Nine-Tails!!

The moment Obito Uchiha vanished from the cave with Kushina, Shinichi Hyuga, far away at the Hyuga Clan, clearly sensed one of his Flying Thunder God Marks rapidly disappearing from his perception.

Shinichi sprang to his feet and looked in the direction where Kushina had vanished, a grave expression appearing on his face.

When he pushed open the door, he saw Hyuga Hiashi's back.

Hiashi was sitting in the corridor, looking up at the moon, which had begun to glow red. Hearing the movement behind him, he turned his head slightly.

"What is it? It's rare to see such anxiety on your face."

Hiashi looked at his son, a rare gentle smile appearing on his face.

"Something must have happened on Uncle's side."

Shinichi Hyuga did not hide anything from Hiashi. From beginning to end, Hiashi had known about some of Shinichi's arrangements. He had never pressed for details and had always trusted Shinichi unconditionally. It was precisely because of Hiashi's support that Shinichi had so easily gained Hizashi's trust.

"The Jinchuriki..."

"What can we do at a time like this?"

Upon hearing that something had gone wrong on Hizashi's end, Hyuga Hiashi's expression turned solemn.

From a personal standpoint, Hyuga Hizashi, who was protecting Kushina, was his younger brother. Though the relationship between the Main Family and Branch Family had left the two brothers with few chances for heartfelt, in-depth conversations, blood ties were not something that could ever be completely worn away.

What was more, Hiashi himself was the traditional patriarch type. His regard for family was far beyond what others imagined.

It was just that he often buried those feelings deep in his heart. What he showed others was the cold, businesslike face of the Hyuga Clan head.

Perhaps the gentleness in Hiashi's heart could only truly reveal itself after he cast off the inherited burden of the Hyuga Main Family.

From the standpoint of working together, the Hyuga Clan had assisted the Fourth Hokage with guarding the Jinchuriki this time. The clan had even taken advantage of the opportunity to strengthen its ties with the Hokage faction and obtain the Scroll of Seals.

The Hyuga Clan had to remember that favor—and repay it.

Moreover, as the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, Kushina's safety concerned Konoha and the continued existence of the Hyuga Clan.

Kushina was also Shinichi Hyuga's teacher. She had guided Shinichi in mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the Hyuga Clan had taken that kindness to heart.

If something had happened over there, the Hyuga Clan could not simply stand by.

The exchange between Hiashi and Shinichi did not resemble one between an adult and a child at all.

The ninja world could sometimes be exceptionally straightforward. Shinichi Hyuga, having mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, already held considerable influence within the Hyuga Clan. Regarded by Hiashi as the heir to the Main Family, Shinichi had long been treated as an adult.

"Teacher Kushina has a Flying Thunder God Kunai I gave her."

"Not just me—the Fourth Hokage should have made similar arrangements on Teacher Kushina as well."

"Although I can't sense the coordinates right now, I don't think that person would simply leave."

"Father, inform the Third Hokage in your name and have him prepare in advance."

"Have the ordinary clan members evacuate first."

Shinichi could sense the storm approaching and wanted to do something, but before he sensed that vanished Flying Thunder God Mark again, there was truly nothing he could do.

All he could do was have the clan members take shelter first and give the Third Hokage advance warning.

He did not know exactly what had happened to Kushina, but with the Flying Thunder God Mark disappearing, Shinichi was certain that something had occurred.

He had no intention of using Flying Thunder God to go to Hizashi and ask about the details. There was no point in going there. On the contrary, only at the Hyuga Clan did he have forces he could use!

"Kazutaka!"

Hiashi called out loudly.

As his voice fell, a Hyuga Clan Member flashed into the courtyard and dropped to one knee before Hiashi and Shinichi. "Yes! What are your orders, Lord Hiashi?"

"You heard what Shinichi said, didn't you? Go report to the Third Hokage. There's a problem with the Jinchuriki. Tell him and the Anbu to be on guard."

As he spoke, Hiashi continued to call out.

"Mio!"

A female ninja of the Hyuga Clan flashed out and bowed before him.

"To be safe, gather the clan members first. If anything happens, evacuate immediately."

"We must prepare for the worst."

Mio Hyuga nodded, then vanished from the courtyard with a Body Flicker.

"Keisuke Hyuga."

At Hiashi's call, another Hyuga Clan Member with a powerful presence flashed into the courtyard.

"Gather the Hyuga Clan's Special Jonin and elite ninja above that rank. Have them await orders in the front courtyard of the ancestral hall. I'll be there shortly."

At this point, Hiashi suddenly thought of something. He turned to Shinichi and asked, "How many ninja can your Flying Thunder God Technique transfer at once?"

Shinichi had only recently mastered Flying Thunder God, and even Hiashi did not know the full extent of his son's abilities.

"A thousand or eight hundred won't be a problem."

Shinichi estimated for a moment before answering. While he could not perform Space Jump for tens of thousands like Minato in his golden form, transferring several hundred or several thousand people was no issue with his current abilities.

"Good!"

"Keisuke, get to it!"

"Since we Hyuga accepted the Fourth Hokage's protection assignment and have already received the benefits—"

"Then failure is absolutely unacceptable!"

Hiashi's gaze sharpened as he barked.

Listening to Hiashi's arrangements, Shinichi could not help feeling touched as he looked at his father's back. Though everything Hiashi did was for the Hyuga Clan, was it not also for him, his son?

Based solely on intelligence that was difficult to verify, Hiashi was willing to mobilize on such a large scale. That alone showed how much Hiashi trusted Shinichi.

"Thank you, Father," Shinichi said softly.

Hiashi, standing before the corridor, smiled and shook his head.

"All of this is for the Hyuga!"

Above a great lake outside Konoha.

Obito's figure emerged from the void. Immediately afterward, he released Kushina and threw her onto a reef on the lake's surface.

Black Cursed Seals bound Kushina's body, and under Obito's control, her entire body was suspended in the air.

Kushina had just given birth and was already weak. Moreover, because of the Nine-Tails' frantic struggle, she could not spare any attention now and could only reinforce the seal within her body. Yet without Minato's help, Kushina alone could not completely suppress the Nine-Tails' power.

What was more, Obito was watching covetously from the side.

"Come out..."

"Nine-Tails!!!"

Obito Uchiha came before Kushina and formed a hand seal with one hand.

Foreign Chakra invaded the seal. In just an instant, Kushina's body was enveloped by Chakra leaking from the Nine-Tails.

The seal shattered, and the intense pain made Kushina let out a pained growl.

Terrifying Chakra surged out from Kushina's seal and gathered above the lake. In only a moment, the Nine-Tails' enormous body appeared at the center of the lake.

"Roar—"

The Nine-Tails' howl turned into terrifying sound waves that spread in every direction. Looking at the berserk Nine-Tails, Obito's face beneath the mask revealed a satisfied smile.

"Finally..."

"Finally, I succeeded!!!"

As he raised his head, Obito's gaze met the Nine-Tails'. The three-tomoe Sharingan beneath Obito's mask transformed into a pinwheel shape.

The power of the Mangekyo instantly brought the Nine-Tails under control. The Nine-Tails, newly freed, had not even had time to celebrate before the image of the Sharingan was reflected in its eyes.

"Die!"

Hatred flashed fiercely in Obito's eyes as he controlled the Nine-Tails' claw and smashed it viciously toward Kushina at the center of the lake.

At that very moment, a white figure flashed swiftly across the reef in the lake. In the next instant, the figure vanished rapidly from the center of the lake with Kushina.

"Minato Namikaze..."

Obito murmured. He did not find it regrettable. Instead, he phased away and swiftly disappeared from where he stood.

Within Konoha, before the Hyuga Clan's ancestral hall.

Shinichi had just sensed his Flying Thunder God Kunai appear outside Konoha. As he used his Chakra to link himself with the Hyuga Clan's elites in preparation for teleportation, he suddenly sensed the Flying Thunder God Kunai's location change.

After hesitating for a moment, Shinichi stopped wavering and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique toward Kushina.