The Night of the Nine-Tails and the God's Choice

Bitter rain, mixed with the scent of dust, pelted the youthful face of Uchiha Ling.

He stood on a chaotic, devastated street in Konoha, surrounded by fleeing crowds, the shouts of ninjas, and the thunderous collapse of buildings. The night sky was stained an ominous red, and a colossal nine-tailed fox demon rampaged in the distance, each swipe of its claws bringing about earth-shaking, harrowing destruction.

It's actually happening, and at this most critical moment.

Ling's soul belonged to another world, yet he was now trapped in the body of this five-year-old Uchiha orphan. The original owner's parents had been mere fringe members of the Uchiha clan who died in the Nine-Tails' attack just moments ago, and he was now experiencing this catastrophe firsthand.

He knew the plot; he knew tonight was when Obito controlled the Nine-Tails, the night the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife would sacrifice themselves, and the beginning of Naruto's life as an orphan.

Power, I need power! In this hellscape, without strength, even surviving is a luxury! A surge of unwillingness and a desperate desire to live erupted from the depths of his soul.

[Ding! Detected host's intense will and a major turning point in the world. God-level Choice System binding!]

A cold, emotionless, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[Option 1: Save Kushina Uzumaki, confront Obito Uchiha and the rampaging Nine-Tails. Reward: Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, Uzumaki clan bloodline.]

[Option 2: Take Naruto Uzumaki and flee the village during the chaos. Reward: Flying Raijin Jutsu, complete collection of sealing arts.]

[Option 3: Save Naruto and use yourself as a vessel to seal half of the Nine-Tails' chakra. Reward: Nine-Tails Chakra Mode (evolvable), Sage Body (Primary), Naruto's absolute reliance and faith.]

Three light screens hovered before his eyes.

Ling's pupils constricted.

A system! The standard equipment for a transmigrator! And these three choices would essentially determine his future path.

Option 1 offered incredibly tempting rewards—an infinite eye and the Uzumaki constitution—starting him at the absolute peak. But the risk was astronomical! As a five-year-old child with negligible chakra, trying to go head-to-head with Obito, who could control the Nine-Tails, and the rampaging beast itself? It was no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot; it was a path to certain death!

Option 2 was extremely safe. The Flying Raijin allowed for both offense and escape, and the sealing arts were an endless treasure trove. Taking Naruto and leaving would allow him to avoid much of the darkness in Konoha's early days. But it also meant abandoning the advantage of being in Konoha, giving up the chance to rewrite more destructive events, and becoming a "runaway."

His gaze locked firmly onto Option 3.

Saving Naruto and becoming the vessel for half of the Nine-Tails was undoubtedly a dangerous gamble. Becoming a jinchuriki, especially in Konoha, meant facing endless surveillance and potential discrimination from the start. However, the rewards were also rich and extraordinary! The Nine-Tails Chakra Mode meant he could immediately wield this immense power, the Sage Body provided unparalleled vitality and recovery, and "Naruto's absolute reliance and faith" was a priceless treasure!

In the original story, Naruto's bonds were the foundation that could move the entire ninja world. If he could secure his trust from the very beginning, he would possess the strongest pillar for the future. Moreover, knowing the plot as he did, he understood that while becoming a jinchuriki had risks, it was the best choice for the path to becoming the strongest!

"I choose the third option!"

Ling made his choice. High risk, high reward! He didn't want to just survive; he wanted to control everything! By becoming Naruto's older brother and the only light in his dark childhood, he would hold the power of the strongest tailed beast in his own hands!

[Choice confirmed. Please proceed to the designated location immediately. Rewards will be issued upon completion of the mission.]

The system prompt faded, and a faint current seemed to guide him toward his target.

Ling moved his small, frail frame through the ruins and shadows, relying on the system's subtle hints and his knowledge of the story to sprint toward the place where destiny would be decided.

He could feel two magnificent chakra signatures clashing ahead. He knew that Minato was currently fighting Obito and would soon sacrifice his life to seal the Nine-Tails.

Finally, he broke through a wall of rubble, and the scene before him made his breath hitch.

In the center of a massive sealing formation composed of tadpole-like characters, Kushina Uzumaki, with her red hair, lay on the ground, gasping for air. Beside her was the newborn Naruto. Ling realized in an instant that this was the critical moment when Minato, having split the Nine-Tails with the Reaper Death Seal, was about to seal the Yang-attributed half into Naruto!

Minato's phantom was already fading, about to be consumed by the Reaper. He saw Ling appear, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of entrustment and hope. He had no time left.

"Naruto... I leave him to you."

These were the final words of the Fourth Hokage.

The next moment, Minato's soul vanished completely. The half of the Nine-Tails radiating a cruel, malicious aura let out a roar of defiance, dragged by a massive suction force toward the wailing baby Naruto on the ground.

Now!

A flash of resolve crossed Ling's eyes. He lunged forward, using his own body to shield Naruto!

"Sealing Jutsu! Activate!" He didn't know the technique, but the system granted him the aptitude to carry out his choice at this moment. He pressed his arms against his own small body, and a surge of energy from the system, combined with his own meager chakra, forcibly formed a vortex!

"ROAR!"

The massive, crimson Nine-Tails chakra, originally aimed at Naruto, suddenly found another outlet and surged madly into Ling's body!

"Ugh, AAAHHH!"

A tearing pain struck him instantly! It felt as if every inch of his muscles and every meridian were being violently stretched and crushed. The Nine-Tails' hateful chakra crashed against his weak life force like a surging tide. Patterns of the Tailed Beast Cloak began to appear irregularly on his skin, his body shook violently from the inability to cope, and blood seeped from his nose and mouth.

But he gritted his teeth, not retreating a single step! His torso blocked Naruto, bearing the brunt of the impact and the agony. He knew that in the original plot, Naruto had borne the seal as a child, perhaps benefiting from his powerful Uzumaki heritage and the ingenuity of the sealing art, but he was fusing with it under the system's influence—the torment was far worse!

He didn't know how much time passed; it felt as long as a century. When the last trace of Nine-Tails chakra was absorbed into his body and the Eight Trigrams Sealing Formula gradually faded, the earth-shattering pain receded like a tide, replaced by a heavy, profound sense of power, as if a volcanic force lay dormant within him.

He had succeeded.

[Ding! Mission complete. Rewards issued: Nine-Tails Chakra Mode (evolvable) enabled, Sage Body (Primary) fused, bond "Absolute reliance and faith" with Naruto Uzumaki established.]

The system's prompt sounded like celestial music.

Almost the moment the rewards were issued, a warm, vibrant energy surged from deep within his body, rapidly repairing the damage he had just sustained. The Sage Body! He felt his vitality become incredibly robust, and his perception increased several times over.

Even more extraordinary was the mental connection. He looked down at the blonde child he had been shielding. Naruto had stopped crying at some point, his pure, flawless blue eyes wide open, staring at him unblinkingly. In those eyes, there was no fear—only complete, absolute, and unreserved closeness and reliance. A tiny hand even unconsciously gripped the edge of Ling's dust- and blood-stained clothes.

"Brother..."

An unclear utterance, mixed with unfamiliarity, instantly flooded Ling's heart. This was the effect of the bond reward, transcending the boundaries of communication.

Ling sat down, exhausted, and gently pulled Naruto into his arms. Looking at this future Child of Prophecy, feeling the surging Nine-Tails power and the thriving Sage Body within him, a cold, controlling smile—utterly inconsistent with his age—slowly spread across his pale face.

"Don't worry, Naruto." He whispered to himself, as if making a promise to the infant in his arms, his gaze sharp as a blade as he swept across the scorched battlefield. "From today on, I am your brother. I will end your tragedies. I will reshape the future of this ninja world!"

The volatile Nine-Tails power gradually dissipated within him, achieving a delicate balance with the Sage Body. In the shadows of Konoha, a new star capable of overturning everything had quietly risen this night.