Night of the Nine-Tails Begins

Ah!

Thud! Thud!

Following a scream and the sound of two bodies hitting the ground, Namikaze Minato turned back in a panic, only to find Biwako and another medical ninja, Tian Lu, lying motionless. Even his son, Naruto, had been snatched away in a surprise attack, with a hand hovering over the infant's head. The air froze in an instant.

Uchiha Obito: "Fourth Hokage, you have one minute to move away from the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, or your son will only have one minute left to live."

The Nine-Tails' seal has reached its limit. Who on earth is this guy? Faced with Uchiha Obito's threat, Namikaze Minato was caught in a dilemma.

Just then, Uchiha Obito tossed Naruto into the air and leaped up, a kunai appearing abruptly in his hand, poised to turn Naruto's birthday into his death day.

A flash of golden light streaked by, and Naruto vanished from above Uchiha Obito's head, now cradled in Namikaze Minato's arms.

Uchiha Obito: "As expected of the famous Yellow Flash, but what will you do now?"

Sizzle! Sizzle! The sound of an Explosive Tag burning left Namikaze Minato stunned. Seeing the impending blast, he had no choice but to force himself to stay calm and vanish instantly using the Flying Thunder God. Boom! A house in the distance exploded, leaving behind only a pile of rubble and Namikaze Minato and his son, who had escaped the danger.

Nearby, Kushina, who had been bound, forced herself to stay conscious and questioned him.

Uzumaki Kushina: "What... are you trying to do?"

Uchiha Obito: "Pull the Nine-Tails out of your body and destroy Konoha."

Uzumaki Kushina: "What did you say?"

Uchiha Obito: "Moving from one space to another using a jutsu—this is Namikaze Minato's Flying Thunder God. That mark seems to be present in the seal on you as well. Usually, Namikaze Minato protects you, but now he has been lured away. Moreover, because the seal was weakened to its limit during childbirth, I have been waiting a long time for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

As he spoke, the Sharingan in Uchiha Obito's eyes rotated slightly.

The Nine-Tails within the seal was just about to make a sound when a Sharingan flashed across its vertical pupils, and it gradually lost its reason.

Uchiha Obito: "Alright, come out now, Nine-Tails..."

A massive amount of chakra was slowly extracted from Uzumaki Kushina's body.

The dark-colored chakra sphere slowly expanded to the size of a small hill, radiating endless negative emotions like hatred, bloodlust, and slaughter.

Rip! A pair of sharp claws tore the massive chakra sphere apart.

Immediately after, a roar echoed, as if to vent the anger of being sealed for all these years. But looking closely, the Sharingan in its eyes was striking, revealing a truth to everyone present.

It had merely changed from a beast in a cage to a pet on a leash.

"Alright, head toward Konoha just like that." Saying this, Uchiha Obito turned and ignored the dying Uzumaki Kushina. In Obito's heart, this world was wrong. Once his plan was completed, whether it was Teacher Minato, Sister Kushina, or Rin, they would all be perfectly resurrected, and he would still be a member of Team Minato. Thinking of this, Obito's steps became even more resolute.

Kushina: "Wait..."

Uchiha Obito: "As expected of the Uzumaki Clan, even with the Tailed Beast extracted, you can still move and haven't died immediately. Since that's the case, let the Nine-Tails send you on your way..."

Boom!

A massive shockwave erupted under the Nine-Tails' claws; boulders were pulverized, and the earth groaned.

Kushina, who should have died under the Nine-Tails' claws, vanished in an instant.

When she reappeared, she was already held by Namikaze Minato atop a nearby treetop.

"Minato... you must stop him. His goal is to destroy Konoha..."

Hearing this, Namikaze Minato, his heart filled with killing intent, didn't show much expression. He cast a glance at Obito with eyes brimming with murder, and in the next second, he vanished while holding Kushina.

"As expected of the Yellow Flash, your speed is still so fast, but it doesn't matter..." With that, Uchiha Obito turned and headed toward Konoha with the Nine-Tails behind him.

On the other side, everyone in Konoha was unaware that a tragedy was about to unfold this day.

They were all immersed in a peaceful night.

By the hole in the wooden wall, cats were running back and forth, and from the houses above came the sound of a mother scolding her child for returning late.

The streets were filled with pedestrians, interspersed with a few drunks supporting each other, drunkenly teasing one another.

A cold chakra gradually permeated the air, and even the temperature began to drop.

Within the Uchiha Clan.

"It's here. As expected of the master, the Nine-Tails has truly appeared." Uchiha Fugaku, fully prepared, felt the chakra that was causing the temperature to drop and cast a look of reverence toward Uchiha Chen.

Uchiha Chen, standing to the side, ignored Fugaku's flattery and turned to the two people who were already prepared, speaking in a low voice: "The Nine-Tails has broken the seal and will be in the village soon. Mikoto, Izumi, you two go into my Kamui space first..."

As he spoke, the Sharingan in his eyes rotated slightly, and the two vanished from the sight of Fugaku and Uchiha Chen.

"The master's ocular jutsu is truly powerful; every time I see it, it opens my eyes..."

Ignoring the fawning Fugaku, Uchiha Chen ordered in a low voice: "Alright, that's enough flattery. Remember to act according to my orders later. If there are any mistakes..." He cast a meaningful look.

As Fugaku broke out in a cold sweat under that gaze, Uchiha Chen vanished into thin air using Kamui.

Only Fugaku remained. After Uchiha Chen left, he slowly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, then composed his expression and left with a stern face, preparing to notify the Uchiha Police Force to begin the next phase of the operation.

On the other side, inside the Root Base.

Shimura Danzō: "Everyone, remember what I said. Move out!"

Root ninjas: "Yes!"

After all the Root members departed according to Danzō's orders...

"The Nine-Tails has actually appeared. As expected of the master, his foresight is truly godlike." After offering a few words of praise to Uchiha Chen from afar, the reverent-looking Danzō also began to act, though his movements were sluggish and his face pale—it seemed the events of the afternoon had not yet lost their impact.

At the same time, many people in the village were overcome by a sense of foreboding.

"Guy, do you feel anything? The air seems to have turned much colder," Hatake Kakashi said, looking at Might Guy with a grave expression.

However... "It's your heart that's cold, Kakashi! Youth must be fueled by passion..." At this moment, Might Guy completely failed to grasp the meaning behind Hatake Kakashi's words, instead getting worked up and insisting on continuing their contest.

Inside the Sarutobi Clan Compound: "This feeling... it couldn't be. Minato, Kushina, Biwako, please, nothing must happen to you!" Sensing something amiss, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward the moon outside his window, his face etched with worry as he muttered to himself.

At the Uchiha Clan Head Residence, due to the Night of the Nine-Tails.

Uchiha Chen and the others had prepared to leave early, leaving only Uchiha Itachi at home, holding Sasuke while staring at the moon from the veranda with a solemn expression.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Of all times, Mom and Dad aren't home, and even Uncle Uchiha Chen and Izumi have left for matters of their own."

He then looked down at Sasuke in his arms with firm resolve: "Don't worry, Sasuke. Big brother will protect you."

Just as many were immersed in this atmosphere of unease.

A figure slowly emerged in a corner of the village; it was none other than the newly arrived Uchiha Obito.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Following a low shout, a massive summoning seal spread across the surrounding houses.

BOOM! With a deafening roar, the Nine-Tails appeared!!!