In that moment, the Nine-Tails seemed to see a ghost.
Was it Uchiha Madara?
Or perhaps... Senju Hashirama?
Either way, the last time someone stood that tall, looked down at him like that, and spoke in that tone—he'd gotten beaten half to death.
The memory shook him.
The massive Tailed Beast Ball he'd been charging instantly dissolved in fear.
Everyone in the village noticed.
Their eyes all turned to Homelander.
To them, the man standing tall atop the stone head of the Third Hokage wasn't human.
He was a god — here to save them.
"It's Lord Fourth!"
"It really is the Fourth Hokage!"
"Lord Senju Homelander!!"
"He's finally here!"
"Save us, Fourth Hokage!!"
The villagers cried out with every ounce of strength they had, voices hoarse, throats torn.
And it was this surreal scene — this faith so loud and desperate — that completely stunned the Nine-Tails.
It had been so long since he'd seen the world outside Kushina's womb… and now, he couldn't quite grasp what was happening.
"This Senju Homelander… who the hell is he?"
The beast shifted its eyes, casting a side glance at the crowd still crying his name.
Why would they place so much faith in this man?
Why did it feel like… his arrival meant its death?
"What a joke."
The Nine-Tails growled.
It was furious.
Despite having destroyed half the village — despite being the very embodiment of chaos —these humans still placed all their hopes on one man?
A Hokage?
Ha! They were all the same — self-righteous and corrupt.
"Die!!"
The Nine-Tails roared, lunging forward with its massive claws to crush this so-called savior.
But to its shock—the man didn't dodge.
He didn't even move.
Instead, he floated upward, slowly and effortlessly.
"...???"
Wait…
He can fly?
The Nine-Tails hesitated.
Flying shinobi were exceedingly rare.
The last one he remembered was that old man with a monk's staff who beat his head in.
Down below, the villagers saw the Fourth Hokage rise into the sky — bathed in moonlight, cloak billowing like divine flame —and their emotions exploded.
"He's a god! A real god descended from the world!!"
"Yes!! Kill the Nine-Tails, Lord Fourth!"
"You can do it!!"
Their cheers were deafening.
The Third Hokage stood frozen in disbelief.
"When… when did Senju Homelander become this powerful?"
He turned to the ninja beside him.
"No idea," muttered Yamanaka Inoichi, stunned.
"He used to be... well, kind of slow and dopey…"
It was true.
Homelander had always been the type to obediently complete whatever task was assigned to him, no matter how minor.
Even when others objected to his decisions, he'd come running to the Third for approval — always humble, always following procedure.
That was why Sarutobi had chosen him.
A harmless yes-man who wouldn't rock the boat.
But ask anyone what made him special?
No one could say.
He was average.
He was forgettable.
But now…
He wasn't.
"GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!!"
Homelander's eyes suddenly lit up—
Twin beams of searing energy blasted from them, slamming the Nine-Tails in the face.
It didn't pierce his hide, but the impact sent him crashing to the ground with explosive force.
Its head slammed into the dirt, trapped under the blazing heat of the eye lasers.
It felt like its skull was about to boil.
Luckily, the Nine-Tails was a chakra entity — it wouldn't die so easily.
But even so, it couldn't move.
The beams pinned it down.
"He's too strong!"
Spies from the other Great Nations — scattered among the evacuating villagers — were all stunned silent.
They had been quietly celebrating Konoha's suffering…
Until they saw this.
Flying… beam-firing… chakra-dominating…
Was this the Sage of Six Paths reincarnated?!
The Nine-Tails was held down for a full three minutes, unable to move, doing nothing but scream.
When the laser finally ceased, Homelander rubbed his bloodshot eyes, exhausted.
"Ugh… that took everything…"
Firing that laser continuously for so long had broken his personal record.
His eyes were burning, his vision blurring.
He needed time to recover before using it again.
Down below—
The Nine-Tails' head was scorched bald.
Patches of fur had been completely vaporized, leaving him with a shiny, monk-like bald spot.
But despite being dizzy, the beast was still alive.
"Damn it…"
The fox growled, hatred rising.
Homelander stared at the creature, frustrated.
Even after all that… just a new hairstyle?
And then—
A second Tailed Beast Ball began to form.
Infuriated, the Nine-Tails gathered chakra once more, determined to blast Homelander to ash.
But just as it charged the attack—
BOOM!!
A massive weight crashed down.
Gamabunta, the chief toad, landed squarely atop the beast's back, pinning its head to the ground again.
"He's all yours, Minato!"
The great toad's voice thundered through the village.
Everyone turned—
And saw a flash of yellow light.
"That's… Minato?!"
The Third Hokage gawked at the golden-haired figure atop Gamabunta's head.
All of Konoha stared in stunned silence.
Namikaze Minato stood tall — calm and resolute.
He had just defeated the masked man.
But his chakra was nearly depleted.
If he didn't seal the Nine-Tails quickly, even he would soon be powerless.
Thankfully, the Fourth Hokage was already here.
With the overwhelming power Homelander had just unleashed, Minato had enough breathing room to perform the seal.
"Lord Fourth," Minato bowed midair, voice steady,
"I need time to prepare the sealing formula. Ten minutes — that's all I ask. Please hold the Nine-Tails down until then. Once I'm ready, it'll be over. I'm counting on you."
Homelander sighed, picked at his ear, and nodded lazily.
"Sure. I'll wait."
Then he looked toward a distant rooftop — where the Uchiha had just arrived.
His eyes met Shisui's.
In an instant, Shisui understood.
He vanished in a flicker and reappeared directly in front of the Nine-Tails, standing right at its enormous eye.
His Sharingan spun rapidly—
Evolving into a Mangekyō.
Then, it emitted a brilliant green glow.
"Kotoamatsukami."