Cutting his reminiscence of the past short, Kagero focused his attention on the present.
And in this present, he had a gargantuan beast just a few seconds away from him to tackle.
"Calm down!"
Kagero's eyes widened, their bloody glow gleaming under an intensity of emotions as he approached the Ninetails.
The instant the beast fixed his gaze upon the descending boy, his entire body couldn't help but wrestle in unease.
Kurama had seen it decades ago. Visual prowess so great, that even his will bent to its every command.
'Could it be?' Within the mind of Kurama, a frightful question rang.
His eyes narrowed in rage, reflecting the boy's scarlet peer.
'Could he actually be as menacing as him?!'
Kurama swung his arms with a crazed roar, cutting through the air in a bid to rend the falling Uchiha.
But Kagero twisted his body to the side, his vision catching every movement made by the beast.
Stretching his arm forward, Kagero's eyes immediately spun violently.
Like planets revolving around the sun, all three of his tomoyes rotated rapidly.
His gaze plummeted past the Ninetails' eyes, traveling in a fraction of a second to rest within the beast's soul.
And when it finally did.
"Calm down!— KURAMA!" The beast's body instantly froze, its motion seizing under Kagero's menacing glare.
But right before his entire being was completely petrified, Kurama's mind transformed into a battleground of conflicting thoughts.
'Just how did he know that name?'
Watching Kagero stand atop his head and stroke through his fur with a smile, Kurama's thoughts couldn't help but remember one person.
"Hey." Kagero pointed his fist at the beast, his words just a faint whisper. "I'll be coming to save you as well."
Right then and there, in the eyes of the beast, Kagero had clad himself in the aura of the one who was the source of all his nightmares.
And the very person who was the origin of his most peaceful memories.
Madara Uchiha, andThe Sage of Six paths.
"I can't believe it."
Minato stood motionlessly still, watching Kagero stand victoriously atop the single most powerful tailed beast in the world.
Perched atop the nightmarish beast, the moon aligned perfectly behind the Maniacal red head.
And that along with his ghostly red eyes, gifted Kagero an exalted presence.
"He actually did it?" Suddenly, a slight smirk reflecting both gratitude and relief spread across Minato's lips on hearing Kagero's next words.
"Operation Bunny Hop—" Kagero lifted his arms victoriously. "Is successful!"
DING!
"Hmm?" Kagero paused his celebratory wiggles, turning his attention towards the red screen.
[Minato's respect for you has greatly improved!]
[New perk achieved: Hokage's Hero.]
"[Just so you know.]" The System's voice resounded in Kagero's mind.
"[This isn't some System's reward.]" It let its words sink in before continuing.
"[It's an image you built with your own power.]"
Listening attentively, Kagero shut his eyes. And when they finally opened, he broke into a short laugh.
'Hmm? What's this?' Kagero teased the System.
'Don't get all chummy with me you darn system, I haven't forgotten that sick joke you made earlier when I almost kicked the bucket!'
"[Well, I at least tried to be friendly.]" The System added in a regretful tone, before the screen disappeared with a flash.
Despite Kagero's mocking words, right then and there. A smile could be seen pasted on his lips—
—Just a little one.
'My own power huh?' Kagero mused, turning his attention to the smirking Hokage.
After getting down from the beast, Kagero signaled Minato, and after a few seconds, the two of them stood before the frozen beast.
There was an unsettling silence, and both ninjas stood noiselessly beside each other.
"So you have the Sharingan?" Minato broke the silence.
Kagero thought for a moment, before responding positively.
"I see." Minato folded his arms.
"It's no wonder you were able to copy my rasengan."
There was no hiding it, he had once again added to his list of suspicions.
His perfect grasp of Minato's location, his display of the Hokage's special jutsu, and now;
A sharingan so powerful, that it could bend a tailed beast to its knees.
'Darn it! He's for sure gonna ask me how I got it!' Kagero cursed inwardly, preparing himself for a question that never came.
Instead, a single word of gratitude made its way to his ears instead.
"Thanks."
Kagero's eyes widened at that statement, but before he could yield to his emotions of joy, he immediately cleared his throat, shrugging his shoulders.
"Ermm, it was no problem, I'm just happy to help."
Minato's face hardened into a serious expression, catching Kagero's attention. "Thanks for saving the village—"
"MINATO."
The fourth hokage was abruptly interrupted by a familiar call.
He turned backwards to find out the source of the sound, and when he did.
"K-K-K-KUSHINA?!"
His eyes widened, watching his wife ride on Gamasaru like a horse.
"Ma—am, Ma—am, I told you we couldn't go to the battlefield." The toad protested, all to no avail.
Throwing his composure out the window, Minato sprinted to his wife, resting her and his child into his embrace.
"Kushina." He brought her closer to his chest, his eyes shut in respite. "We did it."
She uttered no words, all she did was rest in his arms, a tired expression painted across her face.
"Arghh!" The toad yelled immediately it saw the beast, and placed his arms across his head in horror.
"We've got to get outta here! You see why I was against coming?!"
Kagero observed it with wide eyes, as though enthralled with wonder.
'A horse-sized toad is really talking before me.' He stepped forward. 'This has got to be the best day ever.'
"Don't worry about it." Kagero alerted the shivering amphibian, pointing to his red eyes. "I've got it under my control."
"Ohhhh!" Gamasaru confessed, his jaw hanging open.
"Minato." Kushina painstakingly muttered.
"I had to come here to tell you something very important."
Minato responded to her with a smile. He then held onto her shoulders, standing in wait for her next words.
But no amount of preparation would have readied the Hokage, for his wife's grim statement.
"Huh? What's the matter?"
Kushina hardened her face, casting a serious gaze at her husband.
She then stared at her baby, and gently stroked his hair, before turning her attention back to Minato.
Taking in a tired breath, Kushina finally uttered her next words.
"Minato— I'm dying."