For colossal giants like Metroplex and the World Tree, standard ninjutsu attacks were completely meaningless.
Throwing water jutsu at them was like trying to drown an ocean. A volcanic eruption might as well be a warm massage.
Even towering Earth Release mountains were nothing more than pebbles crunching under their massive feet.
Genjutsu was even more of a joke against a machine of this scale. Only the most raw, physical devastation could actually leave a dent.
Knowing this, Hashirama and Madara had completely abandoned standard ninjutsu, resorting to brutally hacking away at Metroplex with sheer force. It was a grinding, apocalyptic battle of raw durability, monstrous chakra reserves, and pure senjutsu.
So, no one expected Mufasa to suddenly flip the script. In one devastating stroke, the mecha utilized actual ninjutsu to decapitate the World Tree.
Could a giant puppet cast jutsu? Apparently, yes. But seeing a mountain-sized machine weaving E-Rank hand seals felt absurd to the point of absolute madness.
With the World Tree's colossal head blown completely off its shoulders, the Allied Shinobi Forces finally broke. Panic erupted, and the army began to flee en masse.
"Grandfather!" Tsunade screamed, surging forward to help.
Jiraiya quickly grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back. "Whoa, don't do anything reckless! Those stubborn old ghosts can't be killed that easily anyway."
Nearby, Hiruzen Sarutobi shot his former student a dark, bewildered glare. 'Bastard, what kind of reassurance is that?'
Smack!
Tsunade violently punched Jiraiya in the face. It wasn't the time for his terrible jokes, even if he was technically right. She turned her anxious, trembling gaze back to the ruined battlefield.
Far above the chaos, the Great Toad Sage felt a cold dread settle in his ancient bones. He couldn't just sit and watch anymore.
Mount Myoboku's power alone wasn't going to be enough; this child of chaos was simply too powerful. He slowly shifted his gaze to the small, blue-and-white slug resting near Tsunade's boots.
"Katsuyu," the Sage croaked, his voice heavy with grim certainty. "The shinobi world is facing utter extinction. Shikkotsu Forest can no longer afford to stay out of this."
The small slug, a mere avatar of the true Slug Sage, bobbed its head in agreement. "Great Toad Sage, your words hold weight. Allow me to assist."
Poof!
Thick white smoke billowed as the tiny slug instantaneously expanded into a gelatinous, hill-sized behemoth. A second later, the massive Katsuyu split apart, raining down countless smaller slugs.
The tiny clones immediately swarmed toward the ruined World Tree, forming a dense, flowing river of pale blue and white across the blackened earth.
The Great Toad Sage turned to his attendants, Fukasaku and Shima. "Keep a close eye on the battlefield. I will be right back."
Poof!
With another burst of chakra smoke, the ancient sage and Gamabunta, who was acting as his mount, vanished from the front lines.
Mere seconds later, they materialized deep underground in a suffocatingly dark, humid, and freezing cavern. The oppressive, damp air of the cave made Gamabunta immediately uncomfortable.
The massive toad shifted his weight nervously, his hand drifting toward his colossal tanto.
"Great Sage... where exactly are we?" Gamabunta muttered, his deep voice echoing off the slick stone walls.
"This is Ryuchi Cave," the old toad replied calmly. It was the legendary snake sanctuary, equal in status to Mount Myoboku itself.
Hiss...
The sinister sound of scales slithering against wet stone echoed from the pitch-black tunnels. Suddenly, dozens of glowing red eyes snapped open in the darkness, floating like blood-colored lanterns.
Schwing!
Gamabunta instantly drew his giant blade, his muscles tensing as he glared at the sheer swarm of serpents surrounding them.
Hiss...
The sea of red eyes slowly parted. A massive, horrifyingly pale serpent slithered forward, smoke curling from the ornate kiseru pipe clamped in her fangs. It was the White Snake Sage.
"Sssss... Old toad," she hissed, her voice dripping with venomous amusement. "Don't you know how much I absolutely despise you? Coming into my den alone... I might just lose control and eat you alive."
The Great Toad Sage let out a raspy, booming laugh. "If you still can't control your primal urges, then your senjutsu mastery is still a step behind mine. You aren't capable of eating me."
Snakes ate toads, and toads ate snakes—it was the basic law of nature. But to achieve true Sagehood, an animal had to perfectly suppress those wild, beastly instincts.
Unlike humans, who constantly fought to break free from the societal chains of morality, law, and status, a beast had to intentionally shackle its own violent nature to harness natural energy.
The White Snake Sage's eyes narrowed. The old toad's words had hit a nerve, accurately calling out her lower state of enlightenment. But she would never admit it out loud.
"Fine then," the White Snake Sage snapped, exhaling a thick plume of purple smoke. "Why have you intruded upon Ryuchi Cave? Speak quickly. I have better things to do."
"Ryuchi Cave has a standing contract with Sunagakure," the Great Toad Sage began calmly. "I assume you are fully aware of their current military strength."
The White Snake Sage let out a contemptuous scoff. "Hmph. If you came all this way just to sow discord between us, don't waste your breath. Ryuchi Cave's arrangement with Sunagakure has been extremely pleasant."
In truth, 'pleasant' was a massive understatement. Sunagakure provided massive amounts of chakra and endless supplies of high-quality food—everything short of human sacrifices.
The snakes practically lived in absolute luxury without having to lift a single scale. The competition to be summoned by the Sand Ninja was so fierce that brutal brawls regularly broke out in the lower tunnels. As the undisputed ruler of the cave, the White Snake Sage reaped the absolute best of those benefits.
The Great Toad Sage had already anticipated this stubborn defense. He let out a dry, rattling cough.
"Heh. White Snake, are you truly willing to betray the entire shinobi world and let it burn just for some extra offerings?"
"Watch your tongue, you decrepit toad!" the White Snake Sage hissed, her scales bristling with sudden fury. "Don't act high and mighty just because you're jealous of my comfortable arrangement! It is a standard summoning contract. How dare you accuse me of treason?"
She slithered closer, bearing her venomous fangs. "Mount Myoboku has been firmly in bed with Konoha since the very beginning! You have absolutely no right to criticize me!"
The Great Toad Sage's expression remained completely unreadable. "Mount Myoboku's alliance with Konoha was forged to maintain peace and stability. So long as the great tree of Konoha stood firm, the shinobi world remained safe from total collapse."
His glowing, ancient eyes hardened. "But Sunagakure is entirely different. They have completely crossed the boundaries of what this world can endure. Don't just sit in the dark and pretend the sky isn't falling. Look for yourself."
The old toad slowly pulled out his scrying crystal ball. The polished glass flared to life, projecting the horrific clash between the Allied Shinobi Forces and Sunagakure.
The moment the colossal Metroplex stood up on the battlefield, projecting an aura of mechanical godhood, the White Snake Sage froze.
Her kiseru pipe slipped from her fangs, clattering loudly against the cold stone floor.
"Nani...?" she whispered, utterly dumbfounded. "Incredible..."