Matatabi lay listlessly on the ground, both ears drooping.
She had only wanted to be a big, carefree cat. Why were there monsters everywhere outside?
Ninja were far too dangerous!
Konoha, the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, a pipe in his mouth, working through documents.
A hothead like Uchiha Minamoto only needed to fight well and kill enemies with all his might, but as the Third Hokage, he had far more to consider.
Just then, someone shoved the office door open.
A ninja from the Sensory Unit darted inside.
"Lord Third! An emergency!"
"Why the panic? What happened?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe, a faint sense of foreboding rising within him.
"An extremely powerful chakra signature suddenly erupted south of the village, in the direction of the Naka River!"
The Sensory Unit ninja's voice trembled.
"Its intensity... is approaching that of the Nine-Tails seven years ago!"
Crack!
Hiruzen Sarutobi snapped the pipe in his hand.
His pupils abruptly contracted, and he shot up from his chair.
The Naka River!
Uchiha Minamoto!
The Two-Tails Jinchūriki!
Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered Uchiha Minamoto saying that he would unseal the Two-Tails outside the village.
But he had never imagined Uchiha Minamoto would act so decisively.
He had already unsealed the Two-Tails!
If something went wrong during the unsealing and the Two-Tails went on an uncontrolled rampage, wouldn't Konoha suffer a repeat of the Nine-Tails' Attack?
Hiruzen Sarutobi snatched the battle armor hanging nearby and quickly put it on.
"Anbu First and Second Squads! With me!"
"Yes!"
A short while later.
Personally armed and armored for battle, Hiruzen Sarutobi led two squads of elite Anbu ninja toward the Empty District near the Naka River Reservoir at top speed.
On the way, Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind raced:
*If the Two-Tails really has lost