Uzumaki Compound — Mito Erupts
Inside the Uzumaki courtyard, Mito Uzumaki suddenly froze.
Her eyes sharpened.
"…Kazuki left the compound?"
Her expression darkened instantly.
"So they finally made their move."
Golden chakra ignited around her body.
Violent.
Ancient.
The Nine-Tails' chakra cloak flared to life, swirling like a blazing storm. Sealing formulas from the Uzumaki clan spread across her skin.
Her pupils narrowed into fox-like slits.
"They dare…"
A thunderous boom split the courtyard as she launched into the sky in a single leap.
The ground shattered beneath her feet.
Hokage Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly stood.
He felt it.
The Nine-Tails' chakra.
And something else.
Wood Release.
At that moment, Orochimaru entered quietly.
"Sensei—"
"Not now."
"But this is important—"
"Get out!"
Hiruzen's killing intent flickered for a split second.
Orochimaru stopped speaking.
The next instant—
Hiruzen vanished.
He had already pieced it together.
Danzo.
"I should have stopped you sooner…"
He moved at full speed toward the disturbance.
"If you think there will be no consequences because there's no evidence…"
"You're wrong."
He could already sense Mito's fury.
And if Mito lost control—
There wouldn't be a Root left to hide behind.
The Alley — Wood Release Unleashed
The Root Ten moved like a machine.
Poison-coated kunai.
Shuriken.
Mind transfer.
Insect swarms.
Sharingan genjutsu.
All converged at once.
And Kazuki responded calmly.
"Wood Release — Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Multiple wooden clones burst into existence instantly.
Yamanaka Fū's Mind Body Switch slammed into a clone—
—and dispersed harmlessly.
Kunai shredded clones into splintered wood.
Insects devoured wood bodies.
Clone after clone exploded into timber.
The formation faltered.
Fū's breathing grew heavier.
"This kid… is troublesome."
Then—
The Aburame operatives unleashed full swarms.
A tidal wave of kikaichū flooded the alley.
Even their own teammates stepped back to avoid contamination.
Kazuki sighed.
"…Try not to look too closely."
He formed a seal.
"Wood Release — Deep Forest Emergence."
Chakra surged into the ground.
And then—
The earth erupted.
Massive trees exploded upward in every direction.
Roots burst through stone.
Walls shattered.
Buildings cracked open.
Within seconds, the alley became a dense forest.
Civilians screamed and fled.
Shinobi leapt from rooftops in shock.
Minato's Battlefield
Minato had just engaged his masked opponent when—
A massive wooden branch shot upward beneath the man.
It speared him skyward.
The masked shinobi flew through the air with an undignified shout before crashing down violently.
Minato blinked.
"…That's excessive."
The man's mask shattered on impact.
Minato's eyes widened.
"Shigaraki-senpai…?"
A Root operative.
The man coughed blood, saw Minato recognize him—
—and fled instantly.
Minato didn't chase.
He looked toward the towering forest.
Kazuki stood at the center.
Chakra immense.
Stable.
Terrifying.
"When did he…"
Mito Arrives
BOOM.
Mito landed outside the forest like a meteor.
The ground cratered beneath her.
Golden chakra flared violently.
"Minato."
"Obaa-sama… Kazu is inside."
Mito looked at the forest.
For a split second—
She saw Hashirama's shadow.
"…That child."
She stepped forward.
But another figure landed behind her.
Hiruzen.
"Old Lady Mito."
She turned sharply.
"Ape."
"How dare someone attempt this inside the village?"
Hiruzen bowed his head slightly.
"Please suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra for now."
"Let me handle this."
"You still wish to protect Danzo?"
His voice hardened.
"I wish to protect Konoha."
Mito stared at him for several seconds.
The golden chakra flickered.
Then gradually receded.
"Very well."
"But if Kazuki is harmed…"
"I will not forgive anyone."
The Village Reacts
The forest in the center of Konoha was impossible to ignore.
Uchiha patrol units led by Uchiha Fugaku rushed toward the scene.
"What's happening?"
"Move!"
Across the village—
Hyūga Hiashi activated his Byakugan.
Veins bulged near his temples.
"Massive chakra density."
"It's Wood Release."
Beside him, his brother Hizashi narrowed his gaze.
"In the village?"
The Ino–Shika–Chō clans mobilized.
Aburame scouts sensed insect casualties.
Even civilians could feel it—
The weight in the air.
Something monumental was unfolding.
Inside the Forest
Root operatives were scattered.
Formation destroyed.
Visibility limited.
Yamanaka Fū clenched his teeth.
"Retreat—!"
Too late.
Wooden tendrils shot from the trees like serpents.
Binding.
Crushing.
Pinning shinobi midair.
Kazuki stepped forward slowly, Kushina cradled safely in one arm.
His expression was calm.
Cold.
"You attacked her."
Wood creaked ominously.
The forest responded to his will.
"You don't get to leave peacefully."
And outside—
Hiruzen watched.
Mito watched.
Minato watched.
And Konoha realized—
The last Senju bloodline
Was no longer weak.