"Yes, sir!"
On the elevated platform of the headquarters, Shikaku immediately assessed the current tactical situation with the sharp analytical mind that had made him one of the most respected strategists in the ninja world. His experience in countless conflicts had taught him to recognize when a position had become untenable.
The primary role of the Joint Forces Headquarters was to coordinate conditions across various battlefields, analyze incoming intelligence, make corresponding tactical adjustments, and issue strategic orders to maximize their forces' effectiveness.
However, there was absolutely no point for the command staff to remain in their current location. Their continued presence would only serve to restrict the movements and tactical options of Minato and the other front-line fighters, potentially costing lives through unnecessary complications.
A confrontation of this overwhelming magnitude was almost impossible to resolve through conventional numerical advantages or traditional military tactics. This was a battle between legends that transcended normal strategic considerations.
Before the war had even begun, Minato had anticipated that such a situation might eventually arise. His strategic planning had included contingencies for every foreseeable scenario, including the possibility that the headquarters would need to be abandoned.
Therefore, once this particular situation occurred, the operational command of the coalition forces would be temporarily transferred to Shikaku, allowing Minato to focus entirely on the legendary opponents who required his personal attention.
"Everyone, initiate immediate evacuation procedures!" Shikaku shouted with commanding authority, his voice cutting through the stunned paralysis that had affected many of the personnel at the Joint Forces Headquarters.
The sound of his familiar voice helped awaken the staff members from their shocked stupor, reminding them that they still had responsibilities and the capability to act despite the overwhelming nature of what they were witnessing.
"It's not going to be quite that easy for you to simply leave," Madara observed with casual amusement, his tone suggesting that their escape attempts were merely another component of his overall strategic plan.
He smiled with cold satisfaction and formed a single-handed seal with practiced precision, the gesture radiating malevolent intent that seemed to darken the very air around him.
The massive Gedo Statue responded to his command by opening its enormous mouth, revealing a cavity that began glowing with increasingly intense chakra. Dense concentrations of energy began condensing within the creature's throat, building toward what was obviously going to be a devastating long-range attack.
At the same time, the colossal wooden fighter controlled by the First Hokage also launched another coordinated assault, its mountain-sized fists moving with surprising speed and precision for something of such tremendous scale.
Minato's expression grew increasingly grim as he processed the tactical implications of facing simultaneous attacks from two legendary opponents. Even with his exceptional abilities and enhanced power, defending against both Madara and the First Hokage simultaneously would prove extremely challenging and potentially impossible to maintain for any extended period.
"Susanoo!" Sasuke called out as he made his tactical decision to engage despite the overwhelming odds.
"Super Large Rasengan!" Naruto announced simultaneously, his voice carrying the determination that had always defined his approach to impossible challenges.
Just when Minato was beginning to experience serious concern about their tactical situation, both Sasuke and Naruto rushed toward the wooden giant from opposite sides in a coordinated pincer movement.
Brilliant lavender light erupted around Sasuke's position and began expanding rapidly outward as his legendary bloodline abilities activated to their fullest extent. The ethereal energy first formed the basic skeletal framework, then quickly developed muscular structure and texture, and finally became covered in the distinctive armor that marked a fully manifested Susanoo.
Sasuke clenched his spectral fighter's massive palm with focused determination, and immediately blazing black flames rose up from the hand and transformed into a longsword of pure Amaterasu fire. The weapon burned with intensity that seemed to consume light itself.
Behind Naruto's advancing form, two distinctive chakra claws extended outward with tremendous force and substance. Together with his own physical hand, the three appendages combined to support and shape a gigantic Rasengan whose diameter exceeded ten meters and whose power could be felt throughout the immediate area.
"Minato, let us handle this massive opponent while you focus on Madara!" Kushina declared as she also rushed forward to join the coordinated assault.
Dark golden chains extended from behind her position, their distinctive coloration indicating the unique power possessed by members of the Uzumaki clan. The techniques that had once been used to contain and control tailed beasts were now being deployed against an equally formidable opponent.
"Excellent!" Minato acknowledged with both gratitude and tactical satisfaction.
While the wooden giant's power was indeed overwhelming and beyond normal parameters, if his family and Sasuke could alter its attack trajectory by targeting vulnerable points on its massive form, their combined strength should prove sufficient to create the tactical opportunities he needed.
Just as Naruto, Sasuke, and Kushina reached the feet of the colossal wooden fighter, the tailed beast ball that had been condensing within the Gedo Statue's mouth completed its formation and shot outward toward the headquarters with devastating speed and destructive potential.
"Bang!"
However, the moment the projectile was launched, a distinctive black barrier pattern spread out directly in front of its path, intercepting the attack with perfect timing and positioning.
Simultaneously, behind the Gedo Statue's massive form, Minato suddenly materialized using his signature space-time technique. He held one of his special kunai in his right hand while forming a complex seal with his left, demonstrating the multitasking ability that had made him legendary.
The tailed beast ball that had originally been targeting the headquarters and everyone within it gradually began appearing behind the Gedo Statue instead, its trajectory completely reversed through Minato's manipulation of space and time.
Madara also noticed this development and smiled with faint appreciation for his opponent's tactical skill, showing no particular concern about the redirected attack.
Deep blue chakra began gushing outward from his body with tremendous intensity, almost instantly attaching a layer of protective armor to the Gedo Statue's exterior surface. The defensive technique was identical to the method he had once used to manipulate the Nine-Tails during his legendary battle against the First Hokage in the Valley of the End.
"CRASH!"
Minato successfully guided the redirected Tailed Beast Ball to impact directly against the Gedo Statue's back, causing a tremendous explosion that sent shockwaves throughout the immediate area.
At that same crucial moment, Kushina deployed her Uzumaki clan chains to wrap around the wooden giant's knee joints, then pulled with tremendous force in an attempt to destabilize its balance and disrupt its attack patterns.
"Bang! Bang!"
Naruto and Sasuke's coordinated attacks also struck their targets simultaneously, both impacts landing on the wooden fighter's feet with enough combined force to affect even such a massive construct.
Even the enormous body of the wooden giant showed signs of instability under this coordinated assault. The carefully planned attack that had been aimed toward the coalition headquarters deviated significantly from its intended trajectory and crashed into the ground instead.
Two tremendous explosions occurred almost simultaneously at locations not far from the coalition headquarters, their combined force creating a localized earthquake that could be felt for kilometers in every direction.
At this critical moment, Shikaku and the other headquarters personnel had no time to concern themselves with the spectacular battle taking place around them. They focused entirely on evacuating the platform and moving as quickly as possible in the opposite direction from the active combat zone.
Their priority was to escape from this battle circle before they became casualties of techniques that could level mountains and reshape landscapes.
The explosions gradually subsided, and under the protection provided by Susanoo's enhanced defenses, the Gedo Statue had not suffered any significant damage from the redirected tailed beast ball.
"Interesting that you didn't use space-time ninjutsu to simply transport these people to safety elsewhere," Madara observed with amusement as he looked down at Minato's position beneath the Gedo Statue.
"You wouldn't be able to track their new location if I had done that," Minato thought to himself, understanding the strategic implications of the decision he had made.
When Madara had subdued the Five Kage through Edo Tensei control, he had demonstrated the ability to collect and track all the Flying Thunder God markers that Minato had left within the scope of an entire country. His sensory capabilities exceeded normal parameters.
Therefore, if Minato were to carry out targeted transportation of the headquarters staff, there would actually be considerable risks involved in revealing their new location to an enemy who possessed such advanced tracking abilities.
But if Shikaku and his personnel remained mobile and continued moving under their own power, the coalition's leadership structure would not be so easily eliminated through a single decisive strike.
"Do you honestly believe that those three individuals can effectively stop Hashirama?" Madara asked as he glanced toward Kushina, Naruto, and Sasuke who were positioned before the wooden giant.
Minato remained silent, recognizing that with their current strength levels, completely stopping the First Hokage was indeed impossible. However, the unique abilities possessed by Kushina's Uzumaki clan should prove sufficient to delay and restrict his movements for a reasonable period.
With the enhancement provided by Nine-Tails chakra, the legendary chains that were powerful enough to restrain tailed beasts should be capable of limiting the wooden giant's mobility and creating tactical opportunities for Naruto and Sasuke to exploit with their attacks.
"How naive," Madara laughed with genuine amusement at what he perceived as tactical foolishness.
On top of the wooden giant, the seal formation in the First Hokage's hands suddenly changed to a different configuration, and immediately another wooden coffin began rising from the ground beneath the massive fighter's feet.
The coffin lid opened without delay, and a strikingly beautiful woman with long, flowing red hair stepped out with graceful dignity. Her appearance carried the kind of presence that commanded immediate attention and respect.
She slowly raised her head, and her eyes came into focus with sharp intelligence and deadly intent that spoke to tremendous power and experience.
When the Edo Tensei activation was completed, distinctive chakra fluctuations were transmitted throughout the area, immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with the specific energy signatures of legendary ninja.
Kushina's expression suddenly transformed into one of shock and growing horror as recognition dawned, and she whispered with disbelief, "Grandmother Mito!"
"It was this legendary couple who defeated me in the past and successfully sealed the Nine-Tails within their village," Madara explained with cold satisfaction.
When Uzumaki Mito was resurrected through Edo Tensei, Minato had immediately sensed her distinctive chakra signature and understood the additional complication that had just been introduced to their tactical situation.
"Now, all three jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails who have ever existed are present on this battlefield," Madara continued with obvious pleasure at the convergence he had orchestrated.
"The time has come for me to reclaim the Nine-Tails' chakra that was stolen from me!"
As Madara finished delivering this declaration, the Gedo Statue beneath his feet suddenly released a deep, resonant growl that seemed to vibrate through the very ground. The sound carried undertones of anticipation and hunger, as if the creature was experiencing excitement about what was to come.
In front of Kushina's position, tremendous chakra began emanating from Mito's reanimated form as she regained full access to her legendary abilities. The power radiating from her body was both beautiful and terrifying in its intensity.
From behind the First Hokage's wife, distinctive chains that appeared to be forged from pure iron began extending outward. The Uzumaki clan's legendary restraint techniques shot directly toward Kushina, Naruto, and Sasuke with deadly precision and overwhelming force.
At the same time that Mito launched her assault, the First Hokage continued controlling the colossal wooden fighter, directing it to press forward against the three defenders with crushing force that could reshape the landscape.
"Madara!" Minato shouted with a voice heavy with anger and determination, his normally composed demeanor finally cracking under the emotional weight of the situation.
He rushed directly toward Madara's position atop the Gedo Statue, understanding that ending this conflict would require him to face the mastermind directly rather than continuing to respond to individual threats.
Madara remained perfectly still and composed, but his right eye focused with laser intensity on Minato's approaching form. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan began to glow with malevolent power.
Immediately afterward, a sense of mortal crisis that seemed to originate from his very soul filled Minato's consciousness. Faced with an attack from an invisible force that his enhanced senses could barely detect, he had no choice but to alter his trajectory and attempt evasive action.
As Minato and Madara began their legendary confrontation, the other side of the battlefield saw the wooden giant and Mito launching their coordinated assault simultaneously.
Faced with attacks from both the First Hokage and his legendary wife, Kushina, Naruto, and Sasuke found themselves with no viable option except to retreat temporarily and reassess their tactical approach.
"CRASH!"
Under the tremendous force of the wooden giant's assault, the ground began cracking and splitting in layers that extended outward like a spider web of destruction. After the three defenders dodged the initial attack, follow-up strikes came one after another without pause or mercy.
At this moment, Naruto and Sasuke finally realized with crushing clarity that despite all the tremendous growth and power they had achieved, they remained far behind the capabilities of the greatest ninja in history.
If they continued to simply run away without finding a method to mount effective counterattacks, they would have absolutely no chance of achieving victory or even meaningful resistance.
"ROAR!"
At that critical moment, the massive body of the Gedo Statue suddenly stood to its full, imposing height and released a deafening roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of the earth itself.
When that haunting sound reached them, both Naruto and Kushina felt their hearts tremble simultaneously, though for completely different reasons that spoke to their unique connections to the Nine-Tails.
The difference was that Naruto experienced an inexplicable sadness emanating from the roar, and his normally bright expression suddenly became dark and melancholy as he processed what he was hearing.
"I can hear so much wailing and anguish," he said with growing horror and empathy. "They're all in such tremendous pain!"