"Did the Fourth Hokage teleport the Nine-Tails away?"
Nara Shikaku stared into the distance as a brilliant flash of light briefly lit up the night sky, followed by an immense chakra surge that shook the very earth. He knew exactly what had happened.
The scene just now had been utterly terrifying.
The Nine-Tails—Kyuubi no Yoko—was not a myth. It was a monstrous reality. A living natural disaster. And only someone like the Fourth Hokage could stand a chance against it.
"…He did it," Shikaku muttered to himself. "He actually teleported the beast."
The genius strategist understood instantly: in the face of imminent destruction, Namikaze Minato had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport the Nine-Tails away from the village. It wasn't just a clever move—it was a miracle.
If Minato hadn't intervened, Konoha would have been decimated in a single blow.
"Everyone, let's move to support the Fourth Hokage!" Shikaku commanded.
"No need, Shikaku-san."
The calm voice of Uchiha Kai interrupted him. The young Uchiha, his eyes calm and calculating, held up a special kunai etched with intricate seals—the kind only Minato used.
"The Fourth will be here soon," Kai said. "I already gave him a signal."
Shikaku's eyes narrowed, then widened with realization. That kunai was one of Minato's marked tools—used as a beacon for teleportation. Only trusted allies had those.
So this Uchiha... he wasn't ordinary.
Shikaku had heard whispers before—rumors that certain Uchiha had helped Minato in his rise to power. Some said they even stood against Orochimaru during the succession crisis. If that were true, then this connection was deeper than political alignment—it was personal.
Just then, a flash of light erupted again—Minato Namikaze appeared, golden hair catching the moonlight, his Hokage cloak fluttering behind him. His usually composed face was shadowed with concern.
"Kai-kun," Minato said without preamble, "you summoned me. I trust you have a reason."
Kai nodded. "That masked man—he attacked you, didn't he?"
Minato's face hardened. "Yes. He had a Sharingan… and strange space-time abilities."
Hinata Hiashi stepped forward. "We encountered him too. The way he moved—phased through attacks—it resembled Uchiha techniques."
Minato frowned, then turned to Kai. "What do you think?"
Kai hesitated, then quietly said, "You know the Sharingan can control the Nine-Tails, right?"
Minato's expression turned grave. "Only the Mangekyō Sharingan. That masked man… he had it."
Kai said nothing.
But the silence was an answer in itself.
Minato looked at him sharply. "…Do you have those eyes too?"
Kai slowly nodded. "They awoke on the battlefield. I haven't told anyone."
Minato exhaled heavily, understanding dawning in his eyes. The Mangekyō Sharingan… rare, cursed, and powerful. Only Uchiha Madara had wielded it in living memory. And now—this child…
But Kai wasn't finished. "I won't use them unless necessary. But if someone is using the Nine-Tails… then we'll need more than seals and heroism."
Minato nodded. "And Fugaku?"
"He has it too."
That made Minato blink.
He remembered well—Uchiha Fugaku, leader of the Police Force, a stern but rational man. If he too had awakened the Mangekyō… then the Uchiha were not just observers anymore. They were key players.
"Then you've been preparing for this," Minato said.
Kai nodded. "I didn't expect the masked man to be so fast. I couldn't intercept him. But I can still fight him—if he comes back. And Fugaku-san can help you restrain the Nine-Tails."
Minato's expression flickered. "I had planned to seal the entire Nine-Tails inside Kushina again…"
"With all due respect, Hokage-sama," Kai interrupted, "that might kill her. She's weakened. She might not survive a full sealing."
Minato hesitated. "What are you suggesting?"
"Split the chakra. Half can be sealed inside Kushina to stabilize her life force. The other half…" Kai turned his head slightly. "You'll have to seal it into Naruto."
There was a long silence.
Kai continued, "He is an Uzumaki. He can survive it. And he'll need the Nine-Tails' power one day."
Minato clenched his fists. "He's just a child…"
"So were we all," Kai said softly. "But this way, you can give him a chance."
Minato's eyes closed. He hated the truth of it. But he had already considered the same plan. Kushina couldn't contain all of it in her condition, and there was no other jinchūriki candidate available.
He opened his eyes again.
"…Alright. I'll do it."
Kai added, "If the masked man returns, I'll intercept. My clone will stay to support Fugaku-san. We'll use the Sharingan's control to hold the Nine-Tails long enough for the sealing to finish."
Minato nodded. "Then I'll go to Kushina and Naruto. Thank you, Kai-kun."
As Minato vanished in another flash of light, Shikaku and the others exchanged looks.
The Uchiha…
They had not betrayed the village.
They were trying to save it.