The Battle for the Nine-Tails (5)

"How did you promise us back then, Sarutobi?" Minato Namikaze's voice rang out.

"You promised to take good care of Naruto and ensure he enjoyed the treatment befitting a hero's son. If not for today, for you preying on Naruto and awakening my soul, I would never have known this is how you protected him!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen panicked. "Minato, it's not like that! Let me explain!" He was terrified—terrified that Minato would reveal to the public exactly how he had treated Naruto.

He feared that if these things were spoken aloud, his prestige would plummet, and the image of the "greatest Hokage" he had spent years cultivating would shatter.

He worried the villagers would realize the truth and demand to know where the Uzumaki Clan's inheritance had gone. The most prosperous commercial street in Konoha belonged to Minato's family, yet Naruto only received three thousand ryo a month.

Was that reasonable? It was not; it was utterly unreasonable.

"Enough, Sarutobi. You don't need to explain. You want to say you hid his identity as a hero's son to protect the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails?"

"Fine, but why did you label him a demon fox, letting everyone loathe, despise, and ostracize him? You stepped out to buy people's hearts while tossing my son a measly three thousand ryo a month!"

"A single bowl of ramen costs one or two hundred, and you give him three thousand? Who are you trying to starve to death! What about the inheritance left by Kushina and me? Did you eat it all?" Minato Namikaze was absolutely livid!

He looked like a madman, unable to believe that the Third Hokage, whom he had always respected and admired, had committed such acts after his death.

If Kurama hadn't passed his memories to him and used Nine-Tails chakra to sustain this sliver of his soul, he truly wouldn't have been able to vent his anger for his son!

Minato Namikaze's words turned Sarutobi Hiruzen's face pale, his body staggering. He hadn't expected Minato to actually say it—and in front of such a large crowd.

His already hunched back bent further, like a candle in the wind, as if a single gust could extinguish him.

The Anbu ninjas looked toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, and seeing him in this state, a foul emotion took root in their hearts.

Contempt. Disdain.

Shiranui Genma bit through his toothpick and spat it out, his face twisted with anger as he looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen. Sarutobi Hiruzen had no heart left to pursue him.

He stood motionless, stunned like a wooden chicken. He knew that after today, his name would be thoroughly disgraced, and the entire Sarutobi Clan would never be able to hold their heads high again.

Hatake Kakashi remained silent. He had known all of this, but constrained by pressure—or perhaps by the death of his own father—his distorted values had not yet fully recovered.

He had only ever silently executed missions, the missions of his superiors, never once visiting Naruto. If anyone felt guilt, it was he who felt it the most.

But at this moment, Minato Namikaze did not pursue his failings, which caused his cold heart to begin to thaw.

Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen was sinking into despair, Shimura Danzō spoke up: "Hiruzen! This man is spreading lies and has killed many of my Root ninjas. We cannot let this go!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was reminded by Shimura Danzō's words, and his eyes lit up. That was right—as long as he captured Naruto Uzumaki and won this battle, he could silence everyone.

His gaze turned vicious. He would have Danzō mark everyone present with the Cursed Tongue Seal!

The Anbu and Root ninjas felt a chill run down their spines.

Uchiha Izuna watched the scene from afar, the corners of his mouth curling up, though he thought to himself, Fight, fight. The harder you fight, the better.

"Ding! System mission issued: Rescue Naruto Uzumaki! Reward: Paid based on mission completion and narrative logic. Failure: Host will be erased!"

Damn it! You bastard, you're playing dirty! You little piece of trash, you've got no real power! Despite his complaints, Uchiha Izuna stood up with a sigh of resignation.

Beside him, Uchiha Itachi helped Yamato up, while Uchiha Shisui, like Uchiha Izuna, watched the distant battlefield.

"Zhan-kun, who do you think will win?" Uchiha Shisui asked.

On one side was Naruto Uzumaki, possessed by Minato and acting as the Jinchuriki, alongside Uchiha Fugaku; on the other were Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the strongest Hokage, and Shimura Danzō, the Darkness of Konoha.

Uchiha Izuna rolled his eyes. "How can you even ask that? If the old man didn't hide his strength, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō wouldn't be enough to handle him alone."

"But then again, if he didn't hide his strength, he wouldn't be Uchiha Fugaku. The guy is just a bit too pedantic!"

After saying this, Uchiha Izuna stretched his body, preparing to help on the front lines.

His movements caught Uchiha Shisui's attention. "Zhan-kun, are you...?" Seeing his eager posture, Uchiha Shisui had already guessed it!

"Well~ even if Uchiha Fugaku is hiding his strength, he's still my cheap old man. I can't just watch him get captured, right?"

"Besides, you aren't blind. If Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō win, then everyone here—including you, me, and these Anbu and Root ninjas—won't have a good end."

"Even if you don't care about them, you have to care about yourself!"

Having said this, Uchiha Izuna jumped down and began to walk slowly toward the battlefield.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, formed hand seals: Ram-Horse-Snake-Dragon-Rat-Ox-Tiger. He took a deep breath, his lungs expanding significantly. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen chanted, channeling his chakra and spitting out a dragon-shaped flame that surged straight toward Naruto Uzumaki's body.

He had no choice. Even if the Jinchuriki was destroyed, he had to eliminate him!

Even if he lost the Nine-Tails, he couldn't let Minato Namikaze escape! Otherwise, his power and status would slip away from him!

Conversely, if Minato Namikaze and Naruto Uzumaki died, and everyone present was branded with the Cursed Tongue Seal, he would remain the Third Hokage, the strongest Hokage, the Professor, Sarutobi Hiruzen!

Minato Namikaze's pupils constricted. He could dodge, but what about Shiranui Genma and Namiashi Raidō?

At that moment, a figure appeared, hands moving in a blur of seals: Dragon-Snake-Ram. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

Hatake Kakashi had arrived!

An earth wall topped with dog reliefs rose from the ground, briefly blocking the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!

Shimura Danzō formed seals: "Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"

The Fire Dragon Flame Bullet merged with the Vacuum Great Sphere, the combined jutsu instantly doubling in power and range!

Kakashi's pupils shrank. Was he going to have to use that technique? He hesitated, as he wasn't entirely confident in it.

Just then, Uchiha Izuna appeared, hands forming seals: Snake-Ram-Monkey-Boar-Horse-Tiger. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Uchiha Fugaku's eyes lit up; father and son acting in unison was an unstoppable force. He immediately unleashed his own Great Fireball Technique!

The two fireballs folded into one, becoming a massive inferno that held the combined Fire Dragon Flame Bullet and Vacuum Great Sphere in a stalemate!