Namikaze Minato, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, returned home with Uzumaki Miyuki cradled in his arms.
"Why..." Miyuki asked weakly, confusion in her voice.
Minato didn't explain why he hadn't confronted the masked man. Instead, he simply said, "Don't worry. Just stay with Naruto."
He gently placed Miyuki on the bed.
Looking at Naruto sleeping peacefully beside her, Miyuki could feel her life force weakening. She hugged her son sadly, tenderly brushing her face against his.
"Naruto..." she whispered.
Witnessing this scene, Minato clenched his fists tightly. The tenderness in his eyes vanished, replaced by burning hatred.
He walked to the closet and put on his Fourth Hokage cloak. With his back to Miyuki, he said firmly, "I'll be right back!"
...
The village of Konoha remained peaceful, unaware of the danger approaching. Even at this late hour, many villagers still walked the streets.
Within the Uchiha clan's compound, Uchiha Itachi held his baby brother Sasuke in his arms. He gazed at the moon with a troubled expression.
"What is this feeling..." Itachi murmured, sensing an inexplicable heaviness in his heart.
At that moment, Sasuke began to cry.
"It's okay, don't cry," Itachi soothed, gently rocking his brother. "I know something doesn't feel right, but Mother and Father aren't home right now. Don't worry, Sasuke. No matter what happens, your big brother will always protect you."
At the Sarutobi residence, Hiruzen puffed on his pipe while staring at the moon through his window. His face was serious as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.
A sense of unease settled in his chest.
"Surely not..." he muttered to himself.
Inside Orochimaru's hideout, Uzumaki Kushina sat staring at a television, though her eyes were unfocused. Her mind was clearly elsewhere.
She too felt an unexplainable sense of dread.
Kakashi stood guard outside her door, his expression solemn.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru continued his research without interruption, completely absorbed in studying the unique structure of White Zetsu.
At the same moment, Uchiha Obito appeared in an abandoned alley within the village.
He placed his hand on the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A massive cloud of smoke erupted, accompanied by a powerful gust that scattered everything nearby.
As the smoke cleared, the Nine-Tails appeared in the heart of Konoha.
The beast threw back its head and released a deafening roar.
The villagers froze in shock at the sight of the massive fox.
"Is that...?"
"This can't be real!"
"Run! Everyone run!"
The people of Konoha fled in terror as the Nine-Tails began destroying the surrounding buildings with sweeps of its massive tails.
Meanwhile, Sora appeared at Namikaze Minato's home.
She approached the bedside where Miyuki lay with Naruto.
Thinking it was Minato who had returned, Miyuki turned, only to find Sora standing there. "Sora? Why are you here?"
Sora glanced at Naruto and smiled. "What a cute child. Congratulations."
Then she explained, "You're a member of Kushina's clan, her dear friend, and my friend as well. Although I have serious conflicts with Minato, I'm only grateful to you.
That's why Kushina and I don't want you to die. When a tailed beast is extracted from its Jinchūriki, death is typically inevitable. Thanks to your Uzumaki heritage, you didn't die immediately, but you're still fading."
Sora took out a scroll from her ninja pouch and said, "I've captured a portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra. I'm going to help you by sealing it within your body."
Miyuki looked at her sleeping son. As a mother, she desperately wanted to live—to watch Naruto grow day by day.
"Thank you, Sora..." Miyuki said gratefully.
Sora unrolled the scroll, quickly formed hand seals, and pressed her palm against the parchment.
"Evil Sealing Method: Release!"
The sealed Nine-Tails chakra emerged from the scroll.
Sora formed several more hand signs and pressed one hand to the floor.
With a puff of smoke, eight burning candles appeared in a circle on the ground.
Sora helped Miyuki to the center of the ritual circle.
Miyuki lay flat on the floor and lifted her clothing to reveal her abdomen. Due to the Nine-Tails' extraction, the Eight Trigrams Seal had completely disappeared.
Sora began forming a lengthy sequence of hand seals.
"Eight Trigrams Sealing Style!"
She pressed her five fingers firmly against Miyuki's abdomen.
The Eight Trigrams Seal pattern reappeared on Miyuki's skin.
Sora twisted her hand clockwise.
A dark void opened at the center of the seal.
"Seal!"
The Nine-Tails' chakra was pulled into the seal.
After it was completely absorbed, Sora twisted her hand counterclockwise to complete the process.
The sealing was finished.
Miyuki immediately felt her life force stabilize.
"There, it's done," Sora said.
She helped Miyuki back to the bed.
As Sora prepared to leave, Miyuki called out, "Sora... thank you, but I have one request. I know it's presumptuous, but... could you please help Minato?"
Sora paused, then turned to face Miyuki. "I'm sorry, Miyuki."
Miyuki pressed her lips together in a forced smile. "It's alright. My request was too bold. You've already saved me, Sora, but I was being greedy."
Sora offered no explanation, and truly none was needed.
Namikaze Minato was following his own ninja way.
And she genuinely didn't want to help him.
Sora was self-aware enough to recognize her own grudges. She still remembered how Minato had stood by while others bullied Uzumaki Kushina. She remembered all the times he had sided with the ignorant villagers.
She had always harbored resentment toward Minato, and she wasn't the type to rush to someone's aid while harboring such feelings.
Moreover, she had an agreement with Uchiha Obito.
For once, Sora had no intention of breaking her contract.
"I will ensure your safety," Sora promised Miyuki. "That's my promise to Kushina."
With that, Sora vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
Miyuki gently touched Naruto's cheek and whispered, "Minato... please be careful."
...
The Nine-Tails continued its rampage through Konoha. Sora perched atop a house at the village's edge, concealing her presence while watching the destruction with cold eyes.
Anbu shinobi had already located Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Lord Third! The Nine-Tails... the Nine-Tails has appeared in the village!"
Hiruzen, now dressed in his battle armor, asked, "Where are Minato and Sora?"
"We don't know Lord Fourth's location, but Sora-sama appears to be fighting enemies outside the village!"
Hiruzen's brow furrowed in concern.
Fighting enemies...
Could someone have attacked Miyuki, causing the Nine-Tails' seal to break?
Had all their precautions been for nothing?
Hiruzen ordered the Anbu, "I will suppress the beast! Your responsibility is to protect the civilians!"
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