…
"Waaah—! Waaah—!"
Within the barrier, the cry of a newborn pierced the air.
Having finished the post-delivery procedures, Biwako Sarutobi carried the infant past. Minato Namikaze instinctively reached out.
"Naruto!"
The name had long been decided—taken from the protagonist of Jiraiya's first novel. A resilient character. Minato had always liked it.
Biwako swatted his hand away with a glare.
"Don't touch him yet. He should see his mother first."
Minato withdrew his hand awkwardly and smiled.
"You're right, Lady Biwako."
He followed closely behind, eyes never leaving the child.
This is…
My and Kushina's son.
…
Because of the strain of childbirth, the seal restraining the Nine-Tails had weakened. Dark curse markings spread across Kushina Uzumaki's body, wracking her with pain.
Yet the moment she saw her child, the agony eased.
"Naruto…"
"Kushina… you did well. Thank you."
Mother and child were safe.
The tension that had gripped Minato finally loosened. He placed his palm over Kushina's abdomen.
"Now… I'll make sure the Nine-Tails settles down completely."
Chakra gathered in his hand. He moved to reinforce the seal—
"Ahhh!!"
A scream rang out.
A body hit the floor with a sickening thud.
Minato's head snapped around.
"Lady Biwako! Taji!"
The two attendants lay in pools of blood, lifeless.
He turned back.
The child who had been beside Kushina was gone.
…
"Fourth Hokage… step away from the jinchūriki."
A cold voice echoed through the chamber.
A masked man in a black cloak stood there, Naruto in his grasp, palm pressed against the infant's face.
At the same time, the Nine-Tails' chakra surged violently within Kushina, forcing a cry of pain from her lips.
Child on one side.
Wife on the other.
Even amidst the chaos of countless battlefields, Minato Namikaze had never faced a choice this cruel.
Boom!
The masked man hurled the infant high into the air.
He forced Minato to choose.
Flash—
Minato vanished and reappeared, catching Naruto midair. Before he could even turn—
The explosive tag attached to the swaddling cloth began to hiss.
"Minato! Save Naruto!"
Through unbearable pain, Kushina screamed.
Tearing away the cloth, Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished from the delivery room.
BOOM!!!!!
The small wooden house was reduced to rubble.
Minato stared at the destruction, realizing instantly—
The masked man had taken Kushina.
As Hokage, he forced himself into clarity.
A diversion…
The enemy's target was Kushina—
No.
The Nine-Tails.
Flash—
Minato returned home, placing Naruto in the prepared cradle. He looked at his son one last time.
Then turned.
And donned the Hokage's white cloak.
—
—
Within the Uchiha district.
Uchiha Sora ordered the merchants and civilians of the commercial street to head to the shelters.
They did not understand why.
But as Uchiha Teuchi had once said—
They believed in Uchiha Sora.
He lifted his eyes toward the full moon.
Behind him stood several members of the Konoha Military Police Force, Shisui among them.
"Sora… what's going to happen tonight? Why are you sending everyone to the shelters? Is someone attacking the village?"
Shisui had asked the same question repeatedly.
If someone told you your entire clan would be slaughtered but refused to say when or by whom—
You would be frantic too.
…
Sora opened his mouth.
Shisui's persistence was exhausting him. He was about to speak plainly—
—
ROOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!!!!
A deafening roar split the heavens.
Black-red chakra tore through sky and earth.
Beneath the blood-soaked moon, a colossal form manifested at the heart of the village.
The Nine-Tails.
Its massive tails lashed.
The earth trembled.
In an instant, all of Konohagakure was bathed in crimson light.
The Nine-Tails' unleashed chakra swept through like a typhoon. Entire blocks of buildings collapsed into dust.
…
"N-Nine-Tails!!"
In the mere moment of its appearance, hundreds—thousands—died.
Iruka's parents, both shinobi, rushed toward the beast without hesitation, buying time for civilians to evacuate.
Countless others did the same.
They knew they were outmatched.
They charged anyway.
Their sacrifice slowed the Nine-Tails' movements by mere fractions of a second.
…
The streets overflowed with villagers.
Elders were trampled underfoot.
Infants cried in their mothers' arms.
A father shielding his child was crushed beneath falling beams.
In seconds, a peaceful night transformed into—
A hellscape painted beneath a blood-red sky.
—
At the first sign of disaster, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived with Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, among others.
The Nine-Tails reared back, its massive jaws gathering a sphere of terrifying chakra.
Anyone could sense it—
If that attack struck the village, the devastation would be unimaginable.
"The Nine-Tails… how…?"
Childbirth weakened the seal, yes—but Minato's sealing prowess was extraordinary. He should have handled it.
What had happened?
Then someone noticed—
Within the Nine-Tails' eyes rotated three pitch-black tomoe.
"That's… the Sharingan!!"
…
Hiruzen fell silent.
His hands moved swiftly through seals.
"No matter what—drive the Nine-Tails out of the village. It cannot be allowed to rampage freely!"
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"
"Enma!"
—
—
"Move! We must reinforce the village!"
Under Fugaku Uchiha's command, members of the Military Police assembled and rushed toward the Nine-Tails, intent on joining the battle.
Flash—Flash—Flash—
A unit wearing strange masks, resembling Anbu, blocked their path.
"Step aside!" Fugaku demanded urgently.
…
A man with half his face wrapped in bandages stepped forward.
His expression was cold, lined with age and calculation.
Danzō Shimura.
Leader of Root. Advisor to the Hokage. The most openly hostile figure toward the Uchiha within Konoha's leadership.
Fugaku's face darkened.
"Danzō-sama, even now you would monitor us? The village needs our strength!"
He had long sensed Root's surveillance but had refrained from confrontation—for the sake of harmony.
…
"The Hokage will handle the Nine-Tails."
Danzō's voice was hoarse.
His gaze swept across the gathered Uchiha.
"By order of the Third Hokage, all Uchiha are forbidden from participating in the battle. Remain here. Do nothing."
"Any unauthorized action will be treated as treason."
…
"What did you say?! Bastard! Can't you see our comrades dying?!"
"You won't act, and you won't let us act either?! Have you lost your mind?!"
Rage surged through the Uchiha ranks.
Danzō did not flinch.
"Captain Fugaku. Withdraw your men."
…
Within the formation, Uchiha Sora spoke softly to Shisui.
"Do you see now?"
"The tomoe in the Nine-Tails' eyes. You know what that means."
"The village already suspects the Uchiha orchestrated this. They're preventing us from joining the fight because they fear we'll manipulate the Nine-Tails in the chaos."
Shisui's teeth ground together. Sweat ran down his temples.
Sora continued calmly.
"The Nine-Tails alone will not destroy Konoha. But think—if we do not participate, and suspicion falls on us… how will we be treated afterward?"
Shisui forced the words through clenched teeth.
"You… you knew… Why didn't you warn the village earlier?! Do you know how many people have died?!"
Sora shook his head.
"I told you. I care only for our clan."
"The rest… have nothing to do with me."
…
Click—
Shisui gripped his blade.
"I won't let that future happen. I'll fight. I'll clear the Uchiha's name!"
"Too naïve, Shisui."
A faint smile curved Sora's lips.
"Once suspicion is planted, trust ceases to exist."
Shisui turned on him, three tomoe blazing.
"Then what?! Do nothing?!"
"Sora! Answer me! What are you trying to do?!"
Sora's gaze followed the Nine-Tails being forced out of the village by Hiruzen.
Then shifted—
To Danzō Shimura at the front of the crowd.
Under the blood-red moonlight, his smile appeared almost unhinged.
"The mutual understanding you yearn for never existed."
"A broken bond cannot be restored."
…
"If they suspect us…"
"Then we might as well make it real."
Boom—
A terrifying pressure radiated outward from Uchiha Sora.
Even Shisui struggled to remain standing.
The sheer force caused everyone present to turn toward him, a chill crawling up their spines.
Slowly, Sora raised his hand.
Palm upward.
Within his mind, mechanical chimes echoed.
「Borrowing request received」
「Processing according to user requirements… As a first-time user, you are granted an exclusive double Reputation Points experience」
「500 Reputation Points frozen for this transaction. Service equivalent to 1000 Reputation Points granted. Borrowing period: 6 years. Accept?」
…
「Match successful. Please confirm to receive power from another dimension」
「Final reminder」
「Use this platform cautiously. Borrow only when necessary. May you have a better future.」
—
All of it occurred within a single heartbeat.
Sora's raised hand came down sharply, thunder roaring in its wake.
"Come…"
—
"Rayquaza!"
—
Radiance tore through the night sky.
The sovereign of dragons descended like a falling star—
And the heavens themselves trembled.