Even without the Kyūbi, Rinnegan Madara will give Hashirama the fight of his life. His endurance/stamina/chakra reserves have likely increased tenfold with the addition of Shodai's cells. He can cancel out the majority of Hashirama's Wood Style with his faux Mokuton because of the copy cat nature of his Sharingan [
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]. An IC Hashirama isn't bringing out Shin Sūsenju right off the bat, just as Madara isn't immediately resorting to Perfect Susano'o. While Madara and Kabuto know practically everything regarding Hashirama's abilties (through experience and scientific research respectively), the latter's knowledge on his opponents' upgrades is extremely limited.
Both parties are intelligent. I expect Hashirama will soon realise that:
- His basic Mokuton will be useless against Madara, since the latter can predict/replicate his attacks.
- Physical attacks will be useless against the Hydrification Technique Kabuto acquired from the Hōzuki clan.
Madara can see through Shodai's Moku Bunshins with the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan, so relying on doppelgangers doesn't seem to be a viable tactic. It remains to be seen whether or not his clones are able to enter Sennin Mode, and if they can't, they won't be able to keep up with Kabuto or prevent themselves from being torn apart with a Chakra Scapel. Both Hakugeki and Mugen Onsa can probably be countered by taking refuge deep within the earth, although that is dependent on how well Hashirama can react to these alien techniques. The 1st Hokage also isn't aware that Kabuto is in possession of a Wood Style suppressing poison [
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]. Of course, it has only been shown to work on the
far weaker Yamato, although it stands to reason that even someone as powerful Hashirama could have his Wood Style somewhat suppressed - even if it means his Mokuton is only weakened by x amount. Envenoming the correct Shodai will prove an easier task if Kabuto has Madara locate the original with his ocular powers.
Both Gedō Mazō and Manda II can be summoned by Madara's team; under normal circumstances, Hashirama would be able to dispatch of the two with little problems - but the situation is made complicated when Mokuryū, Hotei and the like can be mirrored with relative ease by Madara. The Gakidō/Mokuton debate will never end, although it seems to me that, at the very least, the chakra in Hashirama's Wood Release can be absorbed from what is, at the end of the day, Ninjutsu (the combination of both Suiton and Doton, with an injection of Yang Chakra which provides the 'life creating' aspect [
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]).
Ultimately, Shodai
will enter Sennin Mode if he feels he's on the back foot. Once Shin Sūsenju is out, it probably spells the end for Kabuto as he's likely to be killed in the cross-fire. Without the Kyūbi, Madara probably doesn't have the firepower needed to take the statue down. I'm just wondering how useful the abilities of the Tendō realm will be for him. If he really did pull down those meteors with some sort of enhanced version of Banshō Ten'in, who knows what he could do to Hashirama's construct. Toppling it doesn't seem out of the question considering Madara isn't suffering from the handicaps which limited Nagato (A transplanted pair of eyes, lack of Hashirama's cells etc). Could go either way I guess - depends on how quickly Susano'o is removed and how readily Madara will start employing the powers of the Rinnegan.