"ROAR!!!"
In the terrified eyes of the townsfolk, the summoned Nine-Tails erupted into a thunderous roar. A violent shockwave blasted outward, flattening nearby houses as debris flew into the air.
"Nine-Tails—let's go wild!"
For the first time since taking control, Ash felt an exhilarating rush.
Responding to Ash's will, the Nine-Tails' tails swung like giant whips—each strike effortlessly obliterating buildings. Between its brute strength and massive chakra, entire rows of homes vanished into rubble within seconds.
"AHHH!!!"
As the beast rampaged, countless civilians—completely unprepared for such horror—were injured and screaming. Ash watched coldly. He didn't feel any sympathy for the villagers of Konoha.
He remembered clearly:
In his previous life's story, Ash's childhood was nothing but misery.
Even though the Nine-Tails attack was planned and manipulated by the village's higher-ups…
Even though Ash had never lost control growing up…
Even idiots should have realized he was no threat.
But the villagers still bullied him—simply because they could.
And now they even resented his right to attend the Ninja Academy.
Their hatred was nothing but ignorance and selfishness.
"Third Hokage! The Nine-Tails has suddenly appeared inside the village!"
A masked ANBU dropped to one knee before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"I understand. I'll suppress it myself," Hiruzen replied grimly, already donning combat armor.
"You are responsible for evacuation—protect the civilians!"
"Yes, Lord Third!"
The ANBU vanished in an instant.
"How could Kushina's seal be undone…?"
Hiruzen stared out the window at the rampaging Nine-Tails, frowning deeply—his heart tightening as he recalled Kushina, who had just given birth…
"AAAARGH!"
Choza Akimichi adjusted his stance and used his massive strength to block falling debris.
"All non-combatants—evacuate immediately! Leave this to us!"
Nara Shikaku shouted, directing civilians out of the danger zone.
"Attack!"
A squad of Konoha shinobi leapt fearlessly toward the Nine-Tails, using kunai wrapped with explosive tags.
"ROAR!!!"
The beast swung a single paw—hurling the attackers like ragdolls.
"Damn it… where is he?"
On Hokage Rock, Minato Namikaze's expression was stone-cold. The Nine-Tails continued wreaking havoc, but he didn't intervene—not yet.
He knew:
To stop this disaster…
He had to find Ash, the one controlling the beast.
Even with his Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato had no assurance he could overpower the Nine-Tails head-on. Its chakra reserves and regenerative power were on an entirely different scale.
"So… you spotted me, Minato?"
Watching from within a warped pocket of space, Ash smirked.
He formed rapid hand-seals.
Within the Nine-Tails' jaws, a dense black sphere appeared—chakra compressing into a lethal mass.
"Tailed Beast Bomb."
The orb was fired with terrifying force—rippling destruction in its path as homes vaporized behind it. When the attack neared Hokage Rock—
Minato struck.
"Flying Thunder God: Time-Space Barrier!"
A sequence of arcane markers manifested mid-air, forming a dimensional barrier that absorbed the Tailed Beast Bomb. A moment later—
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion detonated far outside Konoha, lighting up the night sky.
Even from here, everyone could see the monstrous scale of the blast.
"…If the explosion is that large… I must select the transfer point very, very carefully."
Minato evaluated the distance and impact radius with rapid precision.
"The only way… is to keep redirecting its attacks with a time-space barrier."
He clenched his fists.
The battle to save Konoha had only just begun.
"Minato?"
Ash narrowed his eyes, recognizing the Fourth Hokage's presence high atop Hokage Rock.
"Let's move. The civilians are already evacuated—no need to hold back with ninjutsu!"
Shikaku called out firmly.
"We must stop the Nine-Tails immediately!"
"Agreed. Advance together!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—arrived with Enma, the Monkey King staff gripped tightly. He had already deduced who redirected the Tailed Beast Bomb, and his face hardened with urgency.
"You must notify Lord Third right away!" Minato barked instructions to a nearby squad.
"Whether it's Ash or the masked man Kushina mentioned… Lord Third needs every detail!"
Minato's mind raced. The other shinobi would only be able to delay the Nine-Tails. He had to confront the true cause behind the attack.
But before he could move—
A hand reached suddenly for his shoulder.
Minato reacted instantly — spinning around and thrusting his three-pronged kunai through the attacker's head.
Except… it passed straight through as if the body wasn't there.
Kamui…!?
A chilling click sounded as fingers closed around Minato's wrist.
"Snap."
Ash's voice was calm. Sinister.
"Your opponent is me, Minato Namikaze. And the battle between us… ends here."
Minato stared into those eyes—eyes that twisted with a power he recognized far too late.
Ash's right eye snapped open—
A swirling space–time vortex tore reality apart between them as the dimension of Kamui pulled like a collapsing storm.
Minato gritted his teeth.
This was not just the Nine-Tails unleashed.
This was a plan aimed at Him.
And the village he vowed to protect.
...
TN:
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