Buzz!
Against the backdrop of scorched and devastated earth, directly before the thousand-armed statue that towered above even the surrounding mountain peaks, brilliant golden light erupted from the Nine-Tails' materialized form. The radiance spread outward in all directions like a miniature sunrise, bathing the entire battlefield in warm, defiant illumination that stood in stark contrast to the overwhelming darkness of their situation.
"Kurama..." Naruto whispered in amazement as he took in the sight of the colossal construct before them.
While the thousand-armed statue remained imposingly tall, something fundamental had changed about their tactical situation. Previously, when the Nine-Tails had manifested its chakra form, the construct had been roughly comparable in size to the golem they had faced earlier.
But now, the Nine-Tails' form had grown to dimensions that rivaled Madara's complete Susanoo in the distant battle circle where he clashed with Minato. The transformation was so dramatic that it defied everything Naruto had previously understood about the limits of his partner's power.
The sight left not only Naruto stunned, but also drew expressions of genuine surprise from both Minato and Kushina. Even during the period before Minato had used the Reaper Death Seal to split the Nine-Tails' chakra sixteen years ago, the great fox's original form had never achieved such massive proportions.
The implications were staggering. This wasn't simply a restoration of the Nine-Tails' previous power—this was an evolution, a manifestation of strength that transcended what had existed before.
A faint smile crossed Minato's features despite the overwhelming odds they faced. While physical size didn't always directly correlate with combat effectiveness, when confronting the First Hokage at his absolute peak, any advantage—no matter how seemingly modest—was cause for hope.
His expression quickly shifted to one of grim determination as he turned his attention back to his own opponent. The look in his eyes as they fixed on Madara became notably darker, filled with renewed resolve and barely contained power.
BOOM!
Minato's eyes blazed with sudden intensity, and the dark golden chakra within his body erupted outward without reservation. The energy condensed and took shape behind him, forming nine massive tails that swayed with predatory grace. Each tail was perfectly formed and radiated power that made the very air shimmer with heat.
Madara's expression grew extremely serious as he observed this development. While he had successfully used the Six Paths of Pain technique to deflect Shisui's genjutsu, the effort had consumed a considerable portion of his ocular power. He understood that the legendary ninja before him would never allow such an opportunity to pass unexploited.
What truly concerned him, however, was the mystery of Minato's Nine-Tails chakra. Even with his Rinnegan's enhanced perception, he couldn't determine the source of this power that made his very soul feel threatened. The energy wasn't being channeled through any external technique or borrowed from another source—it was flowing directly from within Minato's own body, as if it were an inherent part of his being.
The situation was actually quite similar to that of the legendary Gold and Silver Brothers from Kumogakure, who had gained Nine-Tails chakra after consuming portions of the beast's flesh during their time within its stomach. However, while Kinkaku and Ginkaku had possessed only limited amounts of bijuu power, the energy radiating from Minato was comparable to what either Naruto or Kushina could wield at their peak.
Behind Minato, the nine tails began to gather together with purposeful coordination. At their center, a dense point of chakra light began to condense, growing brighter and more concentrated with each passing second.
"Heaven-Piercing Devastation!" Madara declared, recognizing the immediate threat and responding with decisive action.
There was no question of allowing Minato to complete his technique. With fluid precision, Madara drew the samurai sword from his waist and launched a devastating slash with his complete Susanoo, the ethereal blade carrying enough force to cleave mountains.
Buzz!
Minato's dark golden pupils flashed with cross-shaped patterns as power surged through his enhanced vision. Without hesitation, he raised his palm to meet Madara's attack head-on, his chakra suddenly condensing into the form of a massive fist that blazed with Nine-Tails energy.
BOOM!
The collision between their techniques generated destructive force that rivaled the previous clash between Sasuke's Susanoo and the wooden giant. Shockwaves rippled outward from the point of impact, creating new craters and further devastating the already scarred landscape.
Rumble!
The tremendous recoil force sent Madara's complete Susanoo sliding backward across the battlefield, the ethereal construct's feet carving deep furrows in the earth as it struggled to maintain balance against the overwhelming pressure.
But Minato had vanished long before the counterforce could reach his position, his form disappearing to reappear at the base of a distant mountain. Behind him, a perfectly formed Tailed Beast Ball had taken shape—not the massive construct he had been preparing, but a more modest technique designed for precision rather than overwhelming destruction.
Minato's intent had been to destroy Madara's Susanoo with a single decisive blow, but it was becoming clear that even this level of power wouldn't be sufficient against such a formidable defense.
"Still tracking me, are you?" Minato muttered, his soul perception operating at maximum sensitivity.
Just as Madara had been forced to retreat, the invisible Limbo clone had launched another attack, its assault coming from angles that normal vision couldn't detect or predict.
BOOM!
The violent vibrations from Minato's battle echoed across the battlefield, but the combatants in the central arena had no attention to spare for distant conflicts.
BOOM!
The thousand-armed statue began to move with earth-shaking deliberation, its colossal form generating tremors that could be felt for miles in every direction. The technique's target was clear—the golden-wreathed Nine-Tails that stood defiantly before it.
Atop the massive construct, the wooden giant sat in lotus position like a meditation master overseeing his domain. Standing above the wooden figure's head, the First Hokage and Uzumaki Mito maintained their positions with perfect balance despite the statue's movement.
The First Hokage's hands shifted through a subtle seal change, and immediately the giant statue responded. Its thousand arms spread wide like the branches of an impossibly vast tree, then surged forward with coordinated precision toward the Nine-Tails.
Naruto and Kurama showed no intention of retreating. Instead, they charged forward to meet their legendary opponent head-on, golden chakra blazing with the intensity of a small sun.
The collision when these two titans met was beyond description. The ground beneath their grappling forms couldn't withstand the forces involved and immediately collapsed, creating a crater that continued to expand as their struggle intensified.
The wrestling match between legends sent shockwaves through both the earth and air, each movement of their massive forms equivalent to natural disasters in terms of destructive potential.
Meanwhile, the remaining personnel had reorganized themselves into tactical groups. Mei Terumi and Gaara coordinated their efforts with the Second Hokage to engage the golem, their combined techniques creating a multi-elemental assault that kept the massive creature occupied.
Itachi, having absorbed multiple attacks from the wooden giant during the previous phase of battle, had reached the absolute limits of both his ocular power and physical endurance. His Sharingan was dim with exhaustion, and his movements had slowed considerably.
Deidara descended with his clay bird, carrying Sasori, Shisui, and Kakashi back into the active combat zone. Their coordinated assault provided enough pressure to temporarily suppress the golem's aggressive behavior, but everyone understood that their primary concern remained the battle between Naruto and the First Hokage.
"Rather than using the True Thousand Hands' ultimate transformation directly, he's still attempting to capture the Nine-Tails through physical restraint," the Second Hokage observed with tactical awareness.
His intimate knowledge of his brother's capabilities allowed him to recognize the strategic implications. If the First Hokage truly exerted his complete power without restraint, even Naruto in his current enhanced state wouldn't be able to match him. The only reason any of them had a chance was because Madara still required the Nine-Tails to be captured rather than destroyed.
BANG!
At that moment, massive clouds of summoning smoke erupted in the center of the circular battlefield. Three enormous creatures materialized rapidly, their forms resolving into the legendary summoning animals that had served the Sannin for decades.
Tsunade rushed toward Sasuke and Kushina, who had temporarily withdrawn from active combat to recover their strength. Her hands moved through medical ninjutsu seals with practiced efficiency, and the diamond-shaped mark on her forehead began to emit soft purple light.
The Strength of a Hundred technique activated, causing intricate patterns to spread across her skin like living tattoos. Her hand seals shifted to a different configuration, and gentle green light rose from both palms as she placed them on Sasuke and Kushina's backs to begin emergency treatment.
Her tactical assessment, formed from reports by Nara Shikaku, Jiraiya, and her own observation of the current battle, was grimly accurate. Beyond the separate duel between Minato and Madara, victory in this war would require someone capable of matching the First Hokage's legendary power.
Currently, only two individuals possessed such potential: Naruto with his complete Nine-Tails chakra, and Sasuke with his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. Therefore, ensuring that both Kushina and Sasuke recovered their physical strength and combat capabilities as quickly as possible had become the highest priority.
She had already deployed her slug summons to provide medical support to other injured personnel throughout the battlefield. With the enhancement of the Hundred Healing technique, her treatment speed and efficiency had increased dramatically.
BOOM! BOOM!
On either side of the golem, Gamabunta and Manda launched coordinated attacks, their massive forms moving with surprising agility for creatures of their size. The slug summons dispersed throughout the peripheral areas of the battle, seeking out Itachi, Shisui, and others who required medical attention.
"Naruto..." Jiraiya's voice carried deep concern as he observed from atop Gamabunta's head.
The sight of his student locked in combat with the legendary power that had once shaped the ninja world filled him with profound worry. It wasn't that they were unwilling to provide assistance—rather, they understood that their strength simply wasn't sufficient to intervene in a battle of such magnitude.
Any attempt to help would likely prove not only ineffective but potentially disastrous, possibly creating distractions that could cost Naruto his life.
BANG!
At that crucial moment, a tremendous explosion echoed from the distant battlefield where Minato and Madara continued their epic duel. A colossal Tailed Beast Ball—nearly one hundred meters in diameter—descended from the sky like a black meteorite, its trajectory aimed directly at the complete Susanoo below.
The technique's incredible scale and power drew the attention of every combatant on the battlefield. In the eyes of all who witnessed it, the massive sphere of concentrated destruction emitted an ominous light as it plummeted toward its target.
When the Tailed Beast Ball struck and detonated, the explosion that followed was visible from dozens of miles away—a pillar of light and force that temporarily rivaled the sun itself in its intensity!