Chapter 1: The Sacrifice of the Hokage
Fugaku was in the room that the Uchiha clan used to receive important guests. Sitting at the table with him was Minato, both holding a glass filled with sake. Fugaku took a long sip before speaking.
"Thank you for coming," he said, placing the glass on the table. "But I suppose you didn't come just to talk and have a drink, am I right?"
"Can't I come to have a drink with my chief of police?" Minato replied, taking a sip of his own drink. "Although you're right, I didn't come just to chat or pass the time drinking. Besides, aren't we friends?"
"Friends?" Fugaku let out an almost mocking laugh. "I thought we just got along because our wives forced us to."
They both laughed as a few drops of sake spilled onto the table. Then, they raised their glasses and clinked them together before taking another sip.
Minato lowered his glass amidst laughter and cleared his throat before speaking.
"I have to ask you something," he said, still with a smile. "Although I suppose you already know what I'm going to say."
"I've already told you and the Third Hokage," Fugaku replied. "My place is as the leader of the Uchiha clan. I have no intention of becoming the Hokage. It would be better to consider Shikaku as a potential successor. The Nara clan excels in maintaining order and organization."
"Shikaku is my advisor," Minato replied. "He is a competent man, and I'm sure he would do a good job as Hokage. But being Hokage is not just about maintaining order and governing. It also requires power and prestige to keep our enemies in check. If something were to happen to me, who would take my place as Hokage? Who would be capable of controlling our enemies?
"Hiruzen-sama, perhaps," Fugaku suggested. "He has prestige and was a disciple of the Second Hokage, and he still has many years ahead of him."
Minato looked at Fugaku and lightly swirled his glass, causing the sake to ripple.
"We both know that is not a viable option," he countered. "The Third Hokage is old, and though wise, his time as a leader has passed. He is not in a condition to govern the village."
"What is all this about?" Fugaku asked. "When did you start thinking this way? Has the Yellow Flash lost his courage? The chances of something going wrong are very low. You don't have to worry so much."
"If that's what you believe, then you won't have a problem promising me that you will take charge of the village if something were to happen."
Fugaku sighed resignedly.
"Fine, I promise."
"Then let's toast again," Minato raised his glass toward Fugaku, and they clinked them together.
—
Months passed, and the long-awaited day had arrived. Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, had come to the village and was taking the opportunity to spend time with his godson, Naruto. The young Naruto looked a lot like Minato, with his blond hair slowly growing each day. However, he had something that made him different: marks in the shape of whiskers on his cheeks, signs of being the child of a jinchuriki. Although he knew that being a vessel for a tailed beast could affect the body, only those who didn't control their beast or were exposed to the power of a tailed beast ended up having those kinds of marks. He wondered if Minato and Kushina's future children would also bear those marks or if any of them would inherit their mother's red hair. However, he hoped that they wouldn't inherit his temperament.
While Jiraiya spent time in the village with Naruto, Minato and his men prepared for the day of the Namikaze twins' birth. The Nara clan began making plans and countermeasures, ensuring that all unprotected areas of the village were covered. Forces were strategically dispersed, especially along the route the masked intruder had taken a year ago. ANBU members hid in the streets, camouflaged on rooftops, invisible to those lacking keen perception. The Uchiha also joined the deployment, under Fugaku's orders, patrolling every corner of the village. By that time, news of the Fourth Hokage's children's birth had already spread throughout the village, although the incident with the masked intruder was avoided in conversation. However, everyone knew about the enmities Minato had gained during the war and that his enemies sought revenge. As a result, the village's security had been further reinforced.
During that week of preparation, petty crimes in the village were reduced to practically zero. No one dared to overstep the boundaries when the streets were being watched by ANBU and Uchiha. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, with no suspicious movements detected in the forests and the village's defenses at their highest point. According to Jiraiya's information network, there was nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual flow of mercenaries and money. If things continued like this, there would be no complications when the day arrived.
Finally, the day came, and the night enveloped the Leaf Village in its dark cloak. The faint lights of the stars, the moon, and the lamps illuminated the empty streets but were under the watchful gaze of stealthy shadows that traversed the rooftops, searching for any infiltrator like the one who had breached their defenses a year ago. They had meticulously prepared for this occasion for months.
The Nara clan had drawn detailed maps with specific routes, which were handed to each squad leader. The ANBU, along with members of the Uchiha police and other shinobi teams, were deployed to patrol the village that night. The mission had been classified as an S-rank, so only highly experienced, high-level shinobi were involved.
The chosen location for the Hokage's children's birth was an old compound that once belonged to the Uzumaki clan, located near the towering Hokage Tower. It was a spacious area that included a beautiful garden and a two-story house, although worn out from the passage of time and with faded colors due to lack of maintenance.
At the entrance of the house, three figures stood. To the right was Jiraiya, who had volunteered as a bodyguard to protect his godchildren. To the left stood Fugaku, proudly wearing his Jōnin uniform. And in the center stood Minato, a few steps away from Fugaku, with his arms crossed and his gaze lost in emptiness. It was evident that he was nervous, as he rhythmically tapped his foot, anxiously hitting the floor.
"You're too nervous," Fugaku said. "Relax, it's your wife who's going through the effort. You just have to wait."
"Weren't you nervous when you had your second children?" Minato asked.
Fugaku shook his head, remembering his two twin children. They had been born approximately two months before Minato's firstborn, a boy and a girl. The boy was named Sasuke in honor of Sasuke Sarutobi, and the girl was named Setsuna in honor of Mikoto's maternal grandmother.
"The Uchiha are strong," he replied. "And my wife is no exception. Besides, your wife is an Uzumaki, and if there's one thing Uzumaki have, it's vitality."
"You're right about that," Jiraiya chimed in. "If there's one thing that girl has, it's vitality. Just ask me," he added, rubbing his cheek as he remembered a friend of his, a granddaughter of an Uzumaki.
"Still, I have a bad feeling ever since I encountered that masked individual."
At that very moment, an alarm sounded, and in the distance, part of the village was being consumed by flames. The three men present fell silent, stunned by the sight of the village engulfed in fire.
"You were right," were the only words Fugaku could utter as he watched the flames that enveloped the village.
—
Fifteen minutes ago, on the outskirts of Konoha, in a plain surrounded by the forest, a spiral began to form. From it emerged the masked individual along with 600 men dressed in dull-colored armor and equipment, all wearing headbands with the symbols of their former villages, cut in half.
They were divided into six groups, each consisting of one hundred individuals, led by clearly distinguishable figures due to their personalized attire. These mercenary groups were usually small, but the contractor for this mission had managed to gather renegade ninjas from across the continent, totaling 600. Among them were several from Iwagakure, united with the sole objective of avenging the humiliation that "the yellow flash" had inflicted upon their village.
Five out of the six mercenary leaders stood alongside the masked individual, discussing their fees upon completing the mission. In the original contract, they had been promised one million ryus per group. However, the masked individual imposed the condition of paying only half upfront and the other half upon completion of the job. Some of them refused to accept this condition and, in each meeting with the masked individual, they tried to convince him to pay them at that very moment. Despite their persistent demands, the masked individual remained firm in his refusal.
However, among the mercenaries, there was a group that sought no riches but had joined solely out of their hatred for Konoha. This group happened to be the largest of them all and hailed from Iwagakure.
The leaders of this group were two brothers. The first was Touma, a tall man with brown hair, approximately twenty-three years old. He wore an iron chain tied around his waist, which ended in a sharp dagger. His attire made it clear that he was a long-range fighter, using the chain to immobilize and eliminate his opponents. By his side stood Kenji, a younger man of shorter stature, also with brown hair. However, a scar ran across his face from eyebrow to lip.
Both brothers were surprised at how quickly they had arrived at the plain. They had thought that an ability like that could have changed the course of the war and led Iwagakure to victory.
Though they could not lament now, they had become renegade ninjas with the sole purpose of avenging the honor of Iwagakure. Lost in the battle of a thousand against one, where the Yellow Flash had defeated a thousand shinobi from Iwagakure, including their brother. When they received the news, the forces of Iwa were significantly demoralized, and even their old Kage deemed the war lost, declaring that they could not afford to lose more lives. For them, this was a betrayal to all those who had fought for Iwagakure. Despite the old Tsuchikage losing his courage after the death of his son, they and many others in the village had not lost it and were willing to fight to the death to avenge their fallen friends and family members.
A month ago, a masked individual approached them, offering them the opportunity to seek revenge against Konoha. At first, they thought it was a cruel joke, but when he transported them through his teleportation technique and showed them the number of mercenaries he was recruiting, they accepted without hesitation. They asked him who he was and why he sought vengeance against the Leaf Village. The masked individual simply replied, "For the same reason as you," and disappeared once again in a spiral.
From that moment on, they began recruiting more individuals from within their village. Those who yearned for revenge against the Leaf were not few, and when they met with the masked individual again a few weeks ago, the group of the two brothers had transformed into a group of two hundred shinobi.
"We have waited for this for a long time, brother," Touma said as he gazed into the distance at the Hokage Monument.
"That's right, brother," Kenji responded. "We will finally avenge the honor of Iwagakure and our brother."
At that moment, a deep voice interrupted the conversation from among the mercenaries. The brothers turned their heads and saw a man with black hair, some white streaks standing out. His ninja headband hung from his waist, and the darkness of the night made it difficult to identify which village he belonged to.
"You speak of honor with such bravado," the man said, spitting on the ground. "But the honor you speak of is as worthless as this spit."
Kenji grabbed the man by the collar of his vest, furious.
"How dare you?" he reproached him. "What do you, trash, know about honor?"
All present turned their gaze to the unfolding scene. The Iwagakure shinobi supported their comrade with their eyes, while the others, after briefly observing, returned to their own affairs.
"What do trash like us know about honor?" the man retorted, staring directly at Kenji as he freed himself from his grip. "We are ninjas, killing in the shadows, ready to carry out missions without questioning, even if it means killing our own comrades. What honor is left in that? Honor is merely an empty concept that death takes away."
"A renegade ninja trying to lecture me about honor," Kenji said, getting even closer and pointing an accusing finger. A beam of moonlight illuminated the place, revealing the crossed-out symbol on the man's headband: a leaf. "You are a traitor of the Leaf, a renegade questioning my honor. You are nothing but a miserable scum."
"I left Konoha because I no longer want to deceive myself, like many of my friends did, with false ideas of honor and loyalty," the man replied, taking his crossed-out headband and showing it. "This is my symbol, the symbol of my freedom to decide for myself. I don't owe anything to the Leaf, I have paid with blood for everything it could offer me. Now I live for myself and myself alone, and that's something you should consider, young man."
He slowly walked away, turning his back to Kenji, who was furious at the renegade's words. He looked around and saw his people. They no longer had an enraged look, but rather indignation. It was then that Kenji made a decision. He drew his kunai and leaped quickly towards the renegade's back. His brother tried to stop him, but by the time he lunged to intervene, Kenji had already jumped with the kunai in his hand. The renegade turned, catching Kenji's hands with his right hand, gripping his neck with the other, and slammed him to the ground. The sound of flesh hitting the ground and the dust that rose made it clear the power disparity between them.
"How much honor is there in attacking someone from behind, young man?" the renegade asked, holding Kenji's neck. He then pressed a specific point on Kenji's hand, causing him to release the kunai with a cry of pain.
"I will kill you, I swear I will kill you!" Kenji shouted from the ground, kicking wildly but failing to affect the renegade.
Everyone watched the scene, the Iwagakure shinobi unsure of how to react to this situation. Kenji was one of their strongest fighters, and he had been defeated in an instant. They saw him screaming threats and attempting to strike the man in front of them to no avail.
Meanwhile, the group of mercenaries unrelated to the renegade murmured phrases like, "It was to be expected" and "What a foolish boy."
This further enraged Kenji, who began threatening everyone, claiming he would kill them all once he was free. Upon hearing these threats, the renegade tightened his grip even more.
"Enough, that's enough," Touma intervened. "I'll make sure you don't do any more stupid things, brother. Stop this once and for all, you're bringing shame to Iwa. Our goal is to attack the Leaf, not fight amongst ourselves."
"But brother," Kenji replied. "This man has humiliated the honor of Iwa."
"The only honor that has been humiliated here is yours, and maybe the pride of our group," Touma responded. "And if you keep lying there, you will bring even more shame upon us."
Kenji looked down as he realized everyone was watching him. The respectful gazes he used to receive from his comrades had vanished. Even his brother looked at him with disappointment. Upon realizing this, he grew weak and stopped struggling to free himself. The renegade noticed it, released his grip, and stepped away from the boy, who still couldn't get up.
At that moment, the surrounding trees began to whisper with the sound of their rustling leaves. In the next instant, two individuals dressed in Anbu masks and swords sheathed on their backs appeared. One of them had a blood-stained mask, with droplets leaving a trail as they moved.
Immediately, everyone prepared to attack, but they halted when they saw that the Anbu with the blood-stained mask was holding a body.
The body still dripped fresh blood from its neck and bore the leaf symbol on its forehead. It was undoubtedly a member of Konoha. In that moment, the previously seemingly absent enigmatic figure in the mask stepped forward.
"I thought you said there was no one patrolling this area," he said as he looked at the dead Konoha shinobi on the ground.
"There was not supposed to be anyone patrolling this area," a voice responded from the shadows. "But it seems they haven't shared all their plans with me."
Danzo emerged from the darkness of the forest that had enveloped him until now. Everyone looked at the newly arrived man, and he also observed them, but he paused when he noticed someone among them, someone he seemed to recognize. His gaze lingered for a moment but then shifted away without giving it further importance.
"We have little time before they realize one of their scouts hasn't returned," the masked figure said, gesturing them to move forward.
Everyone followed the masked figure, who began walking towards the village. The Root Anbu who were with them stepped aside to allow them to pass but remained close to Danzo.
Kenji had managed to get up when the Anbu arrived. However, he had no weapon as the Leaf renegade had taken it from him during their confrontation. As he walked, he clenched his hand and moved it, still feeling the pain that had forced him to drop his kunai. In that moment, he heard fast footsteps that stopped next to him.
"Young man," said the Leaf renegade, "this belongs to you. I hope you won't attempt to go into battle without your full equipment."
Kenji turned around and saw the renegade handing back the kunai he had lost during their fight. For a moment, he stared at it without saying a word, but in the end, he accepted it and whispered his thanks.
Both of them continued walking in silence until they reached a massive wall that should have been guarded, but there was no one around. The masked figure ordered everyone to halt. He took two steps forward, followed by several more. In an instant, they all performed hand seals, and pillars of earth and fire pierced through the wall with a thunderous noise.
The next moment, they let out a shout and rushed through the newly opened entrance of the village. Their mission was clear: inflict maximum damage and retreat only when the agreed signal was given. Once the mission was accomplished, they were to return to the starting point and depart.
The invaders advanced swiftly and determinedly, setting houses ablaze and placing traps everywhere. The local shinobi closest to them fought valiantly to halt their advance, but their efforts proved futile against the numerical superiority and the element of surprise. The village's scant defenses were rapidly decimated. While those who could still fight gave their lives to protect the fleeing villagers, even retired shinobi and the elderly joined the defense from their homes, watching helplessly as fire consumed a precious part of their home. From a distance, the desperate screams of the defenseless echoed in the air, hunted like animals amidst cries and curses.
A few minutes earlier, in the Hokage Tower, Shikaku Nara, in charge of the defenses, carefully observed everything that was happening. He was in the midst of coordinating the defenses alongside several members of his clan and the Hyuga clan, as well as the leaders of the Uchiha police force.
As the designated leader appointed by the Hokage, he had been entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the village's defenses. While giving instructions, a member of his clan rushed into the room to report that they hadn't received any communication from the group in charge of defending the western wall for the past ten minutes, despite being ordered to report every eight minutes. Before he could issue the order to send one of the contingency groups, protected within the Hokage Tower, an explosion occurred.
Shikaku quickly turned towards the large window and watched in horror as the western wall, considered the most secure due to its history of few attacks since the village's founding, was reduced to smoking rubble.
It took him a few moments to regain his composure, but once he grasped the gravity of the situation, he acted with the characteristic swiftness of a Nara. He gave vigorous orders to everyone present: "Quickly, deploy everyone in the tower! Our primary mission is to protect the civilians and eliminate the threat."
Everyone nodded, left the room, and headed to their respective teams to lead the defense of the village.
—
The fire continued to ruthlessly consume the houses of the village, and in the midst of that chaos, a woman held her son in her arms as they desperately fought to escape. The rapid spread of the fire had left them with no time to seek refuge. Despite her husband's efforts to keep their family safe, the situation seemed hopeless. As they neared the exit, a few meters away, they heard the crackling of burning wood overhead. A beam was collapsing towards them, and without hesitation, the husband pushed his wife and child out of harm's way. The woman, propelled forward, glanced back and witnessed her husband being crushed to death. She had no time to grieve; she fought her way through the flames, enduring the pain of the fire scorching her skin. Finally, she managed to escape the house, only to find herself in a scene straight out of hell.
In the streets, several villagers lay dead, kunais embedded in their backs. A few steps away, she heard the rapid footsteps of someone approaching. It was a member of the Uchiha police who had noticed her presence. He saw her crawling with her child in her arms, unable to ask for help, and quickly came to her aid. The Uchiha, a young man barely 19 years old, had a torn uniform and a superficial wound on his arm. Once the woman recovered, the young man informed her that they couldn't stay in that area much longer as the enemy was getting closer. He offered to take her to a safe place, but they had to hurry.
At that moment, several men surrounded the young Uchiha, the woman, and her child. It was six against one, and they all unsheathed their swords, ready to attack. The Uchiha's heart raced faster as they approached with weapons in hand.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" one of them said sarcastically.
"It seems we have an Uchiha protecting a Leaf and her offspring," another mocked.
"You'd better leave if you don't want to die," the Uchiha replied, positioning the woman and her child behind him. "Just so you know, one Uchiha is worth three of you scum."
"Yes, but this Uchiha is injured," another one said with a sinister laugh. "And if I'm not mistaken, you must be one of the survivors from the group we eliminated when we entered the village. You're out of chakra now." His last sentence was spoken with such a dark smile that sent a shiver down the Uchiha's spine.
The enemy was right; the young Uchiha was out of chakra, but he belonged to the legendary Uchiha clan and was a member of the police force. His duty and honor surpassed even his own life. He wouldn't allow the fear of death to overcome him. He tightly gripped his sword, enduring the pain from his injured dominant arm.
At that moment, one of the mercenaries lunged at the Uchiha and the woman. However, in the blink of an eye, red eyes manifested, and the Uchiha managed to block the first attack. With skill and dexterity, he deflected the next three strikes and halted the fifth by striking the mercenary in the stomach. But the final attack wasn't aimed at him; it was aimed at the person he was protecting. With no time to block it, he decided to intervene and stop the attack with his own body. He grabbed the sword with his hand, preventing it from hitting the woman, but in the process, his hand was torn apart, and a part of the sword remained lodged in his shoulder.
The mercenary smiled sadistically, pushed and twisted the sword further into the wound before pulling it out, stained red. The Uchiha fell to his knees, a torrent of blood flowing from his injured shoulder. The woman behind him trembled, and the baby remained silent.
The mercenary shook the blood off his sword in a graceful gesture and aimed for the Uchiha's neck. He raised the sword, and at that moment, the Uchiha exhaled his last breath and lowered his gaze in resignation. However, in an instant, the sound of air being cut by iron became present, followed by the sound of a body falling heavily to the ground. A few seconds later, five other similar sounds were heard, and the Uchiha raised his gaze. In front of him lay six lifeless bodies, with precise kunai strikes. Before losing consciousness, the Uchiha was able to make out a group of Anbu led by an Anbu with a white fox mask.
"We arrived just in time, Captain," said a member of the Anbu with a dog mask, his voice barely audible under the tension of the moment.
"Yes, we made it," responded the leader of the Anbu team, known as Fox, with a mix of relief in his tone of voice. "Take them quickly to the medical ninjas and make sure they receive immediate attention. The other four and I will continue advancing."
The Anbu member nodded in understanding and, along with his comrades, hurried to escort the injured Uchiha, the woman, and her child to a safe place. Meanwhile, Fox and his team bravely ventured further into enemy territory. As they advanced, they encountered a grim landscape of lifeless bodies scattered across the streets. It was evident that the woman and her child were the only survivors in that area. The tragedy had left its devastating mark, leaving no one else alive.
They advanced further and spotted a group of stationed mercenaries, looting what little was left of that area. The leader of the group, a young man with brown hair and a chain attached to his waist, seemed to be in charge. Zorro gave a signal with gestures, and his team split up to attack in unison. The attack was successful, and out of the group of twenty mercenaries, only five remained who prepared to counterattack.
One of the mercenaries used his massive chain to trap one of the Anbu by the ankle, dragged him down, and slit his throat. Zorro and Crow didn't lag behind and managed to eliminate a member of the mercenaries who attempted to attack them, along with another who tried to help his comrade. However, the other two Anbu comrades were captured by the remaining three mercenaries, leaving the fight at a disadvantage of three against two.
"Three against two," said Kenji. "Let's finish this quickly, brother."
"You have the advantage, but don't get overconfident. They are Anbu," replied Touma.
"Your brother is right, young man," said the renegade. "That fox is dangerous. If we make a single mistake, we'll lose more than just a battle."
Zorro glanced at his three opponents and realized that one of them wore the symbol of the leaf cut in half.
"You were a member of this village," said Zorro. "You have betrayed your comrades and the village. I will fulfill my duty to eliminate you without remorse."
Touma tightened his chain, which tinkled with anticipation, while Kenji had his kunai ready in his hand.
"I didn't betray my comrades; I never did," replied the renegade. "It was the village that betrayed us; there is no victory without sacrifice. I wonder where the Will of Fire stands in this battle. I didn't betray the village; it betrayed me, and it left me no choice but to abandon it. I refuse to die like my comrades, being a tool that you discard after achieving an objective. Do you still believe in the Will of Fire enough to give your life for it?"
Zorro remained silent for a moment, reflecting on those words and remembering. However, he still believed in the Will of Fire, especially in his Master. So, Zorro and Crow launched themselves into swift attacks and counterattacks against the three opponents.
While this battle unfolded, a new confrontation loomed between the village's most powerful warriors.
—
The cries of two babies could be heard from inside the house, their sounds resonating through the walls and reaching the outside. When Minato realized that his children had been born, he couldn't hide his smile despite the situation. He let out a relieved sigh. But at that moment, the three of them felt the presence of a powerful chakra, and the cries of the babies could no longer be heard.
The three of them quickly entered the house, ready to respond to the situation. However, they did not expect the masked individual to be holding one of the Hokage's children, with his kunai just centimeters away from the baby's skin. The three of them halted.
"I only need the woman and one of these," said the masked individual, pointing his kunai towards the child in his arms.
Minato remained silent, exchanging brief glances with his companions. In an act of desperation, Fugaku activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, attempting to trap the masked individual in a genjutsu. However, to his surprise, his efforts seemed to have no effect on him at all. Without wasting any time, Minato and Jiraiya lunged towards the masked individual, determined to snatch the child away from him.
The masked individual reacted quickly and grabbed the blanket that covered the baby, throwing it towards Minato. Although Minato caught it, he realized that there were several explosive tags inside the blanket. Aware of the danger they posed, Minato acted swiftly and moved as far away as possible before the tags could activate, disappearing in a flash.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, who was about to snatch the child from the masked individual, stopped when he noticed that the kunai had superficially pierced the baby, causing a wound. His fury grew at the sight of the injury.
"You bastard," Jiraiya exclaimed, glaring angrily at the masked individual. "What have you done to Kushina and the Third Hokage's wife?"
Upon entering the room, Jiraiya noticed that both women were unconscious. The masked individual responded disdainfully.
"I've merely put them to sleep," he said coldly. "I advise you not to try anything. I still have another trick up my sleeve." He moved his kunai close to the baby's neck. "So, if you attempt anything, rest assured that I'll turn this wound into something much deadlier. By the way, I see that despite possessing the Mangekyou Sharingan, you're incapable of controlling its power." The masked individual directed a defiant gaze at Fugaku. "You should know there's a way to master it completely. But someone as weak as you could never achieve that, or has the Uchiha clan's level deteriorated over the years?"
At that moment, Minato reappeared, visibly affected by the explosion. His clothes were singed, and his hair was covered in ash.
"He's an Uchiha," Fugaku said. "He knows things that only a member of the Uchiha clan could know."
"Then he is..." Jiraiya was left stunned, unable to believe it.
"Uchiha Madara," Minato concluded, uttering the name with seriousness.
Without wasting any time, the masked individual took hold of Kushina and released the seal on the Nine-Tails. In an instant, the room was filled with an explosion of orange energy and overwhelming chakra. The three shinobi, aware of what was about to happen, hurried to rescue the others present in the room. Jiraiya moved swiftly and carried Kushina in his arms, taking her out of the building. Fugaku did the same with the Third Hokage's wife, who had been chosen as Kushina's midwife. Lastly, Minato rushed to rescue his other newborn child.
When he held the girl in his arms, he noticed that unlike Naruto, she didn't have any marks on her face. Her hair was as red as her mother's. Minato held her firmly and exited the place. At that very moment, the imposing figure of a Nine-Tailed Fox emerged from the rubble of the house. Everyone in the village could hear the deafening roar of the fox and witness how it began to destroy everything within its reach.
The three shinobi managed to escape the place in time, carrying with them those they had been able to save. They distanced themselves and positioned themselves atop a rooftop, observing the devastation from a distance.
"Where was all the perimeter guard?" Jiraiya said.
"Dead or injured," Fugaku replied. "I had my best men watching the area. If they haven't intervened, it means we've lost them." Fugaku clenched his fist.
Jiraiya observed him, then looked at Minato with his son in his arms, seeing the fox in front of them destroying the place they had been just moments ago.
"We must protect this village at all costs," Minato said, turning to his companions. "Jiraiya-sensei, I need you to summon Gamabunta and try to restrain the Nine-Tails. Meanwhile, Fugaku, do you think you can help Jiraiya using your Mangekyou?"
"It will be challenging, but you can count on me," Fugaku said, nodding. "But what will you do?"
Minato placed his daughter next to her mother and covered them both with his jacket.
"I have a son and a village to save," he said, disappearing in an instant.
"Then it's up to us to control the Nine-Tails until he returns," Jiraiya said, biting his finger. "I'm counting on your help, Fugaku-san."
"Let's contain this beast for as long as we can, then," Fugaku said, activating his Mangekyou Sharingan.
Suddenly, a giant toad fell from the sky, wearing an open shirt and holding a pipe in its mouth. It stood 17 meters tall, enough to restrain the Nine-Tails. Meanwhile, in the distance, the Mangekyou Sharingan was reflected in the Nine-Tails' eyes, but it still wasn't enough. The Nine-Tails continued to struggle to break free.
—
Meanwhile, at the ancient Uzumaki temple, the masked figure was waiting. In that moment, he heard the sound of a kunai embedding itself into the bark of a tree. The masked figure stepped out of the temple and descended slowly down the staircase at the entrance. Each step echoed with the creaking of the old wood until he stopped on the second-to-last step, facing the Fourth Hokage with a serious gaze.
"Where is my son?" Minato asked.
"He's inside," the masked figure replied, sitting down on the step. "But don't think I'll let you pass so easily."
Upon hearing those words, Minato drew one of his kunai and threw it directly at the masked figure's face, but the kunai passed through him.
"I thought you had learned something from our last encounter," the masked figure said with a sigh.
The masked figure stood up, and from his sleeves emerged two chains that merged into one. Minato took out several kunai, each of them marked with a seal, and threw them all around the area. Then he disappeared once again, with the masked figure only seeing flashes and quick, precise movements, trying to find the right moment to strike.
However, the masked figure knew Minato's attack pattern and had no trouble counterattacking. Just before Minato's attack could reach him, he dodged a few inches and tried to strike Minato. But the Fourth Hokage was faster and managed to teleport to one of his seals.
"The more time you waste, the more your son and the village will pay for a Hokage who, despite being the fastest, never arrives on time," the masked figure said, provoking Minato's frustration.
Minato frowned and pulled out several kunai, throwing them all at the masked figure. He moved between his seals, but none of the attacks hit. They were all blocked or pierced through. However, at one point, Minato managed to teleport behind the masked figure and struck him. The masked figure shielded himself with his arm, and although there was no blood, a white substance seemed to move on its own and return to the masked figure's arm.
"At what moment," the masked figure said, with his left arm hanging limp as the substance reattached itself to him. "At what moment did you mark me?"
Minato pointed to his neck, and the masked figure used his one free hand to inspect it. There was a small paper seal stuck to his haori. He observed it for a moment and then destroyed it. In his current state, he couldn't fight properly, and he had already accomplished his objective. He wasn't going to waste any more time in the village.
"Your son is inside," he said as he faded away. "By the way, sealing the Kyubi is useless. I destroyed the seal Kushina had. Her days as a Jinchuriki have come to an end. Oh, I almost forgot, I have one last surprise," he said as he was completely swallowed by a spiral.
At that moment, a massive pillar of fire rose from the village. The Hokage Tower exploded into a thousand pieces. Just a few meters away, the Kyubi continued to struggle, trying to free itself from the grip of the giant toad.
"Damn it!" Minato shouted, watching the Hokage Tower crumble under the flames. He tightly gripped his kunai and entered the temple in search of his son. The temple was dark, without a single lit candle, but the cries of a baby echoed through the walls, guiding him to his son. Following the sound, he reached a room where his son lay on a small altar. He rushed to him, leaving his kunai aside, and checked to make sure he was alright. Then, he teleported away with his son in his arms.
When he reappeared, he was back in the same place he had left just minutes before. The only difference was that Jiraiya was mounted on a giant toad, pressing down on the Kyubi with its weight, holding its jaws with his hands. In the distance, a man with black hair kept his gaze fixed on the Kyubi, and a drop of blood fell from one of his eyes. Kushina and Biwako, the Third Hokage's wife, had regained consciousness. Seeing Minato, Kushina weakly called out to him. Minato approached her, with his son in his arms, and handed him over.
"A boy and a girl, just as you wished," Minato said, kneeling down and placing his forehead against Kushina's. "I couldn't allow any harm to come to him... I'm so sorry."
Kushina shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes.
"What matters is that we're all safe," Kushina said, embracing her two children with tenderness.
Minato's heart felt relieved seeing his wife and children safe. However, he had a greater obligation. He had a responsibility to all the village's inhabitants.
"But now I must fulfill my duty as the Hokage," Minato said, standing up.
Hearing her husband, Kushina understood what Minato meant. She, as the Jinchuriki of Konoha, had the duty to contain the Kyubi.
"Then let's hurry and reseal the Kyubi," Kushina said, covering their children with Minato's haori. She tried to stand up, but she didn't have enough strength.
"Wait, Kushina," Biwako intervened. "Haven't you realized? Your seal is broken. Repairing it would take days, if not weeks." She stood beside Kushina and helped her up. "Do you understand what that means?"
"You're not thinking of using Naruto," Kushina said, her voice trembling.
"The girl is too weak to contain a part of the Kyubi," Biwako spoke. "And the boy is injured. Exposing him to the power of the Kyubi is not advisable."
"I have to do this," Minato said. "Everything will be fine. I won't be alone. Jiraiya-sensei and Fugaku will be by my side."
Minato turned his back and prepared to leave, but Kushina, as fast as him, held onto his arm and stopped him.
"The girl's name is Akame, and the boy's name is Menma, just as you wanted," Kushina said before letting go of Minato's arm.
Minato smiled and nodded before departing. When Minato disappeared, uncontrollable tears streamed down Kushina's cheeks, accompanied by sorrowful sobs that seemed to know it would be the last time they would see their husband and father.
Minato appeared in their home, fortunately far enough from the conflict and protected by various seals. Just a few steps away, their eldest son slept in his crib, covered with warm blankets. Minato carefully picked him up and teleported alongside Fugaku, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"It's enough. I'll take it from here," Minato said. Fugaku nodded and stopped using the Mangekyou Sharingan. The three of them teleported to Jiraiya, who was on Gamabunta. Once reunited, they teleported to the farthest area from the village.
"Hold him tight," Minato ordered as he descended. "Jiraiya-sensei, I need your help. Can we create a seal strong enough to contain the Kyubi within a single person?"
"It's impossible. The power of the Kyubi is too great for an ordinary person. Only an adult Uzumaki with exceptional chakra reserves could contain the Kyubi, surpassing even the capabilities of an average Uzumaki."
"Then we have no other alternative," Minato said, performing the hand seals for the Shiki Fuujin.
Behind him, a colossal shinigami appeared, drawing a mark on Minato's abdomen.
The Kyubi locked its gaze on Minato and attempted to attack him, but Gamabunta kept it under control while Fugaku did everything he could to contain the mighty Bijuu. Although the Kyubi briefly managed to free itself from Gamabunta's restraints and lashed out a claw towards Minato.
The blow was about to hit Minato, but Fugaku intervened at the last moment and neutralized the Kyubi's movements. Despite their efforts, the Kyubi continued to increase its strength, and blood continued to trickle from Fugaku's eye, weakening his Sharingan.
Weakened himself, Minato began to perform the Eight Trigrams seal on his eldest son's abdomen. Once completed, he stepped back for a moment, holding onto the tiny hand of his son that was reaching out to him.
"I'm so sorry, Naruto," Minato whispered, gently caressing his son's small hand with his finger. "It's now up to you to take care of your siblings and bring joy to our home. I trust that you will become a great shinobi and bring peace."
Minato took a few steps away from his son and looked directly at the Kyubi. The enormous eye of the fox stared back at him, unwavering.
"Damned human," boomed the Kyubi's thunderous voice, resonating throughout the forest.
Minato didn't respond. He turned his back and approached his comrades.
"Jiraiya-sensei, when the time comes, guide them onto the right path."
Jiraiya looked at Minato with a heavy heart and swallowed hard.
"I promise," Jiraiya said, trying to sound more confident and less sorrowful.
Minato turned and looked at Fugaku.
"I entrust the village to you, Fugaku."
Minato's face showed complicity and the trust he had in his friend.
"Trust me, I will ensure the village is protected in your absence," Fugaku replied, nodding.
At that moment, the Shinigami ripped out the Kyubi's soul and sealed a portion of it within Minato and another within Naruto. The Kyubi vanished, and Minato fell lifeless to the ground.
Gamabunta vanished, and Jiraiya landed on the ground next to Fugaku. The Uchiha was exhausted, and the drops of blood from his eye showed no signs of stopping. Jiraiya helped him, allowing him to lean on his shoulder, and both approached Minato. Once in front of Minato's lifeless body, Fugaku separated from Jiraiya and approached him. Meanwhile, Jiraiya carefully lifted young Naruto.
Fugaku gazed at the body of his comrade, the Hokage, and one of the few people on the council who had trusted him and his clan so deeply. He clenched his fist tightly, even though the Uchiha were known for their pride and reluctance to show emotions. Jiraiya could sense the somber expression on Fugaku's face and heard his whispered words, "I will protect the village and your legacy, even if it costs me my life, old friend."
—
While this was happening, the mercenaries retreated upon seeing the Hokage Tower engulfed in flames, interpreting it as a signal to withdraw. The original group of 600 had been significantly reduced to around 250, including the wounded and some on the brink of death, but they were rescued by their comrades.
Upon reaching the open plain, they saw the masked man waiting for them in the middle of it, his eye forming a spiral. They all ran towards him and entered the spiral. However, upon exiting, they realized they hadn't returned to their camp but found themselves in a forest crossed by a mighty river.
"This place..." said the rogue Leaf ninja, looking around.
"What's happening?" asked Kenji. "Do you know this place?"
The rogue didn't say anything; he simply drew his kunai and shouted as loudly as he could, "Defend yourselves!" But before anyone could even draw their weapons, several kunai struck the rogue Leaf ninja, causing him to fall instantly.
Kenji turned around and saw that all his comrades, including his brother, had been killed behind him. His kunai slipped from his hands, and in the next moment, a Root ANBU slit his throat. His body fell into the river alongside the others, dyeing the water a crimson red.
At that moment, Danzo emerged from the darkness of the forest. Behind him were two trees with intertwined branches, creating a sort of entrance, and upon the branches were hundreds of members of Root.
"Inform them that we have found their escape route and that they have been neutralized," said Danzo.
Immediately, two Root ANBU appeared, kneeling before him. They nodded and withdrew.