A few days later, outside the Uchiha Clan compound in Konoha.
Shisui Uchiha's Wood Clone slowly opened his eyes and looked in a certain direction within Konoha.
"What was that presence just now?"
The Nine-Tails' chakra fluctuations!
Looks like Kushina will give birth tonight.
That means Obito Uchiha should break the Nine-Tails' seal and release him to destroy Konoha tonight, too!
This day has finally come.
When everyone's attention is focused on the Nine-Tails, I can seize the opportunity to act as Senju Ye.
I'll have Uchiha Fugaku lead the Uchiha Clan into battle against the Nine-Tails to protect Konoha and begin earning the villagers' recognition.
Then, after Minato Namikaze sacrifices his life to seal the Nine-Tails, when the village is struggling to rebuild...
I'll step forward as Senju Ye, Hashirama Senju's disciple, and join forces with Orochimaru to expose Danzo's outrageous experiments with Hashirama Senju's cells.
While I'm at it, I'll pin all the blame for the Nine-Tails' Rampage on Danzo.
By then, Danzo's reputation will be utterly ruined, and everyone will turn against him.
As for the Uchiha Clan, after this incident, their conflict with Konoha's villagers won't escalate any further.
Instead, they'll gradually become part of the village.
As for the night of the massacre...
Heh, I've already won over my little buddy Uchiha Itachi. How could the massacre possibly still happen?
Just as he was thinking this, the system's voice suddenly rang out in his mind without warning.
"Ding! A new check-in location has been refreshed!" "Check-in location: atop the Nine-Tails' head!" "Time limit: one day!"
Shisui Uchiha's eyes lit up at the sound of the system's voice.
One day was a short window, but his original body was already on the way back.
He would probably return before long.
So this time limit posed no problem for him at all.
What truly excited Shisui Uchiha was the question of what reward this check-in would offer.
He hoped it would be a sufficiently powerful Wood Release jutsu.
That would help him carry out his plan!
At the same time Shisui Uchiha sensed the Nine-Tails Chakra spilling out of Kushina's body, something stirred in the shadow of a tree outside Konoha.
A strange vortex appeared out of thin air.
"Tonight is when the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki gives birth. I've finally waited long enough to see this day."
Obito Uchiha spoke calmly.
Beside him, White Zetsu nodded slightly.
"The target's location hasn't changed. It looks like Minato hasn't discovered us."
"Hehehe. Since it's starting, let's proceed according to plan."
As Obito Uchiha's final words fell, the strange vortex swallowed his body once again.
Before long, a tremendous explosion suddenly erupted inside Konoha without warning.
Boom!
Then came a beast's roar and screams.
In an instant, they filled all of Konoha!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack..."
"Damn it, what's going on? Who would dare attack the village so brazenly?!"
"Get to the site of the explosion and find out what happened!"
Such a tremendous commotion naturally alerted everyone in Konoha.
That included the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan, and the other clans within Konoha, as well as members of the Anbu and Root.
Even the Police Force had been alerted, and they all sent ninja out to investigate the explosion.
After all, Konoha was the foremost village in the Shinobi World.
They simply couldn't understand who had grown so tired of living that they would attack Konoha so openly.
But when the people they sent out saw the creature before them, its nine enormous tails swaying beneath the moonlight as it frantically demolished buildings...
Everyone's expression froze.
The Nine-Tails?
Wasn't he supposed to be inside his jinchūriki?
How had he gotten out?!
While everyone stood stunned by the Nine-Tails' enormous body and terrifying chakra fluctuations...
The Nine-Tails swung his tails at will, smashing them into the surrounding buildings and civilians. Blood splattered everywhere, and corpses littered the ground.
Screams mingled with the explosions, sending chills down their spines.
Only then did all the ninja who had rushed over come to their senses and begin splitting up in an orderly fashion.
"Th-this... we have to report the situation to Lord Hokage at once!"
"You lot, evacuate the villagers to a safe area immediately!"
"As for us, we'll fight this beast to the death! We can't let him keep destroying everything!"
While Konoha's ninja desperately resisted the Nine-Tails' attacks and struggled to evacuate the civilians...
Konoha's Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi stood with his back to the Anbu members who had hurried over, remaining silent.
"..."
He had noticed the Nine-Tails' rampage the instant the explosion sounded.
But so what?
It's only a few dead villagers. It won't cause me any real losses.
Until he had worked out which course of action would benefit him most...
Hiruzen Sarutobi would never act rashly!
But the only power in Konoha capable of breaking the Nine-Tails' seal and controlling his rampage seems to be the Uchiha Clan's Mangekyō Sharingan.
And Shisui Uchiha seems to be the only member of the Uchiha Clan who currently possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Yet he was sent to patrol the Land of Fire's border. He probably doesn't even know what's happening in the village.
That rules out infighting among our own people.
Someone else must have helped the Nine-Tails break his seal and go on a rampage.
Perhaps it was that fellow who used Space-Time Ninjutsu before...
Wait!
As though something had occurred to him, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to look out the window at the Nine-Tails, who was slaughtering and destroying at will.
His mood suddenly improved considerably.
Ever since Minato Namikaze had become the Fourth Hokage, he had gradually slipped out of Hiruzen's control.
In that case, I'll use this Nine-Tails' Rampage to bring his tenure as Hokage to an end.
Ideally, he can become a hero who died gloriously in battle!
At that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression abruptly turned stern.
"With the Hokage absent, I'll take command! Relay my orders: mobilize the Anbu to evacuate the civilians immediately. Have Danzo lead the Police Force, and give him full authority over their command."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Although, no matter how he looked at this incident, the Uchiha Clan couldn't have been responsible...
Someone has to take the blame for something this big, don't they?
And the Uchiha are the best choice!
As Hiruzen Sarutobi issued his orders...
Elsewhere, at Root headquarters, Danzo slammed his hand on the table and laughed sinisterly.
"Full authority? Looks like Hiruzen has finally come to his senses!"
"Relay my orders: the Police Force and the Uchiha are to remain where they are and await instructions. No one is to act without my command!"
"Uchiha Clan, let's see how you keep your footing in Konoha after this!"
Before you continue