The Fourth Shinobi World War

Before the words had even fallen, a tall, blue figure leaped from the Allied Forces' formation like thunder. His heavy footsteps landed on the ground at the very front of the formation, kicking up a storm of dust.

It was Killer B! His body was covered in wounds, and his left arm was still bleeding fresh blood, yet he stood tall, controlling the massive body of the Eight-Tails to forcibly stabilize his wavering form.

The Eight-Tails' eight tentacles, covered in black patterns, all lifted, like eight pillars supporting the sky. Brilliant and ferocious blue chakra erupted from his body, churning and surging like boiling magma. It quickly condensed into a solid shield tens of meters thick, securely enveloping the Eight-Tails' body and protecting the thousands of trembling Allied Forces ninjas behind him within this blue barrier.

"Little ones, stay put!" Killer B's voice came from behind the shield, still carrying a hint of his usual hip-hop tone, but with an undeniable tragic smile hidden in the tail end of his words.

He raised a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes incredibly resolute—he was Kumogakure's pillar, the Allied Forces' defense line. Even if it cost him and the Eight-Tails their lives, he had to block this fatal blow for the children behind him.

The Eight-Tails seemed to sense its host's determination, letting out a roar that shook the heavens and the earth. The blue chakra shield surged again, instantly expanding to thousands of meters wide, completely covering the front of the entire Allied Forces' formation, like an indestructible blue Great Wall.

But at that very moment, the Ten-Tails' super-large Tailed Beast Bomb broke through the dust and smoke, charging forward with world-destroying might.

The black energy sphere was hundreds of meters in diameter, its surface entwined with twisted black lightning. Wherever it passed, the air was forcibly torn apart, emitting a piercing "zzzz" sound. The ground was pressed into a bottomless ravine by the Tailed Beast Bomb's pressure, and gravel and blood mist were forcibly adsorbed onto the energy sphere's surface, adding to its terror.

The instant the black Tailed Beast Bomb collided with the blue chakra shield, the world was plunged into a sudden, deathly silence—all roars, shouts, and explosions seemed to be instantly swallowed, and time itself seemed to freeze.

The next second, a violent energy shockwave far beyond imagination erupted. Blinding white light instantly enveloped the entire battlefield, completely obscuring even the sun's rays.

The blue chakra shield caved inward at a visible speed, dense cracks spreading rapidly across its surface like a spiderweb. The "crackling" sounds of shattering could be clearly heard. The Eight-Tails' roar came from behind the shield, no longer a ferocious roar, but filled with heart-wrenching pain and torment.

"No... too weak..." Killer B's consciousness began to blur, his vision darkening. The chakra within him was rapidly depleting like a breached flood, and even maintaining the Eight-Tails' complete form became incredibly difficult.

The cracks on the shield grew larger, and the Ten-Tails' black energy had already pierced through the gaps, surging in like venomous snakes, burning the Eight-Tails' body. The blue chakra was constantly being devoured and annihilated by the black energy.

He looked at the trembling Allied Forces behind him, at his unconscious comrades in the distance, and a wave of guilt surged through him. His voice was weak and hoarse: "Naruto... Shikamaru... I'm sorry... I couldn't protect everyone..."

In the Allied Forces' formation, Shikamaru clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms. His eyes were filled with helplessness and anxiety, but he could find no solution at all.

Sakura Haruno pressed her hands to the ground, frantically healing the surrounding injured soldiers, tears uncontrollably welling up in her eyes.

Naruto Uzumaki stood at the front of the formation, his fists clenched, golden chakra faintly fluctuating around him. He watched the blue shield about to shatter, watched the Eight-Tails roaring in pain, his heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, hurting so much he couldn't breathe.

At this critical, life-or-death moment, Naruto Uzumaki seemed to suddenly sense something. His previously tense body suddenly relaxed, and he closed his eyes again.

The space between his eyebrows twitched slightly. The Nine-Tails' chakra within him resonated strangely with a distant, familiar chakra. That chakra was warm and powerful, like a beam of light in the darkness, piercing through the battlefield's gloom and reaching directly into his heart.

The next second, an unbelievable scene occurred—the Ten-Tails' super-large Tailed Beast Bomb, capable of destroying the entire Allied Forces, instantly vanished before everyone's eyes, as if it had never existed.

The intense light in the original spot gradually faded, leaving only a strangely shaped kunai quietly suspended in mid-air. The blade of the kunai was inscribed with intricate Flying Thunder God runes, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

Before everyone could recover from their shock, a faint blue spatial ripple suddenly appeared below the kunai. The moment the ripple spread, a tall figure slowly materialized.

He wore the iconic yellow Hokage robe, its hem fluttering in the wind. The four bright red characters "Fourth Hokage" on his back shone brilliantly in the sunlight, dazzling and radiant, as if capable of dispelling all darkness and despair.

His face was gentle, his eyes steady, and he exuded a reassuring aura. It was Minato Namikaze, who had not appeared in a long time.

"Am I late?!" Minato Namikaze's voice was gentle yet powerful, piercing through the battlefield's clamor and reaching the ears of every Allied Forces ninja, like a calming pill that smoothed their panic and despair.

Naruto Uzumaki slowly opened his eyes. Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure, the longing and grievances that had been suppressed in his heart instantly surged. The corners of his mouth involuntarily curved into a relieved and warm smile. His voice was slightly choked, but incredibly firm: "No! Just in time! Dad!"

As his words fell, the battlefield instantly erupted with long-suppressed cheers and shouts. The shadow of despair was completely dispelled by the light of hope.

Minato Namikaze looked at his grown son before him, his eyes filled with relief and guilt. He gently raised his hand, grasping the floating kunai, and turned to look at the still ferocious Ten-Tails in the distance. His gaze instantly became incredibly firm—this time, he would never again allow his son, nor this land, to suffer any harm.

Before the warmth of Minato's arrival could fully spread across the battlefield, Sakura Haruno's gaze suddenly sharpened.

She was kneeling beside an injured soldier, the green medical chakra at her fingertips not yet withdrawn. Her peripheral vision, however, accurately caught the few subtle but glaring cracks on Minato Namikaze's cheek—the cracks glowed with a faint grayish light, winding upwards along his jawline. These were the unique marks of the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu.