At this moment, Minato paused. That guy actually had accomplices?! Minato hesitated, looking at the Nine-Tails in the distance who was about to fire a Tailed Beast Bomb, then back at Kushina and baby Naruto. What should he do?
Kushina followed Natsuro's gaze and also spotted Minato standing on the Hokage Rock. Her eyes widened in surprise, and joy appeared on her face.
However, Kushina seemed to notice Minato's hesitation too. Though they were far apart and sound couldn't carry over, Kushina pointed at the Nine-Tails, then at Natsuro, and shook her hand.
Minato quickly understood the gesture. Kushina was telling him to prioritize dealing with the Nine-Tails and that the person next to her wasn't an accomplice of the masked man. She also indicated she wasn't in immediate danger.
Although Minato wasn't sure if Kushina was just trying to reassure him, he had no choice but to trust her now.Minato then looked at the Nine-Tails, who was about to finish condensing its Tailed Beast Bomb, and quickly formed a hand seal.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
At the village gates, the Konoha shinobi stared at the Nine-Tails, all of them showing expressions of despair.
The Third Hokage stood up and began gathering chakra.
"Third Hokage-sama, are you planning to use that jutsu again?" a nearby ninja asked worriedly. The Third was too old; his chakra reserves couldn't handle heavy consumption.
The Third didn't answer. At that moment, he was the only one who could try to stop the Nine-Tails.
Suddenly, a massive figure fell from the sky, crashing into the Nine-Tails and pinning it down.
It was none other than Gamabunta! And the only person who could summon Gamabunta was…
"It's the Fourth Hokage! He's here!!"The shinobi at the village gates cried out in excitement, their eyes full of hope.
As long as the Fourth Hokage was here, they still had a chance! However, the Third Hokage's expression changed. Though the Nine-Tails had been knocked down, it had already completed its Tailed Beast Bomb, and its face was still aimed at Konoha.
What should they do? The Third Hokage's mind went blank. He didn't know any jutsu strong enough to stop the Tailed Beast Bomb…
At that critical moment, both the Nine-Tails and the Tailed Beast Bomb suddenly vanished, and Minato disappeared along with them.
A moment later, a massive explosion erupted some distance away from the village.
"Did Minato teleport the Nine-Tails and the bomb away?"The Third was both shocked at Minato's vast chakra reserves and relieved that the village was safe for now.
The Third quickly organized a team and headed toward the explosion site, hoping to assist Minato.
"As expected of the Fourth Hokage, to still use Flying Thunder God under these conditions," Natsuro commented.
Kushina's eyes widened at Natsuro. He had called out the true name of Minato's jutsu, Flying Thunder God Technique. To outsiders, Minato was only famous for his "Body Flicker" speed; they didn't know the true nature of his technique. Yet he knew exactly what it was called.
Kushina realized that this stranger understood Konoha far better than she had imagined. Who exactly was he, and what was he planning?
"Let's go," Natsuro suddenly said.
"Go? How?" Kushina was still puzzled when he placed a hand on her shoulder. Her vision blurred, and the next moment she found herself beside a stunned Minato, and the roaring Nine-Tails.
"This is... Flying Thunder God! How do you know this?!" Kushina, very familiar with Minato's teleportation jutsu, immediately recognized it.
Suddenly, she realized how Natsuro had mysteriously appeared in her house, it must have been because of the Flying Thunder God kunai hanging there!
"Is it that strange?" Natsuro said casually. "I sensed a Flying Thunder God mark at your house and came to check it out. Then I got lost."
Natsuro glanced at Minato and the Nine-Tails. "Anyway, now's not the time to chat. Focus on dealing with the Nine-Tails."
Minato, still reeling from Natsuro's appearance and words, looked at Kushina and Naruto.
He had originally wanted to seal the Nine-Tails into Naruto, but Naruto was no longer at home, he was now in the arms of a stranger. That plan wouldn't work anymore.
Before he could think of an alternative, he had brought Kushina and Naruto right next to him, using the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Minato instinctively remained wary, but Natsuro's words reassured him a little.
Had this man really just gotten lost because of the Flying Thunder God mark at his home?
Regardless, Minato now believed Natsuro wasn't an enemy.
Although his identity was still a mystery, how did he even know Konoha's secret Flying Thunder God Technique? But this wasn't the time to interrogate him.
More importantly, he was clearly powerful, and they could not afford to push him to the enemy's side.
Natsuro handed baby Naruto over to Minato and then looked up at the Nine-Tails with great interest.
Minato, cradling Naruto, finally relaxed and sincerely thanked Natsuro.
Minato explained his plan to Kushina: he would use the last of his chakra to split the Nine-Tails in half, seal one half into himself, and the other half into Naruto.
Kushina, who understood the pain of being a Jinchūriki, completely disagreed with putting that burden on Naruto.
But Minato tried to persuade her.
The Nine-Tails growled, wanting to attack them, but it hesitated because of Natsuro. It sensed a terrifying danger from him, as if Natsuro really could kill it.
While Kushina and Minato discussed, and Kushina was reluctantly agreeing, Natsuro interrupted:
"I said before, I'll turn the impossible into possible. I don't agree with your plan."
Minato looked at Natsuro in confusion, while Kushina said with a sigh, "There's no need. You know Jinchūriki die when they lose their Tailed Beast, right? Don't waste your effort."
Natsuro nodded but replied calmly, "Normally, yes. But the Uzumaki Clan's vitality is extraordinary. Kushina survived the extraction. If we re-seal the Nine-Tails into her, patching the missing life force, there's a chance she can live."
Kushina froze, contemplating Natsuro's words.
Minato's eyes widened, and he asked excitedly, "You mean… Kushina can survive?!"
At that moment, Minato didn't care who Natsuro was anymore. He only cared that there was hope. His speech even became formal out of respect.
"Of course," Natsuro confirmed. "But Kushina has lost some of her life force, so a full Nine-Tails would indeed be too much for her. Your earlier plan to split it in half is still valid."
Minato smiled for the first time in a long while.
"No matter who you are, you will forever be Konoha's friend, and my friend," Minato said earnestly.
It was supposed to be a joyful day, the birth of his and Kushina's child, but disaster had struck again and again. Even someone as swift as the "Yellow Flash" had been completely overwhelmed.
Determined, Minato turned to face the Nine-Tails. Even if it cost him his life, he would split the Nine-Tails and save Kushina.
"Minato..." Kushina looked at him with worry. He was in bad shape, and the Nine-Tails wasn't easy to handle.
"Didn't I say I'll turn the impossible into possible?" Natsuro stretched lazily and walked over to Minato's side.
"But the Nine-Tails is too strong! We can't risk your life," Minato objected. To him, Natsuro was already a benefactor.
"Risk? The Nine-Tails isn't much of a threat," Natsuro said dismissively, raising an eyebrow at the fox.
He looked at the Nine-Tails and said, "So, are you going to surrender, or am I going to have to beat you up?"
"Who are you?!" the Nine-Tails roared at him.
Minato and Kushina were stunned, exchanging a look.
"Why does it seem like the Nine-Tails is... afraid of him?" Minato said dazedly.
"You're not wrong," Kushina gulped. She realized that the man who had randomly "gotten lost" into her home was someone terrifying enough to make the mighty Nine-Tails feel fear.
"Who I am doesn't matter. So, have you decided?" Natsuro said calmly.
In truth, he actually had a good impression of the Nine-Tails. He didn't want to fight it.
Although he had expended most of his chakra using Flying Thunder God to get to this timeline, he had been absorbing natural energy nonstop during the short time afterward.
He had only recovered about 10-20% of his power, but that was still more than enough to handle the Nine-Tails.
"Keep dreaming!" the Nine-Tails roared in anger.
There was no way it would willingly allow itself to be split in half, it was the greatest humiliation for a Tailed Beast. And surrender without a fight? Impossible!
Even though Natsuro's presence radiated overwhelming danger, the Nine-Tails would never submit without resistance.
Immediately, the Nine-Tails swiped a sharp claw at Natsuro.
"Mhm, that's the Nine-Tails I know." Natsuro nodded.
Getting the Nine-Tails to surrender was impossible, even Naruto couldn't do that. Facing the incoming claw, Natsuro merely raised his hand.
"Benefactor, watch out!" Minato shouted.
But it was too late, the Nine-Tails' claw had already descended, and Natsuro made no move to dodge.
"Boom!" A loud noise erupted as dust and debris filled the air.
Minato quickly helped Kushina and baby Naruto cover their mouths and noses, worry filling his heart.
He felt Natsuro couldn't be harmed so easily, but he still didn't know his exact strength, so he couldn't help but worry.
When the dust settled, Natsuro was still standing there. The ground beneath him was shattered, but Natsuro himself was completely unharmed. Instead, the Nine-Tails looked as though it had used all its strength but still couldn't push Natsuro down even an inch.
"Not bad strength," Natsuro praised.
But the Nine-Tails wasn't pleased at all, its full physical power hadn't even scratched Natsuro!
It then realized, its claw was caught tightly in Natsuro's hand.
A sense of dread filled the Nine-Tails' heart.
It was too late to pull back.
Natsuro exerted force, lifting the Nine-Tails into the air effortlessly.
As the Nine-Tails' body rotated 90 degrees, Natsuro pressed down hard, slamming the fox even faster and harder into the ground.
"Boom!"
The earth cracked, and the ground shook violently.
Minato and Kushina swallowed hard as they watched.
Was this really something a human could do?
"Our benefactor's strength is even scarier than Lady Tsunade's," Minato muttered in disbelief.
Kushina numbly nodded, staring at Natsuro with a bit of awe.
What terrifying power!
"Want to keep going?" Natsuro slowly walked to the Nine-Tails and looked down at its fox-like face.
"Who exactly are you?!" the Nine-Tails couldn't help but roar.
Why did this man possess strength surpassing even Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage?
Just that one throw had left the Nine-Tails dazed. It had never imagined being grabbed and slammed like that. Even Hashirama had only suppressed it using Wood Style.
In the First Hokage's hands, it had felt like a captured pet, but in Natsuro's hands, it felt like a mere toy...
How could anyone besides the Sage of Six Paths and his descendants have such power?
"Who I am doesn't matter," Natsuro said calmly.
"What matters is, you can't beat me."
The Nine-Tails fell silent. Indeed, even if it fired a Tailed Beast Bomb, it wouldn't be able to defeat this man.
Its rage gradually died down.
Against an opponent so overwhelmingly stronger, it was impossible to keep burning with anger.The gap between them was too vast.
Against Minato, the Nine-Tails had felt annoyed but still believed that if it landed a hit, it could kill him.
But against him, it had no such hope.
"Do whatever you want," the Nine-Tails finally admitted. Since it had lost, it had no choice but to accept whatever Natsuro decided.
Besides, it was already used to being sealed.
It just wondered what being split into two would feel like...
Natsuro nodded, then motioned for Minato and Kushina to come forward.
Minato felt like he was dreaming. Just what kind of existence was their benefactor? How could someone so powerful still manage to "get lost"?
Minato thought as he brought Kushina and Naruto over to Natsuro.
Just as Minato was about to begin the sealing himself, he noticed Natsuro moving.Natsuro formed hand seals rapidly. There where mysterious symbols, some of which Minato could recognized, began floating in the air and flew toward the Nine-Tails.
The Nine-Tails seemed to want to resist, but when Natsuro turned his head slightly, it gave up.Better to accept it with some dignity than be beaten again.
In the next moment, the Nine-Tails' body shrank, about half its size.The floating symbols condensed into Natsuro's hand.
Then Natsuro signaled Kushina to step forward.
Without hesitation, Kushina loosened part of her clothing, exposing her stomach.
Natsuro pressed the sealing formula onto her belly, it was an Eight Trigrams Seal, composed of two Four Symbols Seals.
Seeing the seal, Kushina's eyes widened, and she exchanged a glance with Minato.
They both recognized the sealing technique immediately.
Minato shook his head at Kushina, signaling not to ask. In their minds, Natsuro was simply too mysterious.
The Flying Thunder God from Konoha, the Four Symbols Seal from Uzushiogakure, and this overwhelming strength…
Even though Minato, as the Fourth Hokage, knew a lot, he still couldn't think of when the shinobi world had produced such a figure.
If Natsuro had hidden his appearance, Minato might have suspected he was the Second Hokage, after all, besides Minato, only the Second Hokage had mastered Flying Thunder God.
Plus, with Konoha's old ties to Uzushiogakure, it would make sense for the Second Hokage to know the Four Symbols Seal too. Although the Second Hokage was supposed to be dead, wasn't the masked man tonight supposed to be Madara Uchiha too?
Maybe they both faked their deaths? But even so, the Second Hokage hadn't been this absurdly powerful…
Minato shook his head. No, it couldn't be. Natsuro wasn't hiding his face so he couldn't be the Second Hokage. But then who could he be?
After sealing half the Nine-Tails into Kushina, Natsuro carefully examined her.
Finally, he sensed that the "gap" in her life force had been filled.
A smile appeared on Natsuro's face.
"It's done. There shouldn't be any more issues. But Kushina used up a lot of energy this time. She'll need to rest and eat well to fully recover, otherwise, there might be lasting effects."
"I understand. Thank you, benefactor!" Minato said emotionally, gripping Kushina's hand tightly, overjoyed.
"Alright, now as for the other half of the Nine-Tails," Natsuro said, "who are you planning to seal it into? My suggestion is still your child, even half the Nine-Tails' power isn't something an ordinary body can withstand."
Minato and Kushina hesitated.
Before, sealing the Nine-Tails into Naruto was out of desperation. Now that they had another choice, they didn't want their child to endure such suffering if it could be avoided...
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Currently on Chapter 374 - A Kakashi with the Dual Mangekyō Sharingan: Kamui