The Nine-Tailed Fox Rebellion

October, the autumn sky was high and the air was crisp, with the sunlight just right.

Zeyu was held in Yangmei's arms as she strolled through their courtyard.

This was a traditional courtyard with cherry blossoms, located on the outer streets of Konoha. It wasn't very large, but it was cozy.

Because of Zeyu, his father, Aihua, had specifically hired a trustworthy young woman from their shop to work at their home. The young woman was a graduate of the Ninja Academy and had some basic training, but she had chosen to work instead of engaging in the life of a shinobi. She could also accompany Yangmei for protection whenever she went out.

She and Yangmei got along very well, just like sisters.

They had originally planned to hire a nanny as well, but Yangmei insisted on raising the baby herself, saying that hiring someone for chores was enough.

Yangmei truly loved this baby.

She handled everything regarding the baby herself, and even when her husband Aihua returned and offered to help, she refused.

Even though she was clearly exhausted, a smile always remained on her face.

This moved Zeyu deeply.

Being an infant was arguably the most relaxed and comfortable time of his life. Although he couldn't do anything, this sense of stability was intoxicating.

It formed a stark contrast to the hardships that would follow.

The repeated deaths he had endured had not broken Zeyu's spirit, and the credit for that largely went to the maternal love he felt as an infant.

By now, Zeyu had been born for three months.

During these three months, Zeyu had managed to grasp the general situation.

This was Konoha. His mother was Rilu Yangmei, and his father was Rilu Aihua. His mother was a housewife, and his father ran a textile business with a shop on Konoha's central street. Business was quite good, and his father had used his savings to buy this house. Even though it was on the outer street, it wasn't far from the main gate, and being able to afford property in Konoha was proof enough that they had some money.

It was a pity that this was Konoha, and it seemed to be October.

If I remember correctly, Naruto is about to be born, Zeyu thought, looking at the calendar hanging on the wall.

When that beast Obito betrayed his master and destroyed his ancestors, causing total chaos, everything would be left to fate.

I really like this mother of mine, but it's a pity that I'm just an infant now and can't do anything, Zeyu thought to himself.

Because he was an infant, his inner unhappiness was amplified, and he lost control of his facial expressions. His little mouth pouted, looking quite displeased.

Yangmei, holding Zeyu, quickly noticed the baby in her arms pouting and began to coax him.

"What's wrong, Zeyu? Are you hungry? Oh, oh, don't be sad, don't be sad."

When Zeyu heard his mother caring for him so much, he felt even sadder and started to cry.

"Oh, oh, don't cry, don't cry. The baby is hungry, right? Mommy will feed the baby..."

With that, Yangmei walked briskly into the room while continuing to soothe him.

October 10th, the day was drawing to a close.

After sending off the workers from the shop, Rilu Aihua picked up the ledger on his desk, intending to take it home and check it over slowly.

Back home, Yangmei was still waiting for her husband Aihua to return.

Meiling, the young woman from their home, was also keeping watch nearby.

This had become a habit; she would stay in the house until the head of the household, Aihua, returned before she left. It had been like this for months.

Although night had fallen, many houses outside still had their lights on. While working during the day was tiring, the time spent gathered together at night felt all the more warm and comfortable.

Everything looked as it usually did, peaceful and serene.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A man wearing a tiger-striped mask arrived in the city, knelt on one knee, and slammed his right hand onto the ground, triggering the technique.

Then, a red demon fox nearly a hundred meters tall appeared out of thin air. It had nine tails that lashed about wildly in the air, making its massive size appear even more imposing.

The entire village of Konoha seemed as small as a toy to the demon fox.

As soon as the demon fox appeared, it let out a heaven-shaking roar. The massive commotion startled the people of Konoha, who were just about to fall asleep.

"Level one alert status!"

The Uchiha clansmen on duty at the Konoha Military Police Force discovered the threat and immediately used their microphones to notify every department.

The entire force began an emergency assembly.

They quickly organized their gear, preparing to head to the front lines to confront the behemoth.

"Squad One and Squad Two, go to the outer streets and set up a perimeter. Do not allow anyone to enter the central city. Squad Three and Squad Four, go evacuate the villagers to the shelters."

The one giving the orders was none other than the head of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Fugaku, who had just arrived.

The clansmen on duty were stunned, but they didn't dare slack off and continued to organize their gear. Then, one of the members stepped forward to ask:

"Lord Clan Head, shouldn't our police force be going to stop the demon fox?"

"This is an order from Lord Hokage," Fugaku replied with a stony face.

"But..." Just as the team member was about to protest, someone behind him tapped his shoulder, signaling him to let it go and simply follow orders.

The two of them then joined the main force as they departed.

Fugaku watched the group leave with a look of helplessness, then turned his head to gaze at the Nine-Tails outside the window.

The moment the Nine-Tails appeared, emergency orders had been issued from above, instructing the Police Force to focus solely on evacuating the villagers. It was clear that this was targeted at the Uchiha; they didn't trust them.

"Hmph," Fugaku grunted in dissatisfaction.

"No, I have to go find Aihua," Yangmei said anxiously.

"You can't, Yangmei. It's too dangerous. The village will send people soon; let's just go to the shelter together," Meiling said from the side, grabbing her arm to persuade her.

The massive commotion caused by the appearance of the Nine-Tails had left many in a panic, sending them rushing out of their homes to see what was happening.

Yangmei had also grabbed Zeyu and followed Meiling outside.

Upon seeing the colossal Nine-Tailed Demon Fox in the distance, many were terrified; some even collapsed to the ground, trembling in fear.

For a time, the sounds of fleeing, crying, and screaming were endless.

The entire street was in chaos.

In the distance, the Nine-Tails swung its claws, occasionally slamming its tails heavily into the ground to cause even more destruction, leaving the houses beneath its feet flattened to the earth.

"No, I have to go. I have to see Aihua," Yangmei broke free from Meiling's grip and strode forward.

"Yangmei, calm down! What about Zeyu?"

Yangmei froze, looking down at the baby in her arms. She didn't know what to do.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sank to the ground, feeling utterly powerless.

Meiling walked over, crouched down beside her, and pulled Yangmei's head into a gentle embrace to comfort her.

"Let's go to the shelter first. Aihua will be fine."

Yangmei looked up at Meiling and asked, "Really? Will Aihua really be okay?"

"I can't live without Aihua. If he's gone, I don't want to live either. I love him; I don't want anything to happen to him."

"I... I..."

Seeing Yangmei in such a state, Meiling felt a deep ache in her heart. She had witnessed the bond between the couple firsthand.

They were a perfectly happy family, warm and wonderful.

Why did heaven have to treat them this way?

But this was reality.

Just as the two were at a loss for what to do, someone called out to them from behind.

They turned around quickly and saw an elderly woman they recognized. Her name was Shanping, and she lived at the corner of the street. She lived alone, and they usually called her Grandma Shanping. She was a very kind person; Yangmei and Meiling often brought Zeyu to visit her, and she would share her parenting experiences with them.

She often said that Yangmei and Aihua were a perfect match and that she envied their happiness.

It was a pity that her husband had passed away early and her children rarely returned home.

Thanks to Yangmei and Meiling visiting her often, she hadn't been too lonely.

"Yangmei, Meiling, what are you doing? Hurry and take shelter!" the old woman shouted, waving at them.

Seeing Grandma Shanping, Yangmei's gaze suddenly turned resolute. She wiped the tears from her face and handed Zeyu to Meiling.

"Sister Meiling, please look after Zeyu and go to the shelter with Grandma Shanping." With that, she stood up and looked toward the center of the street.

Meiling realized what was happening and reached out with her right hand to grab Yangmei.

The grab prevented Yangmei from leaving immediately. She looked back one last time at Zeyu in Meiling's arms, her eyes shimmering with emotion as she couldn't help but lean down to kiss the baby, then turned her head away.

She dared not look again, fearing that if she did, she truly wouldn't be able to leave.

Zeyu felt a complex mix of emotions. He knew what his mother was going to do—it was undoubtedly a suicide mission—but if he cried now, it would surely shake her resolve, and that would be a sign of disrespect toward her.

Having spent so many days with them, Zeyu understood his parents' bond better than anyone.

Their love had long since transcended life and death. If one of them were to survive by chance, they would likely follow the other in death shortly after.

If he were to intervene now, his parents wouldn't blame him, but he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Meiling, holding Zeyu, saw the determination in Yangmei's eyes and said nothing more. She simply said:

"Be careful." Then, she let go.

"Thank you," Yangmei said, deeply moved that her dear friend was supporting her decision.

She had to see Aihua.

Without looking back, she ran toward the center of the street.