"W–What is that…?"
"A tailed beast—!"
"It's a tailed beast!!"
"Why is a tailed beast here?!"
"Quick, summon the Hokage!"
As more and more ninja rushed to the scene, Namikaze Minato's heart sank deeper by the second.
They had crossed into this version of Konoha through the Dragon Vein—and the very moment they arrived, they'd already caused a catastrophe.
"…I'm sorry," Minato murmured softly, looking at the humanoid Nine-Tails writhing ahead of him.
"What I'm about to do is probably going to hurt."
His mistake.
His responsibility.
"Everyone, fall back!"
Minato raised his voice, a Flying Thunder God kunai appearing in his hand.
Though he wore a Konoha forehead protector, to everyone else he was still a complete stranger.
"I was wondering," a calm voice said from the crowd,
"I don't recall ever seeing you among Konoha's shinobi."
A white-haired man stepped forward, a short blade resting at his side. His presence was composed, steady—dangerously so.
Minato froze for a brief moment when he saw him.
How many years had it been…
How long since he'd last seen this man…
"Senior Sakumo," Minato said solemnly.
"Now isn't the time for questions. We have to stop the jinchūriki's rampage immediately."
The man before him was none other than Hatake Sakumo, the famed White Fang of Konoha—the shinobi once said to eclipse even the Sannin.
"You're right," Sakumo replied with an easy smile, as though speaking to an old friend.
"So, what's your plan?"
"I was originally going to restrain the jinchūriki myself," Minato explained,
"then have my wife suppress him with sealing techniques."
"But since you're here, Sakumo-senpai… we can resolve this much faster."
His tone had eased noticeably.
Sakumo's presence alone was reassuring.
Sakumo glanced at the humanoid Nine-Tails bound by dozens of golden chains, then followed those chains to the red-haired woman maintaining the technique.
Adamantine Sealing Chains… an Uzumaki?
Since when did Konoha have someone like this…?
"Alright," Sakumo said simply.
"Let's do it your way."
He drew his short blade, eyes fixed on the roaring beast.
Beside him, Minato raised his special kunai.
In the next instant—
A flash of gold.
A streak of white.
Two figures vanished simultaneously.
For the first time ever, Konoha's White Fang and the Yellow Flash launched a joint attack.
Golden afterimages.
White arcs of steel.
Light and blade intertwined, forming a dazzling, lethal dance around the humanoid tailed beast.
The creature roared in fury, attempting to blast them away with sheer chakra—but the moment that chakra surged outward, a cascading blade-light cleaved straight through it!
It tried to form a Tailed Beast Ball—
But before the chakra could fully condense, a massive sphere of blue chakra smashed directly into its face!
"ROOOAR!!"
The beast howled in rage.
Yet everything it did was futile.
Knife and kunai moved in perfect harmony.
Slash after slash.
Blink after blink.
Sakumo and Minato's assault was like an unending storm, raining down without a single opening.
"Incredible…"
"As expected of Hatake Sakumo-sama!"
"Who is that man? He can actually keep up with the White Fang's speed!"
Gasps of awe rippled through the crowd.
Sakumo, however, felt a chill of his own.
The strength of this unfamiliar Konoha ninja at his side—
It rivaled his own.
In terms of speed, it might even surpass him.
Unnoticed by most, Sarutobi Hiruzen had appeared at the edge of the crowd. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Minato coordinate flawlessly with Sakumo.
The humanoid Nine-Tails attempted to retaliate once more—
But a heavy Rasengan slammed into its cheek, sending it reeling.
Sakumo followed up instantly, driving a powerful kick into the beast's leg.
The creature lost its balance and crashed to the ground.
As it struggled to rise, Minato shouted:
"Kushina—now!!"
"I know!"
Uzumaki Kushina pressed her lips together, her chakra surging as the countless golden chains tightened like a tidal wave around the beast!
"Seal it!"
With a sharp cry, Kushina flooded the chains with chakra.
The solid, violent chakra coating Setsuna's body recoiled like a retreating tide, snapping back into him.
The humanoid tailed beast vanished—
Leaving behind a badly burned, unconscious boy.
…Seriously,
what did I ever do to deserve the two of you teaming up on me…
That was the last thought that crossed Setsuna's mind before darkness claimed him.
His final sight was Sakumo and Minato standing on either side of him.
"D–Did we succeed…?"
The surrounding ninja could scarcely believe it.
A tailed beast—called a living disaster—had been subdued so quickly.
"That's enough. Everyone, disperse," Hiruzen said, waving his hand.
"And remember—this incident does not leave this place."
As the crowd slowly cleared, Hiruzen kept his gaze fixed on Minato… and on Kushina nearby.
"Third Hokage-sama…"
Minato spoke quietly. Despite everything, emotion welled up inside him.
"I suppose," Hiruzen said calmly,
"you are the Namikaze Minato that Hyūga Hinata spoke of."
"Yes."
Minato fell silent for a moment—then felt something cool on his face.
He reached up unconsciously.
Tears…?
"Setsuna!"
Unable to do anything earlier, Wave rushed to Setsuna's side. Seeing his body, burned and battered almost beyond recognition, her tears fell in heavy drops.
She wanted to hold him—but was afraid of hurting him further.
Lost and trembling, she looked helplessly toward Hiruzen.
Hiruzen rubbed his temples, then sighed.
"Send Setsuna to the hospital immediately."
"And summon Tsunade."
—
Inside the sealing space—
"See?!"
"I told you to stop!"
"Look what happened!"
Setsuna sat atop the Nine-Tails' head, smacking it repeatedly in frustration.
"You were completely useless!"
"And I got beaten half to death for nothing!"
"You bastard!!"
The Nine-Tails roared in humiliation.
"Get off my head! That's not a place for you to sit!!"
"All that big talk about how strong you are," Setsuna snapped.
"And what happened?!"
"You got beaten into a pig's head!"
"I'm not calling you Little Nine anymore," he declared.
"From now on, you're Stupid Pig."
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
The Nine-Tails' furious roar echoed throughout the sealing space.
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