As the crowd cheered at the arrival of the four Hokage, two figures swiftly approached and landed nearby.
Uchiha Madara impatiently leaped out, standing atop a rise as he shouted, "Ha, you finally came, Hashirama. I've been waiting for you for a long time!"
Hashirama turned his head, but before he could speak, Senju Tobirama cast a glance in their direction. "As expected, it's Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Shin. This just became troublesome. Even if Big Brother and I join forces, we're no match for them."
Hashirama snorted. "Madara, I've heard all about you. You've caused quite a commotion. But I'll deal with you later—I need to stop the Ten-Tails first."
He then nodded to Shin. "Shin, it's been a long time. Though as I recall, our last meeting in Konoha wasn't that long ago."
Shin smiled. "More or less the same for me. It's only been a little over three years—just a few extra blinks of an eye."
"Ha, that really is the kind of answer you'd give, Shin." Senju Hashirama laughed twice, his mood improving considerably from the simple exchange.
Uchiha Madara gave a cold snort. "Sure enough, just saying one sentence to you is enough to piss me off."
The three of them chatted as though the entire Allied Shinobi Forces did not exist, as if this were not a battlefield but a drinking table where old friends had reunited after a long separation.
Hashirama chuckled, then his face turned serious again. "All right. Tobirama, Third, Fourth—prepare the barrier. Lock down that big fellow's movements first. After that, I have something to discuss with Madara and Shin."
Obito Uchiha watched them, narrowing his eyes slightly. "You really are arrogant. Even you, hailed as the God of Shinobi, are still insignificant before the power of the Ten-Tails."
"We'll