"Wood Release: Hōbi Technique."
Amid the raging flames, a massive wooden shield, shaped like a ferocious demon's face, completely enveloped Hashirama.
Against this shield—sturdy enough to withstand a fully powered slash from Armored Susanoo—Nagato's Great Fire Destruction was utterly ineffective.
It managed only to char the shield's surface before losing all momentum.
"Summoning: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
A smirk appeared on Nagato's face. With a puff of smoke, the towering Demonic Statue of the Outer Path materialized in the battlefield—a monstrous entity that had already absorbed three Tailed Beasts.
Its colossal form and overwhelming presence immediately drew the attention of everyone around.
Before they could even process their shock, the statue's mouth gaped open, and chains radiating an eerie purple light shot out—directly toward the Two-Tails.
So that was his plan. The fire jutsu had been nothing more than a diversion—Nagato's real target had always been the Two-Tails.
"You won't get away with this!"
With a thunderous crash, the wooden shield split apart. Hashirama emerged, his eyes burning with fury as he saw the Two-Tails being dragged toward the Demonic Statue's gaping maw.
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
With a resounding roar, an enormous wooden giant surged from the earth.
Standing atop its head, Hashirama guided the massive figure forward. The wooden giant's hands shot out, seizing the purple chains with a powerful grip.
The force emanating from the chains was immense—enough to drag the giant itself forward.
Yet Hashirama stood firm, his stance unshaken as if his feet were rooted in place.
Veins bulged across his forehead as he gritted his teeth, his determination unwavering.
As long as he stood, he would never allow the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to claim another Tailed Beast.
The statue seemed to sense the resistance. A sinister gleam flickered within its hollow eyes, and the pulling force on the chains intensified.
The very air around them twisted under the immense pressure, winds howling, dust and debris swirling violently.
The Two-Tails thrashed within the chains, its furious roars tinged with fear.
Mito and Tobirama tried to intervene, but they were already overwhelmed.
The moment Reto regained his freedom, he immediately rejoined the battle against them.
Two against three had already been a struggle. Now, Mito and Tobirama found themselves in even greater peril.
"Hashirama, do you really think you can stop me?"
"The power of the Tailed Beasts will be mine. They will become tools in my hands to reshape the world."
Nagato's voice echoed from atop the Demonic Statue, laced with mockery.
"You're insane, Madara."
"What you're doing will only lead to destruction."
Hashirama bellowed in defiance, pouring even more chakra into the wooden giant.
Its massive arms flexed, swelling with power as the wooden grain grew denser and more pronounced.
The once-sliding giant finally ground to a halt, holding its ground against the Demonic Statue's relentless pull.
"That's just your opinion."
"Five Release: Great Combo Technique!"
Nagato split into four shadow clones, and together, the five of them formed different hand seals.
In an instant, five powerful elemental jutsu merged into one, launching toward the Wooden Giant.
The multicolored energy sphere resembled a cataclysmic meteor from the sky, infused with the violent power of all five elements combined.
Boom!
A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield, as if a divine hammer had descended upon the earth.
The massive Wooden Giant was blasted backward, carving a deep trench across the ground.
Through the swirling dust and debris, half of its body had been completely obliterated.
Shattered wooden fragments rained down, each piece still carrying the lingering force of the explosion.
Under Madara's control, the Five Release: Great Combo Technique was on an entirely different level compared to when Nagato had used it himself.
It was a fundamental leap in power—the difference between a gentle stream and a raging tsunami.
With the Wooden Giant crippled, it could no longer hold onto the chains.
Freed from resistance, the purple chain slithered like a living serpent back toward the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Hashirama's eyes widened, filled with anger and unwillingness.
Yet all he could do was watch as the Two-Tails was dragged closer and closer to the statue's gaping maw.
The beast thrashed wildly, its desperate roars echoing across the battlefield.
But against such an overwhelming force, its resistance was meaningless.
The Demonic Statue's hollow eyes seemed to gleam with excitement, eager to consume its prey.
"I told you... you can't stop me."
Nagato smirked arrogantly. Though it was his face, the expression belonged entirely to Madara.
Just as he thought everything was settled—
Crack!
A sharp, crystalline sound rang out as the purple chains snapped in two.
In the blink of an eye, the Two-Tails, once suspended in midair, crashed to the ground, sending dust billowing into the sky.
"Sorry I'm late."
Before the voice had even faded, a silver streak of light pierced through the thick smoke, shining like the first light of dawn.
A figure appeared atop the Wooden Giant, which, despite its broken state, still stood tall.
He wielded a long sword, faint arcs of lightning dancing across its blade. Red marks, identical to Hashirama's, was etched across his face.
Who else could it be but Kawakaze?
"Well done."
Hashirama clapped Kawakaze on the shoulder, pleased. This flashy grandson-in-law wasn't half bad.
"Kawakaze Hatake... so you've finally decided to show yourself."
Nagato watched as the Two-Tails fled in panic, but he made no move to stop it. He knew that with both Kawakaze and Hashirama here, he wouldn't succeed so easily.
"You killed my disciple... and enslaved his soul."
"I swear—I'll kill you again."
Kawakaze raised his sword, pointing it directly at Nagato, his killing intent radiating without restraint.
"Hahaha~"
"You?!"
"You think I'm still that frail old man, clinging to life?"
"What a joke!"
"Even if you two join forces, you're still no match for me!"
Nagato laughed, but his face quickly twisted into something far more menacing.
His overwhelming confidence made it seem as if he were the ruler of this battlefield.
"Grandfather, go help them. I'll handle things here."
Kawakaze quickly assessed the situation—Byakuren had intercepted the Two-Tails, giving Tobirama and Mito a moment to catch their breath.
But the fluttering paper scraps in the air told a grim story—they were still sustaining injuries every second.
If not for their reanimated bodies, they would have already fallen.
"Alright. Be careful."
Hashirama nodded solemnly. He had no doubt in Kawakaze's strength.
As Kawakaze leaped toward the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Hashirama turned, commanding his fully restored Wooden Giant toward Tobirama and Mito's location.
With Hashirama's arrival, the battle shifted instantly.
The Wooden Giant's massive fist swung down, separating their enemies in a single strike, allowing Tobirama and Mito to regroup at Hashirama's side.
The three First Generation Kages were forced back, their eyes flashing with wariness as they looked at the familiar Wooden Giant before them.
It was clear—they had all experienced its power in their lifetimes.
And they had all suffered because of it.
"I know none of you want to fight."
"But since you're not in control of yourselves... I have no choice but to seal you away."
Hashirama's voice was calm, entirely different from the fury he had shown toward Madara.
With that, he commanded the Wooden Giant forward, launching relentless attacks against the three Kages.
With Tobirama and Mito aiding him, the three resurrected Kage were quickly pushed onto the defensive, barely managing to dodge and block.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before they were sealed away completely.