Despite being bound by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, the seal restricted only Hashirama's physical movement, not his perception. He remained fully aware of the world outside. He heard Menma and Nagato discussing unification and the long-term peace it would bring—specifically, Menma's vision for the post-unification era.
Hashirama thought that if he could return to his life, his kindness and hesitation would have made him reject this path. He would have insisted that peace must come with minimal casualties and that forced unification would only breed resentment and crisis. But after death, his mind had cleared. He no longer clung to old stubbornness.
He could now objectively evaluate Menma's proposal: cultural assimilation. If enemies could truly be turned into allies—if their descendants became one people—future conflicts would just be infighting within a single nation. It wouldn't devolve into the clan annihilations that plagued the current shinobi world.
And the genius stroke: spreading the idea of unification as a dream shared by everyone. That was what truly won Hashirama over. Even learning of Menma's plan to destroy Konoha only earned a weary sigh, not anger.
In his current view, Menma represented inevitable change. Those who resisted were relics of the past, destined for extinction. Konoha was simply the first to fall.
But after this was settled, Hashirama knew he still had to return to Konoha. Menma's hatred was directed only at the Sarutobi clan and the villagers who'd mistreated him. He had to persuade his granddaughter and the others to stop fighting pointless battles.
While lost in thought, Hashirama frantically channeled chakra. A deafening roar shattered the silence. The earth cracked and bulged as massive tree roots burst forth, intertwining violently. In seconds, a wooden figure the size of a mountain stood atop the clearing, coiled in wooden dragons.
Obito's expression turned grim as he stared at the giant construct. "To wield such power with only a fraction of his strength?" With just one Mangekyō Sharingan and no Susanoo, he was hopelessly outmatched.
He hadn't expected this. The Hashirama Menma had sealed—the man who once fought his best friend for the village—had turned against him. They'd thrown Konoha's safety away to help Menma fight him. He'd shot himself in the foot.
Obito's mind raced. He had no choice but to use his original plan: stall Menma and force him to reveal himself, hoping to distract Nagato. How long he could hold out after that was up to fate.
Obito activated Kamui, ripples distorting the air.
"Your opponent isn't me. It's them."
Three figures materialized from the spatial distortion.
Hashirama, atop the wooden golem, stared in dismay.
"Big brother, don't look so grim. I didn't want this either," Tobirama said, his Impure World Reincarnation body radiating exhaustion. A year inside the Shinigami's stomach had made him apathetic to the living world.
Jiraiya, also resurrected, looked ahead with conflicted eyes. "Kakashi, I never thought you'd betray Konoha for Menma."
Kakashi ignored him, fixing Obito with a glare. "Minato-sensei…"
Minato smiled gently. "Long time no see, Kakashi."
"Rin, you've been given a second chance. Cherish it."
Rin nodded, tears welling. "I will, Minato-sensei!"
Minato didn't look at Obito behind him, shaking his head with melancholy. "I never imagined Team 7 reuniting like this."
Kakashi didn't engage in nostalgia. He turned his glare past the three and locked onto Obito. "You broke the Reaper Death Seal? Are you insane?"
He lowered his voice, anxiety bleeding through. "Release Minato-sensei's Impure World Reincarnation. Now. If Menma sees this, you're dead."
Any hope of saving Obito was gone. Worse, Kakashi had a sinking feeling he'd be dragged down too—maybe forced to marry a thirteen-year-old Rin just to make Obito suffer. The image made his blood run cold.
Obito, oblivious to Kakashi's panic, activated Kamui to leave.
"Go. Hokage of all generations."
"Don't even think about escaping!" Hashirama roared, controlling the giant wooden fist as it slammed down.
Obito didn't stop absorbing himself. The three resurrected Hokage met the descending fist head-on.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bite!"
"Rasengan!"
White hair like steel wire smashed into the massive fist. Water dragons followed, jaws gaping. Finally, Minato, wrapped in golden Kurama chakra, unleashed a Rasengan the size of a small mountain.
BOOM!
Blinding white light erupted. Wood chips rained like hail. The giant wooden figure was forced back, its fist shattered to splinters.
"You can't escape…" Kakashi activated his left eye's Kamui as Obito vanished. "Rin, find cover. I'm bringing him back!"
"Okay!" Rin sprinted away.
Kakashi's body distorted and vanished. With Nine-Tails chakra supplementing him, he'd mastered Kamui in days. The Kamui dimension was no longer Obito's alone.
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