The air was tense as Kakashi watched the Nine-Tails preparing its devastating attack. With a single leap, the monstrous beast swung its nine tails towards the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hiruzen quickly raised his Enma Staff to block, but the sheer force sent him backward.
"Damn it!" Hiruzen cursed under his breath as he was flung away. Without wasting a second, the Nine-Tails shifted its focus, targeting the nearby Konoha shinobi ruthlessly.
"Argh!" Blood sprayed as two chunin, unable to dodge in time, were brutally slain by the beast's claws and tails. Hiruzen, regaining his footing, gritted his teeth angrily and swung his massive staff towards the Nine-Tails again.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The battlefield echoed with the sounds of their clash. Despite Hiruzen's best efforts, the Nine-Tails continuously evaded confrontation instead of demolishing the village and killing the ninjas around it.
"This isn't working… Damn it!" Hiruzen thought, frustration boiling within him. The Nine-Tails' strategy of avoiding head-on combat and causing widespread destruction was taking its toll on Konoha. If this continued, the village wouldn't last much longer.
"Where is Minato?" Hiruzen's mind raced as he looked around, hoping to see the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, arriving to assist. "Only with Minato's help can we push this beast back."
"Why did Jiraiya have to be away at a time like this?" Hiruzen sighed inwardly. No one had expected the Nine-Tails to be unleashed like this.
Hiruzen charged at the Nine-Tails again with a determined yell, engaging it in a fierce battle.
Meanwhile, Kakashi, watching from a distance, breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that Kurenai, Rin, and Guy had been held back by Ibiki Morino, preventing them from joining the fray.
"They should be safe now," Kakashi thought. "In the original timeline, I was also held back. But thanks to Danzo's orders, I'm here on the front lines."
Kakashi's thoughts were interrupted by a horrifying sight—the Nine-Tails was preparing to unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb. The black sphere of destructive energy began to form in its mouth, causing panic among the shinobi.
"Oh no… It's preparing a Tailed Beast Bomb!" Kakashi exclaimed, watching the sphere grow.
The Tailed Beast Bomb shot towards the Hokage Rock, its destructive power capable of leveling the entire village. Kakashi clenched his fists, whispering, "It's all up to you now, Sensei."
In a blink, the Tailed Beast Bomb disappeared. Seconds later, a massive explosion lit up the sky far from Konoha, confirming Minato's successful intervention.
"That was Minato's space-time ninjutsu!" Hiruzen recognized the technique, but he couldn't see Minato anywhere.
"Wolf, what are you doing here? This battle isn't for you!" Hiruzen noticed Kakashi and barked out an order, "Get back!"
Without waiting for a response, Hiruzen and the other jonin resumed their efforts to restrain the Nine-Tails. They managed to hold it temporarily, but the beast's immense strength quickly overpowered their efforts.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!" Shikaku Nara joined in, using his shadow to bind the beast further. "Shadow Strangle Jutsu!" He attempted to tighten the grip, focusing on sealing the beast's mouth to prevent another Tailed Beast Bomb.
However, the combined efforts barely held the Nine-Tails back. The strain was visible on the faces of the shinobi as they struggled to maintain their jutsus.
"Hold on… Just a bit longer!" Hiruzen urged, his voice strained.
"I can't hold it!" Shikaku's voice wavered as the beast began to break free from his jutsu. The shadow binding its mouth was forced back.
"Roar!" With a furious cry, the Nine-Tails opened its mouth again, ready to charge another Tailed Beast Bomb. Panic surged through the ranks of shinobi as they saw the impending doom.
"Damn it, I have to stop this!" Kakashi cursed, determination flaring within him. "Lightning Blade!"
Forming the seals swiftly, Kakashi's hand erupted in a brilliant blue light. He dashed towards the Nine-Tails, hoping his attack could buy them precious seconds.
As Kakashi charged, Hiruzen's eyes caught a glimpse of his former student. "Kakashi… Please, make it in time," he silently prayed, knowing the gravity of the situation. The future of Konoha depended on their combined efforts.