Chapter 293: Strengthen the Four Symbols Seal! Sarutobi Hiruzen: I will fight in person!
Kushina… just bear with it for now!
This pain will be over soon…
The moment the Nine-Tailed retracted its Chakra, Fujiwara Tetsuya's right hand pressed directly onto Kushina's abdomen.
"Sealing Technique: Four Symbols Sealing Technique!"
"Is this the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique?"
"How did it appear in this brat's hands?"
As one of the instigators of the Uzumaki Clan's destruction, Dodai naturally paid attention to the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique.
Upon seeing countless tiny, intricate surgical procedure (jutsu formulas) spread across Kushina's entire body… Kushina, who had returned to her human form.
Dodai's killing intent intensified.
"Whew~ It seems she's fine…"
Looking at the unconscious Kushina, Fujiwara Tetsuya hesitated for a moment, then picked her up by the waist and instantly appeared beside Minato Namikaze.
"Minato, I'll leave Kushina in your care for now…"
"Tetsuya, thank you… If it weren't for you, I alone… would never have been able to save Kushina."
Listening to the girl's gradually calming breathing, Minato Namikaze's worry finally subsided.
"There's no need for such formalities. If you truly want to express your gratitude… once we return to the Village alive, treat me… and them, to a good meal."
…Konoha.
During the period Fujiwara Tetsuya led his team away, Hiruzen Sarutobi essentially ate and slept in the Hokage Building.
According to the prior agreement, the accompanying ANBU Squad would transmit intelligence from the front every two to three hours via specific summoning beasts.
Especially after Hiruzen Sarutobi learned that the Anbu who abducted Kushina were Cloud Ninja, and that they had taken Kushina into the Land of Hot Springs, heading towards the Land of Frost, the pipe in his hand had not gone out.
"Hiruzen…"
Clang~
The sudden sound startled the deep-in-thought Hiruzen Sarutobi.
However, upon seeing the person who entered, his changing expression quickly returned to calm.
"Koharu, Homura, is there any new message from Tetsuya's side?"
"Hiruzen… the situation is not optimistic."
Meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, Utatane Koharu's expression was exceptionally grave.
"The support squad successfully intercepted the Cloud Ninja who abducted Kushina within the Land of Frost. Now… the Fujiwara Family's brat has rescued Minato Namikaze and a rampaging Kushina from the Cloud Ninja…"
"What… Kushina, she rampaged?"
Hearing Utatane Koharu's narration, Hiruzen Sarutobi's right hand trembled, and his breathing became heavier.
"That's right…"
"However, the Fujiwara Family's brat, having learned the Four Symbols Sealing Technique from who knows where, has reinforced the Sealing Technique sealing the Nine-Tailed, so there shouldn't be another rampage in the short term."
"However… more importantly than these, is the enemy the Fujiwara brat and his group are currently facing."
Although the intelligence transmitted back was not much, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado still felt immense pressure from those few words.
"There are five people from the Hidden Cloud Village sent to the Land of Frost for backup. Besides two Elite Jonin whose names are unknown, the other three are… the Hidden Cloud Village's strategist Dodai, the Third Raikage's son A, and… the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Burabi."
"What… the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"Is the Third Raikage insane?"
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer suppress the unease in his heart, and as he stood up, his pipe slipped from his hand.
"That's right, it is indeed the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Currently, the Fujiwara brat is fiercely battling the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki in its Tailed Beast form…"
"Is there more?"
"Huh?"
"What else did the intelligence mention?"
"For example, how is the battle between the Tetsuya brat and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki? Is he barely holding on, or is he being completely overwhelmed?"
As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi understood the power of Tailed Beasts better than anyone.
Whether it was the Nine-Tailed itself… or Ginkaku and Kinkaku, who devoured the Nine-Tailed's flesh, they all possessed despair-inducing strength.
Not to mention the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, who can achieve full Tailed Beast transformation.
"The intelligence… only recorded up to here."
Facing Hiruzen Sarutobi's inquiry, Utatane Koharu's voice gradually lowered.
For a moment… the atmosphere in the room seemed to grow increasingly heavy.
Because they all knew… there was only one reason for the intelligence blackout… and that was, Fujiwara Tetsuya and his group, facing the powerful enemies from the Hidden Cloud Village, had no opportunity to transmit further intelligence.
"Koharu, Homura… go to the Senju, Uchiha, Hyuga, Nara, Yamanaka… and other Shinobi Clans."
"Tell them… to send three Elite Jonin, or five Jonin, to gather at the Konoha gate."
"Additionally, order Orochimaru and Danzo to lead their subordinates to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Springs."
"This time, I will personally go to provide support…"
"Hiruzen… no! You absolutely cannot leave the Village…"
"Currently, Danzo, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Sakumo, they are all not in Konoha, and the Anbu's strength is also dispersed throughout various locations."
"If you leave the Village, the Village will lose its most crucial defensive power. Once the Village is attacked, the consequences will be unimaginable…"
"If support is needed, it should be Homura and I who go…"
Utatane Koharu's concerns were not unfounded. After Tsunade left for the Land of Rivers without notice to search for Nawaki.
Currently, Konoha… at least on the surface, only Hiruzen Sarutobi remains as a Kage-level expert in charge.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi were to leave, and Konoha were to suffer an attack like that of the Kong Ninja Village… it would be an unbearable disaster for the entire Konoha.
"Koharu, Homura… I understand your concerns."
"But now… we can only take a gamble."
"After all… in the Village right now, only I can stop the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Moreover, if it were you two, let alone whether you could stop the Eight-Tails, the Jonin and Elite Jonin of Shinobi Clans like the Uchiha and Hyuga might not even obey you."
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were hurtful, it was an undeniable fact.
Strength will always be the sole criterion for measuring influence.
Although Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado held extremely high political positions in Konoha due to the Second Hokage and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But if it truly came to the battlefield, those arrogant experts might not necessarily pay attention to Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado.
If they are political mascots, then they should honestly stay in the Village and flaunt their power.
"Hiruzen… we…"
Moving their lips, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado ultimately did not know how to speak.
After all, this friend in front of them had advised them more than once not to slack off in their training.
But… when the moment truly arrived, they realized how insignificant and powerless they truly were.