The Adamantine Sealing Chains barrier that had been blocking the Konoha ninja finally disappeared.
At the first moment, the Third Hokage led people rushing into the center of the forest. Then everyone saw that on the patch of open ground pressed out by the Nine-Tails lay three bodies.
Two adults and one child. When Makoto lay down, he had quietly pulled a little distance away from the other two.
Even when playing dead, sticking together like that could easily get one struck by lightning. He had to stay away from danger.
When the Third Hokage saw this situation, his heart tightened, and an ominous premonition rose in his mind.
The ones lying there were the youngest Hokage in Konoha, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, and the most talented ninja of Konoha's new generation.
If they had died, the blow to Konoha would be unimaginable.
Fortunately, the situation was not as bad as it looked.
After the medical-nin stepped forward to check them, he said, "Third Hokage-sama, they're all fine."
The Third Hokage let out a sigh of relief. Stepping forward, he helped Minato up and asked, "Fourth Hokage, how is the Nine-Tails?"
Minato felt a little uncomfortable.
Third Hokage-sama, the combined weight of the three of us in your heart is still less than the Nine-Tails?
People are like that. Once you hold an opinion about someone in your heart, no matter what they say, you can always pick out faults in their words.
But he did not show it. Forcing a bright smile onto his face, he said, "I did not fail the trust placed in me, Third Hokage. The Nine-Tails has been sealed back again."
"That's good. You've worked hard, Minato. Are you all right?"
Minato glanced at the people around them. The Third Hokage understood—Minato had something important to say to him—so he ordered everyone to move a little farther away to give them space to talk.
The other ninja, together with the medical team, carried Makoto and Kushina to the side to take care of them.
Seeing this, Minato replied, "Makoto should be fine. He just used too much chakra. Kushina had the Nine-Tails extracted. Although Makoto and I sealed it back together, Kushina's body suffered severe damage. It may take a long time for her to recover."
"According to the report from those who went to investigate the childbirth site, all the ANBU guarding the perimeter were killed… even Biwako…" Hiruzen was somewhat sorrowful. After all, your wife is only weakened, but mine is truly dead.
But he was the Third Hokage of Konoha, so he quickly put away his grief and continued asking, "What exactly happened? Why did the Nine-Tails break through the seal and run out?"
"A mysterious man attacked us when Naruto was born. Like me, he can use space–time ninjutsu—and he's even more skilled at it. He can move through barriers freely without relying on markers."
The Third Hokage's expression darkened. "It must be someone from the Uchiha clan. When the Nine-Tails appeared in the village, someone saw tomoe patterns in its eyes similar to the Sharingan."
When the Nine-Tails was controlled by Obito, tomoe did indeed flash in its eyes for an instant. But they quickly dispersed and vanished. In addition, that fellow's eyes were too large and his body too tall, so the few people who saw it in the first moment could not confirm it clearly.
If its eyes had truly displayed obvious Sharingan patterns, Konoha's attitude toward the Uchiha would not merely be suspicion—it would be a charge backed by solid evidence.
If what awaited the Uchiha clan in the future was not exclusion, then it would be the collective blow of all Konoha.
But only the Sharingan could control a tailed beast—this was common knowledge—so their clan became the primary target of suspicion.
When yellow mud falls into your pants, even if it is not shit, it is still taken for shit.
Minato drew a clear distinction: "It wasn't someone from the village. He claimed to be Uchiha Madara."
"What? Uchiha Madara?" The Third Hokage was stunned. That was far more terrifying than the Uchiha in the village. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Madara is already dead."
"I do not believe it either, but he had the Nine-Tails' summoning contract, which is why he was able to control the Nine-Tails so easily. Fortunately, I already removed that contract."
"I was also severely wounded while fighting the person who came to receive him. That person was even more mysterious. He could move freely underground without using Earth Release, and he could not be detected by sensory ninjutsu."
"It's good that you removed it. As for who this so-called Uchiha Madara and his accomplice really are, I will have people investigate. Minato, focus on recuperating. You do not need to worry."
"I am afraid that, like Kushina, I will need a long time to recover. I will be unable to carry out the duties of the Hokage. I will have to entrust what comes next to the Third Hokage."
"Do not worry. With me here, you do not need to concern yourself with anything else. The main task now is to recover from your injuries."
A mysterious man suspected of being Uchiha Madara, possessing a space-time ninjutsu even more convenient than the Flying Thunder God. An even more mysterious accomplice with him. The jinchūriki severely wounded. The Fourth Hokage severely wounded.
One matter after another, all concerning Konoha's future, suddenly pressed down onto Hiruzen's shoulders, making him feel the weight of responsibility so heavily that he did not even have time to mourn his wife.
But he could not fall. He was Konoha's Third Hokage. He had to step forward and lead everyone out of this hardship.
Especially now, with both the new Hokage and the jinchūriki having lost their fighting strength, he would likely have to come back out in person to stabilize people's hearts.
...
On the other side, Higashino Jirō looked at the medical-nin and asked, "How is my son? He'll be fine, right?"
Makoto looked half-dead. "Father, I'm fine. I just overused my chakra."
The medical-nin also confirmed it: "That is indeed the situation, Jirō-jōnin. You do not need to worry. He just needs to rest for a few days."
With Makoto's medical skill and strength, fooling the medical team was very easy. He did not need to be like Minato and use a technique to seal away his chakra as well.
Uzuki Yūya was also at the side, comforting him. "See? I told you he'd be fine. You should trust Makoto's strength. Stop talking and hurry up and take him back to rest.
"Right now, this guy is a hero who saved his comrades, moved the Nine-Tails away, and, together with the Fourth Hokage, sealed the Nine-Tails back again. Nothing can happen to him."
"Okay, okay. Then I'll leave this place to you."
After saying that, Jirō carried his son on his back and headed home. Nine-Tails or not, how could it be more important than his own son?
There were not many people who could enter this place together with the Third Hokage. Other than the medical team, all of them were Konoha's elite jōnin. Although the others also wanted very much to step forward and help, they were blocked at the outer perimeter.
They craned their necks in anticipation, hoping to learn the outcome.
Lying on his father's back, Makoto passed by a masked ANBU and asked, "Sensei, Hayate and the others are all fine, right?"
Kumomi nodded. "Don't worry, they're all fine."
"That's good." After saying that, Makoto gave a thumbs-up to Kakashi and Guy beside him.
Might Guy returned the gesture with the same thumbs-up, flashing a bright grin.
Kakashi silently nodded. At the same time, he clenched his fists and quietly asked, "Makoto, how are Sensei and the others? They're not in danger, right?"
"Don't worry, Kakashi-senpai. They're all fine."
"That's good, that's good! Thank you, Makoto!"
The moment the Nine-Tails appeared, he thought misfortune had fallen on him once again. After losing his father and two teammates, was he going to lose his teacher's family as well?
Fortunately, none of that happened. He would not have to endure the pain of losing important people around him once again.
But Makoto calling him "senpai" made him feel deeply ashamed.
When everyone had fallen into danger, it was this junior—who was even younger than him—who had stood with Sensei to resist the mysterious man, moved the Nine-Tails away, and saved Konoha, while he himself could only stand aside and watch.
What kind of Konoha genius was he?
It seemed he could not remain dispirited any longer. From now on, he had to train properly. Next time… if danger appeared again, he would definitely stand in front of Sensei and his wife.
He could not become, like his own name suggested, a lonely scarecrow in the fields—watching events happen while being powerless to do anything.
At the side, Kurenai was still arguing with her father, blaming him for stopping everyone from stepping forward to help.
The bootlicker Asuma was not by her side. He had probably gone home to see his mother one last time.
With the danger resolved, Yūhi Shinku's attitude was no longer as rigid as before. He was simply advising the hot-blooded new generation to go back and wait for news.
This jōnin—who should have died on the night of the Nine-Tails—was now alive and well because of Makoto's intervention. There were many others like him.
For example, the parents of Umino Iruka had not died either—they were only injured.
As for those ninja and civilians who had died, Makoto would not place the responsibility on himself. That was purely the foolish behavior of pointless mental self-torment.
Makoto remained the same as before. He would not forcibly interfere with other people's destinies. But once he became stronger, the destinies of some people would naturally change because of him.
That was the role of the strong. There was no need to deliberately pursue it—the world would naturally change because of one's actions.
After entering Konoha with his father, Makoto saw that the center of the village had already become ruins. Between the ruins and the Hokage Rock, the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball had plowed out a deep trench, reducing every building along its path to fragments.
And that was only the collateral damage caused as the Tailed Beast Ball passed by. If something like that had exploded inside Konoha, half the village—young and old—would have ascended to heaven that very night.
Fortunately, Minato and Makoto had transferred the disaster away. Compared with Konoha's overall size, the current scale of destruction was not too severe.
But no matter what, the Nine-Tails' rampage in Konoha could not be concealed. It was unknown whether the other major ninja villages would have any special thoughts once they learned the news.
But none of that concerned Makoto now. At the moment, he felt extremely sleepy, as if his body's instincts were urging him to rest quickly.
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