Minato's Choice

WHOOSH!!

BANG!!!!

Furious lightning shot straight into the sky, exploding into infinite sparks.

Ōnoki, who had barely dodged, clutched his lower back, a few drops of cold sweat trickling down.

Just his luck, his back pain had flared up now.

But...

A technique that could counter Dust Release... what was that?

Ōnoki had repelled Tailed Beast Balls with Dust Release many times; this was definitely not something Tailed Beast Chakra could do...

To directly counter Dust Release, besides Dust Release itself... perhaps only Space-Time Ninjutsu.

Ōnoki did indeed feel the distortion of space.

"Brat... doing this..."

"Will only make me want to eliminate you right now, no matter the cost!"

Ōnoki once again condensed a Dust Release barrier.

Suppressing the violent influence of the Tailed Beast Chakra, Kagami Uchiha spoke with a hoarse voice.

"Ōnoki, four tails are the limit of what I can control."

"If you want to make a move again, I can just release the Nine-Tails."

"This place is quite close to the Land of Earth, isn't it?"

"Before I lose consciousness, I still have a way to make the Nine-Tails head towards the Land of Earth."

"Do you want to try the power of the Nine-Tails..."

Beneath the Crimson Chakra Cloak, Kagami Uchiha's right hand was already bloody and mangled.

The only two people present who knew the truth were the unconscious Roshi and Namikaze Minato.

Since you think I'm the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, then that's all the better.

Ōnoki fell silent.

His thoughts raced, weighing the gains and losses, ...

"Thinking for too long!"

Kagami Uchiha roared, more Tailed Beast Chakra overflowing, as if about to form a Fifth Tail.

"Wait!!"

Ōnoki dispersed the Dust Release barrier and urgently shouted:

"In the name of Tsuchikage, I promise Stone Hidden will not invade the Land of Fire for half a year! As long as you return Roshi to me!"

The violent Chakra slowly subsided, still maintained in the Four-Tails state.

"In a week, I will have someone return Roshi."

"No! What if you extract the Four-Tails? Don't play tricks on me!"

"Now... you leave."

Ōnoki gritted his teeth: "I am Tsuchikage, after all. Would I go back on a promise made in front of Stone Hidden Ninja!"

The Chakra tail coiled around Roshi.

"We will retreat to the border, and then have someone send him over. I guarantee he'll be alive."

"This is my bottom line. If not, let's fight."

Saying that, the fierce Tailed Beast Chakra overflowed once more.

"Fine."

Ōnoki took a long Breath, looking deeply at Kagami Uchiha.

"Kid, tell me your name."

"Kagami Uchiha."

"Is that so..."

"Kagami Uchiha, I hope we meet again. You won this round."

Ōnoki slowly landed within the Stone Hidden formation, cast a meaningful glance at Konoha's People, and then ordered his men to retreat.

After they had retreated a distance, a young man with the same big nose as Ōnoki approached.

"Father, even you should be able to handle the Nine-Tails, right?"

The people of the Ninja World didn't have a direct understanding of the Nine-Tails. They knew it was strong, but they figured it could at most handle two opponents.

Ōnoki had a record of defeating the Four-Tails and Five-Tails combined!

Floating in mid-air, Ōnoki glanced sideways at Kitsuchi and said coldly, "Do you want to be Tsuchikage? Are you tired of me living too long?"

"No, no, no!" Kitsuchi quickly waved his hands.

After a moment of silence, Ōnoki said in a low voice.

"I'm not sure if I can handle the Nine-Tails, nor is there any need to."

"When you go back, spread the name of Kagami Uchiha far and wide. Also, spread the word about Roshi's defeat."

"Ah? This..."

Ōnoki's eyes narrowed, a strange curve on his lips: "Do you know who I thought of when I saw him?"

Kitsuchi hesitated. Of course, he knew his father's most painful memory.

"Is it... Uchiha Madara?"

"That's right."

"Although he's still far from the Uchiha Madara I saw, he's still young..."

"Someone like that..."

"The one who fears another Uchiha Madara appearing the most isn't me..."

"It's Konoha!"

If Konoha were united, and the Uchiha and Konoha's higher-ups were on intimate terms, Ōnoki would have fought to his death to keep these people here.

However, the reason he was here was precisely because of the intel from that person in Konoha...

A Tsuchikage needs not only strength but, more importantly, eyes that can see through the essence of things.

Unfortunately... Kitsuchi was too foolish, not a suitable candidate.

Ōnoki truly envied Konoha, which was constantly producing talented individuals.

Konoha's White Fang, the Sannin, and now Namikaze Minato, Kagami Uchiha, and others – a batch of geniuses emerged almost every few years.

Everything has its pros and cons.

At least Iwagakure didn't have higher-ups who would actively sell out their comrades' intel.

Konoha's White Fang was forced to retreat, the Uchiha wouldn't have such a good outcome...

Ōnoki was very patient, wanting to see if the conflict between the two would erupt during this time.

"Then... Father, should we recall those near the Land of Fire's border?"

Bang!

Kitsuchi's head was hit with a rap. Ōnoki shouted, disappointed.

"Are you an idiot! Do you really think I'll abide by some verbal agreement!"

Alliance treaties were just scraps of paper when necessary, let alone something said offhand.

"As long as Roshi returns, we'll station troops in the Land of Grass, ready to fight at any time!"

Suddenly, a black eagle appeared in their sight, flying towards Ōnoki and the others.

A messenger hawk?

This was a top-level messenger hawk. Had something happened in Iwagakure?

Opening the message, Ōnoki's face turned red.

"Bastard! Idiot!"

"A, that black-skinned monkey! How dare he!!"

"The Third Raikage is leading troops to invade the Land of Earth, the vanguard has already approached Iwagakure, return quickly!"

How could this be!

I've only been out for two days, how could that guy A have caught this timing?

Danzo!

It must have been that bastard who gave the intel to Kumogakure!

"Kitsuchi! You stay here to meet Roshi, everyone else, return to the village at full speed with me!"

Damn it, I came out to raid, and my home is about to be stolen!

--

The border of the Land of Fire.

A female medical ninja's palm glowed green as she pressed it against Kagami Uchiha's back.

His entire body was covered in wounds, his skin corroded by the Tailed Beast Chakra, making him look terrifying.

The surface wounds were manageable, but the bones in his right hand were injured and would require time to heal.

"Be careful not to get water on the wound. You're injured like this... it must have been a Fire Style jutsu, you've worked hard."

After bandaging him, the Medical Ninja explained the dosage and left the Camp Tent.

"Kagami, how are you feeling?"

Minato lifted the Curtain and entered, his eyes filled with worry.

Kagami Uchiha, wrapped like a Zongzi, spoke with a slightly distorted voice.

"I'm alright. What about Roshi?"

"He's been handed over to the Iwagakure ninjas," Minato sighed. "If it weren't for the Sunagakure incident, we could have killed the Four-Tails right then."

"This way, it will take at least ten years for Iwagakure to train a new Jinchuriki."

Sunagakure and Iwagakure, Konoha could easily handle either one, and even fighting two wouldn't be troublesome.

It's just...

If the other ninja villages saw this situation, they would definitely swarm in, forming a four-on-one.

"An order has come from the village, saying the War in the Land of Wind has reached a Stalemate, and they hope I'll go for support..."

"Whose order?" Kagami Uchiha asked indifferently.

"Elder Danzō's order."

After a moment of silence, Minato's eyes turned cold.

"Kagami, you've sensed it too, haven't you."

Kagami Uchiha chuckled lightly. "He's targeting me. After transferring you away, he might make a move against me."

"The Third Tsuchikage appearing this time was probably also his doing."

Kagami Uchiha looked calmly at Minato. "Jiraiya Teacher often told me to integrate into the village, to truly become a Part of Konoha."

"But, Minato Senior Brother... there are people in Konoha who don't want the Uchiha to exist."

"Sitting back and waiting for death is not my style."

"As long as I have the chance, I will definitely kill Shimura Danzō."

"...He's...Third Hokage's close friend..."

Namikaze Minato didn't care about Shimura Danzō's status as one of the higher-ups.

What troubled him were the complex relationships involved.

Strictly speaking, they should even call Danzō Grand Uncle Master.

Kagami Uchiha said nothing more, waiting for Minato to make his own decision.

If Minato chose the Third's side, he wouldn't hold back in the future.

The lamplight in the camp tent swayed silently.

After a long while, Minato exhaled, revealing a warm smile.

"Until you get better, I'm not going anywhere."

"I will protect you, Kagami!"