"How could dealing with one measly old man possibly hurt me?"
River watched the scene ahead and chuckled softly.
Then he took a step forward.
"You, on the other hand, look awfully pathetic for Konoha's Fourth Hokage!"
As River spoke, his pupils transformed into concentric rings.
Then a shocking sight appeared before his eyes, enough to make anyone's heart tremble.
The hideous, terrifying apparition of the Death God hovered behind Minato, tugging at his soul and the Nine-Tails' yin and yang chakra.
"Heh, Sui, don't say that."
"I... might not have much time left."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Before he could finish, Minato broke into a fit of coughing, blood spraying from the corner of his mouth.
"You're going to make your own son the next jinchūriki? That's a truly cruel thing to do!"
"Do you even know what he'll have to face in the future?"
River walked up to him and spoke gravely.
"With the Third Hokage, Konoha, and you here, Naruto will be all right."
"Once I'm gone, I'll have to ask you to look after him!"
A smile appeared on Minato's face. He seemed entirely at peace.
The Nine-Tails roared savagely, his eyes filled with rage and defiance. He had never expected to be sealed again so soon after gaining his freedom.
Just then, the forbidden technique's pull grew stronger, dividing his chakra into two streams. One was sealed into the Death God before him, while the other was sealed into the belly of the infant lying on the ground, wailing.
"Damn it, stop!"
"You'll die too, Minato Namikaze!"
The Nine-Tails roared again and again.
His struggles made Minato bend over and vomit blood once more, leaving him even weaker.
River's gaze sharpened as he turned it on the Nine-Tails.
The Nine-Tails' enormous body suddenly shuddered. He froze,