The Arrival of Disaster

October 10, Konoha Year 48.

What had been an ordinary peaceful night was shattered by a sudden disaster that descended upon Konohagakure.

"Ah!? Run!"

"Damn it, we have to stop the Nine-Tails!"

"Why!? Why did the Nine-Tails go berserk at a time like this!?"

"Send someone to notify the Fourth Lord and the Third Lord!"

"Hold back the Nine-Tails until the Hokage arrives!"

"We have to defend this place!"

"Evacuate the civilians immediately!"

The Nine-Tails had inexplicably appeared in the heart of the village and, in an instant, ravaged all of Konohagakure. Its enormous body, incomparable power—strength far beyond the Kage level—was simply not something Regular Ninjas could handle.

Even a light graze or a faint shockwave could easily reap the lives of countless Konoha Ninjas.

In the brief time since it had appeared,

more than several hundred Konoha Ninjas had already perished.

"Fall back immediately."

Only when the aged Third Hokage arrived, wielding the Adamantine Nyoi-bo transformed from his Summoning Beast, Enma, alongside his closest comrades and Konoha's most elite forces, was the Nine-Tails' rampage temporarily contained.

The casualties among the Konoha Ninjas did not continue to grow.

But the Nine-Tails was simply too powerful.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen in his prime could not have fought it head-on to the end.

Much less Sarutobi Hiruzen now, in the twilight of his life.

After only a few minutes of combat, Sarutobi Hiruzen was already under immense pressure, while Torifu Akimichi and the others fighting beside him had each sustained injuries.

Any attack from the Nine-Tails—

even a sweep of its tail—was not something ordinary ninjas could easily withstand.

"Not good!? It's a Tailed Beast Bomb! Everyone, scatter!"

Just as the Nine-Tails threw back its head and instantly gathered a gigantic dark-black sphere of Chakra in its massive Fox Mouth,

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression changed sharply.

A Tailed Beast Bomb was originally the strongest attack of the Tailed Beasts, and this one was being unleashed by the strongest of them all: the Nine-Tails.

Its power

could easily destroy more than half of Konohagakure.

Yet Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, had no way to stop it. Gritting his teeth, he was about to charge in with his Adamantine Nyoi-bo expanded to its absolute limit, hoping to forcibly sweep the Nine-Tails out of the village once more—or even interrupt its Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Whoosh."

In an instant,

a brilliant golden flash streaked across the sky.

Flying Thunder God Technique—Guiding Thunder.

With one flash, the Tailed Beast Bomb that Sarutobi Hiruzen had been unable to stop in time was forcibly transferred to a wilderness far from Konohagakure.

Then came another flash.

The enormous Nine-Tails vanished from where it stood.

"!?"

The two disappearances,

in that single moment,

left Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others standing there stunned. The ordinary Konoha Ninjas even wondered whether they had fallen under Genjutsu.

But they reacted quickly.

"It's the Fourth!"

"It's Minato!"

"Ohhh! It's the Fourth Lord!"

That Golden Figure could only be Konohagakure's Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato.

"Koharu, Homura, Torifu, I'll leave the cleanup here to you three."

After quickly giving instructions to his three old friends, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately led several members of the Hokage's Direct Anbu and raced toward the outskirts of the village.

How strong was the Nine-Tails!?

He had not known before, but after that battle just now,

Sarutobi Hiruzen understood it with utmost clarity.

He truly did not believe that their young Fourth Hokage could hold back the Nine-Tails alone. Not to mention, during the battle just now, the Sharingan in the Nine-Tails' Pupils had been unmistakable.

This was undoubtedly a man-made disaster.

Someone must have been plotting in the shadows.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's vigilance had long since been raised to its utmost limit.

Unfortunately, no matter how urgently he hurried, the Third Hokage was still too late. By the time he arrived at the scene,

he saw only the enormous body of the Nine-Tails, completely bound by Golden Chains, transform into a streak of red light and plunge straight into a small figure below.

"Minato, Kushina!"

As the outer Barrier shattered and dissolved on its own,

Sarutobi Hiruzen leaped to Close proximity. Seeing Minato and Kushina lying there without a trace of life left, sorrow appeared on his aged face.

Regardless of whether this old man had developed selfish desires in his later years and committed some foolish acts, the sense of justice in his heart still remained. The young Fourth Hokage had been Konoha's future.

Now, seeing Minato die before him at barely twenty years old,

how could Sarutobi Hiruzen not feel grief?

Rest assured, Minato, Kushina. I will take good care of your two sons.

Looking at Minato and Kushina's corpses, which were already beginning to turn cold and stiff, Sarutobi Hiruzen gently picked up the two infants from below. One had blond hair and blue eyes, while the other had red hair and gray eyes. The blond-haired, blue-eyed infant resembled Kushina more, while the red-haired, gray-eyed infant bore three or four parts resemblance to Minato.

Moreover, intricate and mysterious sealing formulae were engraved across the smooth, pale belly of the red-haired, gray-eyed infant.

The immense sealing power radiating from them, along with the faint aura of Nine-Tails Chakra, made it clear to Sarutobi Hiruzen—even without having witnessed it—that the Nine-Tails had been sealed inside this red-haired infant.

Red hair... it seems he inherited Kushina's bloodline. No wonder Minato chose to seal it within this child. From now on, you shall be called Uzumaki Menma! And you shall be called Namikaze Naruto!

Looking at the two infants in his arms, countless thoughts raced through Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind. After his expression changed several times, he finally made up his mind.

Looking at the two infants in his arms, he gave different surnames to these children who were clearly twin brothers.

Menma, I hope you will not blame me after you grow up. This is the responsibility and mission you must bear. As Minato and Kushina's child, I believe that one day, you will understand.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed inwardly, then ordered the Anbu who had remained at a distance to come forward and collect Minato and Kushina's bodies. He himself carried the two infants and returned to the village ahead of them.

What Sarutobi Hiruzen did not know was that beneath the seemingly dazed expression of the red-haired infant in his arms, a raging storm had already risen within his heart.

What?

Who am I?

Who was he?

And where the hell was this!?

The red-haired infant repeatedly ran through these three soul-crushing questions in his mind!!!