A Will of Stone

Onoki hurls a colossal rock golem at Madara, only for the Uchiha to answer with a Hashirama-derived wood technique that blossoms into a forest and bursts the golem apart. Recognizing her grandfather's jutsu, Tsunade warns the others against breathing in the released pollen. Gaara lifts the Kage clear with his sand while Onoki keeps the Raikage aloft. Madara then manifests his Susanoo, drops the group through the canopy, and sets the whole forest ablaze, leaving the five leaders senseless.

Fading in and out of awareness, Onoki recalls the First Tsuchikage's words about the unbending resolve of Iwa's shinobi. Refusing to quit, he scours away Madara's forest with Dust Release, and the shock rouses the other Kage. As Madara's body knits itself back together, a face grown from Hashirama's cells surfaces on his chest, to the horror of everyone watching.

Far from the Kage battle, Itachi presses on in his hunt for Kabuto, unaware that Sasuke has picked up his trail. Sasuke gives chase, but his brother refuses to speak. When Sasuke tries to snare him inside his Susanoo, Itachi meets it with one of his own, and the standoff finally opens into a conversation between them.

Back among the Kage, Madara singles out Tsunade, dismissing her as a feeble woman unworthy of her Senju blood and no match for Hashirama. Tsunade counters that she carries something greater than raw power, the Will of Fire passed down to her, and warns Madara not to underestimate it.

The events draw from chapters 575 and 576 during the Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax arc. A continuity slip appears when Itachi speaks with Sasuke, as his left sclera is briefly drawn the normal color rather than black. The episode runs under the opening Not Even Sudden Rain Can Defeat Me.