Uh, no. You couldn't see them because they weren't there. They were being covered by the attack. Are we really going to try and argue something that obvious?
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didn't make them look like ants, clearly not as big as you claim they are, yet you are sitting here telling me that the trees are larger than Hiruzen's jutsu...lel.
It reached its full size. The only thing that was hindered was its reach.
Databook entries of it being "near instant" isn't going to cut it, especially since Kakashi managed to evade it...no way that its "near instant. Hiruzen counters the Fuuton with Katon and the Raiton rips right through him.
