"One, two, three, four... eleven... there are actually twelve!" Hashirama raised a hand to block the golden light, counting the numbers through his fingers, his expression turning extremely grave.
The Golden Figures' strength and defense were not inferior to his Wood Human Technique.
Twelve Golden Figures combined... although the Gate of the Great God was very effective against such large targets, its Chakra Consumption was also extremely severe.
Simultaneously sealing twelve enemies of this level was something even this God of Shinobi could not achieve.
After all, the Impure World Reincarnation's infinite Chakra meant rapid recovery, not infinite Chakra quantity. If consumption was too fast, a situation of insufficient Chakra could still occur.
Just like the Fourth and Second Hokage in the original work.
Because their Chakra was depleted too quickly in a short time, when Naruto was snatched away by the God Tree, they couldn't use the Flying Thunder God Technique to save him. The Third Hokage had to disengage from fighting Guruguru to come to the rescue.
Although the First Hokage's Chakra was immense, the Gate of the Great God was also a sealing technique with extremely high Chakra Consumption, not comparable to ordinary Ninjutsu.
Furthermore, as an Impure World Reincarnation body, he only possessed seventy percent of his living Chakra.
"If I could wield the power I had in life, these Golden Figures wouldn't be fearsome, but..." Hashirama clenched his fists, his expression very unpleasant.
Even Hashirama felt this way, let alone the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Movements that shook the world... this god-like power already exceeded ordinary people's comprehension, making onlookers feel as insignificant as ants.
The immense confidence the First Hokage's might gave the Allied Forces, the Golden Figures now gave them an equal measure of despair. One by one, they involuntarily loosened their grip on their weapons.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the sky. A white beam, the size of a bowl's mouth, descended from above, easily piercing through a Golden Figure's head, causing it to topple backwards heavily against the Mechanical City's wall.
The sudden change stunned everyone. They instinctively looked towards the source of the beam and saw a figure wrapped entirely in bandages floating in the air.
It was the Second Tsuchikage, Mu.
"Don't give up!"
Seeing everyone's gaze upon him, Mu loudly declared, "We indeed do not possess power like the First Hokage, but the enemy is not just those monsters. Find opponents you can handle!"
"Well said, Mu-sama!"
Another figure floated to his side.
This was a short, elderly man with a bulbous red nose… the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.
In addition, the Third Hokage, Second Hokage, Third Tsuchikage, Fourth Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, Fourth Mizukage, B, Kushina, Han, Roshi, Yugito, Roshi, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Minato, Fugaku, Kitsuchi, Akatsuchi, Mangetsu, Mei, Kisame, Darui... Two generations of Kage from the four great villages, all Jinchuriki, village elite fighters, and the powerful individuals resurrected by Impure World Reincarnation had all gathered.
This group gathered together was brimming with momentum. Merely standing there caused the Allied Forces' confidence, which had fallen to rock bottom, to surge once more.
"Even if the enemy has so many monsters, the final victory will still be ours!" Hiruzen stared intently at the central tower within the Mechanical City, declaring with full confidence, "Everyone, please believe in yourselves. Each of our existences holds meaning. Just find the enemies you can handle!"
"Ooooh!!!"
Across the Floating Continent, roars akin to boiling water echoed.
"Let's go!"
Hiruzen shouted, clutching his Adamantine Staff as he charged towards the Mechanical City first.
The other Kage, elite fighters, and the Impure World Reincarnation army followed a moment later. Seeing this, the Allied Shinobi Forces picked up their weapons again and charged forward with loud cries.
"These guys..."
An involuntary smile appeared on Hashirama's face.
But at that moment, a bolt of purple lightning streaked from the spire of a certain tall tower within the Mechanical City, striking the Golden Figure with the severed head.
Instantly, the broken head began to regrow bit by bit.
"This thing can also recover indefinitely!?"
The Allied Forces, whose morale had just surged, all changed expressions, including the First Hokage.
"Two Tsuchikage-samas, use Dust Release to destroy the Golden Figures, then use sealing tags to prevent their recovery!" Shikaku's voice appeared in the minds of every member of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Hearing this, the Allied Forces' morale surged once more.
Regardless of the Golden Figures' immense power, if they could be destroyed once, they could be destroyed a second time.
Afterwards, just apply tags to prevent recovery.
Mu and Onoki exchanged a glance, nodded, then simultaneously raised their hands. White light flickered in their palms, ready to fire once the Allied Forces closed to a distance where tags could be applied before the enemy recovered.
However, the Mechanical City's walls were not so easy to approach.
As the Allied Shinobi Forces entered the thousand-meter range, the Gatling crossbow cannons fired at high speed once more.
Accompanied by the renewed 'twang, twang, twang' of bowstrings, sky-blotting arrow barrages poured down wave after wave.
[Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees]!
Hashirama clasped his hands together, unleashing the forest secret technique once more. Trees erupted from the soil, rapidly growing into towering giants. Massive roots and intertwined vines formed a vast forest.
The trees forming this forest seemed to possess their own consciousness. Their roots and vines avoided every Allied Forces' soldier, not causing the slightest obstruction to their advance, while the branches and leaves on the trunks blocked the arrows raining from above.
Although a few stray arrows still pierced through the leafy cover and fell into the crowd, how could such sparse arrows pose a threat to Shinobi?
Boom, boom, boom...
Suddenly, the earth trembled violently.
The Twelve Golden Figures moved in unison. Whether towering trees or massive vines and roots, under the feet of these twelve golden giants, they were as fragile as ordinary deadwood, crushed to pieces by simple stomping.
Hashirama, at the very front, leapt backwards, retreating into the forest to rendezvous with the main force.
On the city walls, the Railguns began charging, glowing with a daylight that seemed to devour the sun. Orange beams rained down in a saturation attack into the forest, setting off explosions and shockwaves one after another.
For a moment, body parts, wood chips, and anguished cries filled the air.
But none of this could shake the Allied Shinobi Forces' confidence in victory.
Closer, closer, closer...
The Allied Shinobi Forces and the Twelve Golden Figures charged towards each other, the distance closing rapidly. Especially the Air Force equipped with Land of Sky's wings; they had already closed to within about a hundred meters of the Golden Figures much earlier.
"It's possible now!"
Mu shouted, and together with Onoki, poured more Chakra. The light in their hands intensified, ready to be unleashed.
Whoosh!
An orange beam tore across the sky, instantly piercing Onoki's chest, vaporizing most of it.
"Onoki!"
Mu abandoned the Ninjutsu, catching the teetering Onoki, then swiftly descended into the forest below.
The Air Force ahead, flying at high speed, hadn't yet realized their rear fire support was gone. Roaring, they charged forward.