In the Nine-Tails' view, Senju Hashirama was undoubtedly an idiot. Who else, after achieving ultimate power, would have nothing better to do than capture all the Tailed Beasts in the world just to give them away to others?
But alas, even if he was an idiot, it didn't change the fact that he was strong. The saying that his name alone represented an entire era wasn't an exaggeration. Even though the current Hashirama's power was limited by the Impure World Reincarnation, he was still the strongest card in Orochimaru's hand.
Naruto Uzumaki leaped to the side, manipulating the chakra cloak on his body into a giant golden hand that lunged for Hashirama. It seemed logical that the First Hokage would retreat, but instead, he simply clapped his hands together. A huge wooden dragon shot out. "Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!"
The wooden dragon coiled around the giant chakra hand and began absorbing its power. The golden hand quickly dimmed before dissipating into the air. Naruto watched in surprise as the wooden dragon rushed toward him, forcing him to dodge and retreat. "It's absorbing chakra, too?"
"Wood Style has the ability to absorb chakra," the Nine-Tails said from within the seal, its tone grim. That Wood Dragon was the very ninjutsu Hashirama had used to suppress and bind it all those years ago. Back then, Hashirama had subdued the full-power Nine-Tails.
Dodging the Wood Dragon's attack, Naruto asked softly, "Kurama, since you know the First Hokage, is there any way to defeat him?"
"..."
The Nine-Tails fell silent. How was it supposed to answer that? The entire reason it wasn't roaming free but was sealed inside Naruto was because of the bastard in red plate armor right in front of them. It wasn't just the Nine-Tails, either. The miserable fate of several other Tailed Beasts was also because of Hashirama's meddling.
This man was the very source of the jinchuriki's tragic fate. In a sense, Hashirama was also one of the reasons for the constant wars in the ninja world. He clearly had the power to unify the world, but he insisted on some foolish notion of "balance." A Hokage who could suppress the entire ninja world fantasized about achieving peace by balancing the power of the villages.
Any person with a normal IQ would think it was nonsense.
The path Hashirama took was wrong, and the path Naruto took later was also wrong. As long as people were separated by the barrier of nations, true peace would forever be nothing more than a reflection of the moon in the water.
Back in the arena, Hashirama methodically controlled the Wood Dragon as it chased Naruto. He had already gained the advantage. The Wood Dragon Jutsu was enough to restrict the Nine-Tails' chakra and keep it from running wild.
Finally, Naruto couldn't hold back any longer. He condensed a blackish-purple Tailed Beast Bomb in his palm and slammed it toward the Wood Dragon.
The next moment, Hashirama clapped his hands again. A wooden hand shot out from the Wood Dragon's body and grabbed the Tailed Beast Bomb. All of its chakra was completely absorbed.
Naruto frowned, looking at the seemingly invulnerable Wood Dragon. "The Tailed Beast Bomb was broken just like that..."
"...That's normal," the Nine-Tails said dryly from the sealing space. Hashirama had done things like that before. The man had many ways to neutralize a Tailed Beast Bomb.
"This can't go on..." Naruto flipped his palm open, eyeing the Wood Dragon still roaming the arena. "I have to find a way to deal with the First Hokage himself."
The First Hokage's jutsu seemed to counter his own. The Tailed Beast Bomb was his strongest attack in his normal form, yet it was easily broken by a simple wooden hand. He had to find a way to attack Hashirama's main body.
"Kurama, get ready to help me synthesize sage art chakra!" Naruto raised his palm, and natural energy began to gather around it. "We don't have time to waste on him. We have to deal with the First Hokage as soon as possible and go support the others!"
The entire arena had completely turned into a battlefield. High above, Orochimaru and Tobirama were working together, completely suppressing Hiruzen. It wouldn't be long until the Third Hokage was defeated.
Although the Second Hokage's strength was limited, he had still crossed a certain threshold. His mastery of Water Style ninjutsu countered Hiruzen, but that wasn't all. Tobirama could also use the Flying Thunder God Technique. For Hiruzen, that was the most fatal problem.
He was forced to fight defensively, using ninjutsu only to buy time. He had no hope of victory.
Tobirama quickly formed hand seals, continuing to create a battlefield that suited his skills. "Water Style: Water Shockwave!"
"Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!" Hiruzen threw up a defensive wall, took a deep breath, and glanced down at the rampaging Kushina, Hashirama, and Rasa below.
A sense of despair washed over him. Even if he used the Reaper Death Seal now to swallow Orochimaru and Tobirama, he couldn't capture the three reanimated shinobi below at the same time. The distance between them was too great.
Just as Hiruzen was distracted by the battle below, the white-haired figure appeared before him as if sliding on water, reaching for his arm. Hiruzen only had time to raise his own arm to block.
In the small gap between their arms, Hiruzen saw his teacher's dim, lifeless eyes, and fear instantly shot through him. "Not good!"
Having had a close relationship with two users of the Flying Thunder God Technique, Hiruzen knew exactly how it worked. The number one rule was to never get touched by a user. He had been relying on long-range ninjutsu to avoid close combat, but he had been distracted, and Tobirama seized the opportunity.
Hiruzen looked down and saw a Senju clan mark glowing on his arm, as if it had a life of its own.
His guess was right. The Second Hokage flipped backward and, in the next instant, reappeared at Hiruzen's side, shouting, "Flying Thunder God Slash!"
Hiruzen only had time to raise his iron staff to defend himself, but he was still cut across the chest, leaving a long, deep wound. He ignored the injury and watched as Tobirama moved in for another cut. He sighed heavily. "A complete loss..."
He could have continued to delay with long-range ninjutsu, but now he didn't even have the chance to use the Reaper Death Seal.
As a reanimated person who felt no fear and had no need to conserve chakra, Tobirama's body flashed through a series of afterimages, continuously appearing by Hiruzen's side. The Second Hokage's speed was too much.
After one hit, he immediately teleported away, only to reappear from an unknown direction. Before Hiruzen could even track his figure, another wound appeared on his body.
Orochimaru, who was controlling Tobirama, let a small smile form on his lips. Seeing that his teacher could no longer resist, he said softly, "Teacher, we'll see each other again in a moment."
"You bastard!" Hiruzen's eyes seemed to burn with fire. He understood what Orochimaru meant. After he died, his rebellious student would immediately reanimate him and use him as a puppet to destroy Konoha.
But now, it was too late to turn the tide. His old body couldn't block the speed of the Flying Thunder God's attack.
A ninja sword was fiercely thrust into Hiruzen's heart.
The old man, who had been in charge of Konoha for decades, had finally reached the end of his life. His face was filled with unwillingness, despair, and pain as he stared at the ninja who had killed him.
The mindless Second Hokage did not look at his student. He expressionlessly pulled out his ninja sword, flicking off a string of blood.
-----
Bonus:
Hiruzen Sarutobi: Orochimaru, you're so cruel!
Orochimaru: I didn't do anything! The one who killed you was your teacher!
Tobirama Senju: You bastard, weren't you the one controlling me with the Impure World Reincarnation?
Orochimaru: Didn't you invent the Impure World Reincarnation?
Tobirama Senju: If you stab someone with a knife, are you going to blame the blacksmith for making the knife?
Orochimaru: Pain destroyed Konoha. Isn't it Madara's fault for giving him the eyes?
Tobirama Senju: ...You have a point. It is indeed Madara's fault.