At the very moment when Uchiha Obito vanished from the cave with Kushina in tow, far away at the Hyuga Estate, Hyuga Satoru suddenly sensed one of his Flying Thunder God markers disappear from his perception range.
Satoru shot to his feet, turning toward the direction of Kushina's disappearance. His expression instantly darkened.
When he slid open the wooden door, he saw the silhouette of Hyuga Hiashi, seated along the veranda. Hiashi was gazing up at the crimson-tinged moon, but at the sound behind him, he turned slightly and asked,
"What's wrong? It's rare to see you looking so tense."
A faintly gentle smile touched Hiashi's face as he looked at his son.
"Uncle Hizashi's side… something's happened."
Satoru didn't hide anything from his father. Hiashi had been fully aware of Satoru's arrangements all along, though he'd never interfered or questioned them. His trust in Satoru had always been absolute—and it was precisely because of Hiashi's support that Satoru had been able to earn Hizashi's confidence so easily.
"The jinchuriki, then…"
"What can we do now?"
Hearing that Hizashi might be in trouble, Hiashi's expression hardened.
On a personal level, the guardian assigned to Kushina—Hyuga Hizashi—was his own younger brother. Though the rift between the Main and Branch Families had kept the two from truly connecting for years, blood ties could never be completely severed.
And Hiashi, a man of strict tradition and solemn bearing, valued family more deeply than most could ever guess.
He simply buried those feelings deep within himself, showing the world only the cold, businesslike mask of the Hyuga clan's patriarch. Perhaps only once he laid down the burden of that role could his inner gentleness be revealed.
From a political standpoint, the Hyuga had agreed to assist the Fourth Hokage in guarding the jinchuriki. The family had even used that opportunity to strengthen ties with the Hokage's faction—and in return, gained access to the Scroll of Seals.
That favor had to be remembered—and repaid.
Moreover, Kushina's safety as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki directly affected Konoha's stability—and the Hyuga's own survival.
Not to mention, Kushina was Satoru's teacher—the one who had guided him in mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique. That debt of gratitude, too, the Hyuga carried in their hearts.
An incident on her end meant they could not stand idly by.
The exchange between Hiashi and Satoru was nothing like that of a father lecturing a child.
In the world of shinobi, maturity came early—and Satoru, as a wielder of the Flying Thunder God, already held significant authority within the clan. To Hiashi, his son was already an adult—and the heir to the Main Family.
"Kushina-sensei carries one of the Flying Thunder God kunai I gave her," Satoru said evenly. "And she should have one marked by the Fourth as well. I can't sense the coordinate right now, but I doubt that man will retreat so easily."
"Father, please inform the Third Hokage under your name—have him make preparations. And have our clansmen start evacuating immediately."
Sensing the storm that was about to break, Satoru could only act preemptively. He couldn't yet reach the vanished marker—but he knew something terrible had happened.
Going directly to Hizashi would be meaningless; he needed to stay here, where he had real power to act.
"Kazutaka!"
Hiashi's voice rang through the courtyard.
A Hyuga clansman appeared instantly, kneeling on one knee. "Yes, Lord Hiashi. What are your orders?"
"You heard everything. Go inform the Third Hokage—the jinchuriki's situation has changed. Tell him to mobilize the ANBU and raise the alert level."
Then Hiashi called again,
"Mio!"
A female Hyuga appeared in a blur, bowing deeply.
"To be safe, gather the clan immediately. If anything happens, evacuate everyone at once. We must prepare for the worst."
"Yes, my lord."
With a flicker, Hyuga Mio vanished into the night.
"Keisuke Hyuga!"
Another powerful aura appeared before them—a veteran elite of the clan.
"Summon all Hyuga special jonin and higher. Assemble them in the courtyard before the ancestral hall. I'll be there shortly."
Then, turning to Satoru, Hiashi suddenly asked,
"How many people can you transport at once using your Flying Thunder God?"
Hiashi knew his son had mastered the technique—but not the full extent of his ability.
"About eighteen hundred," Satoru replied after a quick calculation. "Not as many as the Fourth, who can move entire battalions—but enough for a few thousand, maybe several hundred safely."
Hiashi nodded firmly. "Good. Keisuke—get to it!"
"We Hyuga accepted the Fourth Hokage's mission to protect the jinchuriki—and we've already reaped its benefits."
"That means failure is not an option!"
His eyes flashed with authority as he barked the order.
Listening to his father's decisive commands, Satoru felt a surge of emotion. Yes, Hiashi was acting for the good of the Hyuga clan—but also, in a way, for him.
All Satoru had offered were uncertain warnings—yet Hiashi had mobilized the entire clan based solely on his word. That was trust, absolute and unquestioning.
"…Thank you, Father," Satoru said softly.
Hiashi's lips curved into a faint smile. "This is all—for the Hyuga."
Outside Konoha—atop a great lake.
Obito's form materialized from the void, followed by the limp figure of Kushina, whom he flung onto a jagged rock jutting from the water's surface.
Black sealing chains bound her tightly, suspending her in midair under Obito's control.
Exhausted from childbirth and fighting to suppress the raging beast within, Kushina could barely maintain the seal. Without Minato's help, her strength alone was far from enough to contain the Nine-Tails.
And Obito stood nearby—watching, waiting.
"Come out…"
"Nine-Tails!!"
Obito formed a seal with one hand. Strange chakra surged into Kushina's body, disrupting the seal.
In the next instant, a torrent of crimson chakra exploded outward, enveloping her completely.
The seal shattered. Kushina screamed in agony as the monstrous chakra tore free from within her.
The violent energy gathered over the lake, coalescing into a colossal form.
Within moments, the Nine-Tailed Fox roared into existence, its immense body blotting out the moonlight.
"ROOOOOAR!!!"
The beast's deafening cry rippled across the lake like a sonic storm. Obito's laughter echoed beneath his mask, exultant and unrestrained.
"Finally…"
"I finally did it!!"
As his gaze met the fox's burning eyes, the tomoe in Obito's Sharingan spun, shifting into the shape of a pinwheel—his Mangekyo Sharingan.
The Nine-Tails' wild rage stilled in an instant. Its pupils reflected the hypnotic pattern of Obito's eyes.
"Die!" Obito snarled, hatred blazing.
Under his command, the Nine-Tails' massive claws swung down toward the helpless Kushina on the rocks.
But before the blow could land, a white blur flashed across the lake—snatching Kushina away in the blink of an eye.
"…Namikaze Minato," Obito muttered, his tone unreadable. He didn't sound disappointed—if anything, he expected it.
His body began to fade, turning ethereal. In an instant, he vanished from the lake's surface.
At the Hyuga Clan's ancestral hall in Konoha.
Just as Satoru sensed his Flying Thunder God kunai reappear outside the village, he linked his chakra to the assembled Hyuga elites, preparing for mass teleportation—
—when the kunai's location suddenly shifted again.
He hesitated for only a heartbeat. Then, without another thought, Satoru activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleporting straight toward Kushina's position.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/Nova5tudios