(3rd Person PoV)
As the dust settled, the intruder leaped onto a nearby boulder, clutching his left shoulder as his arm slowly melted away—disintegrating like hardened mud dissolving upon contact with water. His breaths were ragged, his body trembling from exhaustion."Huff... huff... you got me, huh?" he muttered, his voice weary yet laced with grudging respect. "You really are a slippery one."
He exhaled sharply before admitting, "I should never have let my guard down around you."
No sooner had those words left his lips than a powerful punch sent him reeling. His mind barely had time to process the impact, his body flung backward with violent force. There had been no warning—no chakra fluctuations, no sound. One moment, he was speaking; the next, Minato had bypassed his defenses entirely.
"Flying Raijin Jutsu!" the intruder gasped, pain rippling through his voice. And then, realization dawned.
'So that's it... He must have marked me somewhere… Haah!'
A sudden sensation on his chest made his eyes widen. A seal had appeared where Minato had placed his hand. Recognition struck him like a thunderclap.
'A contract seal?'
The truth settled in an instant.
'He intends to sever my influence over the Nine-Tails?'
Minato's voice rang clear and resolute. "With this, the Nine-Tails no longer belongs to you."
On the Battlefield
The Nine-Tails let out a deafening roar, its voice shaking the heavens. Its crimson Sharingan eyes flickered—then reverted to their original slitted red form. The beast was free.
And with that freedom came rage.
Years of imprisonment, humiliation, and servitude at the hands of humans erupted in a violent frenzy. With a furious snarl, the Nine-Tails began its rampage, leveling buildings, crushing anything and anyone in its path.
Amidst the chaos, a woman emerged from the debris, shielding a small boy with her body.
"Iruka! Are you alright?" she called out, concern lacing her voice.
Time Skip – Minato's Final Stand
In a flash, Minato teleported away from the battlefield, bringing Kushina and Naruto with him. The three reappeared outside a secluded cottage, away from the collapsing ruins.
Minato panted heavily. "I need to erect a barrier now… I don't have much chakra left."
"I can still do it… Minato!" Kushina affirmed, her voice strained but resolute. Summoning her remaining strength, five golden ethereal chains emerged from her back, stretching out and binding the Nine-Tails. At the same time, a massive dome-shaped barrier formed around them, sealing the beast within.
The Nine-Tails growled in fury, thrashing against its restraints, but Kushina's hold was unwavering.
Then—
"Cough—hah, cough, cough—"
Minato's heart clenched as Kushina coughed violently, crimson staining her lips.
"Kushina!"
Naruto, still cradled in his arms, stirred and let out a wail at the distress in his father's voice.
"Oh, did I wake you up?" Kushina asked weakly, managing a soft, bittersweet smile. "Sorry, Naruto…"
Minato looked up at her, sensing something amiss. Her tone… her expression…
"Kushina!"
She met his gaze, and in that moment, he understood.
"I'm going to take the Nine-Tails with me… to my death," she declared, determination shining through her exhaustion. "This way, we can extend the time before it reemerges. It's the best I can do with what little chakra I have left. And… I'll be able to save you both."
She smiled again—gentle, yet unbearably heavy with the weight of her decision. "Thank you… for everything you've done for me."
Minato's Perspective
That smile shattered me.
It was the kind of pain I never wanted to experience again—suffocating, heavy, unbearable.
Kushina… You were the one who made me the Fourth Hokage. You made me a man. You made me this baby's father.
And yet…
Tears blurred my vision. I felt pathetic, helpless. I knew my face must look unsightly, but I didn't care. In this moment, I wasn't the Hokage. I wasn't a genius or an unshakable warrior. I was just a man—one who was losing his family.
"Oh, Minato… please don't give me that look," Kushina chided softly, her eyes filled with understanding.
"I am happy that you loved me… And today is our child's birthday. If I imagine the future we could've had together—the three of us as a family—I can only see happiness…"
Her words struck deep, and the helplessness clawed at my chest.
Tears streamed down my face. I hated this. I hated it more than anything.
Then, her voice wavered. "If I had one regret… it would be that I won't be able to watch Naruto grow up. Oh… how I wish I could have seen that."
I clenched my fists. "Kushina… there's no need for you to die with the Nine-Tails."
She blinked in surprise as I met her gaze with a newfound resolve. "Preserve what little chakra you have left—for a reunion with Naruto."
At that moment, something shifted. A flood of fragmented memories—visions not of this world—rushed through my mind.
They were disjointed, chaotic. And yet, the more I pieced them together, the more my heart pounded in horror.
Memories of a different world.
A world where our land, our struggles—our very existence—was nothing more than a story. Fiction, crafted to entertain.
At first, the thought filled me with anger. But what truly broke me… was Naruto.
I saw glimpses of the hardships he would endure, the loneliness he would face, the pain of growing up without parents. It shattered me. But amidst the suffering, I also saw the bonds he would form, the people who would care for him, the strength he would forge through adversity.
He was just like Kushina.
My heart swelled with love and sorrow. If I couldn't be there for him, then at least… at least I would leave him something.
Because Naruto Uzumaki… my son… would not walk this path alone.