Nine-Tails Demon Fox

Uchiha Fugaku directly activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Without saying a word, he made his stance clear.

The Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai was especially effective against Tailed Beasts. If the Uchiha were only allowed to evacuate civilians, who would bear the resulting losses?

The Third Hokage remained silent.

Danzō still stubbornly held to his own opinion.

The two advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, spoke nothing but nonsense, yet their meaning between the lines was clear: letting the Uchiha control a Tailed Beast was far too dangerous.

As for Akimichi Torifu, he could not get a word in edgewise. He was merely a supporting character; it was not his turn to speak.

Qingfeng was even less likely to speak carelessly at a time like this. It was too easy to earn someone's resentment, and settling scores afterward would be troublesome.

Seeing the Three Tomoe in the Nine-Tails' eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi ultimately made a decision that went against his forebears' wishes. "The Security Force will be responsible for evacuating and aiding the affected civilians."

Everyone understood perfectly well. Since the Nine-Tails was currently under the Sharingan's control, they still could not let the Uchiha interfere.

As the Uchiha Clan Head, Fugaku had some pride of his own. He flicked his sleeve and left.

Qingfeng could only follow him helplessly. It seemed the Third Hokage was deeply wary of the Uchiha. If the Uchiha wanted to become completely bound to the Leaf Village, Danzō was not their only problem. The Third Hokage was also very likely to stand in their way.

I gave my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shines upon the gutter.

"Clan Head, try using your Sharingan and see whether you can control the Nine-Tails."

The Nine-Tails was so enormous that even from a great distance, its eyes could be seen.

Fugaku's heart stirred. They had finally laid eyes on the Nine-Tails. If he really could take control of it, it would be a highly valuable bargaining chip for the Uchiha.

Qingfeng knew what Fugaku was worried about and first used the Chakra Sensing Technique to scan the surrounding area.

"There's no one nearby. Clan Head, you can give it a try."

In the distance, only Hiruzen Sarutobi and Akimichi Torifu were holding back the Nine-Tails. Danzō and the two advisors had vanished, doing who knew what.

The two men had been beaten into a miserable state by the Nine-Tails. With every swing of its claws, skyscraper after skyscraper collapsed.

"Get the Sealing Team ready to seal it! We can't hold out much longer like this!"

The Third Hokage shouted loudly. The two advisors had already begun making arrangements for the sealing.

The Sealing Team arrived quickly, but they lacked a vessel for the seal. The backup vessel was still at Konoha Orphanage, and Utatane Koharu had already sent someone to bring over the person named Uzumaki Sanryo.

Danzō hid alone in the shadows, a cold smile hanging from his lips. Tonight was a perfect opportunity. He had already instructed Nonō to hide Uzumaki Sanryo for a while, then pretend to find and deliver him.

"Fight. Keep fighting. It would be best if all those who deserve to die die. The Hokage, the Sharingan, the Nine-Tails, and the Jinchuriki—I want them all."

The instant Fugaku activated his Three Tomoe, Qingfeng felt a trace of pressure. It felt as though one glance could kill him instantly. Though he also possessed Three Tomoe, there was a vast gap between their ocular power.

Fugaku met the Nine-Tails' eyes directly. He only felt the other party's ocular power was incomparably immense before he was immediately repelled.

His eyes became even redder, and red veins filled the areas around his pupils. Clearly, not only had he failed to control the Nine-Tails, he had injured himself instead.

"No. Its ocular power is above mine. Even a Mangekyo Sharingan couldn't seize back control. It seems there's truly nothing I can do."

Qingfeng said nothing after hearing Fugaku's assessment. It would have been nice if reclaiming control were that easy, but unfortunately, it was not that simple.

All they could do next was wait.

The Third Hokage and Akimichi Torifu had already been beaten into a wretched state by the Nine-Tails. Calling it a battle between both sides was a stretch; in truth, it was simply the Nine-Tails wreaking destruction unilaterally. The two could barely keep it occupied, able only to take hits and dodge. As for ninjutsu attacks, they were utterly useless against a mass of Chakra like the Nine-Tails.

The two were locked in a bitter struggle when another report arrived. "That backup Jinchuriki is missing. We're searching with all our strength."

The Third Hokage inwardly groaned. Am I really going to die here today?

Elsewhere.

Minato could only watch as the Nine-Tails was extracted from Kushina's body, grief tearing at his heart. "Damn it. He still found an opening."

He picked up the child beside him. The name chosen for him even before his birth was "Uzumaki Naruto," the protagonist of Jiraiya-sensei's Tales of a Gutsy Shinobi. Naruto—he hoped the boy would grow up to be as outstanding as the protagonist in the book.

The Anbu guards around them had already seen the Nine-Tails appear in the village and all rushed back, including Biwako Sarutobi. Only the Fourth Hokage and his wife remained here.

"Kushina, look. Naruto has been so adorable since the day he was born!"

Everyone knew that once the Tailed Beast inside a Jinchuriki was extracted, the Jinchuriki would certainly die. Kushina was from the Uzumaki clan and possessed an enormous amount of Chakra, so for the moment, she showed no signs of dying.

But they both knew the truth in their hearts.

Kushina took the child from Minato and looked toward the Nine-Tails in the village.

"Minato, you are the Fourth Hokage before you are Naruto's father. Your mission now is to save the village. Don't just stand there—seal the Nine-Tails as quickly as possible, or the village will be destroyed."

"Well, well, what a touching scene. Did I arrive at an inappropriate time?"

Hearing the sudden voice, Minato realized there was now someone in the tree beside them. No wonder. A space-time ninjutsu that can evade sensory detection? I see.

"You extracted the Nine-Tails. Were all the events tonight orchestrated by you alone?"

The Masked Man slowly removed his cloak. The instant Minato's attention wavered, he charged forward.

Minato drew a kunai and stabbed at the Masked Man's head. The instant it passed through, Minato knew something was wrong. His hand had gone straight through the man's head without touching anything at all.

The moment Minato's hand passed through him, the Masked Man grabbed Minato's wrist with his other hand.

"Everything is over."

Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan instantly warped space, and Minato's body appeared to twist as well. Just before he was completely sucked in, Minato broke free of his grip and instantly activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, escaping.

"Did you fly away? So fast. Next, I'll pull you in even faster."

The Masked Man spoke expressionlessly, showing no sign that he regarded his former teacher as his opponent.

Yet he did not voice the words in his heart. He activated the Flying Thunder God Technique the instant he touched me and realized something was wrong? As expected of the Golden Flash. But where were you when Rin was captured? Damn you.

Minato appeared beside a kunai bearing a Flying Thunder God Mark that he had placed in advance and collapsed to the ground.

"My attack passed straight through his body, but he immediately solidified to try to pull me in. So he really is the Ninja who tried to capture Uchiha Qingfeng last time? I absolutely cannot let him touch me again."

Minato had barely risen when the space before him suddenly warped, and the Masked Man relentlessly pursued him.

"Your opponent is me. I won't let you escape."

This time, the Masked Man completely removed his cloak, revealing his masked face.