The Nine-Tails Emerged

On a rooftop in Konoha, Make-Out Paradise slipped from Kakashi Hatake's hand.

Others might have felt nothing at the name Obito Uchiha, but Kakashi was different.

His first instinct was denial.

Impossible! This had to be some sick, absurd joke!

Obito? The Obito Uchiha who was always late, who kept declaring he would become Hokage, who had "died" saving me and given me his Sharingan?

He was alive? And now he was the one who controlled the Nine-Tails, caused Kushina's death, drove Minato to sacrifice himself, and nearly destroyed Konoha?

Lies! The Third Hokage was right. Everything this Canopy Screen showed was fake!

Having convinced himself, Kakashi calmed down and looked up at the Canopy Screen again.

In an unknown forest, Obito Uchiha merely snorted when he saw the Canopy Screen reveal his identity.

The moment he learned it would show the truth about the Night of the Nine-Tails, he had suspected his identity might be exposed. Seeing it happen almost came as a relief.

It didn't matter. Obito Uchiha or Madara Uchiha—they were only names to me. There was no one left in Konoha I cared about anyway!

As long as the Eye of the Moon Plan succeeded, what did it matter how much infamy I bore?!

Rin! We'll see each other again soon.

The next instant, Obito Uchiha activated Kamui and vanished from the forest. All he left behind was a Kunai embedded in a nearby tree, pinning a bird beneath it.

In Amegakure, the rain fell without end.

Atop the Tower, Deva Path Pain, controlled by Nagato, stared at the enormous golden screen in the sky. Not a ripple disturbed his Rinnegan.

Konan stood beside him. Paper flowers drifted together and apart under her unconscious control, betraying her unease.

"So he wasn't Madara Uchiha after all!" Pain said, reading the words on the Canopy Screen. His suspicions grew stronger.

Konan's expression was just as cold. "Right. How could anyone have lived from the Warring States Period until now? I had my doubts when Obito Uchiha first came to us!"

"Nagato, what should we do next?!"

Pain rose slowly, swept his robe aside, and walked into the room.

"It doesn't matter who he is or what scheme he has. Before these eyes, it's all an illusion!!!"

In the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured, "Obito Uchiha."

The name sounded familiar. He seemed to have been Minato's student, but Hiruzen had no idea why he would unleash the Nine-Tails and destroy Konoha.

"Hiruzen, I suggest a full investigation into Obito Uchiha. Everyone connected to him should be handed over to Root for questioning," Danzo proposed, his expression vicious.

Hiruzen shot him an irritated look. "Most Ninja of Obito Uchiha's generation are Jonin now. If you arrest them all, Konoha will be nothing but an empty shell!"

"As for his family..." Hiruzen did not finish.

But everyone present understood. The Uchiha had been wiped out. What family could he still have?

Hiruzen then ordered ANBU to investigate those close to Obito Uchiha and bring them to the Hokage's Office for questioning.

Danzo struck the floor with his cane. "You're too soft, Hiruzen! When dealing with a rogue Ninja like this, everyone connected to him must be interrogated thoroughly!"

"Enough, Danzo. I'm the Hokage!"

"Hmph! You'll regret this, Hiruzen." Danzo fell silent.

The familiar exchange made Hiruzen think back over the past decade. Whenever the two of them disagreed, he had invoked his authority as Hokage to shut Danzo down.

Was that why my old friend had sent someone to assassinate Minato? Because I kept using my position against him?

Hiruzen closed his eyes in pain.

The scene on the Canopy Screen continued.

[Obito Uchiha had already killed the ANBU and Medical Ninja guarding Kushina, along with Hiruzen Sarutobi's wife, Biwa Sarutobi. Now he held baby Naruto as he faced Minato Namikaze.]

["Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, leave the Jinchuriki's side at once! Otherwise, this child has only one minute to live!" Obito Uchiha placed a hand on Naruto's head. No one doubted his threat.]

[How did he get through the Barrier? As Minato Namikaze searched for a way out, Kushina suddenly screamed, "Ah!"]

[No! The Nine-Tails' seal isn't complete! Minato Namikaze whipped around to look at Kushina.]

["Get away from the Jinchuriki! Don't you care what happens to this child?" Seizing his chance, Obito Uchiha pressed a Kunai against Naruto's neck!]

["Wait!" Minato Namikaze tried to calm him down, but Obito Uchiha tossed Naruto into the sky!]

[Then he leaped high and thrust his Kunai straight at Naruto!]

[The next instant, Minato caught Naruto with the Body Flicker Technique, leaving Obito Uchiha's strike to cut through empty air.]

["As expected of the Yellow Flash! Now how will you handle this?!"]

[Obito Uchiha formed a hand sign, and sparks began to spit from Naruto's swaddling.]

[Minato Namikaze reacted instantly. He flung away the swaddling covered in Explosive Tags, then used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport away with Naruto in his arms.]

[You fell for it, Minato-sensei! Obito Uchiha used Kamui to absorb Kushina from the bed, then transported them to the shore of the lake at Naka Shrine.]

["What are... you going... to do?" Kushina asked weakly. Black Runes bound her in midair.]

["I'm going to pull the Nine-Tails out of you and destroy Konoha!"]

["Minato normally protects you, but I've lured him away. And childbirth has weakened your seal. I've waited a long time for a chance this perfect!"]

[Excitement edged Obito Uchiha's voice, as though he were savoring revenge.]

[With a glance, Obito Uchiha took control of the Nine-Tails sealed inside Kushina.]

[On the Canopy Screen, the eye Obito Uchiha revealed was not an ordinary Three-Tomoe Sharingan. It bore a different, eerie pattern!]

["Now come out and wreak havoc, Nine-Tails!"]

[Roar! With an earth-shaking bellow, an immense surge of crimson Chakra, seething with hatred, erupted from within Kushina!]

[The Nine-Tails emerged, its massive body appearing beneath the moon as it roared loud enough to deafen!]