Nine-Tails Unleashed, Three-Tails Invades Konoha

"Roar!"

A deafening roar erupted as the fully unsealed Nine-Tails stood before Kushina, its nine steel-like tails lashing out to hammer the ground incessantly.

"Kushina."

Hum!

"That is..." Just as the Nine-Tails prepared to catch up with its host, a spinning scarlet eye locked onto its gaze, and in the next instant, it lost consciousness.

"Damn Uchiha."

Rest in peace, Mistress, Obito thought to himself, before issuing the command for the Nine-Tails to kill Kushina.

"Roar!"

With a thunderous bellow, the Nine-Tails raised its massive forepaw and lunged, aiming to impale Kushina, who was bound against the mountainside.

Swish!

At the critical moment, a flash of yellow light streaked across the scene. Minato appeared beside Kushina; he didn't need to look to know the Nine-Tails had been released, as the violent energy saturating the air told him everything.

Relying on his superior reflexes, Minato managed to rescue Kushina just before the Nine-Tails' claws could strike.

"As expected of the legendary Yellow Flash, you finally made it," Obito's raspy voice drifted over, dripping with sarcasm.

"But it seems you're a step too late!"

Minato's heart jolted at these words. He turned to see the tragic state of Kushina in his arms, and a flicker of killing intent surfaced on his face.

"Even if you are Uchiha Madara, you will pay the price today!"

Space rippled, and Minato's figure vanished once more.

"Go, destroy that place completely," Obito commanded the Nine-Tails to lay waste to Konoha Village after Minato departed.

At the same time, a colossal figure had appeared outside Konoha Village.

It was a giant monster covered in protrusions, its back resembling a gray turtle shell, and it possessed three crustacean-like tails.

The Three-Tails, Isobu.

To ensure the total destruction of Konoha, Obito had prepared thoroughly. No one would have guessed that the missing Fourth Mizukage would arrive at Konoha and launch an assault in his fully transformed Tailed Beast state.

"Roar!"

A single roar unleashed a violent shockwave.

"What is that?"

"Alert! Alert!"

The intense atmospheric disturbance instantly drew the attention of the Konoha ninja. They were stunned the moment they laid eyes on the Three-Tails, but they snapped into action a second later.

"You, go notify the Third Hokage!"

"Everyone else, follow me to evacuate the civilians. Move quickly!" Hyuga Feiyu shouted.

He was a member of the Hyuga branch family and the captain of this guard unit.

Swish! Swish!

Everyone on the field moved with haste.

Near the Hokage office, the Third Hokage, clad in a black combat suit, moved at high speed toward the direction of the Three-Tails.

He didn't need anyone to warn him; he had sensed the Three-Tails' surging chakra the moment it appeared.

Could Minato and the others have failed? The Third Hokage wondered to himself. Wait, what is that?

Although he hadn't reached the scene yet, the Third Hokage could see the massive silhouette of the Three-Tails. Even though he had never seen the Three-Tails before, he could tell from the number of tails that it was not the Nine-Tails.

"What on earth is happening?"

"Is that the Three-Tails?"

Jiraiya, who was preparing to take Naruto back to Konoha, also noticed the Three-Tails.

His expression turned grim in an instant.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Jiraiya cradled Naruto and pressed one hand to the ground, followed by a massive burst of white smoke.

When the smoke cleared, a giant red toad appeared, holding a large pipe in its mouth, wrapped in bandages, and carrying a short sword on its back.

It was Gamabunta, one of the three ruffians of Mount Myoboku.

"That is... it's actually the Three-Tails," Gamabunta noted without needing Jiraiya's prompt. He had also spotted the beast, and it was impossible to ignore that immense volume of chakra.

"You really know how to find trouble!" Without needing further words from Jiraiya, Gamabunta had already drawn the short sword from his back. They had known each other for many years, and that level of unspoken understanding was there.

"Sorry to trouble you, Gamabunta," Jiraiya murmured. He felt a deep sense of unease; if it were only the Three-Tails, it would be one thing, but if the Nine-Tails inside Kushina were added to the mix, the situation would be dire.

With that, he held Naruto in one arm, stood atop Gamabunta, and the man and toad charged toward the Three-Tails.

Inside Minato's home, the special kunai hanging in the room swayed slightly before a ripple in space emerged, and Minato appeared, carrying Kushina in his arms.

"You're back," Naraku, having sensed the disturbance, arrived in the room immediately.

His pupils constricted; upon seeing Kushina's condition, he knew they had failed.

"How is this possible!"

Naraku found it hard to believe, and he hurried to Kushina's side to examine her state.

"Naraku, I leave Kushina to you," Minato said after placing her on the bed. With that final word, he vanished from the room in a flash.

"Sister," seeing Kushina so frail, a flicker of heartache crossed Naraku's eyes, followed by a surge of hatred.

"It's alright, Naraku," even now, Kushina continued to comfort him.

"Sister, don't speak anymore," Naraku rolled up his sleeve and extended his small arm toward her.

"Naraku, what are you doing?" Seeing his actions, Kushina's heart gave a violent jolt.

The world knew that the Uzumaki Clan possessed vast amounts of chakra and excelled in sealing techniques, but few knew that their bodies held immense regenerative powers. Yet, there was one more secret almost no one knew: they could not only heal themselves but could also restore others.

Kushina possessed this ability as well, though she had never used it in front of others. As for her own formidable recovery, people simply attributed it to the Nine-Tails sealed within her.

In all of Konoha, only their family truly understood the capabilities of the Uzumaki Clan.

However, Kushina remembered never having told Naraku about this.

"Sister, don't hesitate. Don't you want to see Naruto?"

Seeing her waver, Naraku couldn't help but urge her.

Sure enough, the moment she heard Naruto's name, Kushina's expression shifted instantly, and her heart ached sharply.

She hadn't even caught a single glimpse of the newborn Naruto yet!

Thinking of this, she hesitated. As an Uzumaki, she could clearly sense her life force slowly fading; even she could not hold on for much longer.

Yet, the fact that she had lasted this long was a testament to the terrifying nature of the Uzumaki Clan. One had to realize that most jinchuriki died on the spot once their Tailed Beast was extracted.

Compared to them, it was already a miracle that Kushina, having endured the agony of childbirth and then the extraction of the Nine-Tails, was still able to speak.

"Let me help you!"

Naraku placed his arm directly into her mouth and used his other hand to support her chin.

Almost instantly, Naraku felt a certain energy within his body draining away rapidly, while the color began to slowly return to Kushina's face.