Stalemate

Because Fugaku was still plotting a coup and still hoping to use the Nine-Tails' power to kill Sarutobi, Danzo, and Konoha's other higher-ups, Sarutobi's deliberate provocation of the Nine-Tails succeeded with ease.

The Nine-Tails had been lured from Konoha's central district to the outskirts.

After all, neither Fugaku nor Sarutobi wanted Konoha completely destroyed. The former had victory firmly in hand and was brimming with confidence, already imagining how imposing he would look as the Fifth Hokage. The latter was driven by the sense of responsibility that came with being Hokage, the duty to step forward and protect the villagers.

That was why neither of them wanted their war to leave Konoha with an irreparable mess.

Though the Nine-Tails' massive body alone could topple countless buildings and inflict enormous casualties upon Konoha's residents with nothing more than a roar, compared to the previous Nine-Tails Rebellion, the Nine-Tails under Fugaku's control was being remarkably restrained toward everything other than Sarutobi, Danzo, and the others.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

The blazing fireball was blocked by a massive tail, and the Nine-Tails swung a claw at Sarutobi. Sarutobi leaped away just in time.

Its claw sank into the ground, splitting the mountain forest apart.

Sarutobi glanced back and gritted his teeth.

As expected of the Nine-Tails. If that attack had landed, he would already be dead.

"Summoning Jutsu: Monkey King: Enma!"

A white ape wearing a golden circlet appeared. It crouched in a tree, staring at the skinless monster overhead. After a brief moment of surprise, it asked in a low voice,

"Is it the Nine-Tails again?"

"Yes, old friend. Another dangerous situation," Sarutobi said, shaking his head helplessly.

"No matter. It's just a skinless fox."

"Transform into the Adamantine Staff, Enma." Sarutobi's gaze was icy.

"Yes!"

"Roar!"

The Nine-Tails howled, its eight tails shooting toward Sarutobi like arrows.

Sarutobi raised the Adamantine Staff, several times larger than his entire body, and smashed the tails away one by one as though they were nails.

Enma possessed an indestructible body and was an exceptionally powerful summoned beast. Even against the Nine-Tails, he still had the strength to fight.

"Enma, grow bigger!"

"Yes!"

The next second, the staff abruptly expanded again. Like an ant struggling to swing a club, Sarutobi brought it down upon the vicious, hairless fox.

"Naruto... wake up already!!"

"Bang!"

The first strike knocked the Nine-Tails' head sideways.

"Bang!"

The second strike knocked the Nine-Tails flat.

"Bang!"

The third strike smashed the Nine-Tails straight into the earth.

The world fell silent for several seconds.

Naruto did not wake up.

"—Roar!!"

Instead, the enraged Nine-Tails climbed out of the ground.

Though Sarutobi's display had been impressive, the actual results were poor. The Nine-Tails seemed virtually unharmed. With a piercing shriek, it charged at the already-exhausted Sarutobi once more.

"You've grown old, Sarutobi."

He was no longer the young man with endless stamina. After swinging the enlarged staff just three times, Sarutobi was already worn out.

Sarutobi ignored his old friend's teasing and continued dodging the Nine-Tails' rapid assaults.

"This won't work." Enma's mouth appeared on the staff.

"I know this won't work!"

The Earth-Style Wall was chewed into powder by the Nine-Tails, and Sarutobi, behind the wall, barely escaped being devoured alive.

"But this is all we can do for now. Either awaken Naruto, whose consciousness is being controlled by the Nine-Tails, or defeat Fugaku, the one controlling the Nine-Tails, on the other side, or..."

Sarutobi did not say what the final option was.

But it was not difficult to guess. The solution during the previous Nine-Tails Rebellion had been a sealing technique—the Reaper Death Seal.

Its effects were immediate, but its price was equally devastating.

Konoha gained safety, but lost the youngest Hokage in its history.

It was not that Sarutobi begrudged sacrificing his old life. He had lived for a very long time, far beyond the average lifespan of a shinobi. He was already satisfied.

And the reason he did not use the Reaper Death Seal was not only because he believed his comrades could defeat Fugaku, not only because he felt he could awaken Naruto, and not only because they were currently on Konoha's outskirts, where dragging things out would not cause additional damage to the village.

It was also because the Nine-Tails before him had transformed from Naruto, the son of a hero. If he used the Reaper Death Seal on him, it would not only doom the Nine-Tails—Naruto would not escape either.

Forgive Grandpa, Naruto. If the time comes when you become too strong, and Grandpa can no longer stop you... then I can only do that. Sarutobi sighed inwardly.

If it truly came to that, Sarutobi felt that even upon reaching the Pure Land, he would be too ashamed to face Minato Namikaze and his wife... How could he possibly explain it to them?

That was why, unless there was absolutely no alternative, Sarutobi still wanted to delay for as long as he could.

Uchiha Fugaku was being besieged.

Just as Sarutobi intended to stall until Fugaku was defeated, Fugaku harbored the same thought. As long as the Nine-Tails could defeat the aged Sarutobi, then once it returned, no one in all of Konoha would be able to stop the Uchiha from ascending to the pinnacle of Konoha.

"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!" A layer of scorching ash poured from Asuma's mouth.

"Hmph, showing off before an expert!" Fugaku sneered, not even intending to use Susanoo for defense.

Using Fire Release before an Uchiha?

Let me show you what real Fire Release looks like!

"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!!"

The overwhelming flames ignited Asuma's cloud of ash. Just as the blazing fire was about to engulf him in return, a white-haired figure suddenly descended from the sky.

"Water Release: Water Wall!"

Steam billowed as the water continually clashed with the flames of Majestic Destroyer Flame.

Seeing that even the water within the Water Wall was about to evaporate completely, the other shinobi hurriedly rushed Fugaku's real body. Fugaku frowned and was forced to stop releasing Majestic Destroyer Flame, directly summoning Susanoo to battle the shinobi.

"Don't be so anxious, Asuma." Kakashi let out a breath and glanced at Asuma behind him.

Asuma's expression was grim.

His father was being hunted by the Nine-Tails, while the key to breaking this deadlock rested with them. How could he possibly not be anxious?

"That guy... won't be able to hold on much longer." Kakashi watched Uchiha Fugaku amid the chaotic battle.

Whether it was Majestic Destroyer Flame or Susanoo, both were immensely powerful techniques, but they consumed enormous amounts of chakra. How could Fugaku sustain a prolonged battle?

But by the same reasoning, if Fugaku could not hold out much longer, would the situation on the Hokage's side be any better?

Asuma's expression darkened. As he cleaned the wounds on his body, he casually asked,

"Weren't you assigned to the battlefield near the Uchiha clan compound?"

To ensure Fugaku could be trapped and killed here, Shikaku had specifically sent the returning elite squad to the Uchiha clan compound to stop the gathered Uchiha clansmen from joining their clan head.

"That area has already been taken over by Danzo..."

Kakashi's expression was somewhat strange.

Danzo had sent him here.

The people from Root had gone a little too far with their brutality.

They did not seem to be there to stop the Uchiha. They looked more like they had gone to carve trophies from the Uchiha clansmen's faces.