Re-sealing the Nine-Tails

Snake-Pig-Goat-Rabbit-Dog-Rat-Rooster-Horse...

Just as Minato was about to form the final巳 hand seal.

Natsu Yuu, along with Hashirama, appeared out of thin air beside Minato.

The latter noticed them instantly.

He immediately interrupted the Reaper Death Seal and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to disappear from his original spot.

In the blink of an eye, he reappeared beside Kushina, holding the infant Naruto. His reaction speed was astonishing.

No wonder he could play around with the Flying Thunder God Technique so freely.

"Who are you?"

Minato shouted sternly. Under the continuous attacks, his nerves were stretched to their absolute limit.

Inside, he was even more horrified by Natsu Yuu and the others who had suddenly appeared.

How could this be?

There are still enemies?

I clearly already set up a barrier.

Even Lord Third Hokage Hiruzen was blocked outside the barrier, so who else could have silently penetrated it?

Minato almost thought it was the masked man who looked like 'Madara Uchiha' from before.

But upon closer inspection.

He realized all three newcomers were extraordinary.

Especially two of them, their appearances were almost identical to the First and Second Hokage carved onto the Hokage Rock!

"Big Brother, this Fourth Hokage doesn't recognize us?"

Tobirama pouted. He couldn't help but complain about this 'disciple of a later generation' not recognizing his senior who gave him such a boost.

Besides, his face was carved so large on the Hokage Rock!

"Hahaha. In this era, we should have been dead for a long time. It's normal for him not to recognize us immediately."

Hashirama laughed heartily, not minding at all.

After all, who would expect their ancestors, who died decades ago, to suddenly appear before them?

Even if they recognized them, they wouldn't believe it right away.

"First Hokage, control the Nine-Tails first. Madam Kushina can't hold on for much longer," Natsu Yuu reminded him.

"Right, right, let me do it!"

Hashirama Senju didn't hesitate. He clapped his hands and immediately activated Sage Mode.

"Sage Art: Gate of the Great God!"

Three giant red torii gates descended from the sky, stacking on top of each other, pressing down on the Nine-Tails. They sealed its Chakra and bound it tightly in place.

The sealing effect was even superior to the Adamantine Sealing Chains!

Minato and Kushina were stunned.

"This is? Sage Art?"

"So strong!"

Minato immediately recognized Hashirama's Sage Mode. He also knew Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku, although he wasn't proficient yet.

But even all the toads of Mount Myōboku combined would have a hard time defeating the Nine-Tails!

The result was obvious.

It wasn't the Sage Art that was strong, but the man in front of him!

"You... you are the First and Second Hokage?"

"Hmph! You finally recognize this old man?"

After receiving an answer, Minato was even more shocked.

"How can it be? Weren't you already..."

"Could it be Impure World Reincarnation?..."

Minato certainly didn't believe the First and Second Hokage, who had died decades ago, were still alive. The only explanation was that they were summoned by some ninjutsu, just like the Impure World Reincarnation recorded in the Scroll of Seals...

As for ninjutsu that could completely revive the dead, no one in this era had ever heard of it.

"Foolish, how can you compare this old man to those dull summoned puppets!"

"Tobirama, did you keep those forbidden scroll texts?"

Hashirama raised an eyebrow, hearing the implication that Tobirama still had many forbidden techniques like Impure World Reincarnation circulating?

"Big Brother, I..."

Just then.

Kushina, weak as she was, could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

"Kushina!"

Minato was in a panic but powerless.

"Sir, is there any way to save her?" Hashirama quickly turned to ask.

"It's very simple, just reseal the Nine-Tails back inside," Natsu Yuu replied.

"Huh?"

(°Д°)?

Several people widened their eyes, all in disbelief.

Didn't a Jinchuriki die when the Tailed Beast was extracted? They'd be fine just by resealing it?

It was that simple?

"For other Jinchuriki, they die the moment the Tailed Beast is extracted, with no chance to reseal it. Only those with exceptionally strong life forces can hang on for a little while longer. The Uzumaki Clan is one such rare exception."

"What if..." Minato fretted.

He didn't know Natsu Yuu, but the First Hokage's attitude and the suspected Rinnegan in his eyes were enough proof of his extraordinary nature.

Even if it made sense, there was no precedent, which was worrying!

"Fourth Hokage, just listen to him. He wouldn't... uh... at least we wouldn't harm you!"

"This... Alright!"

Minato gritted his teeth and agreed to Natsu Yuu's proposal.

Besides, he didn't have many other options.

He could either trust Natsu Yuu this once, or proceed with the Reaper Death Seal.

The latter would mean certain death for both him and Kushina; the former offered a chance to save Kushina, so it was worth a try.

If anything went wrong, with the First Hokage Hashirama and Second Hokage Tobirama present, it wouldn't lead to greater losses.

Even further back.

He really didn't want their newborn son, Naruto, to lose his parents entirely and become an orphan...

"Kushina, you..."

"I'm willing!"

Kushina immediately agreed, weak as she was. She didn't have the energy to discern if the suddenly appearing people were the legendary previous Hokage.

But she was very willing to try their suggestion, even if it failed.

At worst, she would die along with the Nine-Tails.

While that might disrupt the balance of Tailed Beasts among the villages, it would at least let Minato live, and let Naruto's father watch over him as he grew up.

For Kushina, there was no better ending.

After all, she had long been prepared to face death!

"Good. Fourth Hokage, prepare the seal. I'll suppress the Nine-Tails!"

Hashirama acted immediately.

He clapped his hands again, activating Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique. Two giant wooden hands emerged from the ground and grabbed the Nine-Tails.

The Nine-Tails recognized Hashirama immediately. At first, it couldn't believe Hashirama had been resurrected and desperately tried to break free.

As it was held by the wooden hands, the entire fox felt a sense of futility.

What was the point of struggling against the genuine God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju?

The Nine-Tails hadn't forgotten how he'd held it with the Wood Golem Technique while shouting about how dangerous it was.

Compared to the Tailed Beasts, this guy was the real monster!

Forget it.

It might as well lie down obediently.

Soon, the Nine-Tails was compressed into a ball of Chakra by the two wooden hands.

Minato also summoned the sealing altar, preparing to act.

A short while later, working with Hashirama, they resealed the Nine-Tails back into its Jinchuriki, Kushina Uzumaki.

The entire process went smoothly.

It was the first time Minato had seen such a cooperative Nine-Tails; it was as docile as a small fox, which was utterly unbelievable!