Naruto: Starting from the time when the Six Paths of Pain was Kira Yoshikage

Chapter 95 Nine-Tails X Unleashed X Passing Uzumaki Clan! (Three-in-one chapter, 6K words)

A very well-hidden base on the outskirts of Konoha.

Outside the heavily guarded special ward, the young Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, paced back and forth anxiously. His brows were furrowed, and his usually gentle smile was now filled with worry. His hands unconsciously clenched and unclenched.

His gaze was drawn to the operating room door every few seconds as if by a magnet, as if he could see through the door and into Kushina's labor.

The aura of the "Yellow Flash," who once turned the tide of battle and slaughtered the Iwa ninja, was completely gone. At this moment, he was just an ordinary husband worried about his wife's safety, and every faint sound made his heart clench.

With each passing second, his anxiety grew. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the sounds coming from the operating room gradually faded away.

Minato Namikaze's heart was in his throat at this moment; he had even decided whether to save the mother or the child...

Just then, the operating room door opened, and the doctor's tired but smiling voice came through: "Everything went smoothly, mother and child are safe... Please go in and see them."

Taji, a Jonin from the medical team, was primarily responsible for the surgery during this delivery. Accompanying him was Biwako Sarutobi, the wife of the Third Hokage, who was also responsible for the delivery, but she was currently in the ward taking care of the newborn Naruto.

These words were like heavenly music. Almost the instant he received permission from Taniguchi Shinobu, Minato took off running and rushed into the ward.

The ward was dimly lit, filled with a faint smell of blood and the scent of new life. Minato's gaze, without hesitation, bypassed the newborn Naruto and strode to Kushina, who lay weakly on the bed. He carefully reached out and gently took his wife's slightly cold hand in his.

Then, he bent down, gazing at Kushina with utmost tenderness, his voice as soft as a feather: "Thank you..."

The child was just an accident; my wife is my true love.

This statement is perfectly embodied in Minato.

"Watergate..."

Kushina was nearly exhausted from childbirth; her face was as pale as paper, and she barely had the strength to speak. But the moment she heard Minato's words, she seemed to be infused with a magical power. Her pale lips slowly regained some color, and her eyes began to sparkle again.

The two gazed at each other quietly for a short while, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the two of them.

After a while, Minato reluctantly stood up, his gaze falling on the Bagua seal on Kushina's abdomen, his expression turning serious: "Although giving birth was very difficult, I have to keep Kurama in line."

As he spoke, Minato gently placed his hand on the Bagua seal on Kushina's abdomen, preparing to reinforce it. The Jinchuriki is at her weakest during childbirth, which is also when the seal is at its weakest.

But just as his chakra began to circulate, he suddenly sensed an extremely unfamiliar and highly aggressive chakra in the ward.

Minato's alarm bells rang loudly. He looked up abruptly and heard two muffled thuds. Biwako and Tajiri, the ninja, were already lying in pools of blood, their bodies not even twitching. They were clearly killed instantly.

In the originally secluded special ward, there was an extra person at some point. The person was wearing a black cloak and a tiger-striped mask, revealing only one cold and eerie eye, and exuding a chilling aura.

Although neither Tajiri nor Biwako were Jonin skilled in combat, the fact that they could instantly kill two Jonin-level ninjas without even issuing a warning shows that the newcomer was extremely strong.

"Fourth Hokage, I think you should leave the Jinchuriki's side."

A deep, distinctive voice emanated from behind the mask. The voice had been specially processed, and even Minato Namikaze, who had once been the team's instructor, could not identify the person.

As Obito spoke, he pointed his hand at Naruto, who was in his arms, and the threat in his words and actions was self-evident.

"Otherwise, this child will only have one minute to live."

That being said, Obito gave Minato no time to think or react. He suddenly tossed Naruto high into the air, and at the same time, the kunai in his hand flashed coldly as he thrust it towards Naruto in mid-air. This series of movements was as fast as lightning, completed almost in an instant.

At the critical moment, Minato unleashed his full chakra power, instantly activating the Flying Thunder God Technique. A flash of yellow light appeared, and Minato, as if teleporting, swiftly and safely carried Naruto away before Obito could react.

However, what Minato didn't know was that all of this was done intentionally by Obito.

Naruto's small body was covered with explosive tags.

Obito showed no hesitation or mercy towards his former teacher, his teacher's wife, and even their children.

Fortunately, the nickname "Yellow Flash" was well-deserved. Just before the explosive tag was about to detonate, Minato, relying on his keen intuition honed through years of combat, instantly sensed something was wrong. Without hesitation, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again, his figure vanishing like a ghost and relocating to another open area in Konoha Village.

As soon as he landed, he swiftly tore off the explosive tags from Naruto's body with lightning speed, his movements fluid and decisive.

The crisis that was affecting Naruto has been resolved.

In terms of reaction speed, Minato Namikaze is undoubtedly the best in the ninja world.

Although he saved Naruto, Minato was still slightly affected by the explosion of the explosive tags, but this did not affect his overall strength. At the same time, he realized: "It's a diversionary tactic..."

"That guy's target is Kushina."

"Or rather, the Nine-Tails within Kushina!!!"

Although Minato was young, he was very intelligent; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to stand out from the crowd of ninjas and become the Fourth Hokage. In just a few rounds of fighting, he had already figured out Obito's intentions.

The amazing thing about the Flying Thunder God Technique is that... as long as a mark is made and as long as Minato Namikaze has enough chakra, he can arrive instantly no matter where he is.

On the other side, Obito was also clearly aware of his teacher's signature technique, so he didn't waste any time. The moment Minato was tricked into leaving, he immediately activated his Sharingan.

Inside the sealed space, Kurama stared blankly at the newcomer, at the exposed Sharingan, and felt the unique, cold chakra of the Sharingan. A familiar feeling surged into its heart, as if a key had opened the floodgates of memory, causing it to recall some unpleasant memories.

"You...you...are!"

Actually, Kurama (the Nine-Tails) didn't plan to cause trouble while Kushina was giving birth. His relationship with Kushina wasn't particularly good, but it wasn't exactly a blood feud either...

But some things are beyond his control.

Before Kurama could finish speaking, his beast-like vertical pupils instantly transformed into Sharingan eyes, with three jet-black tomoe slowly rotating within them. With Obito's Mangekyou Sharingan, even projecting just three tomoe was enough to control Kurama; a Sharingan with high ocular power grants absolute control over tailed beasts.

Obito's plan this time was very simple: first, to release the Nine-Tails and let this ferocious beast completely destroy Konoha Village, venting his hatred for his teacher, Konoha, and the world; second, to frame the Uchiha clan, so that the conflict between the village and the Uchiha would be completely intensified, preferably to the point of a life-or-death struggle.

He loathed Konoha, and he loathed the Uchiha clan as well.

Obito was happy to see the two sides fighting to the death... He didn't care how many people died.

In any case, as long as the Eye of the Moon project succeeds, everyone can obtain their own happiness.

The poor Nine-Tails, as the leader of the nine tailed beasts, possessed chakra reserves and strength second only to the Ten-Tails. Yet, it was utterly powerless against Obito's Sharingan. In a single exchange, it was completely controlled, its consciousness forcibly suppressed, leaving only the instinct for destruction within its body.

"Come forth, Nine-Tails!"

Obito growled in a low voice, as if he were summoning someone in some kind of sacrificial ritual.

Amidst Kushina's heart-wrenching screams, a vast and malevolent orange-red chakra surged forth from her abdomen like a burst dam, each drop of chakra seemingly draining her life force. The chakra churned and coalesced in the air, instantly transforming into a gigantic phantom.

A fox, a huge fox.

The Nine-Tails' enormous body gradually solidified, and the terrifying chakra emanating from it caused the heavens and earth to change color. The wind howled and the clouds surged, as if the entire world was trembling under the threat of this power.

Even Obito, at this moment, couldn't help but sigh after feeling the Nine-Tails' chakra, which was on par with the world's destruction level.

"What a terrifying guy..."

But Obito was very satisfied with this power.

"Nine-Tails, let's destroy Konoha together!"

He suddenly raised his hand, the crimson light of his Sharingan intertwining with the red light of the Nine-Tails' chakra, as if issuing an order that could not be disobeyed.

"roar!!!"

The only response he received was the Nine-Tails' ferocious, beast-like roar. The sound shook the earth, but Obito's smile deepened.

Teacher, faced with such a ferocious beast, what will you choose? What will Konoha choose? I'm so looking forward to it!

Thinking of this, Obito couldn't help but let out a series of low laughs. Without hesitation, he controlled the Nine-Tails and turned to speed towards Konoha.

Throughout the entire process, he didn't even glance at Kushina lying on the ground, the former teacher's wife who had cared for him the most. In his eyes, she was no different from a passerby or an ant on the roadside.

Obito's transformation to the point of disowning even his own family is truly unique.

Ordinary Jinchuriki would die instantly upon the moment the Tailed Beast leaves their body, as their life force would be drained. However, Kushina, as a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, possessed a vast amount of chakra by nature, which prevented her from dying immediately... Nevertheless, with a large amount of life force drained, her death was only a matter of time given her weakened state.

"Minato, Naruto... I'm sorry..."

Kushina lay on the cold ground, her vision blurring, her consciousness fading away. With her last ounce of strength, she raised her hand, trying to touch the sky, as if she could feel her husband's warm hand and her child's soft cheek.

I'm afraid I won't be able to stay by your side anymore... I won't be able to watch Naruto grow up, and I won't be able to grow old with you...

She had so much to say to Minato, and so many things to tell Naruto.

Unfortunately... it's too late...

Just as her eyelids grew heavy and were about to close, a split second before her consciousness was about to plunge into darkness, she suddenly felt herself being lifted up by a pair of strong arms. Immediately afterward, an unimaginable surge of immense chakra, like a warm current, flowed continuously into her body.

With the infusion of a large amount of chakra, Kushina's body, which had been gradually cooling down, slowly regained a bit of warmth, and her stiff fingers were able to move slightly. She struggled to lift her heavy eyelids, wanting to see if Minato had arrived.

However, what came into view was not Minato's familiar golden hair, but a bright red, the same bright red hair color belonging to the Uzumaki clan as her.

The person embracing her was not Minato as expected, but a completely unfamiliar man.

"Who...who are you?"

Kushina's voice was as weak as a mosquito's buzz, each word consuming her last remaining strength. She was absolutely certain that this face, this figure, had never appeared in her memory before.

"Like you, a member of the Uzumaki clan."

Nagato's voice was calm and even, as if he were simply stating a trivial matter, as he continued to channel chakra into Kushina's body.

Upon hearing Nagato's self-identification, Kushina's body stiffened abruptly, and she fell into a daze. It wasn't because she was physically weak, but because the term "Uzumaki Clan" was very distant and unfamiliar to her. It was so distant that the last time she heard it was when she was very young, and so unfamiliar that she had never heard it again since then.

"Um?"

Nagato, who had been focused on channeling chakra, frowned slightly, as if he had sensed something unusual. His right hand suddenly rose without warning; the movement was less of a reach and more of a "block," as if an invisible attack was silently approaching from somewhere he sensed.

Almost at the same instant Nagato raised his hand, a dazzling and familiar golden light appeared in his field of vision.

Minato Namikaze!

The youngest Fourth Hokage of Konoha launched an attack on Nagato the moment he appeared. His figure appeared beside Nagato like a ghost, and a blue-white energy ball had already condensed in his palm.

Rasengan.

However, what is puzzling is that Minato's seemingly inevitable attack landed precisely where Nagato raised his hand to block.

It was as if Nagato had foreseen the future and anticipated Minato's attack trajectory.

As expected, the Rasengan was blocked and crashed heavily into Nagato's palm, shrinking rapidly until it disappeared completely.

Minato's face showed disbelief as he stared blankly at Nagato, clearly still reeling from this incredible situation. Kushina, who had just recovered some of her strength from the chakra injection, now stared wide-eyed, her face filled with shock.

It's worth noting that Minato, with his combination of the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Rasengan, was always invincible on the battlefield, and countless powerful enemies had fallen victim to his unexpected attacks. But now, his prized sneak attack was blocked by Nagato.

Moreover, it was resolved in such an unbelievable way.

"Calm down, Fourth Hokage."

Nagato slowly lowered his hand, looking calmly at Minato, his tone still indifferent: "I am not your enemy."

A moment later.

After hearing Nagato's brief explanation, Minato Namikaze couldn't hide his surprise.

"I didn't expect there would still be survivors from the Uzumaki clan."

As he spoke, he casually glanced at Kushina beside him. Kushina understood immediately and, almost at the same moment, glanced back at him as if nothing had happened. Their eyes met briefly in the air before quickly looking away.

This is a tacit understanding unique to them as a couple.

As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina has an exceptionally strong sense of malice; she can detect even the slightest bit of malice. Although the Nine-Tails has been extracted, its power remains.

Minato asked Kushina to sense Nagato's malice, and Kushina then told Minato what she had sensed.

The answer is zero.

This shows that Nagato harbored no ill will towards the two of them whatsoever.

Nagato's iconic red hair and an absurdly large amount of chakra were indeed the hallmarks of the Uzumaki clan. Most importantly, he saved Kushina's life, which made Minato lower his guard against Nagato.

Although this person's appearance was coincidental, they should have no connection to the masked man.

Minato pondered to himself, and although he still maintained basic vigilance, his attitude had clearly softened considerably.

If Minato had encountered Nagato at any other time, he might not have even been wary of him, and might even have taken the initiative to befriend him because he was of the same clan as Kushina.

"May I ask how I should address you?"

Shuimen bowed slightly forward, his tone becoming more polite.

He could still clearly sense the chilling malice emanating from the masked man—a cold hatred that seemed to want to tear him and his wife to pieces. Minato didn't understand why the other man hated him so much.

The timing of Nagato's appearance was too sensitive, almost appearing around the same time as the masked man, making it hard not to associate the two with each other's identities.

Although the two are indeed related.

Nagato may want to kill some people in Konoha, but he really has no ill intentions towards Kushina and Minato, and he even plans to get something from them.

"Nagato..."

Nagato uttered his name calmly, then cut to the chase with an impatient tone: "Fourth Hokage, I don't want to waste words with you. I'm here for only one purpose: to take away the property that your Konoha took from the Land of Whirlpools a long time ago... those sealing techniques."

Sealing techniques are the most powerful and essential element for the Uzumaki clan, besides their naturally enormous chakra reserves. It is said that the reason why the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed was largely because other ninja villages coveted their powerful sealing techniques.

Nagato's words were so straightforward that Minato was momentarily stunned, but the current situation did not allow him to ponder them carefully.

"roar!!!"

A deafening roar suddenly came from afar, interrupting Minato's thoughts.

It's the Nine-Tails! Minato was all too familiar with that violent chakra fluctuation; clearly, the Nine-Tails had broken through the barriers and entered the territory of Konoha Village.

The village is in a very critical situation!

"Fourth generation, you must be very busy right now, so I won't bother you any longer."

Nagato looked up in the direction of Konoha Village, his eyes calm and expressionless: "I have no interest in Konoha, nor do I want to have anything to do with it. Just tell me where the things are... and I'll go get them myself."

His words made no attempt to hide his dislike for Konoha.

As Nagato himself said... he didn't want to get too involved with Konoha or certain people in Konoha.

If I disguise myself and infiltrate Konoha beforehand, using my identity as a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, I'm sure I can gain the trust of Kushina and Minato...

But he didn't want to do that...

Simply standing on the land of Konoha made him feel physically disgusted.

Therefore, he preferred to appear at this time and to ask questions in such a coercive manner.

Nagato's gaze then shifted to Kushina, his tone softening slightly: "As for you... I didn't intentionally save you. I just saw a clansman on the verge of death and helped her. After all, the once mighty clan of the ninja world, capable of establishing a nation, is now reduced to a few scattered members barely surviving. Every death is one less to save."

Nagato's tone carried a hint of regret.

In fact, Nagato didn't need to go through all that trouble. He had a more direct, simpler, and more brutal method: using the power of the Human Path to extract Kushina's soul and read the information he wanted to know.

Finally, Nagato focused his light back on Minato, adding, "In the end... although I injected a large amount of chakra into her, the only solution is to reseal that big thing back into her body. It will take about an hour, so..."

"What you're looking for is... its location is..."

Almost the instant Nagato finished speaking, Minato revealed the exact location of the sealing technique without the slightest hesitation.

These sealing techniques were originally the property of the Uzumaki clan, and Kushina, as the only remaining legitimate heir of the Uzumaki clan, naturally had the right to inherit these secret techniques. Even the sealing techniques that Minato himself mastered were learned from Kushina.

Despite having many questions about Nagato, Minato's life was hanging by a thread, leaving him no room for hesitation. Just as Nagato had said, the most urgent task was to reseal the Nine-Tails back into Kushina's body; every moment of delay increased the danger for her.

Moreover, these sealing techniques are not considered core secrets in Konoha. Years ago, Konoha had already copied and backed up these techniques for qualified ninjas to study. Even if Nagato took the original versions, Konoha still had backups available, so it wouldn't significantly impact the village's transmission of sealing techniques.

Most importantly, Minato was deeply wary of the strange abilities Nagato had just displayed. He wasn't sure if the ability to predict the Flying Thunder God Technique was a coincidence or something else entirely.

In short, at this critical juncture when the Nine-Tails is wreaking havoc, Minato really doesn't want to create another formidable enemy like Nagato.

After weighing the pros and cons, revealing the location of the sealing technique is undoubtedly the safest option at present.

Having received the answer he wanted, Nagato said nothing more, only nodded slightly, then turned and swiftly disappeared into the depths of the forest. Minato, on the other hand, immediately picked up Kushina, activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, and vanished from the spot.