?
"I'm not entirely sure either. Maybe the Senjutsu Chakra caused my Wood Style to awaken. It should have something to do with him."
That was all Tsunade could explain.
"Him?"
Hashirama's gaze involuntarily shifted toward the distant battlefield. Even from this far away, the terrifying commotion created by Seiryū and Isshiki still left him deeply shocked.
A battle between beings at the level of Sages.
"A shinobi from another space-time. But why doesn't someone like him exist in our world?"
"I'm not sure either."
Tsunade shook her head. That question was indeed strange. The other space-time had her, the others, and even Isshiki. This world also had all of them.
The only person missing was Seiryū.
Could it be that he had not been born yet?
No, that seemed unlikely. Seiryū had said he was friends with Obito, which meant the two should belong to roughly the same generation.
And he had also claimed to be Rin's boyfriend.
Hmm?
Rin's boyfriend?
Hadn't he also said he was her partner in that other space-time?
Tsunade suddenly seemed to realize something, and her fists inexplicably tightened.
"Now isn't the time to discuss this. If you have questions, ask them later. Our priority is defeating Madara!"
Tobirama flashed over as well, his tone grave. Madara was simply too powerful right now. Even while fighting all of them at once, he still held the advantage.
Defeating him came first.
"I understand, Second Grandfather!"
Tsunade suppressed the strange thoughts in her mind and nodded firmly.
Hashirama looked at her and said, "Tsunade, I'll guide you in using Wood Style. If we combine our Chakra, we may be able to use that technique."
"All right!"
Nearby, Naruto looked at the panting Sasuke and scratched his head.
"Uh, Sasuke, how about you sit this one out for now? Otherwise, I'm going to have to keep saving you."
"Your Rinnegan was borrowed by Sage Seiryū, so you're not really a match for Madara right now. Why don't you rest for a bit?"
Sasuke said nothing, but his frustration only grew stronger.
This idiot was actually looking down on him now!
But without his Rinnegan, Sasuke really could not contribute as much as before.
"Worry about yourself. Since when have I ever needed you to save me?"
Sasuke's pride would never allow him to retreat without a fight, so he immediately shot back.
"But."
Naruto was about to say more when Minato interrupted from the side.
"That's enough, Naruto. Although Sasuke's Rinnegan was... borrowed, his strength still shouldn't be underestimated. The best choice is for everyone to work together against Madara."
"Fine."
What else could Naruto say?
He was only worried about Sasuke.
"Hmph."
Sasuke snorted and said nothing more.
"I don't have time to waste on all of you. No matter who stands in my way, none of you will stop me!"
Madara did not dare waste any more time. He formed a hand seal and spoke in a low voice.
"Tengai Shinsei!"
'Boom!'
Several enormous meteorites appeared high in the sky, blazing as they plummeted toward the battlefield like falling stars. The piercing sound of their descent caused everyone's pupils to contract.
If those meteorites struck the ground, there was no doubt that the surrounding landscape would be completely reshaped.
"Stop them!"
No one knew who shouted first, but every powerful shinobi on the battlefield moved at once. Ninjutsu erupted from every direction as they attempted to destroy or divert the falling meteorites.
'Rumble!!'
Explosions erupted high in the sky. Brilliant light illuminated the battlefield, while the resulting shockwaves crashed downward like violent winds and sent dust surging across the ground.
"Tsunade!"
"I understand, Great-Grandfather!"
"Sage Art: Wood Style: True Several Thousand Hands!"
Hashirama and Tsunade were blood relatives, so their Chakra had little rejection toward each other. By combining their power, they unleashed the strongest form of Wood Style together.
'Boom, boom, boom!'
The earth shook violently as an enormous wooden Buddha rose from the ground, even larger than the Ten-Tails they had faced earlier. A thousand arms spread in an orderly array behind it, and the overwhelming Chakra emanating from the construct was enough that even someone at the Six Paths level could not afford to ignore it.
"Wood Style: Top Transformed Buddha!"
Their voices rang out together.
The thousand arms of the massive wooden Buddha moved at once and hammered toward Madara. Every fist carried enough force to shatter the air, and the momentum of the attack was terrifying.
"Get out of my way!"
Madara's expression remained cold. A Truth-Seeking Ball transformed into the Sword of Nunoboko in his hand, and under his control, the weapon extended to over a hundred meters in length.
Gripping it with both hands, Madara swung downward with tremendous force.
One wooden fist after another was shattered apart.
'Boom, boom, boom!'
The explosions came one after another without pause. Shockwaves rolled across the battlefield while the earth trembled beneath the repeated impacts, making it impossible for anyone else to approach.
"That kind of technique is already useless against me, Hashirama!"
After blocking the strongest Wood Style attack, Madara's lips curled into a cold smile.
"There's only one outcome waiting for all of you. Defeat!"
"Chibaku Tensei!"
Madara's Rinnegan shone brightly as a small black sphere rose from his palm and flew into the sky. The tiny sphere seemed to contain overwhelming gravitational power, enough to distort the surrounding space.
Then the black sphere began to radiate an invisible force across the battlefield. A terrifying pull spread downward, attempting to drag everything beneath it into the sky.
"Not good! It's that technique!"
Naruto's expression changed immediately. He had seen Chibaku Tensei several times before and knew exactly how dangerous it was.
"Destroy the core! Don't let it fully activate!"
"Kamui!"
At that moment, another voice cut through the air.
A sky-blue Perfect Susanoo flew toward the battlefield.
Standing within the crystal on its forehead was Kakashi.
The Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye spun rapidly, blood running from the corner of his eye as Kamui activated.
The Space-Time Dōjutsu, powerful enough to tear apart even Truth-Seeking Balls, locked onto the core of Chibaku Tensei and twisted the surrounding space.
Before Madara's technique could fully activate, its core was torn away and destroyed.
Before his death, Obito had entrusted the power of both Mangekyō Sharingan to Kakashi.
Carrying Obito's final will, Kakashi entered the battlefield!
(To be continued.)