The chakra aura erupted like a tidal wave, crashing across the entire area. The earth trembled under its pressure, faint cracks spreading through the ground as if it were on the verge of collapse.
"Sealing Squad!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out—hoarse, panicked, and filled with urgency.
In the next instant, several figures appeared as if teleporting from thin air, landing silently before him. There was no time for introductions.
"Quick! Seal Kushina now!" he ordered, nearly shouting. "Her body can only withstand up to the Three-Tails state. If we don't stop the Nine-Tails now, it will break free completely!"
Gone was the calm, collected Hokage. In his place stood a man driven by desperation.
Konoha was already embroiled in a full-scale war outside its walls. If another internal catastrophe erupted now, the result wouldn't just be military defeat—it would be the collapse of the entire Village from within.
Just then, a voice roared across the battlefield.
"Senju Power!"
Before the words had finished echoing, a shadow flashed past the crowd—blazing like a comet. It bypassed everyone and rocketed toward Kushina with the force of a cannonball.
But Kushina moved with supernatural speed, vanishing like a ghost. Her figure blurred, leaping back dozens of meters in a heartbeat.
BOOM!
The figure slammed into the earth, and the entire ground seemed to tear apart. The impact echoed like thunder.
A violent tremor rippled outward. Within seconds, a massive crater appeared where the strike landed—at least ten meters wide. Cracks radiated from its edges like a spiderweb, splitting the ground as if the skin of the world had been peeled open.
The Sealing Squad, who had just begun their work, was forced to retreat under the overwhelming shockwave.
As the dust finally began to settle, a familiar figure stood at the center of the crater.
Everyone turned to look—and gasped.
It was Tsunade!
The legendary Sannin. Her fame preceded her. Hanzō of the Salamander had once bestowed that title on her, and the other two Sannin were currently fighting far from the Village. Only she remained in Konoha.
Her very presence lit a fire in the hearts of the shinobi. It was as though a beacon had descended into chaos. The sight of her fists clenched and stance firm stirred a sliver of hope in even the most terrified of onlookers.
"What are you all standing around for?!" Tsunade shouted, her voice booming like a thunderclap.
The words exploded in the air, causing the eardrums of those nearby to ring. Her eyes locked fiercely on Kushina, who stood in a defensive posture, red chakra swirling like a storm around her.
Behind Kushina, the dark, shifting outline of the Three-Tails loomed.
Although Tsunade hadn't been fully briefed, she understood Kushina's strength well. As a member of the Uzumaki Clan, she possessed immense chakra and mastery over high-level sealing techniques.
Under normal circumstances, Kushina would never fall into such a dangerous state.
Tsunade's mind raced. Something was wrong. Someone—or something—had pushed Kushina to the brink.
Still, she couldn't let her personal doubts interfere. With Konoha in peril, she steadied herself and shouted, "First, we must bring her out of the Tailed Beast state!"
But reality wasn't that simple.
Tailed Beast chakra was more than raw energy. It was corrosive, violent, alive.
Ordinary people couldn't even touch it without suffering horrible injuries—skin blistered, lungs scorched from proximity alone. Even those nearby felt like they were inhaling fire.
Konoha's situation had become dire.
Most of the Jonin had been deployed to the battlefield. Only a handful remained within the Village. The Chunin, while numerous, were ineffective against the Nine-Tails.
Their numbers meant nothing against a force like this.
The battlefield was filled with rising and falling howls. The protective barrier surrounding Konoha shimmered under the pressure. Were it not for that shield, the residential districts would already have been destroyed beyond recognition.
And then—the Three-Tails fully emerged.
It towered behind Kushina, cloaked in sinister crimson. Its monstrous form seemed carved from chakra, its presence chilling to the bone. The beast's snarl was silent but carried a weight like thunder.
The grotesque shape of the chakra tail lashed through the air, sending shockwaves through the trees and buildings.
Kushina had completely lost control.
The Nine-Tails was no longer just influencing her—it was devouring her.
Each second that passed saw her will chipped away. Its chakra surged through her body like a flood, threatening to break free at any moment.
Based on the current progression, the Nine-Tails would escape entirely in less than thirty minutes.
And when that happened… Konoha would face annihilation.
"Jaxon! If this continues… Kushina will die!" Yun Nai cried, unable to hold back her emotions.
Her heart ached as she watched her sister—a proud princess of the Whirlpool Clan—reduced to a vessel losing her soul. Tears streamed down her cheeks as guilt, sadness, and helplessness overcame her.
"Back then, it had nothing to do with us," she whispered to herself. "So why am I crying now?"
Jaxon stood beside her, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable—cold and distant, yet sharp with insight.
"This is Konoha's mess," he said flatly. "Let them clean it up."
He sneered as his gaze swept over the chaos before him.
"The strongest Village in the ninja world? And they can't even suppress one Nine-Tails?"
He wasn't impressed.
Yes, Konoha had dispatched most of its elite forces to the battlefield—but even so, this Village was home to countless powerful ninjas. There was no way the Nine-Tails should be running rampant so easily.
No—this wasn't just about lacking strength.
It was about will.
He looked closely at the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the sidelines, issuing orders here and there, but his demeanor was passive—almost as if he was waiting for something. Waiting for someone else to solve the problem.
Jaxon's lips curled in disdain.
"From beginning to end, he's just putting on a show. As if tossing out a few jutsu here and there will make him seem useful."
The old man was clearly avoiding full responsibility.
Tsunade, on the other hand, hadn't hesitated. Her fists clenched at her sides, chakra coiling visibly around them.
She stepped forward again, her feet planting into the cracked stone.
"Kushina!" she shouted. "I know you're still in there! Don't give in! You're stronger than this!"
But Kushina didn't respond.
The Third tail whipped violently. A wave of energy surged outward, knocking Tsunade back slightly. She slid across the ground, digging in her heels.
In her daze, Kushina's eyes flickered. The faintest spark of awareness returned.
Tsunade caught it.
"Good. She's still there," she murmured.
But time was slipping away.
"SEALING SQUAD!" Tsunade barked. "We don't have long!"
The squad reassembled, forming hand signs rapidly. Their seals glowed faintly as they began a formation around Kushina.
The goal wasn't to forcibly imprison the Nine-Tails—it was to anchor Kushina's will. If they could stabilize her mind, even briefly, it might delay the transformation.
"Hold the formation!" shouted one of the squad leaders.
The chakra symbols etched into the ground began to glow. For a moment, it looked like it might work.
Then—BOOM!
The Three-Tails let out a roar of resistance. One of the seal markers exploded violently, throwing a sealing member back several meters.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
"DAMN IT!" shouted another, re-stabilizing the formation.
Jaxon watched with narrowed eyes.
"This isn't going to hold," he muttered.
"Then do something!" Yun Nai snapped at him, voice raw with desperation.
But Jaxon only shrugged. "I'm not Konoha's hero. I'm here to observe... and learn."
Yet, even he knew this was nearing the point of no return.
The final moment of silence broke as Minato Namikaze appeared in a flash of yellow light beside Tsunade.
"Where's the sealing scroll?!" he asked urgently.
"It's on the way! But if you're thinking of using it on her now, it'll kill her!" Tsunade warned.
"I know," Minato said softly. "But if we do nothing… she dies anyway. And so does Konoha."
He looked down at his wife, his eyes full of sorrow.
"Kushina… please come back to me," he whispered, placing his hand gently on her arm.
For a split second—the tails froze.
A tremor ran through her body.
Her lips moved. Barely.
"Mi…na…to…"
And then—
The chakra flared wildly again.
But this time, it wasn't chaotic.
It was controlled.
The Three-Tails began to shrink—slowly.
The Sealing Squad leapt into action, reinforcing the barrier around her.
Tsunade exhaled in relief.
Jaxon raised an eyebrow, surprised. "So... love wins again?"
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