Seeing this, Minato Namikaze silently took half a step back and stood behind Hashirama Senju and Sarutobi Hiruzen. A sharp glint flashed in his gentle eyes as his fingertips quietly brushed the Flying Thunder God Kunai in his palm--
No one noticed that the instant he had arrived on the battlefield, he had already used the Flying Thunder God's teleportation to quietly place four rune-covered kunai in hidden spots around the Ten-Tails, forming an invisible perimeter that would tighten as soon as the time was right.
Hashirama Senju stepped forward. His long green hair whipped in the gale, and the Wood Release chakra around him grew denser. His vibrant aura of life stood in stark contrast to the Ten-Tails' aura of destruction.
He turned to the three companions beside him, his gaze firm and resolute. His voice cut through the din of battle, reaching every Hokage and instantly steadying the Allied Shinobi Forces behind him. "Hokage! It's time! Stop the Ten-Tails and protect the Shinobi World!"
"Understood!" Three voices rang out at once, perfectly in sync.
Before the words had faded, brilliant golden chakra erupted around Minato Namikaze, threaded with pale purple Sage Mode markings. The Nine-Tails' phantom slowly appeared behind him, Sage Mode markings spread across his cheeks, and golden fur covered his body. In an instant, he became a dazzling little golden figure—the ultimate form that fused Nine-Tails Mode with Sage Mode: Kurama Mode!
His golden chakra shone like the sun, dispelling the dark gloom brought by the Ten-Tails. Minato's speed instantly reached its peak. Blue light flashed beneath his feet, and his figure became a golden blur.
The next moment, all four Hokage appeared around the Ten-Tails, each taking a position. They stood tall as four mountains and brought their hands together, palms facing one another. Chakra gathered rapidly at their fingertips, and four distinct yet equally powerful chakra auras intertwined, forming a force capable of shaking heaven and earth.
"Begin!" Hashirama Senju commanded, his voice ringing with unshakable resolve.
"Ninja Art: Four Red Yang Formation!"
The four Hokage roared in unison, their voices shaking heaven and earth. Four towering red barriers shot up from the ground. Flames blazed across them, and ancient sealing runes were carved into their surfaces, shining bright red. Like four unbreakable crimson walls, they instantly enclosed the Ten-Tails' massive body.
As the barriers rose, the Ten-Tails let out an enraged roar and lashed its tails against them. But the red walls did not budge. The flames and runes blazed even brighter, forcibly reflecting its attacks back at it.
At that moment, Hashirama Senju's gaze sharpened. The chakra around him grew even more violent, pale green Sage Mode markings spread across his forehead and cheeks, and his pupils became vertical slits. Powerful Senjutsu Chakra swirled around him as a vast force drawn from nature spread outward—he had entered Sage Mode as well!
"Sage Art: Gate of the Great God!"
As Hashirama Senju's roar faded, the sky suddenly darkened. Countless oddly shaped, birdcage-like stone gates whistled down from the clouds. Intricate sealing patterns were carved into them, and they descended with the force of a punishment from heaven, striking the Ten-Tails' ten tentacles with pinpoint accuracy.
Each gate crashed down with a deafening boom, pinning one of the Ten-Tails' tentacles firmly to the ground. Black blood gushed from the gaps between the tentacles and the gates. The Ten-Tails' roars grew more anguished, but no matter how it struggled, it could not break free of the gates' suppression.
"Seal it!" Hashirama Senju roared again, his voice filled with certainty of victory.
The four Hokage increased their chakra output at the same time. The red barriers of the Four Red Yang Formation contracted again, and their flames blazed more fiercely. The sealing patterns on the Gates of the Great God shone brightly. Trapped between the barriers and the gates, the Ten-Tails had its violent chakra sealed and suppressed. Its massive body gradually lost the strength to struggle, and its roars grew weaker and weaker.
The Allied Shinobi Forces behind them watched the breathtaking scene, tears welling in their eyes. Long-suppressed cheers erupted once more.
Sakura Haruno supported the wounded, a relieved smile on her face;
Shikamaru Nara sighed in relief and pushed up his glasses, his eyes full of admiration;
Naruto Uzumaki clenched his fists as golden chakra danced around him. Watching the four Hokage, he felt admiration and strength fill his heart—with such predecessors protecting them, they were sure to win!
Not far away, Madara Uchiha watched the sealed Ten-Tails, then glanced at the four Hokage working together in perfect harmony. A complicated emotion flashed in his scarlet Sharingan.
He was annoyed that Hashirama was focusing on the sealing, and wary of the power they wielded together. He snorted and folded his arms, but did not interfere. In his eyes, only Hashirama was worthy of being his opponent. The Ten-Tails' fate had nothing to do with him—for now.
The red barriers of the Four Red Yang Formation shuddered violently. Under the impact of the Ten-Tails' savage power, the stone gates of the Gates of the Great God creaked, and black chakra seeped through the cracks.
The suppressed Ten-Tails had fallen completely into madness. Its massive body writhed wildly as its ten tentacles threw all their strength into smashing the gates and barriers. Every impact shook heaven and earth with a deafening boom. Crisscrossing ravines split the ground, and clouds of dust swept across the battlefield again and again like black waves.
The flames on the red barriers began to dim, and the runes flickered erratically. They were clearly close to giving way under the devastating blows. Veins bulged on Hashirama Senju's forehead as he poured out Sage Mode chakra, yet he still struggled to fully suppress the Ten-Tails' rampage.
"Damn it! This thing's stronger than we expected!" Tobirama Senju roared grimly. His Water Release chakra surged, and he kept reinforcing the Four Red Yang Formation's barriers. His stern face was etched with concern.
At this critical moment, a pale purple chakra blur shot across the sky like a bolt of lightning and landed before the Allied Shinobi Forces. His black cloak billowed, and silver-white hair whipped in the gale—Uchiha Sasuke had finally reached the battlefield.
Naruto Uzumaki recognized the familiar figure at once. His tense face broke into a smile, and golden chakra flickered around him. He raised a hand and waved to Sasuke, his voice tinged with teasing and relief. "You're way too late, Sasuke!"
Sasuke did not answer right away. He merely surveyed the battlefield, and when he saw the sealed Ten-Tails and the four Hokage, a look of understanding flashed in his eyes.
Sakura Haruno hurried over and briefly updated Sasuke on the battle so far. Naruto used the opportunity to collect himself, fully merging the Nine-Tails' chakra with his own until his energy once again felt abundant and fierce.