Nine-Tails, I'm Back

Sasuke was defeated with lightning speed...

Facing a Root ninja with extensive combat experience, Sasuke was even more vulnerable than anyone had imagined. It caught everyone completely off guard.

Naruto Uzumaki stared blankly as Sasuke Uchiha's kunai was knocked away with a single slash, then watched him get kicked to the ground. "..."

Sasuke had only exchanged a few clashes between his kunai and the enemy's ninja blade before his opening was spotted. His kunai was sent flying with one strike!

Even the female Root ninja looked somewhat surprised. She had probably expected a fierce battle, with herself ultimately winning by a narrow margin... Instead, Sasuke Uchiha was far too weak compared to his brother.

"Uchiha Itachi's little brother is this weak?"

"That Uchiha brat was the top student at the Ninja Academy. That shouldn't be possible, right?"

"She must have gotten stronger. After suffering the humiliation of being subdued by an eight-year-old brat, she trained even harder. If she still couldn't defeat a Ninja Academy graduate now, there'd be no reason for her to keep living."

Seeing Sasuke Uchiha effortlessly defeated by their comrade, and Naruto Uzumaki already injured, the group of ninjas gradually relaxed.

Yamanaka Fu, their leader, felt even more at ease. His subordinate's easy victory over Sasuke Uchiha proved that Team Seven was not made entirely of monsters.

On the other side, Kakashi Hatake was still fighting desperately, but the wounds on his body kept multiplying. Not only did he have to deal with the enemy's attacks, he also had to constantly keep watch over Team Seven. The situation was unimaginably dire!

When Sasuke Uchiha had stepped forward with complete confidence, only to be immediately defeated by that female ninja, Kakashi Hatake finally could not hold back any longer. "Lightning Cutter!"

A mass of lightning flashed in Kakashi Hatake's palm. Trading injury for injury, he drove the lightning in his hand into an enemy's chest!

Kakashi Hatake took a slash to the shoulder because of it, but it also opened a gap, finally allowing him to reunite with Team Seven!

The white-haired ninja leaped to Sasuke Uchiha's side and raised his kunai to block the enemy's attack. Blood streamed from his wounds under the force of the collision, yet he endured the pain and dragged Sasuke out of danger!

"Sensei Kakashi!"

Sakura Haruno nervously pulled out her bandages and helped dress his wounds, but she was so frightened that she began to sob. "Sensei, what should we do...?"

"Don't worry. I'll find a way to cover your escape."

Kakashi Hatake held a kunai between his teeth. With one hand, he helped Sakura bandage his wounds, while his eyes assessed the enemies closing in around them.

In truth, he had no real confidence. If he were escaping alone, it probably would not be much of a problem.

But taking Team Seven with him would be harder than ascending to heaven.

After helping Sasuke sit down, Naruto Uzumaki stood and moved in front of the enemy. "Sensei Kakashi, do you know who they really are?"

Kakashi Hatake fell silent. "..."

The Mind Body Switch Technique was a secret hereditary art that only Konoha's Yamanaka Clan could use. No other ninja could possibly possess it.

Whether in their movements or their seamless coordination, these people were no ordinary ninjas. There was no doubt that they were ANBU from the village.

Yet with the Third Hokage's usual approach, he would never send ANBU to assassinate Team Seven, because he knew Naruto Uzumaki's importance.

However, among the ANBU was a special division under Shimura Danzō's command, known as Root, beneath Konoha's great tree.

According to Kakashi's understanding, Root should have been completely disbanded after the Uchiha Clan massacre. Now, though, it seemed there might be some hidden twists to the matter.

These were Konoha's darkest secrets, things that should have remained far beyond the reach of these children. Perhaps they would only glimpse some clues after growing up.

Why had they appeared at this time...?

Kakashi Hatake's gaze shifted slightly and settled on Naruto Uzumaki, who stood before them. If that one-eyed old man was trying to seize control of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, then it all seemed explainable.

There were far too many shameful deeds hidden within Konoha, and the Third Hokage had undoubtedly had a hand in many of them. Kakashi Hatake knew that perfectly well...

At the very least, Kakashi Hatake knew of two or three.

Shimura Danzō certainly knew more. With only a little thought, he could find a way to provoke Naruto into joining Root. He could even use a seal to control Naruto!

If Shimura Danzō gained complete control of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, even Hiruzen Sarutobi would have to consider the consequences before making a move against him. The Nine-Tails calamity twelve years ago had devastated Konoha. If it happened again, Konoha could practically declare its destruction...

Kakashi Hatake gritted his teeth and grabbed several shuriken. "In a moment, I'll cover your escape first..."

Sakura Haruno grabbed his arm and looked at him helplessly. "Sensei Kakashi, but you're already injured."

Even with her level of perception, she could tell that if Kakashi Hatake stayed behind to cover their retreat in such a severely wounded state, his chances of survival would be extremely slim.

Naruto Uzumaki watched the encirclement slowly close in and shook his head. "We can't escape. If we split up, they'll definitely pick us off one by one."

Moreover, the only ones capable of facing these enemies were him and Kakashi Hatake. Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and their client would basically be certain to die if they encountered an enemy.

Kakashi Hatake twisted his arm and said in a low voice, "Don't worry. I'll find a way to stop them."

"But you'll definitely die here, won't you, Sensei Kakashi?!"

Naruto Uzumaki helplessly planted the kunai in his hand into the ground and slowly closed his eyes. "If we don't want to all die here, it looks like there's no other way..."

His development of the Rasengan was still insufficient. Its power clearly could not change the course of this battle, and the enemy could easily dodge it or even seize an opening.

Earlier, he had used the Shadow Clone Jutsu to stop the enemy from breaking through their formation, which had consumed a great deal more chakra.

With his strength, he could not possibly defeat this group of elite ninjas alone.

When facing difficulties, usually...

What was he supposed to do?

A sense of destiny drove him onward...

Naruto Uzumaki slowly closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the Sealing Space. Step by step, he approached the enormous demon fox. "Nine-Tails, I need chakra again..."

Nine-Tails: "..."

Was this brat brain-damaged?! No, that wasn't right. Every Jinchuriki it had ever encountered had something wrong with their brains!

Look at other people's Jinchuriki. They only borrowed their tailed beasts' chakra, gaining power enough to change the course of a war.

Yet its first two Jinchuriki had never used its chakra, giving it no opportunity to break free of the seal.

Its third Jinchuriki had finally caught on, but he kept using his own technique to devour and absorb chakra, treating the strongest tailed beast in the ninja world as a chakra refill station!

Just as the Nine-Tails closed its eyes in dissatisfaction, intending to let him do as he pleased, Naruto Uzumaki suddenly spoke. "This time, we may have to fight together. Otherwise, we might both die here..."

The Nine-Tails snorted and opened its eyes to look at the little brat before it. "Brat, do you think I'll agree to that?"

First update

Naruto Uzumaki: Nine-Tails, do me a favor...

Nine-Tails: No. Get lost!

Naruto Uzumaki: Sealing Art: Devour!

Nine-Tails: Go on...

Naruto Uzumaki: Lend me your power...

Nine-Tails: No.

Naruto Uzumaki: If you won't lend it to me, then I can only absorb your chakra while fighting them!

Nine-Tails: How much are you borrowing? Do you intend to pay it back?

Naruto Uzumaki: What are you talking about? I don't understand.