"That… was one hell of a Tailed Beast Bomb."
Amamiya Raizen squinted toward the rising mushroom cloud in the distance, the shockwave still rippling through the valley. "That thing's almost as strong as my old Exploding Doll prototype," he muttered, shaking his head. "Yeah, no—can't let him keep going like this."
He straightened, eyes narrowing on the rampaging Four-Tails Naruto.
"This fight ends now."
Golden light burst from Raizen's back like a sunrise tearing through storm clouds. Behind him, a colossal Buddha began to take shape—each glowing hand pressed together in solemn stillness as the statue rose higher and higher until its head touched the clouds.
Raizen stood at its base, a lone figure before a god of light. The Buddha's eyes opened, radiating crushing spiritual pressure.
Even miles away, the approaching ninja stopped dead in their tracks.
"What the—?!" one of them gasped.
A blond man wearing a fox-like mask froze mid-stride, eyes wide. "That's… the Senju Welcoming Buddha technique?!" His voice shook with disbelief. "But that's supposed to belong only to the Temple of Fire monks…"
Raizen's gaze locked on the beast below. "Nine-Tails—feel the power of a Sage."
The Buddha's golden arms moved, slow but unstoppable. In an instant, a thousand radiant fists rained down from the heavens.
The Nine-Tails inside Naruto stirred, a flicker of recognition flashing through its burning eyes. This chakra… this technique…
Memories surfaced—of another man, a godlike human, who had once pressed him into the earth with the same divine force.
The Nine-Tails roared, and Naruto's body twisted, the fifth tail struggling to form.
But before it could take shape, the golden storm struck.
BOOOOOOM!
Each fist carried the weight of a mountain, slamming into the crimson beast one after another. The ground shattered, the air screamed, and even the light seemed to bend under the pressure.
The earth quaked like it was mourning the blow.
When the golden fists finally faded, the battlefield was nothing but cratered ruin. Naruto—his Four-Tails form shattered—lay unconscious amid the debris, the last wisps of red chakra flickering away.
Raizen exhaled heavily, shoulders sinking. "Finally… over."
The Buddha behind him dissolved into drifting motes of gold.
But before Raizen could take a step toward Naruto, thick wooden roots burst from the earth, snaring his legs.
"What the—Wood Style?" Raizen snapped his fingers into a hand sign, chakra flaring. A wooden clone leapt from the shadows, blade flashing.
Raizen caught it by the arm mid-swing, twisted, and kicked it square in the chest. The clone splintered apart, scattering sawdust across the dirt.
"Huh. Didn't expect to see someone using Hashirama's techniques out here," he remarked, flicking a fragment of bark off his sleeve.
"Hashirama?"
The man emerging from behind the debris blinked in surprise. His wooden armor gleamed faintly. "You… know Lord Hashirama?"
"'Lord,' huh?" Raizen smirked. "Guess that answers what era I've crashed into."
The man didn't reply, still cautious. "I'm Yamato," he said finally. "And the one lying there is Uzumaki Naruto. We're both shinobi of Konohagakure. You—attacked us out of nowhere!"
"Attacked you?" Raizen scoffed. "Pretty sure your red-furred monster started it. Unless 'destroy the valley' counts as a friendly greeting."
Yamato winced, glancing at the unconscious Naruto. Yeah… that did sound like something Naruto would do. "Fair point."
"So, Konoha shinobi, huh…" Raizen muttered, rubbing his chin. "Guess I really did slip into the wrong timeline."
He turned sharply, eyes flicking toward the ruins. "You too—come out. I can feel your chakra."
From the shadows, several figures appeared. The leader—blond hair, calm eyes—walked forward, his presence serene yet burning with quiet power.
"We're also from Konoha," he said, his tone polite but probing. "And you… who are you, to wield that technique? The Senju Welcoming Buddha is known only to the Temple of Fire's abbot."
Raizen looked him over, realization dawning.
Golden hair. Blue eyes. That calm, almost radiant aura.
He couldn't help a crooked grin. "No way. The Fourth Hokage himself… Namikaze Minato. Well, I'll be damned."
Minato tilted his head slightly. "You know me?"
"Let's just say I've read the scrolls," Raizen said dryly. "But you can relax. I'm not your enemy."
He formed a hand seal, bit his thumb, and slammed his palm to the ground.
Poof!
A small toad appeared beneath him, croaking loudly. Raizen stood atop it like a performer taking center stage.
"I am the current Sage of Mount Myōboku," he declared proudly. "Amamiya Raizen!"
"Ribbit!" the toad cried in perfect comedic timing.
The Konoha group stared. Blank faces. Even Minato's polite smile faltered.
Raizen coughed, dismissing the summoning with a flick. "Ahem. You get the point."
Minato blinked, then his expression shifted—recognition dawning. "Amamiya… Raizen?" His voice softened with something close to awe. "You're that Raizen-sama?"
Raizen frowned. "Wait—'-sama'? What's going on here?"