Would You Lose?

"You lost, Fugaku. Don't keep making the same mistake," Sarutobi said solemnly from atop the roof, watching the Uchiha Clan chief within Susanoo. "I promise to spare the Uchiha Clan, just as the Second Hokage spared you when Uchiha Setsuna rebelled."

Uchiha Setsuna had been a member of the Konoha Military Police Force during the Second Hokage's administration. Desiring to reclaim sovereignty from the Senju Clan, he had incited his clansmen to rebel and cause trouble, only to be suppressed by the ANBU in the end.

Setsuna had not been the Uchiha Clan chief, and he had failed before taking any concrete action. Compared to Fugaku now, the scale and nature of their rebellions were utterly incomparable.

Sarutobi's declaration carried only one meaning: execute only the chief culprits. Clan chief Fugaku and several Uchiha higher-ups were to surrender voluntarily and spend the rest of their lives in prison like Uchiha Setsuna had. As for the other rebellious ninja, they could be shown mercy and spared punishment.

"Who said I had already lost?" Fugaku asked calmly.

"The Nine-Tails has not appeared. Your scheme has already been thwarted. Are you still unwilling to accept that?" Sarutobi frowned. Other than causing further damage to Konoha, he did not know what Fugaku's persistence could achieve. "I never knew you bore such deep hatred for Konoha."

"I do not hate Konoha." Fugaku shook his head. Perhaps due to the consequences of using the Mangekyo Sharingan, his face gradually grew fiercer as he roared, "But our clan truly hates you and Danzo to the bone!"

"Sarutobi!!"

"Our Uchiha Clan has been driven to this point entirely by you Konoha higher-ups!"

"It was Tobirama, it was you, it was Danzo—it was you Konoha higher-ups who kept suppressing the Uchiha, driving us from the position of Konoha's founders to the point where we can only manage the Konoha Military Police Force!"

"It was you who sent people to watch us day and night!"

"It was you who forced us to move our clan grounds from Konoha's central district to this remote corner!"

"And even today, it was you who attacked our Uchiha clan grounds without a word!!"

"If the Uchiha do not resist, then one night, our entire clan may not live to see the next sunrise!!"

Sarutobi firmly shook his head at Fugaku's final accusation. "That is absolutely impossible!"

Sarutobi also disagreed with Fugaku's second-to-last accusation. "Besides, you were the ones who sent people to abduct Naruto first. We entered the Uchiha clan grounds only to prevent an even worse tragedy from happening!"

"Heh." Fugaku sneered and shook his head.

It no longer mattered who had struck the first slap. The gentleman's game of trading your punch for my palm strike was over. What mattered most was the final victor between Konoha and the Uchiha, which was about to be decided.

As though recalling something, Fugaku swept his gaze over the people around him before asking, "Come to think of it, how did you find my hiding place? ...What a pity. You were only just short."

Hearing Fugaku say that, Sarutobi felt rather pleased with himself. He turned and found Ning Qi, who had somehow already retreated behind the others, then praised him.

"It was the strongest spear of our Hyuga clan. Ning Qi found you through the Byakugan."

Fortunately, Ning Qi had arrived in time. If Fugaku had truly summoned the Nine-Tails, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Because of Ning Qi's involvement, the resentment Sarutobi felt toward the Hyuga clan eased somewhat, while his dissatisfaction with the Hyuga Main Family grew considerably.

It was truly a pity for such an outstanding junior as Ning Qi to serve as the Hyuga clan's private soldier.

The moment Fugaku saw Ning Qi, he could not help thinking of his genius son, who was known alongside Ning Qi as one of Konoha's Twin Prodigies.

That person still had not appeared today.

This did not surprise Fugaku.

After all, he was a coward.

A coward who could not choose between his clan and the village.

His agitated emotions calmed slightly, and Fugaku gave Ning Qi a meaningful glance.

"I presume yours is not an ordinary Byakugan."

Fugaku knew perfectly well that Konoha possessed the Byakugan, which was why he had arranged specialized genjutsu around the secret chamber to counter Byakugan detection. Yet Ning Qi had still discovered it despite that. It was simply inconceivable.

Ning Qi did not answer. He merely felt that Fugaku was dragging things out.

I helped Fugaku so much, and he was actually setting his sights on me. What an ungrateful bastard.

Did this guy really think he could make Naruto take that final step all by himself?

"Where is Naruto? He has never offended your Uchiha. Since you have already failed, could you release Naruto before we fight?" Hiruzen Sarutobi still worried about the orphaned son of a hero.

"Oh?" Fugaku suddenly grinned. "You really want to see him?"

Sarutobi's brows furrowed tightly as an extremely bad premonition rose within him.

"What did you do to him?" His voice was low, carrying an unmistakable warning.

He did not believe Fugaku would dare touch a single hair on Naruto after failing to summon the Nine-Tails.

Naruto had no family.

But Fugaku still had his clansmen.

Crossing that line would bring Fugaku no benefit whatsoever.

But Fugaku clearly did not mean that. He smiled and said,

"I did nothing. He is doing just fine."

"Since Lord Hokage wishes to see him, I will pull him out for you right now."

Then he slammed his right hand onto the ground!

Black runes spread outward from his palm.

As though sensing something, Sarutobi and the others lowered their heads and stared at the ground beneath their feet.

The earth.

Was trembling.

This... was this?

They only heard Fugaku shout,

"Summoning Jutsu!"

The next second.

—ROAR!!!

A gale erupted, and a furious roar that resounded through the heavens shattered every floating cloud within a hundred miles!

Roof tiles were torn away, and every surrounding house was crushed into rubble.

Under the sunlight, a massive shadow enveloped the ninja present.

At the sight of the ugly monster before them, whether near or far, even the Uchiha and Konoha forces fighting fiercely within the clan grounds lowered their kunai and stopped fighting.

Having endured the Nine-Tails Rebellion several years ago, every Konoha ninja knew exactly what this monster was.

This was—

The Nine-Tails.

A furless Nine-Tails!!

A Nine-Tails in Eight-Tails Mode!!

A Nine-Tails with the Mangekyo Sharingan reflected in its eyes!!!

Yes.

Uchiha Fugaku had indeed failed to summon the Nine-Tails.

But he had used the Tailed-Beast Release Seal to push Naruto into an eight-tailed transformation.

Only one step remained before the Nine-Tails' complete form.

Just one final, tiny step.

Yet just as Fugaku was about to help Naruto take that step, Ning Qi had found him.

Sarutobi had led people to attack, forcing Fugaku to halt the Nine-Tails transformation process.

But clearly, the eight-tailed Nine-Tails was not much weaker than the true Nine-Tails.

It was still enough to bring utter destruction upon Konoha today.

"Well?"

"Sarutobi!"

"Did I lose?!"

"Did the Uchiha lose?!"

Seeing the stunned expressions of all the Konoha ninja before him, seeing Sarutobi's grim face, Fugaku could not help throwing back his head and laughing wildly.

"There is no Minato Namikaze this time."

"Sarutobi."

"Do you think you will lose?"