Whoosh!
A faint sound split through the air inside one of Konoha's safe houses.
Out of thin air, Namikaze Minato appeared—holding the frail and barely conscious Uzumaki Kushina in his arms.
"Naruto!"
Kushina's eyes immediately landed on the tiny figure lying sound asleep on the bed. Babies were always drowsy, and little Naruto, exhausted from crying, was now in deep slumber.
Kushina's lips trembled as she whispered her son's name, tears welling in her eyes. As Minato gently placed her on the bed, she looked at Naruto and tears silently slid down her cheeks.
She had just met her child for the first time…
But the Nine-Tails had already been torn from her body by Obito. A jinchuriki who loses their tailed beast meets only one end—death.
The formidable life force of the Uzumaki clan was the only thing keeping her alive for the moment. It would delay her death—but not prevent it.
Her fate was already sealed.
Kushina would never get to watch her son grow up, never see him become a strong ninja, never see him start a family of his own.
Perhaps she had no regrets in the first half of her life—but at this very moment, as the Nine-Tails was ripped from her and her son was born, regret was all that filled her heart.
Minato carefully tucked the blanket around her. His eyes, normally so calm, were now brimming with grief and fury.
He could clearly sense her life force fading. At most—an hour remained.
What should have been the happiest day of their lives—the birth of their child—had turned into tragedy.
"Kushina…"
Watching her weakly clutch Naruto while weeping, Minato felt something clog his chest. Even breathing hurt.
The air inside the safe house grew heavy with sorrow.
Whoosh—!
Just as Minato finished settling Kushina in, space rippled once more.
Instantly alert, Minato clenched a kunai in his hand and turned sharply.
He thought Obito had tracked them down through his space-time ninjutsu.
But instead of the masked enemy, he saw a sudden flash of chakra—a group of Hyuga clan ninja appeared in the room.
Nearly a hundred elite Hyuga filled the small hundred-square-meter space to the brim.
At their head stood Hyuga Hiashi, the clan head himself, wearing his forehead protector and green flak jacket. At his side was the smaller figure of Hyuga Satoru, barely reaching his waist.
The spatial distortion had originated from Satoru's body.
"You guys…"
Even Minato was taken aback. He had never expected reinforcements—let alone from the Hyuga—at a time like this.
For a brief moment, his heart swelled with emotion. Hiashi himself had come, leading nearly the entire force of the Hyuga clan. For such a family to mobilize at this scale—it was practically an all-out deployment.
Though Minato felt gratitude, the sorrow pressing on him didn't ease.
Turning back, he focused again on Kushina and Naruto. He just wanted to spend what little time remained with his family.
"This is…"
Hiashi's Byakugan activated instantly, seeing through the entire situation. He could clearly sense Kushina's dwindling life energy—and the complete absence of the Nine-Tails' immense chakra inside her.
Taking in Minato's despondent expression and Kushina's frail state, Hiashi immediately understood.
The escort mission led by Hizashi—had failed.
"Lord Fourth, why are you still here?"
"Go! Find the Nine-Tails!"
"There's still time!"
The one who spoke wasn't Hiashi—it was Hyuga Satoru, who furrowed his brows and spoke urgently.
His words caught Minato's full attention in an instant.
"There's still… time?"
Minato looked as if he had grasped a lifeline. He turned abruptly toward Satoru, voice tight with desperation.
"Satoru, what do you mean—there's still time?"
It was the first time Satoru had ever seen Minato so shaken. The man who always carried himself with such confidence and composure now looked utterly human—fragile even.
After all… even the "Yellow Flash" was still a man with deep emotions.
Minato was panicked—but Satoru remained utterly calm. Hearing the question, he didn't hesitate to explain:
"Exactly what I said."
"I can see it—Kushina-sensei's Nine-Tails chakra is gone."
"When a jinchuriki loses their beast, they normally die. That's the rule."
"But…"
"That's true only for ordinary jinchuriki."
"Kushina-sensei is of the Uzumaki clan. Their life force is incredibly strong. Even after the beast is removed, they won't die immediately."
"And that window of time… is enough for us to act."
"As long as we can seal the Nine-Tails back into her, she can be saved!"
Satoru's prior precautions hadn't been enough to stop Obito from tearing out the Nine-Tails. Even with ample preparation, facing Kamui—a space-time ability of that level—was nearly impossible.
Many in the ninja world understood the theory behind Flying Thunder God, but how many ever escaped it alive? Only the brothers A and B of the Cloud had managed it.
Knowing Obito's jutsu was one thing. Countering it was another.
Still—
The situation wasn't hopeless yet.
Satoru's knowledge was his greatest weapon.
A jinchuriki dies once the beast is extracted?
That was old news!
"What?!"
"Satoru—what did you just say?!"
"You mean if we seal the Nine-Tails back in, Kushina won't die?!"
"You're sure of this?"
Minato's eyes lit up, hope flooding his face for the first time.
Ever since learning the beast had been ripped from her, he had silently prepared himself to die alongside Kushina.
But Satoru's words rekindled something inside him—a reason to live.
"It's worth a try."
"If the Hyuga clan records are accurate…"
Satoru's tone was cautious, but firm. He had no reason to lie.
The Hyuga were a thousand-year-old noble clan—such records held weight.
Minato didn't hesitate further.
Boom—!
Even as they spoke, a terrifying and malevolent chakra burst into existence above the village.
A monstrous roar echoed through the night—the Nine-Tails had appeared.
"The Nine-Tails!"
"Lord Fourth, it's out there!"
"Leave Kushina-sensei to us, the Hyuga will protect her! Whether she survives now—it's all up to you!"
The sheer pressure of the Nine-Tails' chakra made Satoru's heart pound violently. Even from here, the power was overwhelming.
Join the fight against Obito? Engage the Nine-Tails directly?
No way. Satoru wasn't about to throw himself into a deathtrap. His combat ability was decent, but the risk far outweighed any possible contribution.
I'm not strong enough yet. Better not die early.
For now, his role was information support—and staying out of Minato's way.
As for Obito and the Nine-Tails—Minato would handle them.
"Hiashi, Satoru—Hyuga clan, I'm entrusting Kushina to you!"
Knowing time was critical, Minato gave the order and vanished from the safe house in a flash of yellow light.
…
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