"Waaah, waaah..."
A baby's cry rang out inside the barrier.
Biwako, having finished cleaning up, carried the baby over. Namikaze Minato instinctively reached out to take him.
"Naruto!"
It was a name they had decided on long ago, taken from the protagonist of Jiraiya's first novel. He was a very strong person, and Minato really liked the name.
Biwako kept the baby in her arms and dodged his hand, shooting him a look.
"Don't go grabbing him. He should see his mother first, shouldn't he?"
Namikaze Minato lowered his hand and gave an awkward smile. "You're right, Lady Biwako."
He followed close behind, his eyes fixed on Naruto.
This is...
The child Kushina and I had together!
The strain of childbirth had weakened the seal on the Nine-Tails, and black Cursed Seals spread across Kushina's body, bringing her agonizing pain.
The moment she saw the baby, the pain eased.
"Naruto..."
"Kushina, you've been through so much... Thank you."
Mother and child were safe. Namikaze Minato finally relaxed, having been tense the whole time. He placed a hand on Kushina's abdomen. "Now, we need to make the Nine-Tails behave for good!"
Chakra gathered in his palm. He was just about to reinforce the seal...
"Ah!!"
A scream rang out, followed by the sound of bodies crashing to the ground.
Namikaze Minato whipped around and cried out, "Lady Biwako! Taji!"
The two women who had delivered the baby lay in a pool of blood, lifeless.
When he turned back, the baby who had been beside Kushina was gone.
"Fourth Hokage... step away from the Jinchūriki."
A chilling voice rang out. A mysterious figure dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask had Naruto in his grasp, one hand pressed against the infant's face.
At the same time, the Nine-Tails' rampage made Kushina cry out in pain.
The baby on one side, his wife on the other...
Even on a chaotic battlefield, Namikaze Minato had never faced a harder choice.
Bang!!
The mysterious figure flung the baby high into the air, forcing Minato to choose.
Whoosh—
Namikaze Minato used the Body Flicker Technique to catch Naruto. Before he could even turn around, the Explosive Tag stuck to the baby's swaddling clothes began to crackle.
"Minato! Save Naruto!"
Kushina roared, fighting through the pain.
Ripping off the swaddling clothes, Namikaze Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave the birthing room.
Boom!!!!
Looking at the wooden house reduced to rubble, Namikaze Minato realized that the mysterious figure had taken Kushina.
As Hokage, he quickly calmed down and began to think.
A diversion...
The enemy's target was Kushina... No, it was the Nine-Tails!
Whoosh—
Namikaze Minato returned home and laid Naruto in the small bed he had prepared. He took one long look at the child.
Then he turned and put on his Hokage's robe.
--
--
On a street in the Uchiha Compound.
Uchiha Sora sent the clan members in the commercial district to the shelters.
The clan members didn't understand why he was asking them to do this, but as Uchiha Tesho had said, they were all willing to trust Uchiha Sora.
He looked up at the full moon. Behind him were several Military Police Force members on patrol, including Shisui.
"Sora... What's going to happen tonight? Why did you tell the clan to go to the shelters? Is someone going to attack the village?"
Every so often, Shisui would ask again. He seemed determined to keep pestering Uchiha Sora until he answered.
And who could blame him?
If someone told you your whole clan was going to be killed, but wouldn't say when or who would do it, you'd be anxious too.
Uchiha Sora opened his mouth. Shisui had annoyed him, and he was just about to explain things more clearly...
--
--
Roar!!!!!!!!!
A thunderous roar shook the skies!
Terrifying black and red chakra shot through the heavens.
Beneath the full moon, the enormous Nine-Tails appeared in the heart of the village, its body as massive as a mountain.
Its huge tails swayed, making the earth tremble and the mountains shake.
The entire village of Konoha was instantly bathed in a blood-red glow.
The chakra pouring out of the Nine-Tails swept through the village like a typhoon. Buildings toppled in droves, crumbling into dust...
"T-The Nine-Tails!!"
The instant the Nine-Tails appeared, hundreds of people were killed.
Iruka's parents were ninjas. They charged toward the Nine-Tails at once, buying time for the civilians to evacuate.
Many other ninjas had the same idea. Knowing they were outmatched, they still launched one suicidal attack after another...
Their sacrifice slowed the Nine-Tails for only a fraction of a second.
The streets were packed with villagers. The elderly were trampled to death, while babies wailed in their mothers' arms. One father was crushed beneath a collapsing roof beam as he tried to protect his child...
In just a few seconds, the peaceful night had become...
A hellscape beneath a blood-red sky.
--
At the first sign of the incident, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi went to the battlefield with Mitokado Homura, Torifu Akimichi, and the others.
The Nine-Tails threw back its head, gathering a massive amount of chakra in its gaping maw.
Anyone could tell how horrifying the consequences would be if an attack like that hit the village.
"The Nine-Tails... How could this happen..."
Childbirth did weaken the seal on the Jinchūriki, but the Fourth Hokage was highly skilled in Sealing Jutsu. He should have been able to handle it...
What had happened...
Just then, someone noticed three pure-black Tomoe in the Nine-Tails' eyes.
"Those are... Sharingan!!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent for a moment, then rapidly formed Hand Seals.
"Whatever happened, we need to drive the Nine-Tails out of the village first... We can't let it rampage!"
Ninja Art: Summoning Technique.
Enma King!!
--
--
"Quick, get to the village and help!"
At Fugaku's command, the Police Force members quickly assembled and headed toward the Nine-Tails, eager to join the fight.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
A group of people wearing strange masks, dressed like Anbu, blocked the Uchiha members' way.
Fugaku called out urgently, "Move!"
A man with bandages wrapped around half his face, a grim expression, and deep wrinkles stepped out from the crowd.
Shimura Danzō.
The Leader of Root, an advisor to the Hokage, and one of the Konoha High Command members most hostile to the Uchiha.
Fugaku's expression darkened. "Lord Danzō, you're still keeping an eye on us at a time like this? The village needs our strength!"
He had long noticed Root secretly monitoring the Uchiha, but for the sake of harmony in the village, he had never wanted to bring it up.
"The Hokage will deal with the Nine-Tails."
Shimura Danzō's voice was hoarse. His cold gaze swept over the Uchiha. "By order of the Third Hokage, no Uchiha is to take part in the battle. Stay here and do nothing!"
"Disobey, and you'll be treated as traitors to the village!"
"What did you say?! You bastard! Can't you see how many of our comrades have been killed?!"
"You don't have to fight if you won't, but now you're stopping us, too! Have you lost your mind?!"
The Uchiha erupted in outrage, but Shimura Danzō remained unmoved, staring at Fugaku.
"Captain Fugaku, take your people and go back!"
Among the Military Police Force, Uchiha Sora spoke softly to Shisui beside him.
"Do you see, Shisui?"
"The Tomoe in the Nine-Tails' eyes. You should know what that means."
"The village already suspects that the Uchiha Clan orchestrated this incident. They sent people to stop us from joining the battle because they're afraid we'll use the chaos to control the Nine-Tails and do something."
Shisui gritted his teeth, sweat streaming down his face.
Uchiha Sora continued.
"The Nine-Tails won't be enough to destroy Konoha. Think about it: we didn't take part in the battle, and we're still suspected of plotting this incident. How do you think we'll be treated afterward?"
Shisui squeezed the words through his teeth.
"You... You knew all along... Why... Why didn't you tell the village sooner? Do you know... how many people have died?!"
Uchiha Sora shook his head.
"I told you. The only people I care about are the clan members."
"What do they have to do with me?"
Clack—
Shisui gripped his sword and said gravely, "I won't let that future come to pass. I'm joining the battle to clear the Uchiha's name!"
"You're too naive, Shisui."
Uchiha Sora's lips curled slightly. "Once the seeds of suspicion have been planted, there can be no trust."
Shisui turned to glare at him. Three Tomoe appeared in his eyes as he shouted hoarsely, "So we just do nothing?!"
"Sora! Answer me!! What are you trying to do!!!"
He looked toward the Nine-Tails, which the Third Hokage had driven out of the village. Then his gaze shifted to Shimura Danzō at the head of the crowd, and his smile grew even wider.
Beneath the blood-red moon, he looked almost mad.
"The mutual understanding you long for never existed in the first place."
"A broken bond can't be mended."
"If they suspect us... then let's give them a reason to."
Whoosh—
A terrifying aura burst outward from Uchiha Sora, sending wave after wave through the air. Even Shisui couldn't keep his footing.
The surging force drew everyone's eyes to Uchiha Sora and made their hearts tremble for no reason.
Uchiha Sora slowly raised his hand, palm facing the sky.
A series of data messages rang out in his mind.
"Loan request received" "Searching according to user request... Since this is the user's first time using this platform, they are eligible for an exclusive double credit points trial" "This loan will freeze 500 credit points in exchange for 1000 credit points' worth of services. The loan term is 6 years. Do you accept?"
"Match successful. Please confirm to claim the power of another world"
"Final Reminder"
"Please use this platform responsibly. Avoid borrowing unless necessary, and may you have a brighter future."
The information in his mind flashed by in an instant.
Uchiha Sora raised his hand high, then brought it down sharply, summoning a crackle of electricity.
"Come on..."
"Rayquaza!!"
Its awe-inspiring presence illuminated the night sky!
The dragon lord, high above all, tore across the heavens like a meteor and descended with a thunderous crash!
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