Outside Konoha, chaos raged.
Neither side held back. Explosions thundered across the entire area.
The Akatsuki members were almost all on the defensive. Even Obito, with Kamui at his disposal, was hemmed in at every turn. Only Jiraiya, who had entered Sage Mode and had the help of the two great Toad Sages, could barely fight Minato to a draw.
That was only natural.
Konoha was at its peak. Its greatest fighters from different eras were all here, and the handful of Akatsuki members simply could not match them.
Only on the battlefield at the very top did Konoha have the disadvantage.
Senju Hashirama was, after all, only an Impure World Reincarnation Body. White Zetsu had been used as his sacrificial vessel, and Tobirama and Orochimaru had even revised the Impure World Reincarnation technique together...
It still was not enough!
Against an ordinary powerful enemy, Senju Hashirama would have had no trouble.
But this was different.
He faced Uchiha Madara, newly resurrected and wielding the Rinnegan. Even after Hashirama unleashed Senjutsu: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands: Top Buddha, the Rinnegan's power left him barely able to hold on.
Defeat?
It was only a matter of time!
The fighters from the other world stood at the Konoha Gate, making no move to intervene.
Konoha already had the upper hand against the Akatsuki members. It had no need of their help.
As for the battle between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, none of them was capable of joining it.
"Everyone."
"You can all see how things stand. This isn't looking good for Konoha!"
"Uchiha Madara is too strong at this stage. Even if we step in, we can't stop him. I've decided to use Hokage-sama's contingency plan."
"Does everyone agree?"
Shikaichi from Room 1 spoke slowly.
After a moment's thought, the