Determined to prevent Naruto from becoming the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, Uzumaki Miyuki decided to use the Reaper Death Seal herself and seal the Nine-Tails into her own body.
Hearing Namikaze Minato say she couldn't do it, Miyuki fixed him with a determined gaze. "It has to be possible.
I will seal all of the Nine-Tails into my body before I die, and I'll definitely give you time to find the next Jinchūriki candidate, but I beg you...
Minato, don't choose Naruto.
You have your ninja way. I didn't have one originally, but I found mine after Naruto was born. Naruto is my ninja way! I am Naruto's mother, and my ninja way is to protect him!
I don't want Naruto to bear these burdens. I just want him to grow up happily!"
Minato's heart ached. He was being loyal to Konoha, but he was failing Naruto and Miyuki.
Sora, who had been watching from a distance, rubbed her forehead with frustration.
She never imagined things would turn out like this.
The one using the Reaper Death Seal was supposed to be Namikaze Minato, but now it was Uzumaki Miyuki instead.
Still, Sora could understand Miyuki's actions.
Miyuki hadn't grown up in Konoha, didn't like the village, and even resented it. She couldn't understand or accept that Minato would choose to make their child a Jinchūriki for Konoha's sake.
Sora sighed. "Really, there's no other way. Breaking a promise is never good."
Using the Body Flicker Technique, Sora appeared outside the barrier.
"Space-Time Technique: Rejection!"
Sora activated the Mangekyō Sharingan in her left eye to directly negate the barrier.
Just as Miyuki was about to use the Reaper Death Seal to seal the Nine-Tails, Sora grabbed her wrist and used her chakra to disrupt Miyuki's flow.
Miyuki's sealing technique was forcibly canceled.
At the same time, the chakra disruption caused Miyuki to collapse to the ground. The Adamantine Sealing Chains binding the Nine-Tails disappeared, and the seal on Minato was also lifted.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other shinobi were immediately relieved when they saw Sora arrive.
With Sora's presence, the situation took a turn for the better.
Just as Hiruzen was about to approach with his team, Sora created four Shadow Clones positioned at the corners of a square and formed hand seals simultaneously.
"Four Violet Flames Formation!"
A rectangular barrier with translucent purple flames formed at the four corners, southeast, northwest, southwest, and northeast. The barrier array glowed with vibrant purple fire.
Not wanting Hiruzen to see what was happening inside, Sora made the purple barrier gradually become opaque.
Hiruzen and his shinobi were stopped outside the barrier.
One ninja tried to touch the barrier and was immediately burned by the flames.
Fortunately, another ninja quickly used a Water Style jutsu to extinguish the flames.
Hiruzen frowned and murmured, "Is Sora planning to deal with the Nine-Tails alone with Minato and the others?"
Minato was visibly relieved when he saw Sora arrive. "Sora, you're finally here! Quickly suppress the Nine-Tails before it breaks through the barrier and harms Konoha!"
Sora looked at Minato with disgust. "Your wife chose to sacrifice her life to seal the Nine-Tails for the sake of your child, but now you only care about Konoha and don't even worry about her. Namikaze Minato, you really are a bastard!"
Minato froze in place, looking at Miyuki who lay limp on the ground, his eyes filled with guilt.
Miyuki held Naruto close, gently stroking his cheek as tears streamed down her face.
The Nine-Tails, so enraged it didn't recognize Sora at all, swung its massive paw at her.
Sora turned to face the Nine-Tails and immediately activated Sage Mode. Dragon horns appeared on her forehead, scales covered her body, and green sage chakra surrounded her form.
Sora formed hand seals.
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"
She gave life to the surrounding rocks and earth, controlling these formerly lifeless elements. They rapidly expanded to bind the Nine-Tails, engulfing the beast in stone and rendering it immobile.
"Beasts are beasts—so easily carried away by anger."
Using the Body Flicker Technique, Sora appeared above the Nine-Tails and delivered a powerful punch to its head.
The strength boost from her sage chakra rivaled Tsunade's legendary power, smashing the Nine-Tails' head into the ground.
Minato was surprised to see Sora activate Sage Mode.
He hadn't expected her to master such a technique.
Minato himself could use Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode, but due to the long time needed to gather sage chakra and its limited duration, he rarely used it in actual combat, preferring speed instead.
As the Nine-Tails began to form a Tailed Beast Bomb, Sora snorted coldly. "Aren't you awake yet?"
She activated her Mangekyō Sharingan's genjutsu, taking control of the Nine-Tails.
Sora walked back to Minato and Miyuki.
She glanced at Naruto in Miyuki's arms.
Given that this was one of the pivotal events and there were only a few people present, Sora knew Naruto would inevitably become the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki.
Sora looked at Minato. "Tell me, Fourth Hokage of Konoha, whose body do you want to seal the Nine-Tails in—Miyuki's, yours, or Naruto's?
As a friendly reminder, Miyuki had the Nine-Tails extracted from her not long ago and lost much of her life force. She just used the Adamantine Sealing Chains, the technique to seal you, and attempted the Reaper Death Seal. There's barely any chakra left in her body.
Her current physical condition can only handle half of the Nine-Tails; she cannot bear the entire beast now.
Similarly, Naruto was just born and cannot bear the complete Nine-Tails, only half of it at most.
Looking at you now, it seems you can't handle the entire Nine-Tails either. So choose—how do you want to distribute the Nine-Tails?"
Minato was caught in a difficult position.
Sora watched him with mocking eyes.
If she and Uzumaki Kushina were in this situation, Sora would choose to use herself and Kushina as Jinchūriki.
But if Minato would make that choice, then he wouldn't be Namikaze Minato.
Compared to his love for Miyuki and Naruto, Minato loved Konoha more.
Minato made the choice that Sora expected: "I choose Miyuki and... Naruto. Miyuki, I believe in Master Jiraiya's judgment that Naruto must be the child of prophecy and the savior of the future shinobi world."
Miyuki looked at Minato expressionlessly, her eyes stagnant and lifeless.
Minato felt too guilty to meet Miyuki's gaze.
He walked toward her, reaching out to take Naruto from her arms, but Miyuki held her son tightly, refusing to hand him over.
Minato used a restraining technique on Miyuki and forcibly took Naruto from her arms.
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion