The Third Hokage, after all, was not famed for his taijutsu.
Though knocked flying, the Nine-Tails quickly shook its massive head and rose again. Recovering, it opened its jaws wide toward Konoha's position and fired a Tailed Beast Bomb!
If that attack landed, even if the village weren't destroyed outright, the casualties would be devastating.
But a golden flash streaked across the sky—
The immense Tailed Beast Bomb vanished in an instant.
Then, with a thunderous crash, a great toad dropped from the heavens and landed squarely atop the Nine-Tails, pinning it beneath its backside just as it prepared to launch a second blast.
"First knocked away by a mere human, now crushed under a frog?!"
In the sealed space, Kurama's eyelids twitched violently as he stomped in fury, pointing at his other self.
"Naruto, what kind of trash world did you pick?! My lifelong reputation is ruined! Next time, pick a world where I'm actually strong!"
Or maybe… you really were that weak back then?
"Rrraaaaah!"
But the Nine-Tails was still the Nine-Tails—not something a little toad from Mount Myōboku could truly suppress.
It roared furiously and rose again, its eyes now glowing blood-red, with several comma-shaped tomoe spinning within.
"Look! The Sharingan!" Deidara shouted like he had just discovered a new continent, jabbing his finger toward the beast's eyes.
"And not just the normal one—it's that… that bucket thing?"
"The Mangekyō Sharingan," Sasuke corrected coldly. "A level beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan, an eye only a chosen few can awaken."
Then he turned to Naruto.
"Naruto, I want to go take a look at Konoha."
"If you want to go, then go." Naruto nodded, then glanced at Nagato, Konan, and the others.
"What about you? Do you want to visit Konoha too?"
He himself intended to head there.
"Not interested." Hidan yawned, bored out of his mind.
"This world's too similar to ours. Way too dull. Change it, change it! Next time, pick something fun!" Deidara whined and fussed like a spoiled child, practically ready to roll on the ground.
"It was only meant as a demonstration, you know." Naruto spread his hands helplessly. Honestly, Deidara acted more like a kid than he did.
"If I recall correctly," Nagato suddenly spoke, "the previous Nine-Tails' jinchūriki was your mother, wasn't she, Naruto?
With the beast released now—and under the control of those eyes—she must be in danger."
"Go to Konoha, Naruto. I know you don't hold any fondness for the village… but some things still need to be done.
We'll wait for you here."
"No problem—we've got time." Kisame shrugged indifferently and plopped down onto a boulder, pulling out Samehada for cleaning.
Repairing Samehada was his favorite pastime, but since the blade hadn't done anything wrong, a good polish would suffice.
Nagato's words aligned with Naruto's own thoughts.
This world may not be mine, but since I'm here, I won't just stand by and watch you die.
This world's version of me… you're really lucky.
Together, Naruto and Sasuke dashed toward Konoha.
But while Sasuke aimed for this world's Obito, Naruto ran straight for where Kushina was.
I can feel it… is this my mother's chakra? So warm, yet so faint.
Meanwhile, Minato glared grimly at the masked man before him.
"Who are you, really?"
After diverting the Nine-Tails' attack, this world's Obito had reappeared, blocking the Fourth Hokage from striking again.
But to Minato's demand, Obito only shrugged.
"So what if you can warp the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb once? Can you do it twice? Three times? Four, five times?"
With Kamui, Wood Release, and the Nine-Tails in his hands, this Obito was certain of victory.
Even against his former teacher, he was confident he would prevail.
Flying Thunder God? His Kamui was also a space-time technique.
As for Kushina's death once the Nine-Tails was extracted—Obito didn't care. As long as the Eye of the Moon Plan succeeded, they would all live again in the dream world.
And so the two clashed once more. But this time, Obito was no longer trying to kidnap the infant—this was a true, head-on battle.
From the very first exchange, this world's Obito realized he had been utterly mistaken.
In combat sense, in battle style—he lagged far behind his old master.
Even with greater physical power and near-identical abilities, it meant nothing.
In just two short rounds, a blue Rasengan smashed him into the ground.
If Minato hadn't been in such a hurry to reach Kushina, Obito would have been left either dead or in tatters.
The next instant, Minato shook him off and reappeared near Kushina, dragging the Nine-Tails with him.
"Tch. As expected of the Fourth…" Obito muttered bitterly, standing up and brushing the dirt from his cloak. With his physique, taking a Rasengan head-on left only minor wounds.
"So it was you behind it all."
A cold voice spoke from behind. Obito spun around to see furious eyes glaring into his soul.
And those eyes… they weren't ordinary tomoe, but a far more intricate pattern—
The Mangekyō Sharingan.
"So it was you who caused the Uchiha to be ostracized by Konoha."
Sasuke didn't know that the plan to suppress the Uchiha had originated with the Second Hokage, Tobirama. He believed the discrimination stemmed from the Nine-Tails' attack.
Though not the root cause, it had indeed been one factor.
"And you even took part in the massacre of our clan.
That makes you the source of it all."
Behind the mask, Obito's face turned grim. He didn't recognize this mysterious clansman—but those eyes left him no choice but to take him seriously.
Yet as he prepared himself, Sasuke's voice suddenly sounded—right behind him.
In that instant, Obito's blood ran cold. A chill shot up his spine.
He tried to activate Kamui, but his body froze for a fraction of a second.
Curse Mark: Binding Seal!
Sasuke's seal techniques weren't as refined as Naruto's, but even a split-second of immobilization was fatal against someone of his level.
"Die!"
Cold steel pierced through his back.
"Dance of the crescent moon!"
Several blades of shimmering light stabbed into Obito's body all at once.
Meanwhile, deep in Konoha's forest—
This world's Kushina had the Nine-Tails bound tight in her Adamantine Sealing Chains, while Minato prepared a sealing technique. Their plan was to split the beast in two, sealing half inside himself and the other half within the infant Naruto.
That was the conclusion they had reached after a brief, desperate discussion.
"You'll never seal me inside that brat again! Never lock me in a human body again!"
But Kushina's body was too weak. The chains that once suppressed the Nine-Tails with ease were broken apart.
The beast extended its massive claws toward the newborn.
Minato and Kushina threw themselves in front of their child without hesitation, ready to shield him with their lives.
"Then die together!"
But just before the claws could pierce them, the Nine-Tails froze. Its tails were yanked back, as if bound by some overwhelming force.
And then—before its terrified eyes—a fist, massive as a boulder, came crashing down.
Darkness swallowed it whole.
That night, I floored the Nine-Tails with a single punch.
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