"Stop right there!" Minato hissed and screamed, disappearing into a flash of light as he rushed forward. The thought of his newborn child dying before him was unbearable—he would never allow such an accident to occur.
In the next instant, Minato appeared in another corner of the wooden house, clutching Naruto tightly in his arms. At the same time, Obito materialized beside Kushina.
Kurenai and Shizune, standing behind Tsunade, were shocked. "What's happening? How did that guy get close to Lady Kushina?" Kurenai exclaimed. "Could he have the same speed as Namikaze-san?!"
Tsunade glared at the strange man in black and whispered, "Just now, he seemed to pass through my hand and grab the child directly. It's just as strange."
"Humph!" Obito sneered coldly, his right eye glowing with ominous power as he distorted the surrounding space. In an instant, Kushina vanished from sight in a vortex.
Minato's eyes widened in shock and fury. "Time and Space Ninjutsu?!" he exclaimed, his voice a mix of disbelief and anger. "You bastard, where are you taking my wife?! you won't escape this time!"
Tsunade roared and swung an iron fist, aiming to smash the mask off Obito's face. Obito's left eye whirled, and Tsunade's body began to distort in a way she had never experienced before.
"This is—" Tsunade, despite her extensive battle experience, realized something was wrong. Her attempts to move were futile as her body was immobilized in an unnervingly compact space.
"Flying Thunder God!" Minato called out, holding Naruto in his left hand while throwing another Flying Thunder God Kunai with his right. In an instant, he teleported to Tsunade's side.
Using the Flying Thunder God technique twice, he swiftly moved himself and Tsunade out of Kamui's attack range. The only way to counter space-time ninjutsu was with another space-time ninjutsu!
However, just as Minato successfully rescued Tsunade, he realized that both the attacker and Kushina were nowhere to be seen.
"Where did he go!" Minato's mood changed drastically.
Tsunade, making a swift decision, kicked open the door of the wooden house and waved her hand, giving a commanding order, "Kushina has been taken by an unknown assailant. Search the entire village!"
At her words, the expressions of Sakumo, Shishui, and Anbu, who had been waiting outside, changed drastically. How had someone attacked and kidnapped Kushina under their watch? They had been there the whole time and hadn't seen anyone enter!
Seeing Tsunade's stern expression and Minato's anxiety, everyone understood the gravity of the situation. This was no drill. They immediately dispersed to search the entire village.
...
...
Right at the center of the unsealing formation developed by Uchiha Madara, Kushina, pale and in pain, stared at the mysterious man before her and asked with difficulty, "What do you want to do?!"
"Destroy... this rotten village!" Obito's voice, aided by Tobi, matched Madara's in its ominous tone.
"What—" Kushina began to panic, but before she could finish her words, Obito pressed his palm against her abdomen.
"Sealing Jutsu: Release!"
"Summoning Jutsu! Come forth, Nine-Tails!"
Roar!!!
The crimson chakra enveloping Kushina's body surged violently, morphing into the ferocious silhouette of the Nine-Tails. The beast's roar echoed like a primal thunderclap, its chakra overwhelming and menacing. As the beast's form tore free from her, the sensation of her body being violently ripped apart was excruciating—more painful than death itself. Despite her formidable strength, the agony was unbearable, compounded by the fact that she had just given birth.
In the next moment, the Nine-Tails emerged anew, its sanity seemingly lost. Instinctively, it looked at the Jinchūriki who had bound it for decades and raised a massive paw, ready to strike her down.
...
...
At the same time, in the Sarutobi clan's area of Konoha Village, Orochimaru found himself facing Kage-level Sarutobi Hiruzen and hundreds of Sarutobi and Shimura ninjas. Despite his abilities, Orochimaru quickly began to show signs of defeat.
"What's happening? Where the hell is Tatsuya? Why hasn't he come to reinforce me yet!?" Orochimaru muttered, his voice laced with frustration and anxiety. His eyes darted around as he summoned the Triple Rashomon, creating a defensive triangle to fend off the relentless assault.
The original plan was for Orochimaru to engage Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Sarutobi and Shimura clans' shinobi, with Tatsuya arriving to secretly assist and wipe out both clans. The blame would then be placed on Orochimaru. However, Tatsuya had yet to appear.
A hot, malevolent Chakra filled the air, causing everyone's expressions to change suddenly. Under the full moon, the roars and howls of the Nine-Tails reverberated, making it seem as though the moon itself would be swallowed by the beast's rage.
"Nine Tails!?" Even Orochimaru was taken aback. Though he knew that the birth of a Jinchūriki's child was the easiest time for the tailed beast to break free, he had not expected the Nine-Tails to break its seal, especially with so many powerful ninjas like Tsunade present.
"Is Tatsuya entangled by the Nine Tails?" Orochimaru frowned, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Fire Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
Suddenly, a rock dragon surged through the upper part of the Rashomon gates, barreling towards Orochimaru. With a swift sidestep, Orochimaru narrowly evaded the attack, quickly merging into the earth with a sneer.
"The plan has been thwarted!" Orochimaru taunted. "Sarutobi-sensei, it seems the luck isn't on my side tonight. But don't think this is the end. The next time we meet, I'll be sure to kill you with the help of your son's body. Until then, I'll make sure to take care of this container." His eyes darkened as he added, "It seems Konoha won the Third Shinobi War too easily. I was not the only one seeking revenge."
With so many ninjas from the Sarutobi and Shimura clans and no sign of reinforcement from Tatsuya, Orochimaru knew it was futile to attempt an assassination against Sarutobi Hiruzen. He had already told the old man what he intended to do, and the rest could wait for another opportunity.
"Do you think you can escape, Orochimaru?!" Sarutobi Hiruzen roared, his voice filled with fury. On learning about the death of his son, Asuma, his initial desire to rescue his youngest son transformed into a burning hatred for Orochimaru. He was determined to avenge his son's death and end this traitorous student once and for all.
"Hehe, now isn't the time for our final confrontation," Orochimaru said with a sadistic grin. "Don't worry, sensei. As you age and weaken, I'll be ready. Next time, I'll make sure to end you. There will be many opportunities to savor your demise in the future."
Orochimaru spread his arms with a sinister smile, and then his body began to dissolve, melting into the earth.
"You will not have that chance!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted, forming a hand seal. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Fireball!"
A roaring dragon head emerged from his mouth, enveloping Orochimaru in flames. The intense fire ignited Orochimaru's entire form in an instant.
"Hehe, you are truly getting old. I hope you manage to stay alive until I return," Orochimaru's voice echoed from the opposite direction, causing Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression to shift dramatically.
Turning swiftly, Hiruzen saw that the Orochimaru he had attacked was merely a Shadow Clone, created to distract him. The real Orochimaru had already been prepared to escape when the Nine Tails broke free. The realization hit Sarutobi Hiruzen: Orochimaru had been planning his exit all along.
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