"You..."
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Tsuchigusa Norihito's face.
Fear. A primal, unshakable fear gripped his heart, a sensation he hadn't felt since childhood.
Was his body instinctively recognizing the overwhelming strength of this boy?
Rage and terror collided within him as he roared, swinging his blunt blade wildly in a last-ditch attempt to maintain control.
Hayato's expression was ice-cold, his gaze unwavering. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished.
"Where did he go?"
Before Norihito could comprehend what had happened, his weapon slipped from his grasp, clattering heavily to the ground.
"Was that... the Lightning Release: Lariat?"
Ay's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Norihito's neatly severed arm.
"Did he just copy my technique?"
Norihito screamed in agony, but before his voice could fully escape, a hand like an iron vice clamped around his throat. Hayato hurled him into Harusame, the two tumbling together in a heap.
Hayato stood motionless, his heart devoid of emotion. He didn't regret coming to aid Uzushiogakure—this was his decision, and fulfilling Kushina's wish.
What he did regret, however, was misjudging the enemy's strength and dragging Kushina into this mess.
There was no point in blaming Konoha's slow reinforcements now.
All he could do was focus on getting stronger. Protecting others would come only after he reached the peak of his power.
"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"
"Now, Thunderbolt!"
Two enemy ninja were struck down, their bodies convulsing as high-voltage currents coursed through them.
Nearby, Kushina carefully applied medicine to Asako's wounds. Though still unconscious, her condition was stable and would recover in time.
Ay and B exchanged a brief, uneasy glance. The cold, unrelenting bloodlust radiating from Hayato was a clear warning: the situation had turned against them.
"Think you can just leave?"
Hayato's voice was a sharp dagger, cutting through their thoughts.
He recalled Kushina's lessons on sealing techniques. If B was destined to fall victim to the Eight-Tails' rampage someday, why not use him now as a stepping stone for his own growth?
In a flash of lightning-infused speed, Hayato appeared before B, his hand pressing against the jinchūriki's chest. Their consciousnesses intertwined within the Iron Armor Seal.
A deep, ominous chakra stirred within the seal.
"This aura..." Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, rumbled in surprise. "This boy... interesting."
Even the Eight-Tails, who had seen countless powerful shinobi, felt a strange tension in the air. Before it could even react, its connection to Blue B was severed.
"Die."
Adamantine Sealing—Release!
A surge of power exploded outward. Blood trickled from the corners of Hayato's eyes as he pushed his Sharingan to its limit, successfully forcing Gyūki into an uncontrollable rampage.
B's lifeless body crumpled as Ay's anguished cry echoed across the battlefield.
"B!"
Grief was a luxury Ay couldn't afford; he dodged Gyūki's sudden strike with practiced precision. His sole focus now was survival.
The Eight-Tails unleashed a devastating roar, its massive tentacles obliterating everything in their path.
Norihito and the remaining Kumogakure forces fell into disarray.
"The Eight-Tails... it's been unsealed?"
Tsuchigusa Norihito's face turned pale.
Meanwhile, Ay raced toward the spiraling orb of energy forming in Gyūki's mouth—a Tailed Beast Bomb aimed directly at Uzushiogakure's barrier.
"Move!"
The bomb struck the barrier with cataclysmic force, shattering it completely. The Uzumaki clan members maintaining the seal were thrown to the ground, coughing up blood.
"This is bad," Hayato muttered. The barrier was down, leaving the village vulnerable.
He attempted to stand, but dizziness overtook him—his overused Sharingan had drained him beyond his limits.
A firm hand steadied him, keeping him from collapsing.
"Young people these days are incredible, but some things are still best left to adults."
Hayato turned to see a white-haired Konoha ninja smiling warmly at him.
"Konoha... you've finally arrived?"
Relief washed over him as his legs gave out, and darkness claimed him.
The voices around him blurred.
"Hayato!"
"Kid!"
...
"Summoning Jutsu!"
"Jiraiya, where the hell are we now?"
Gamabunta, the enormous toad, exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe, his gaze landing on the rampaging Eight-Tails. "This looks troublesome!"
"It's Uzushiogakure," Jiraiya replied, surveying the battlefield. "One of my promising students caused this mess. As his sensei, I suppose it's my duty to clean up after him."
Hayato awoke in a small tent. Nonō Yakushi sat beside him, her face etched with worry. A Chansey bustled nearby, dressed in a nurse's uniform.
"You're awake," Nonō said with a smile. "You need rest. The injured from Uzushiogakure are all here. Minato and the others are evacuating civilians to safety."
She glanced outside. "Kumogakure and Kirigakure have retreated, and White Fang is handling the Eight-Tails."
Hayato sat up, his mind racing. His task was incomplete.
"And Kushina? Asako?"
Nonō's smile faltered. "Kushina was tending to you and Asako, but I sent her to rest. She's injured too."
Her expression turned stern as she blocked the tent's exit. "You need to recover before doing anything else."
Hayato nodded. "I see."
Then, without hesitation, he stood.
"Wait!"
Nonō stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Though much shorter than him, her determination didn't waver.
"You're still injured. You should rest."
Her eyes held nothing but concern.
Hayato sighed. She won't back down recognizing her determination. "Thank you, Nonō."
He knocked her out with a gentle chop to the neck and slipped outside.
"This is my responsibility," he thought, racing toward the Eight-Tails.
This started because of me.
I'll be the one to finish it.
-----------
His status screen flashed—"Blaze" shimmering in radiant gold.
"Hayato, what are you doing here?"
Tsunade frowned as she applied medical ninjutsu nearby.
"You should be resting with the injured."
He ignored her. "White Fang-sama, I request to join the battle. Let's end this."
Sakumo Hatake dodged a massive tentacle and carved a deep wound into Gyūki. He looked at Hayato, his brow furrowed.
"Can you handle it?"
Hayato nodded. Monferno emerged by his side, flames crackling around it.
"Everyone, step back," he warned.
Hayato's Sharingan gleamed as he met Blaze's gaze. "You with me Blaze."
Monferno hesitated, then submitted as the tomoe in Hayato's eyes spun.
"Flamethrower," Hayato murmured.
Blistering heat radiated from Blaze's maw as it unleashed a torrent of flame. The fire merged with a sudden gust, forming a swirling blue-white inferno.
"Sage Art: Flame Tempest!"