Snake—Boar—Ram—Rabbit—Dog—Rat—Rooster—Horse…
Just as Minato was about to form the final Snake hand seal—
Kai appeared out of thin air beside him, Hashirama and Tobirama in tow.
Minato instantly sensed their presence.
He immediately aborted Shiki Fūjin (Reaper Death Seal) and activated Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique), vanishing from his original position.
In the blink of an eye, he'd teleported to Kushina's side with baby Naruto cradled in his arms. His reaction speed was absolutely jaw-dropping.
No wonder he'd mastered Flying Thunder God to such an insane degree.
"Who are you?!"
Minato's voice was sharp and hostile. After wave after wave of attacks tonight, his nerves were stretched to their absolute limit.
His heart was filled with shock at the sudden appearance of Kai and his companions.
How is this possible?
More enemies?
He'd already set up a barrier!
Even the Third Hokage, Lord Sarutobi Hiruzen, was blocked outside the barrier—so what kind of person could penetrate it so silently?!
For a moment, Minato thought it might be that masked man again—the one who might be Uchiha Madara.
But when he looked closer—
He realized all three newcomers were extraordinary.
Especially two of them. Their faces were almost identical to the First and Second Hokage carved into the Hokage Rock Monument!
"Big Brother, the Fourth Hokage doesn't even recognize us?"
Tobirama pursed his lips in annoyance. This "generational successor disciple" didn't even recognize his illustrious predecessor? The audacity!
Besides, his giant stone face was literally carved into the mountain!
"Hahaha! In this era, we've been dead for quite a while. It's perfectly normal that he can't recognize us right away."
Hashirama laughed heartily, not bothered in the slightest.
After all, who would expect their predecessors—dead for decades—to suddenly appear right in front of them?
Even if he did recognize them, there's no way he'd immediately believe it was real.
"First Hokage, control the Nine-Tails first. Lady Kushina won't last much longer." Kai reminded him.
"Right, right, leave it to me!"
Senju Hashirama didn't waste words. He clapped his hands together and instantly activated Sennin Mōdo (Sage Mode).
"Senpō: Myōjinmon! (Sage Art: Gate of the Great God!)"
Three massive red torii gates descended from the sky, stacking layer upon layer as they pinned the Nine-Tails beneath them. The technique instantly sealed its chakra and bound it completely in place.
The restraining effect was even more powerful than Kushina's Adamantine Sealing Chains!
Both Minato and Kushina were left completely stunned.
"That's… Sage Art?"
"So powerful!"
Minato recognized Hashirama's Sage Mode immediately. He himself knew the Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku, though he wasn't particularly skilled with it yet.
But even all the toads from Mount Myōboku combined would struggle to defeat the Nine-Tails!
The answer was obvious.
It wasn't the Sage Art that was powerful—it was the man himself!
"Are you… the First and Second Hokage?!"
"Hmph! So you finally recognize me?"
After receiving confirmation, Minato was even more shocked.
"But how?! You've both been dead for—"
"Could this be Edo Tensei (Reanimation Jutsu)?…"
Of course Minato didn't believe the First and Second Hokage—who'd been dead for decades—could still be alive. The only explanation was that they'd been summoned by some kind of jutsu, like the Edo Tensei recorded in the Scroll of Seals…
As for jutsu that could fully resurrect the dead? No one in this era had even heard of such a thing.
"Foolish! How dare you compare me to those sluggish summoning puppets!"
"Tobirama, you actually left those forbidden jutsu scrolls behind?"
Hashirama raised an eyebrow. Reading between the lines, had Tobirama really passed down multiple forbidden techniques like Edo Tensei?
"Big Brother, I—"
At that moment—
Kushina, now critically weak, finally collapsed to the ground.
"Kushina!"
Minato panicked, but there was nothing he could do.
"Sir, is there any way to save her?" Hashirama quickly turned to ask.
"Very simple. Just re-seal the Nine-Tails back into her body." Kai gave his answer.
"Huh?"
(°Д°)?!
Everyone's eyes went wide in disbelief.
Aren't Jinchūriki supposed to die when their Tailed Beast is extracted?! Just sealing it back would work?!
It's that simple?!
"Other Jinchūriki die the moment their Tailed Beast is ripped out—there's no chance to seal it back. Only a rare few with powerful life force can survive a little longer. The Uzumaki Clan is one of those rare exceptions."
"But what if—" Minato was anxious.
He didn't know Kai, but judging by the First Hokage's attitude and those eyes that looked suspiciously like the legendary Rinnegan, it was clear this person was extraordinary.
Still, even if it made sense, there was no precedent! How could he not worry?!
"Fourth Hokage, just listen to what he says. He won't… well… at the very least, we won't harm you!"
"I… alright!"
Minato gritted his teeth and agreed to Kai's proposal.
Besides, he didn't have many options left.
Either trust Kai this once, or continue with the Reaper Death Seal.
With the latter, both he and Kushina would definitely die. With the former, if there was even a chance to save Kushina, it was worth trying.
And if something really went wrong? With the First and Second Hokage here, they wouldn't allow any greater disaster to occur.
More than that—
He didn't want his newborn son Naruto to lose both parents and become an orphan…
"Kushina, are you—"
"I'm willing!"
The weakened Kushina immediately agreed. She didn't have the energy to verify whether these people who'd suddenly appeared were really the legendary previous Hokage.
But she was more than willing to try their proposal. Even if it failed—
It would just mean she'd die together with the Nine-Tails.
That might disrupt the Tailed Beast balance among the villages, but at least Minato would survive. At least Naruto's father would be there to protect him as he grew up.
For Kushina, there was no better outcome than that.
After all, she'd already prepared herself to face death!
"Good. Fourth Hokage, prepare the seal. I'll suppress the Nine-Tails!"
Hashirama was a man of action.
He clapped his hands together once more and activated Mokuton: Hokage-Shiki Jijun Jutsu (Wood Style: Hokage-Style Elder Jutsu with Tenth Edict on Enlightenment). Two massive wooden hands emerged from beneath the ground and grabbed hold of the Nine-Tails in one swift motion. (TL/N: Also known as the "Buddha hand technique"—basically Hashirama's signature move for manhandling Tailed Beasts like disobedient pets.)
The Nine-Tails had already recognized Hashirama. At first, it refused to believe Hashirama could come back to life and struggled desperately to break free.
But the moment those Wood Style hands clamped down on it—
The entire fox just… gave up.
Facing the genuine God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, what was even the point of struggling?!
The Nine-Tails hadn't forgotten how this guy would grab it with one hand while cheerfully declaring it was "too dangerous."
Compared to Tailed Beasts, THIS guy was the real monster!
Forget it. Just accept fate.
Lie down and take it.
In no time at all, the Nine-Tails was compressed into a ball of chakra by the two wooden hands.
Minato summoned the sealing altar and prepared to begin.
Before long, working together with Hashirama, they successfully re-sealed the Nine-Tails back into its Jinchūriki, Uzumaki Kushina.
The entire process went smoothly.
It was the first time Minato had ever seen the Nine-Tails being so cooperative—docile as a little puppy fox. Absolutely unbelievable!
…