The Final Stage Coming
Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Obito clashed head-on.
Minato's Flying Thunder God Kunai sliced forward, but as expected, it phased harmlessly through Obito's body—Minato himself slipping right through as well.
The moment he appeared behind him, Obito's chain lashed out and struck Minato square in the chest. Unlike Obito's body, the chain was fully solid.
Minato instantly warped away, reappearing beside another marked kunai embedded in the ground. Narrowing his eyes, he carefully analyzed Obito's ability.
> "His body slips into another dimension… physical attacks don't land. But when he attacks, his body has to materialize. That's the only opening. The risk is his, not mine. Considering he still needs to control the Nine-Tails, he won't drag this out. Whoever's faster decides everything."
Gripping his kunai tightly, Minato sprinted forward again. He hurled another Flying Thunder God Kunai straight at Obito as they closed in.
The blade passed harmlessly through Obito's head just as his hand reached for Minato. In response, Minato's right palm swirled with a Rasengan.
Obito's fingertips were a hair's breadth away—one touch, and he would drag Minato into his Kamui dimension.
Confident of victory, Obito smirked—only for Minato to vanish.
The Fourth Hokage reappeared in an instant, gripping the very kunai that had passed through Obito. In that same breath, his glowing Rasengan smashed into Obito's back.
Obito's eyes widened in shock. He had never anticipated Minato using the kunai that had seemingly "missed" him.
> "This is the Flying Thunder God… Second Step."
The Rasengan drove Obito into the earth with immense force, etching Minato's formula deep into his back.
Obito staggered away, clutching his left shoulder. His Zetsu-crafted arm sizzled and melted like wax under the strain of Minato's sealing tag.
Even injured, he forced himself to sneer.
> "You turned the tables on me. Truly… appearing and disappearing like a ghost. I can't drop my guard for a second."
Before he could retreat fully, Minato flashed forward again, palm pressing against Obito's body.
A sealing formation spread across Obito's torso.
His eyes widened in horror.
> "A Contract Seal?! You intend to sever my link with the Nine-Tails?!"
Minato's expression hardened.
> "That's right. The Nine-Tails will no longer be yours to control!"
---
Konoha
Deep within the village, the Nine-Tails' pupils returned to normal as Obito's control broke. But instead of calming, the beast grew even more enraged.
Controlled by Uchiha again. Sharingan again. Shackled and used again.
With a roar of fury, the Nine-Tails' rampage only intensified.
From the treeline, Chi Yu observed coldly.
> "Heh. Looks like the real fight begins now. This is the final stage."
---
Driving Out the Beast
Hiruzen Sarutobi rallied the Leaf's surviving forces, pushing the Nine-Tails toward the edge of the village.
> "We've finally forced him out! Stay sharp! Keep pressing the attack!"
Meanwhile, Obito, severed from the beast, phased into intangibility and withdrew, his tone icy.
> "As expected of the Fourth Hokage. You wounded me… and broke my hold on the Nine-Tails. But don't delude yourself. The Nine-Tails will be mine again. I alone will bring this world to heel. And I have countless means to achieve it."
With a twist of space, Obito vanished.
Minato's expression darkened. He could tell Obito wasn't bluffing. But there was no time to dwell—he had to stop the Nine-Tails.
---
The Tailed Beast Ball
The beast had already gathered another Tailed Beast Ball.
Minato flew through hand seals.
> "Summoning Technique!"
With a thunderous crash, Gamabunta landed atop the fox, pinning its body down.
"Hold him just a little longer!" Minato shouted.
"Tch—don't overestimate me, Fourth! Even I can't restrain this monster for long!" Gamabunta bellowed, straining against the thrashing fox.
The sphere of chakra swelled larger in the Nine-Tails' maw.
Minato's mind raced. Redirecting another Tailed Beast Ball would cost nearly everything he had left. His chakra reserves were already critical.
Before the blast could fire—
The Nine-Tails suddenly vanished.
Gamabunta stumbled and hit the earth, bewildered.
From afar, Hiruzen and the shinobi forces froze.
> "Minato… he took the Nine-Tails away?!"
A moment later, a massive explosion lit the distant horizon, a dome of light erupting like a second sun.
---
The Last Resort
Minato, nearly spent, had teleported the beast—and returned home immediately with Miyuki Uzumaki and newborn Naruto in his arms. His breaths came ragged, his body trembling.
> "My chakra's… almost gone. I have to set up the barrier now…"
Miyuki, pale and weakened even after Chi Yu had sealed a fragment of the Nine-Tails within her, forced a faint smile.
> "I can still hold on… Minato…"
With a sharp cry, her Adamantine Sealing Chains lashed forth, binding the Nine-Tails in glowing shackles.
From the shadows of a nearby tree, Chi Yu watched with disdain.
> "Pathetic. Not only can't he protect her, but even now he relies on a half-dead Miyuki to help him subdue the fox. The Fourth Hokage… what a disappointment."
Naruto whimpered in Minato's arms, tears streaming down his face.
Miyuki glanced at her son with guilt.
> "Did I wake you? I'm sorry, Naruto…"
Minato stared at her, his voice breaking.
> "Miyuki…"
Her expression softened, though her body shook from the strain.
> "Thanks to Chi Yu's seal inside me… I can still restrain the Nine-Tails. It hasn't fully broken free. I'll use what little chakra I have left to aid you. This… is the only way."
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