Good People Die Young

That light was so dazzling that even the night had been dyed as bright as day.

Konoha, especially, bore the brunt of it. It was as though the village stood beneath the noonday sun, illuminated by that radiance.

Even those facing the light could feel an intense heat within it.

This showed just how terrifying Genkawa Uchiha's self-destruction had been.

Rumble—!!!

The light reached the eyes of Konoha's people before the sound did. Then came the earth-shaking roar, followed by violent tremors beneath their feet.

At that moment, heaven and earth seemed to lose all color. Everywhere they looked was a blinding white.

The blast wave from the explosion was incredibly fierce, instantly destroying everything around the Nine-Tails. Soil and trees alike were reduced to dust in an instant.

Driven by the gale, trees at the edge of the explosion were uprooted and flung high into the sky. Vast swathes of earth were heaved up, surging outward like waves.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others were some distance from the Nine-Tails. They had only just crossed Konoha's outer wall and seen the flash of the explosion when, before they could evade or respond, the rapidly approaching gale swept them away and scattered them in every direction like discarded debris.

Some slammed into the tall walls, some were hurled dozens of meters away, while others barely managed to steady themselves and avoid looking too miserable.

Hiruzen Sarutobi flipped through the air and drove the Adamantine Staff, transformed from King Enma, fiercely into the ground. He steadied himself and stared intently ahead.

That was where the Nine-Tails had been. Now, flames soared into the sky.

After the enormous explosion came a sea of fire, like a gigantic rising fireball engulfing the Nine-Tails.

From Hiruzen Sarutobi's position, he could clearly see the Nine-Tails throwing back its head and roaring amid the flames. Two of its nine tails had been blown off, yet the remaining ones still whipped about like long lashes, stirring up fierce gusts.

"Where is that child?"

Though he was an Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi still did not want anything to happen to Genkawa Uchiha. A naturally born Sage Body was simply too extraordinary.

To Konoha, Genkawa Uchiha had value—tremendous value.

Rumble!

"Roar!"

Another earth-shaking roar rang out as the Nine-Tails charged from the heart of the explosion. Many parts of its body bore the marks of the blast, mottled and scorched.

But it was not dead.

That was the vitality of a Tailed Beast.

Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Genkawa Uchiha still standing atop the Nine-Tails' head.

Compared to before, he did look somewhat more disheveled now.

His clothes were torn, his hair hung loose, and his body bore traces of smoke and scorching, but he did not appear injured.

That was the strength of an SS-rank Sage Body.

The natural energy throughout his body had erupted like ignited hot oil. The explosion in that instant had burst from the inside out.

And Genkawa Uchiha had been at the center.

Since the natural energy only ignited after leaving his body, the force had blasted outward.

That was why the explosion looked so terrifying, yet the very center had suffered relatively little. At most, he had endured a considerable impact, but that was nothing for someone with Genkawa Uchiha's level of Sage Body.

Seeing Genkawa Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi visibly relaxed. Without hesitation, he rushed toward the Nine-Tails.

"Enma!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi hurled the Adamantine Staff in his hand, swiftly forming hand seals at the same time.

"Mm!"

A response came from within the Adamantine Staff, and it rapidly expanded.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

At the same time, a string of explosive sounds rang out. The Adamantine Staff split from one into two, two into four... until it became a vast multitude that descended toward the Nine-Tails.

Each Adamantine Staff transformed from Enma now resembled a massive pillar. They spread apart at high speed as though they had eyes, each landing beneath one of the Nine-Tails' four paws.

"Ninja Art: Adamantine Prison Wall!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi landed and completed his hand seals.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Amid a series of crisp sounds, the Adamantine Staffs interlocked and stacked together, tightly sealing the Nine-Tails' four paws like shackles.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!!!"

The Nine-Tails struggled frantically, throwing back its head in a roar.

"Quiet down."

Genkawa Uchiha, standing atop its head, showed no mercy. He drove another fist down hard, and with a bang, the Nine-Tails' head stiffened for an instant from the blow.

"Five Styles: Great Barrage Jutsu!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Another series of explosive sounds rang out as four Shadow Clones appeared beside Hiruzen Sarutobi, all forming hand seals together.

The next moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his clones unleashed five different elemental ninjutsu—fire, lightning, water, earth, and wind.

Flames surged.

Fierce winds howled.

Massive rocks shot forth.

Lightning crackled.

Water dragons swept forward.

These were chakra nature transformations representing the pinnacle of the five styles. Beyond that lay Kekkei Genkai. The techniques took shape, all aimed at the Nine-Tails.

Five techniques of this caliber, converging at once—the result needed no explanation.

Beneath flashes of different colors, the five-style ninjutsu struck the Nine-Tails' side, all hitting the exact same spot.

The five different chakra natures mixed together. Beyond the destruction caused by the techniques themselves, their fusion triggered a chain reaction.

Like gasoline set ablaze, they ignited in an instant, concentrated within a tiny area. The result was naturally... an explosion!

Rumble—!

Flames blazed as smoke and dust billowed.

The massive explosion erupted at the Nine-Tails' side, instantly throwing its body toward one side. Yet because all four paws were restrained, its huge body was left in an awkward half-fallen posture.

Naturally, this explosion could not compare to Genkawa Uchiha's self-destruction from moments ago. Still, the title of Professor of Ninjutsu was no empty boast. This move alone was enough to reveal Hiruzen Sarutobi's power as Hokage.

But it was clearly not enough to deal with the Nine-Tails.

Genkawa Uchiha steadied himself and was about to act when the corner of his eye caught the Nine-Tails' eyes.

The Three-Tomoe pattern that had covered those eyes had now vanished, revealing the Nine-Tails' original eyes once more.

Genkawa Uchiha understood the reason. Obviously, it had not been caused by the Five Styles: Great Barrage Jutsu.

"Has Namikaze Minato already dealt with Obito Uchiha?"

The thought had barely formed when he heard the sound of something slicing through the air.

The next moment, a figure wearing a Hokage Haori appeared atop the Nine-Tails.

The newcomer had blond hair and delicate features, though his expression was grave. It was Namikaze Minato.

"Genkawa?"

The moment Namikaze Minato appeared, he also noticed Genkawa Uchiha standing atop the Nine-Tails' head.

"Why are you here?"

Perhaps because he had only just escaped his battle with Obito Uchiha, seeing Genkawa Uchiha—another person with a Sharingan—made Namikaze Minato instinctively suspicious.

It was simply too much of a coincidence.

"Okay, I've had my fun."

Seeing that it was Namikaze Minato, Genkawa Uchiha naturally noticed the suspicion in his eyes and lost the desire to continue.

It was a bit of a pity that he had not witnessed the famous scene of Flying Thunder God: Second Step beating the hell out of that bastard Obito Uchiha.

Since the main man had arrived, he naturally had no intention of staying any longer.

For no other reason than that he could not be bothered to explain.

"You can handle the rest yourself."

With that, Genkawa Uchiha prepared to leave.

"Wait!"

Namikaze Minato was about to stop Genkawa Uchiha, but the latter spoke before he could.

"Don't look at me. This has nothing to do with me. If you want answers, ask the Third Hokage. I'm leaving."

Hiruzen Sarutobi happened to arrive at that moment.

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi did not attack Genkawa Uchiha, Namikaze Minato naturally understood that he had wrongly suspected him and said nothing more.

There was no time for further words. He merely nodded to Hiruzen Sarutobi below, then bit his finger and swiftly formed hand seals.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A gigantic toad descended from the sky and slammed hard onto the Nine-Tails, pinning it to the ground.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Namikaze Minato formed hand seals again and said to Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Third Hokage, I will find a way to seal the Nine-Tails again. I'll leave this place to you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly asked, "What happened to Kushina?"

Namikaze Minato's expression darkened. "Someone with a Sharingan appeared and attacked Kushina..."

In just a few words, he explained the sequence of events. Then, seeing the Nine-Tails beginning to struggle again, his expression abruptly changed.

"There isn't time to talk."

As he spoke, he pressed one hand against the Nine-Tails.

The next moment.

A tremendous rush of wind rose.

The Nine-Tails' enormous body vanished together with Namikaze Minato.

The Great Toad landed with a thunderous boom, then burst into white smoke with a bang, ending the summoning.

Genkawa Uchiha landed atop Konoha's outer wall and gazed into the distance where the Nine-Tails had disappeared. The chaos in the village behind him had no effect on him.

He shook his head, as though lamenting something.

"Sure enough, good people die young."