Nine-Tails

Violent chakra fluctuations swept through the entire forest, terrifying black-red lines connecting heaven and earth.

A symbol of destruction and ill omen.

The strongest Tailed Beast, the Nine-Tails!

Only by truly facing such a terrifying existence could one understand what a monstrous calamity it was!

Scorching chakra burned like flames, warping the air as an invisible force shattered mountains and giant trees...

"What... is that thing..."

Sukuna's voice was incredibly heavy, yet it carried a faint trace of excitement.

What an interesting world. This monster's immense power even made his heart tremble!

I want to...

I want to cut it apart!!

"Brat! Let me out!!"

Amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood, Sukuna's Two-Faced Four-Armed demonic body let out a wild roar.

"Let me kill it!!"

"I can clearly sense it! My destiny in coming to this world is to tear apart and devour that monster!!"

Kagami Uchiha stopped outside the chaotic chakra field, while the late-arriving Kakashi stared in horror.

"Stray dogs don't need any destiny. Be quiet."

Kagami Uchiha directly blocked Sukuna's perception of the outside world. He knew the Nine-Tails' abilities.

Malice sensing.

No one possessed greater malice than Sukuna. If the Nine-Tails sensed his presence, it would not be a good thing.

The leaking Nine-Tails chakra had already begun corroding Kushina Uzumaki's skin, forming three enormous chakra tails.

Minato Namikaze was pressed close against her, one hand on her abdomen as he performed a sealing technique.

Kagami Uchiha watched the scene intently, the tomoe in his eyes spinning without pause.

Every sealing technique was extremely difficult to learn. Few shinobi could balance training in both ninjutsu and sealing techniques.

Even Orochimaru had been a little surprised when Kakashi learned sealing techniques.

Kagami Uchiha also knew sealing techniques—the Transcription Seal related to ocular power.

He had silently sealed portions of his ocular power within Obito's body, waiting for the right moment.

With his knowledge, he could tell that the sealing technique Minato Namikaze was using was exceptionally advanced.

It was somewhat different from the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style he remembered. It seemed incomplete... so that was the Four Symbols Seal?

The situation remained deadlocked for a moment. Jiraiya was not one to act rashly, afraid that forcing his way in would have adverse consequences. Noticing Kagami Uchiha's gaze, he hurried over and asked:

"Kagami, how is the situation!"

On the battlefield, every shinobi with ocular techniques was an outstanding intelligence gatherer.

The danger of the Nine-Tails breaking free was no less than a large-scale war for Konoha!

"That man is trying to seal that ferocious chakra..."

Kagami Uchiha pretended not to know what to call that thing and continued.

"There is also a sealing aura inside the red-haired woman, helping to restrain it."

"The situation has stabilized for now."

At that, Jiraiya could only watch anxiously. He knew that at a time like this, he could not interfere with Minato and Kushina.

Suddenly, the situation changed drastically!

Violent crimson chakra swept through like a hurricane, sending even Jiraiya and the other two flying.

Kushina's body was completely covered in chakra.

Six tails...

Splat!

A hand covered in black-red chakra pierced through Minato Namikaze's abdomen!

"Minato! Run!!"

Kushina, more than half submerged in Nine-Tails chakra, screamed herself hoarse.

"Leave this place! Don't worry about me!"

Minato Namikaze stubbornly maintained the seal, his eyes incomparably resolute.

"I won't leave..."

"Never!"

I can't bear to lose you...

I will never hand Kushina over to you!

Nine-Tails!!

Within the mental space.

The Adamantine Sealing Chains suddenly exerted force, tightly binding the Nine-Tails.

Minato Namikaze appeared within it, raising a mass of chakra high as he fearlessly clashed against the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball!

Then...

A faint sound of dripping water rang out.

A small figure entered the battlefield.

Both Minato Namikaze and the Nine-Tails were drawn to those eyes for an instant.

That was...

The Sharingan!!

The Nine-Tails instantly flew into a rage, pouring out chakra with all its strength to destroy everything before it!

Only upon seeing the Nine-Tails for the first time did Kagami Uchiha understand the gap between images and reality.

There had been many descriptions of the Nine-Tails, depending on the person.

The First Hokage said the Nine-Tails' power was far too great.

Mito and Kushina said the Nine-Tails possessed the power to suppress the world, representing destruction and ill omen.

Because of Uchiha Madara's assessment, the Nine-Tails' reputation had become that of a servant to ocular power, greatly diminishing its stature.

But... even Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, had needed his wife's sealing techniques to restrain the Nine-Tails for so long!

The chakra it possessed alone exceeded that of the other eight combined!

Ordinary sealing techniques could not affect it at all. Konoha needed to establish an entire barrier to assist Kushina in suppressing this calamitous monster.

As for the claim that a Mangekyo could control the Nine-Tails, Kagami Uchiha reached his own conclusion at this moment.

Impossible.

An ordinary Mangekyo could not control the Nine-Tails!

Sasuke was special. He was the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths' son, and Madara was as well.

Their ocular power was inherently far greater than that of ordinary Uchiha.

Fortunately...

I am also one of the special Uchiha.

Kagami Uchiha was not anyone's reincarnation. Or rather, he was the reincarnation of himself. Combined with his constant exploitation of Sukuna, he possessed an enormous amount of spiritual energy.

The mental space itself was practically his home ground.

Surging ocular power dyed the entire mental space as Kagami Uchiha shouted, "I am Kagami Uchiha, here to help you suppress this beast!"

Beast...

Uchiha...

Aaaaargh!!!!!

The chains trembled wildly. Kushina felt that this was the Nine-Tails' fiercest resistance ever.

Unable to spare attention for anything else, Minato and Kushina both exerted all their strength, desperately resisting the Tailed Beast Ball's advance.

The collision between the two chakra spheres did not explode. Instead, like opposing waves, they fell into a stalemate.

Kagami Uchiha deliberately provoked the Nine-Tails, quietly gathering some of its chakra and feeding it into his own mental space.

According to the original course of events, Minato Namikaze should have succeeded in sealing the Nine-Tails this time. But with an anomaly like himself involved, things were difficult to predict.

Only when the two were nearly unable to hold on did Kagami Uchiha decide to act.

For now, it was better to keep the Nine-Tails stored inside Kushina.

Even if he wanted to seize the Nine-Tails, he would have to wait until he had grown stronger.

Crimson ocular power gathered toward the Nine-Tails' pupils.

This feeling...

The Nine-Tails once again recalled the terrifying experience that man had given it.

The sensation of being a puppet on strings was something no living being wished to endure.

Under the layered assault, it had little strength left to deal with Kagami Uchiha's ocular power. Before losing consciousness, it looked in Kagami Uchiha's direction.

Those cold, emotionless eyes.

That contemptuous gaze, as though he were looking at livestock...

"Madara!!!!"

Damn it!! Have you reincarnated?!

And reincarnated into the Uchiha Clan of all places!!

Damn it!!

Boom!!!!

The Nine-Tails' momentary lapse allowed Minato Namikaze's Rasengan to knock it down. Layer upon layer of chains swiftly bound its limbs and nine tails.

Everything.

Returned to calm.