Will You Lose?

"You've lost, Fugaku. Don't keep making the same mistake," Sarutobi said seriously from the rooftop as he stared at the Uchiha Clan head within Susanoo. "I promise to spare the Uchiha Clan, just as the Second Lord 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. He had yearned to reclaim sovereignty from the Senju Clan, so he 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 head, and he had failed before taking any concrete action. Compared to Fugaku now, the scale and nature of their rebellions were completely incomparable.

Sarutobi's statement meant only one thing: punish only the ringleaders. Clan head Fugaku and several Uchiha higher-ups could surrender voluntarily and spend the rest of their lives in prison, just like Uchiha Setsuna had. As for the other rebel shinobi, they could be shown leniency and spared accountability.

"Who says I've already lost?" Fugaku asked calmly.

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

"I don't hate Konoha," Fugaku said, shaking his head. Perhaps because of the consequences of using the Mangekyō Sharingan, his face gradually became more savage 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, you, Danzo, all you Konoha higher-ups who constantly ostracized the Uchiha, driving us from our place as 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 today, it was you who attacked our Uchiha clan grounds without a word!!"

"If the Uchiha don't resist, then perhaps one night, every member of our clan will never 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!"

"Heh." Fugaku sneered and shook his head.

It no longer mattered who had struck first. The gentleman's game of you punching me and me slapping you back was over. What mattered most was the final outcome that would soon be decided between Konoha and the Uchiha.

As if 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. I was only a little short."

Hearing this, Sarutobi felt rather pleased with himself. He turned and found Ning Qi, who had somehow retreated behind everyone, then praised him.

"He is the strongest spear of our Hyuga clan. Ning Qi found you through the Byakugan."

It was fortunate that Ning Qi had arrived in time. Otherwise, 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 slightly, while his dissatisfaction with the Hyuga Main Family increased considerably.

It was truly a waste 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 incapable of choosing between his clan and the village.

His impassioned emotions calmed somewhat. Fugaku cast Ning Qi a meaningful glance.

"I assume your Byakugan is no ordinary one."

Fugaku had known very well that Konoha possessed the Byakugan, so he had specifically arranged genjutsu around the secret chamber to counter its detection. Yet Ning Qi had discovered it anyway. It was simply inconceivable.

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

He had helped Fugaku so much, yet Fugaku had actually set his sights on him. What an ungrateful bastard.

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

"Where is Naruto? He never offended your Uchiha. Since you've already failed, could you release Naruto before we fight?" Hiruzen Sarutobi still worried about the whereabouts of the hero's orphan.

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

Sarutobi's brows furrowed tightly, and 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's head after failing to summon the Nine-Tails.

Naruto had no relatives.

But Fugaku still had clansmen.

Crossing that line would bring Fugaku no benefit whatsoever.

But that was clearly not what Fugaku meant. He smiled and said,

"Nothing. He's fine."

"Since Lord Hokage wants to see him, I'll bring him out for you right now."

Then he abruptly slammed his right hand against the ground!

Black runes spread outward from his palm.

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

The earth—

was trembling.

This... was this?

Then Fugaku shouted before them,

"Summoning Jutsu!"

The next second.

—ROAR!!!

A violent gale erupted, and an enraged roar that resounded through the heavens shattered every cloud within a hundred miles!

Roof tiles were blown away, and every surrounding house was crushed into fragments.

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

Staring at the ugly monster before them, both the Uchiha and Konoha forces—whether near or far, even those fiercely fighting within the clan grounds—lowered their kunai and stopped fighting.

Having lived through the Nine-Tails Rebellion several years ago, every Konoha shinobi knew exactly what that monster was.

This was—

the Nine-Tails.

A hairless Nine-Tails!!

A Nine-Tails in Eight-Tails Mode!!

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

That was right.

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

But he had used the Tailed-Beast Release Seal to push Naruto into Eight-Tails Mode.

He was only one step away from the complete Nine-Tails.

Only one final, tiny step.

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

Sarutobi led his people to attack, leaving Fugaku no choice but to halt the Nine-Tails transformation.

But clearly, the Nine-Tails in Eight-Tails Mode was not much weaker than the true Nine-Tails.

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

"Well?"

"Sarutobi!"

"Have I lost?!"

"Have the Uchiha lost?!"

Seeing the dumbfounded expressions of all the Konoha shinobi before him and Sarutobi's dark face, Fugaku could not help bursting into wild laughter.

"This time, Minato Namikaze isn't here."

"Sarutobi."

"Do you think you will lose?"