Kushina's words slowly echoed, reaching every ninja's ears clearly. As she spoke, chakra surged throughout her body, and her eyes transformed from the horizontal pupils of a frog to the vertical pupils of a fox.
Simultaneously, an orange-red chakra cloak formed around her, bubbling audibly as if boiling. This was the Tailed Beast Chakra Mode!
Kushina faced challenges during her training on Mount Myoboku, similar to those Naruto encountered during his training.
The issue was the Kyubi inside her; it could not merge with the Sage Chakra, forcing her to cultivate the Sage Mode on her own slowly.
However…
Kushina's personality was stronger than Naruto's! Unrestrained and wilful, just like Minato was solving his physical limits during his training, she spent a lot of time on the Kyubi.
Kushina knew that if she didn't resolve the Kyubi's issue, it would greatly hinder her use of Sage Mode.
This problem had to be addressed sooner or later, so she decided there was no point in delaying. When it was time to act, she acted—this was her most genuine thought at that time!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Kushina's body vibrated continuously, and powerful chakra flowed from within her, forming a chakra cloak around her body. Suddenly, she switched from Sage Mode to Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
During her training on Mount Myoboku, Kushina had deep interactions with the Kyubi. Not only did she resolve issues with the Kyubi, but she also reached an understanding of cooperation under certain conditions.
At this moment…
Kushina's appearance changed significantly. She was enveloped by the Kyubi's chakra, her hair stood up, forming two horn-like shapes, and her collar showed six magatama. The Kyubi's chakra enveloped her completely, turning her body golden. She looked entirely different from before, and the power emanating from her was much stronger. The Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak merged seamlessly with her without the previous sense of separation.
Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!
Kushina had officially entered the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. Considering the timing of Naruto's entry into this mode, although it seems much earlier and more powerful for her, it makes sense because the Uzumaki clan's seal on her was intact, without any need for additional removal. Moreover, the Kyubi was still a full-tailed Beast, not split into Yin and Yang chakras, making her significantly stronger than Naruto was at that time.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
After entering the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, intense chakra continued to surge from Kushina. This massive chakra didn't seem humanly possible; merely standing there, she exerted tremendous pressure on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"This…"
Juzoi gasped in shock, and the gaze of the other six swordsmen fell on Kushina, each filled with deep surprise. They had been hesitant about whether this young girl truly possessed the formidable power Minato claimed as his trump card. But now, witnessing Kushina's current state, they didn't know how to express their feelings.
…
In Konoha.
Aoba and Sakumo returned to the village with their group.
Throughout their journey, Aoba felt Sakumo's gaze on him.
He didn't leave for a very good reason: he sensed Sakumo's hostility or extreme caution. If he had left now, Sakumo would likely have more thoughts, affecting Minato's future actions.
Aoba returned to Konoha with the group to reassure Sakumo along the way.
As the Konoha ninja army returned, they were greeted with thunderous applause. Almost everyone knew they were returning heroes; even the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, personally came to the village gate to welcome them.
This scene gave the Konoha ninjas a complex feeling. On their way, they had just encountered the Root ninjas, and now seeing the smiling face of the Third Hokage made them feel his façade was utterly hypocritical.
The Third Hokage stood in the middle of the road, welcoming them back with a radiant smile as if their victory was thanks to him, especially when they saw him tear up, adding to their psychological dissonance.
How could he deploy Root ninjas to assassinate Minato while standing here welcoming them back as heroes?
Such a feeling was exceedingly strange!
Sakumo's face was grim. If he wasn't mistaken, Minato was already facing threats from all sides. He couldn't believe any story about Root ninjas helping Minato, given the rapid acquisition of such information.
Now, all fingers pointed at the smiling Third Hokage, but they couldn't voice anything because, at this point, they had no evidence. They could only claim to have witnessed such events, but who should be accountable was only up to their judgment.
"Damn it."
The fists of the Konoha ninjas clenched tightly, their bodies trembling slightly. They could feel what was happening here, yet they remained as powerless as when they faced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. But there was a difference.
When facing the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, their sense of powerlessness stemmed from a lack of strength. They couldn't help Minato and only burdened him, crushing their self-confidence to the point where they doubted their worth and resolved to train harder upon returning.
However, facing the Third Hokage's smile now, their sense of powerlessness came from a lack of status.
The Third Hokage was the village's Hokage, the ultimate authority in Konoha. Without Minato's return and evidence against the Third Hokage, it seemed as if all their efforts were in vain, and this type of powerlessness made them feel that the opponent's power was indeed formidable.
They also became acutely aware that even if Minato returned to Konoha, they still couldn't assist him with their capabilities.
This overwhelming sense of powerlessness enveloped them, plunging their spirits into deep despair.
"Hmm?"
The Third Hokage's gaze swept over the Konoha ninjas, finally resting on Sakumo, his heart filled with a giant question mark.
What was wrong with their mood?
They were supposed to be returning heroes worthy of worship by the village. They should be happy, but why did everyone seem angry and sad, as if they had been defeated?
He had correctly judged...
This was exactly how the returning Konoha ninjas felt. They didn't feel successful; they came back, but Minato didn't, marking their return as a defeat.
Of course.
These were just some of the Third Hokage's puzzlements.
What truly astonished the Third Hokage was something he found utterly bizarre: among these returning heroes of Konoha, Minato was missing.
What was going on?
The Third Hokage had prepared his speech to bestow the half-sleeve Hokage robe on Minato as soon as he saw him at the gate to finalize the matter and avoid complications.
But Minato was nowhere to be seen!
This threw his plans into chaos, leaving him somewhat at a loss. If he couldn't present the reward to Minato immediately, any delay might lead to reconsideration and potential interference from other powers, making the task more difficult.
"Where's Minato?"
The Third Hokage could barely contain his inquiry, and although his voice was loud, suggesting he was addressing all the ninjas, it was clear he was asking Sakumo directly.
"Why don't I see him?"
"We achieved victory largely because of him. I need to commend him properly!"
"Where did he go?"
The Third Hokage asked in confusion. He genuinely didn't understand what was happening. Despite any internal conflicts or disputes over the Hokage position with Minato, that didn't stop him from admiring Minato and not wanting him to encounter any trouble, prompting him to inquire immediately.
"…"
Silence fell at the scene. No one responded to the Third Hokage's questions, and their looks towards him grew colder.
Was this man flaunting something?
If the Third Hokage hadn't spoken, they might have silently left to plan their next steps. But seeing his puzzled expression, they felt his hypocrisy even more acutely.
Too fake, just too fake!
Do you really not know anything?
As the Third Hokage of Konoha, are you truly unaware of the Root ninjas' actions?
No one at the scene believed the Third Hokage's expression.
The reason was simple. They had encountered Root ninjas on their way back, and those ninjas were exclusively under Shimura Danzo's command. They wouldn't believe Danzo hadn't informed the Third Hokage beforehand!
This was precisely why Aoba felt confident at that point. If it had only been the Kirigakure ninja attacking them, the incident might not have been traced back to the Third Hokage. They would have felt that the attack on their way was a disaster and then seen the Third Hokage's warm smile as a comforting presence.
But now, things were different.
Seeing the Root ninjas made them believe even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were sent by the Third Hokage.
Hypocrisy.
Sheer, utter hypocrisy.
This man had mastered the art of changing face to perfection.
Sakumo's expression was dark, but faced with the Third Hokage's questions, he reluctantly spoke in a tone as neutral as possible, "Minato was attacked."
"What?!"
The Third Hokage's smile froze instantly, and his eyes widened in shock at the most surprising news he had heard today.
"What exactly happened?"
The Third Hokage asked with concern. While there were indeed some frictions and conflicts with Minato over the Hokage position, that didn't diminish his admiration for Minato or his wish to avoid any problems for him, prompting his immediate question again.
"…"
The Konoha ninjas at the scene were once again speechless. They saw even clearer through the Third Hokage's hypocrisy.
…
At this moment.
Aoba, standing at the back of the crowd, smirked slightly, pleased with the unfolding events.
"It's actually the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!"
Aoba had been monitoring Minato and Kushina through his chakra perception, keeping tabs on their whereabouts and situations right up until he felt intense Kyubi's chakra burst from Kushina. It felt as if the Kyubi were about to break its seal, yet this chakra was meticulously controlled within Kushina's body.
Meaning that Kushina had officially entered the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
"Interesting…"
Aoba had sensed that Kushina might achieve a significant breakthrough at Mount Myoboku, but the reality of the event still amazed him. The trajectories of everything in the ninja world had changed.
Now, as the Third Hokage questioned, Aoba felt the intense Kyubi's chakra from Kushina, not just a sign of her breaking through but a testament to a power that could shift the world balance.