Neither the Akatsuki nor Team 7 knew that Yomi's true purpose in summoning Minato Namikaze was to extract the Yin-Nine Tails.
On the battlefield, tension was at its breaking point.
The only relief for Kakashi was that the cruel scene of a father and son recognizing each other—only to be forced to fight—did not happen immediately. Yomi, through his clone, had not allowed Minato's consciousness to awaken. Even though his father stood before him, Naruto did not recognize him.
It was a small mercy. Kakashi feared that if Naruto realized who his opponent was, he would mentally collapse. Just imagining it made Kakashi shudder.
No one else knew Kakashi's inner turmoil.
Yomi had suppressed the consciousness of all three reincarnated Kage, forcing them to attack Team 7 on instinct.
The Third Kazekage's DNA had been obtained from Sasori, exchanged for Yomi's help in destroying Hatake Sakumo's soul. As for the Third Raikage, his DNA came from Samui, whom Sato visited occasionally to enjoy her "facial cleanser treatment." Yomi had then personally raided the Cloud Village's graves to steal the body.
Aside from Minato, whose soul was incomplete, the other two Kage were fighting with strength infinitely close to their prime. For the current Team 7, Chiyo could handle the Third Kazekage, but facing the Third Raikage—arguably the strongest shield and spear—was nearly hopeless. Even Naruto would need to unleash six tails or master the Rasenshuriken to damage him.
Using three Kage-level opponents at near-full power against the current Team 7 was bullying. It also didn't suit Sato's plan.
Swish.
Yomi's clone issued the command to attack.
The Third Raikage was the first to move, activating his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. He turned into a streak of blue lightning, rushing toward Team 7. His speed was immense, but not so fast that they couldn't reaact.
"Attention everyone! The enemy is an Impure World Reincarnation zombie. They have immortal bodies and infinite chakra. The only way to stop them is to seal them!" Kakashi shouted. "Do not let your guard down even if you strike a fatal blow!"
Kakashi quickly formed signs, his hand crackling with Lightning Cutter (Raikiri), and intercepted the charging Third Raikage.
"Leave the Third Kazekage to me. You help White Fang's son deal with the others," Chiyo said to Naruto and Sakura. She unfurled a scroll, summoning her masterpiece: the Ten Puppets of Chikamatsu.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto shouted, reacting instantly.
"Sakura, let's go!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Dozens of Shadow Clones appeared, rushing toward the Third Raikage and Minato Namikaze. A smaller group of clones broke off, heading straight for Yomi's clone in the back.
Swish—
Before they could reach Yomi, a flash of yellow light cut through the battlefield.
Minato Namikaze, wielding his signature Flying Thunder God kunai, moved at a speed no less than Sato's own. In an instant, he obliterated all the clones rushing toward Yomi.
"So fast!"
Naruto, who was charging Minato's main body, widened his eyes in shock.
Kakashi, struggling to hold back the Third Raikage—who was fighting at less than half strength—suddenly felt a chill. Unlike the weakened Raikage and Kazekage, Minato's presence was suffocatingly powerful.
"Something is wrong," Kakashi thought. "Sensei's Impure World body... it's different."
His suspicion was confirmed a second later.
Minato infused his three-pronged kunai with Wind Release chakra and threw it at Naruto. The kunai pierced through several Shadow Clones like a laser, arriving in front of the real Naruto in the blink of an eye.
Naruto didn't even have time to react.
Without warning, Minato teleported to the kunai. In his right hand, a blue sphere of swirling energy had already formed—the Rasengan.
Moving at a speed that froze time for everyone present, Minato slammed the Rasengan into Naruto's stomach.
Kakashi, Chiyo, and Sakura could only watch helplessly.
"That chakra... and my chakra..."
Inside Naruto's seal, Kurama (the Nine-Tails) stood up, startled. He roared in recognition. "It's that damn Fourth Hokage!"
BOOM!
Naruto was sent spinning away by the impact of the fastest ninja in history.
However, he wasn't seriously injured.
At the moment of impact, Naruto's blue eyes had turned into vertical red slits, his whisker marks thickening. A coat of transparent red chakra bubbled out from his stomach, blocking the brunt of Minato's Rasengan.
Naruto landed and quickly stood up, wrapped in the red chakra cloak of the Nine-Tails, exuding malice and negative emotions.
Seeing this, the corners of Yomi's mouth lifted slightly under his bandages. He silently formed a seal with one hand.
The next second, everyone's eyes widened.
The same transparent red chakra emerged from Minato's body as well, quickly forming a similar Demon Fox cloak.
"What is going on?!"
Zetsu's clone, watching from the shadows, was shocked. He relayed the image to the main body. Black Zetsu was horrified at first, but then realization dawned on him, replaced by excitement.
"I see... When the Fourth Hokage used the Reaper Death Seal, he didn't seal the entire Nine-Tails into his son. He split it, sealing half into himself!"
If Yomi hadn't broken the Reaper Death Seal, the Nine-Tails would have remained permanently incomplete—only half a beast.
"This guy... he's actually a nice guy!" Black Zetsu thought, feeling a rare sense of gratitude toward the man he usuallay envied. Without Yomi, even if Kaguya were resurrected, she might not have been in her strongest form.