Boom!
The moment the wooden giant's massive fist collided with Susanoo's colossal blade, the residual force generated by their impact raged wildly across the earth like an unstoppable hurricane of destruction. The sheer magnitude of power being unleashed defied all normal understanding of what ninja techniques could accomplish.
The mountains surrounding the two titans gradually began developing deep cracks and fissures under the relentless shockwaves that radiated outward from their battle. Ancient stone formations that had stood for millennia were being systematically torn apart by forces that operated on a scale beyond mortal comprehension.
The ground beneath their feet collapsed instantly, creating massive craters and ravines that reshaped the entire landscape. This whole region of the world seemed to be thrown into absolute chaos under the influence of such overwhelming power.
Even Black Zetsu and White Zetsu, who had been observing the battle from what they had considered a safe distance, were forced to quickly dive underground when the explosive energies were released. The destructive potential of the battle had exceeded even their enhanced tolerance for dangerous situations.
Only after the initial shockwave had gradually faded away did they dare to cautiously emerge and continue their surveillance of the legendary confrontation.
"What absolutely terrifying power," White Zetsu marveled, his voice carrying genuine amazement and a note of fear.
This was the first time he had witnessed a collision of forces operating at this incredible level of magnitude. While he had observed Madara's previous battle against Minato, and understood intellectually that their power levels had been comparable to what was being displayed now, there was something fundamentally different about watching two colossal giants engage in combat.
The battle between these mountain-sized entities was obviously far more visually impactful and psychologically overwhelming than even the most intense human-scale confrontations.
Massive chunks of sawdust and wooden debris continued falling from the wooden giant's damaged fist, but the First Hokage showed no concern for the superficial damage. The enormous dragon that was coiled around the wooden man's arm released a thunderous roar and launched itself toward Madara's perfect Susanoo with predatory intent.
When Madara observed this attack, he immediately commanded his Susanoo to extend its free hand toward the incoming wooden dragon, preparing to intercept and counter the assault before it could reach its target.
However, the First Hokage had anticipated this defensive maneuver. Standing atop his wooden giant with his hands clasped together in focused concentration, he directed his creation to respond with coordinated precision.
The wooden man's other hand immediately descended to restrain Susanoo's reaching arm, preventing Madara from effectively blocking the dragon's approach. The tactical coordination between Hashirama and his technique demonstrated the incredible level of control he maintained even during such intense combat.
"That technique is quite impressive," Madara admitted with grudging respect, though his tone remained casual and confident.
He understood that he could only make accurate judgments about his opponent's current capabilities through direct combat experience. The First Hokage had been resurrected using Mukade's modified genetic material combined with the original Hashirama's cells, creating a reanimated warrior whose strength nearly equaled what he had possessed during his lifetime.
The First Hokage was also carefully observing Madara's every movement and reaction, analyzing his opponent's fighting style and looking for potential weaknesses. When he noticed the leisurely smile that remained on Madara's face despite the intensity of their battle, he couldn't help but frown with concern.
This level of confidence suggested that Madara was holding back significant power, treating this legendary confrontation as little more than an interesting exercise rather than a life-or-death struggle.
Roar!
The wooden dragon released another deafening roar as it spiraled around the body of Madara's perfect Susanoo, its massive form coiling like a serpent preparing to crush its prey. The technique was designed to both physically restrain the target and drain its chakra through direct contact.
Bang!
Just as the dragon was about to apply crushing force and complete its restraining technique, it was suddenly struck by a devastating counterattack that caught even the First Hokage off guard.
The entire enormous dragon body was blown away from Susanoo's form and sent crashing back toward the wooden giant, its binding technique completely disrupted by the unexpected assault.
"What happened?" the First Hokage exclaimed, his pupils contracting with shock and confusion.
At this crucial moment, both of the wooden man's hands were engaged in wrestling with Susanoo's arms, making it impossible for him to free them quickly enough to defend against the returning dragon.
"Wood Release!" Hashirama called out, rapidly changing his hand seal sequence to activate a defensive jutsu.
Wood began growing at supernatural speed around the area where the First Hokage stood atop his giant, forming protective barriers in response to his chakra manipulation. The wooden structures quickly shaped themselves into a reinforced shield that enclosed the First Hokage within multiple layers of protection.
Bang!
The next moment, the wooden dragon's massive body slammed heavily into the wooden giant's torso, its own head striking with tremendous force against the very creature it had been meant to protect.
Such a devastating blow from the dragon's own mass caused numerous deep cracks to appear throughout the wooden man's structure, compromising its integrity and fighting capability.
"Hashirama, you've become careless!" Madara laughed with genuine amusement at his opponent's predicament.
With the wooden giant temporarily destabilized and no longer under the First Hokage's complete control, it could no longer match the overwhelming power of Madara's perfect Susanoo. The balance of the battle had shifted decisively in Madara's favor.
The enormous blade held in Susanoo's grip thrust upward with irresistible force, directly shattering the wooden man's damaged fist and sending fragments flying in all directions. The blade then reversed its motion while Susanoo's other hand simultaneously seized the wooden giant's shoulder with crushing strength.
Susanoo's second hand grasped the wooden man's opposite arm, establishing a perfect grip for what was to follow. The perfect Susanoo then executed a technique that seemed impossible given the scale involved—a shoulder throw that treated the mountain-sized wooden giant as if it were a normal opponent.
As if lifting an entire mountain range, Susanoo pulled the wooden man up and hurled it with tremendous force over its shoulder. The massive wooden body crashed into the mountain range behind it, and the impact instantly caused multiple peaks to collapse and shatter.
Boom! Boom!
The enormous projectile smashed through several mountains in succession, leaving deep gullies and chasms that extended for several kilometers across the landscape. The entire regional terrain was permanently altered by the force of this single devastating throw.
However, Madara's assault was far from finished. After successfully launching the wooden giant away from him, his perfect Susanoo gripped its colossal blade tightly with both hands and raised the weapon high above its head in preparation for a finishing strike.
Rumble!
The giant blade descended with the force of a falling meteor, tearing through the air itself and creating a visible sword trail that cut toward the wooden man's position. The attack carried enough power to split mountains and carve new valleys into the earth.
The First Hokage reappeared atop his damaged wooden giant, his expression grim with determination as he recognized the lethal intent behind Madara's technique. Without hesitation, he formed another complex hand seal sequence.
Boom! Boom!
The already devastated ground around him cracked and split even further as towering trees erupted from the earth with explosive force. These enormous wooden structures grew at supernatural speed, forming an elliptical protective wall that surrounded and shielded the wounded wooden man.
"Wood Release: Wood Pillar Wall!" Hashirama declared, directing massive amounts of chakra into creating the strongest defensive barrier he could manage under these circumstances.
Madara's sword strike fell with devastating effect, leaving a deep, sharp mark across the surface of the wooden wall. For a moment, the two forces remained locked in a stalemate as the defensive technique struggled to contain the overwhelming power of Susanoo's attack.
After several tense seconds, the wooden wall finally succumbed to the assault and shattered into countless massive fragments that rained down across the battlefield like a storm of debris.
The wooden man was revealed kneeling on one knee amid the devastated landscape, and the First Hokage assumed the same posture atop his creation. He raised his eyes to look at Madara, who stood confidently on top of his Susanoo, gazing down at his defeated opponent with the satisfied expression of someone who had finally achieved a long-sought victory.
"Even the power of your Susanoo has become dramatically stronger," the First Hokage observed, his voice carrying a mixture of grudging admiration and deep concern.
He stared at Madara with troubled eyes, understanding that the strength of Susanoo was directly dependent on the ocular power of its caster. Although Madara currently possessed only one Rinnegan, his eye power had grown far beyond what it had been during their legendary battle at the Valley of the End.
The wooden man technique, which had once been capable of suppressing and defeating Madara's Susanoo, was no longer sufficient to match his enhanced abilities.
"Hashirama, you can no longer hope to stop me," Madara declared, though he made an effort to suppress the emotions in his voice. "Surrender your consciousness to me and end this futile resistance."
Despite his attempts at maintaining composure, there was still unmistakable satisfaction visible in his eyes. Although the path to this moment had been long and filled with unexpected challenges, he had finally achieved decisive victory over the man who had been his greatest rival.
The years of struggle and conflict between them had finally reached their conclusion, with Madara emerging as the ultimate victor.
"If Madara possesses such incredible power, and yet someone is still capable of stopping him..." the First Hokage murmured, his expression showing a mixture of amazement and profound relief.
The knowledge that there existed ninja in the current generation who could challenge someone of Madara's capabilities filled him with hope for the future, even as he faced his own defeat.
"The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, is indeed extraordinarily powerful," White Zetsu commented from his observation position. "But it appears that Madara has proven to be even stronger. I believe this battle has been decided."
Black Zetsu shook his head with a knowing smile, his expression suggesting that he understood something his friend had missed. "While Madara is certainly stronger than before, the true power of the First Hokage extends far beyond what we have witnessed so far."
"By deliberately giving the First Hokage time to concentrate and gather his energy, Madara has revealed something important about his motivations. It seems that in his heart, he still desires to compete with Hashirama on equal terms—to prove his superiority through overwhelming victory rather than mere tactical advantage."
The perfect Susanoo continued its slow, deliberate approach toward the exhausted wooden man, but notably did not launch an immediate finishing attack. This restraint suggested that Madara was still invested in the emotional significance of their confrontation.
Atop the wooden giant, the First Hokage looked up at his approaching opponent and spoke with grave seriousness. "Madara, what is your ultimate purpose in all of this?"
"What did you discover on that stone tablet that drove you to such extremes?"
Madara's response was delivered with calm finality: "When this world reaches its inevitable end, you will understand everything."
The First Hokage's expression finally shifted from concern to cold determination. He had heard enough to understand that reasoning with Madara was no longer possible—if it ever had been.
Without warning, he suddenly pressed his palms together in the preparatory stance for his most powerful technique.
Whoosh!
The natural energy present in the surrounding environment—in the sky above, the earth below, and even suspended in the air itself—began gathering frantically toward the First Hokage's position. The scale of energy absorption was so massive that it created visible distortions in the atmosphere.
As enormous quantities of natural energy continued flowing into the First Hokage's body, strange markings gradually appeared on his handsome face, creating intricate patterns that resembled cracks in ancient stone. The transformation indicated that he was entering a level of Sage Mode that far exceeded normal limitations.
The black pupils of the First Hokage underwent their own dramatic transformation, shifting to reflect the incredible power he was channeling.
"Sage Art: Wood Release: True Thousand Hands!" Hashirama declared, his voice echoing across the battlefield with supernatural authority.
The vast amount of energy that had been gathering within his body suddenly exploded outward in a display of power that defied all previous understanding of what ninja techniques could accomplish.
Boom!
The already devastated landscape was shaken once again by forces that seemed to operate on a geological scale. The ground, which had already been shattered by their previous exchanges, fractured even further under the pressure of this ultimate technique.
Beneath the feet of the wooden man, an even more colossal giant began rising from the earth itself. This new creation was so enormous that it dwarfed everything else on the battlefield—the perfect Susanoo, the surrounding mountains, and indeed the very landscape itself seemed insignificant in comparison.
The True Thousand Hands was not merely a technique; it was a manifestation of natural power that approached the level of divine intervention. Its scale was so vast that it seemed capable of reshaping entire continents.
Madara raised his eyelids slightly as he gazed up at the incredible giant that now loomed above him, and gradually, the corners of his mouth turned upward in an expression of genuine excitement and anticipation.
Finally, he would face the First Hokage's ultimate power—the technique that had defined him as the God of Shinobi and the pinnacle of what human ninja could achieve.