The house where Senba and the others were currently living had originally belonged to Uzumaki Mito.
Since Mito's home was located near the center of Konoha, it would inevitably become one of the primary targets if that incident unfolded tonight.
Hidden within the shadows, Isamu expanded his sensory perception.
In an instant…
The entirety of Konoha lay within his awareness.
Time passed quietly.
From seven o'clock until ten…
Nothing unusual happened.
However…
At around ten-thirty—
Half an hour after Senba had returned home from working overtime—
Two Uchiha clan members wearing clothing adorned with the Uchiha fan crest arrived.
"Hmm…"
"It's those people from the Moderate Faction."
"What are they doing here at a time like this?"
Isamu frowned.
After the two entered Senba's home…
No one knew exactly what was said.
However…
Both Senba and Mikoto left with them, their expressions unusually serious.
"Hmph."
"Let's see what exactly you're plotting."
Isamu focused his senses on the Uchiha Clan compound on Konoha's outskirts.
After investigating more carefully…
He discovered that nearly every jōnin-level member of the Moderate Faction had secretly gathered together.
Considering tonight's circumstances…
And knowing the Uchiha all too well…
He immediately understood their intentions.
"Heh…"
"Holding a secret meeting tonight…"
"You're practically throwing yourselves into the fire."
"I never expected that…"
"Even after I took away the militant faction…"
"…the flames of rebellion would still ignite within the Uchiha."
"Everything truly follows fate."
"What fate?"
"What are you muttering about, Isamu?"
Garuda asked curiously.
"It's nothing."
"Just a group of fools…"
"…playing dangerous games without realizing they're courting death."
Shaking his head…
Isamu redirected his senses toward Hokage Rock.
Deep beneath the mountain was a hidden cave…
A secret location reserved for important matters.
Tonight…
It was where Kushina would give birth.
"So…"
"They didn't even summon Senba."
"It seems Konoha still doesn't value him very highly."
"Poor Konoha fanatic."
Sensing only Minato Namikaze and Biwako, the wife of the Third Hokage, inside the cave…
Isamu couldn't help feeling disdain.
"For something as important as a Jinchūriki's childbirth…"
"…you've arranged so little protection."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi…"
"You've truly grown old."
"The legendary Professor is gone."
Another hour quietly passed.
Around eleven o'clock…
As most of Konoha had fallen asleep…
And Kushina's delivery was nearing completion…
A familiar spatial distortion entered Isamu's perception.
A man dressed in black…
Wearing an orange spiral mask…
Had infiltrated Konoha.
"He's here."
The moment he sensed the disturbance…
Isamu knew exactly who had arrived.
Without hesitation…
He dispatched the Xuanyuan Clan's Five Paths to quietly surround Senba's home.
"What's wrong, Isamu?"
"Did you sense something?"
Garuda asked.
"Ashura's reincarnation is about to be born."
"And…"
"A great upheaval is about to begin."
"A great upheaval?"
Garuda extended her own senses.
Almost immediately…
She felt an overwhelmingly violent and murderous Chakra.
Her expression changed dramatically.
"That Chakra…"
"It's the Nine-Tails!"
"How is it here?"
"Heh…"
"Time truly flies."
"The Tailed Beasts…"
"Once free creatures…"
"Were divided among the villages by Senju Hashirama."
"They've since become prisoners."
"Living weapons."
"What?!"
"They were imprisoned…"
"…and turned into weapons?"
"No wonder…"
"I can feel nothing but hatred and bloodlust from its Chakra."
Garuda frowned deeply.
Her second brother's descendants…
Had truly gone down the wrong path.
Ignoring her shock…
Isamu concentrated entirely on the masked man's movements.
Obito's objective was obvious.
Within moments…
He arrived beneath Hokage Rock.
The guards stationed outside the hidden cave…
Were eliminated almost silently.
Once they were gone…
The masked man slipped directly inside.
"His movements are incredibly refined."
"It seems…"
"After falling into darkness and training under Madara…"
"Obito's strength has improved tremendously."
"Still…"
"To know Kushina's location so precisely…"
"That information could only have come from Zetsu."
A faint smile appeared on Isamu's face.
The masked man…
Was none other than Uchiha Obito—
One of the future masterminds of the shinobi world.
And merely another pawn manipulated by Madara.
Having confirmed Obito's arrival…
Isamu withdrew his sensory perception.
He had only come tonight to verify one thing.
Now that Obito had appeared…
There was no longer any reason to keep watching.
"Get ready, Garuda."
"The show…"
"…is about to begin."
"The show?"
Before Garuda could ask another question—
A deafening roar echoed across Konoha.
A gigantic figure…
Well over a hundred meters tall…
Appeared within the village.
"ROAR!!"
The Nine-Tails lashed its nine tails wildly as it let out furious bellows.
"The Nine-Tails!"
"How did it get here?"
Garuda stared in shock.
"It was released by someone."
"Now…"
"Look carefully at its eyes."
Following Isamu's instructions…
Garuda focused her gaze.
The instant she saw them…
Her expression froze.
"T-The Sharingan!"
"The Nine-Tails…"
"…is being controlled by the Sharingan!"
"The Sharingan possesses an innate ability to suppress the Tailed Beasts."
"I never imagined…"
"The Nine-Tails' rampage would actually be caused by an Uchiha."
"Isamu…"
"What exactly is happening?"
Before he could answer…
The Nine-Tails began attacking.
Its massive tails smashed buildings apart one after another.
Within moments…
Konoha descended into complete chaos.
Countless civilians were caught in the destruction.
Originally…
Isamu had assumed the Nine-Tails might head toward Sasuke.
But in reality…
The beast remained some distance away.
With Konoha's shinobi desperately intercepting it…
There was no chance for it to reach Senba's home.
Watching events unfold exactly as they had before…
Isamu finally relaxed.
"Garuda."
"Didn't you want to know what's happening?"
"Come."
"I'll take you to meet the one responsible."
Just as he was about to leave…
He noticed Garuda standing motionless.
Her eyes remained fixed upon the destruction below.
She showed no intention of moving.
"What's wrong?"
"Isamu…"
"So many innocent people are suffering."
"If we simply stand here and watch…"
"…isn't that wrong?"
"There is no simple right or wrong."
"People suffer somewhere in this world every single moment."
"If we tried to save everyone…"
"We would exhaust ourselves forever."
"We are not saviors."
"Let those who wish to save the world shoulder that burden."
"Besides…"
"Konoha's shinobi are already here."
"They'll handle it."