Obito extracted the Nine-Tails from Kushina with blistering speed; by the time he was finished, Minato hadn't even managed to catch up.
However, upon seeing the Nine-Tails and feeling its raw power, the original plan, to retreat and leave Diarmuid to cover the rear, was instantly discarded by Obito. The hatred he harbored for Konoha and the last fraying thread of his sanity had finally snapped.
Perhaps the catalyst was the Nine-Tails itself. Maybe its immense power awed him, or perhaps the realization that Kushina was doomed to die made his emotions too volatile to contain. Under these circumstances, Obito did not choose to leave Konoha immediately. On the contrary, he felt as though he were going mad. If he didn't vent the frenzy and rage boiling in his chest, he was certain he would break.
Thus, he chose revenge against Konoha. Abandoning the plan with cold determination, he summoned the Nine-Tails directly into the center of the village.
Moments after Obito vanished, Minato arrived at Kushina's side. As it turned out, the reason Obito and Black Zetsu hadn't simply fled with Kushina was likely due to Minato's ability to track her location. If they had tried, he could have appeared in a flash and whisked her away, and the Nine-Tails would have been lost to them. Taking the Nine-Tails directly was a far more secure guarantee.
"Kushina!" Minato supported her as the Chakra chains that had bound her shattered upon Obito's departure.
Kushina had regained consciousness, but her life force was draining rapidly. The forced extraction of the Nine-Tails was like an invisible, gaping hole torn into a Jinchuriki's body. Both Chakra and vitality were hemorrhaging out of that void. Looking at the frail Kushina, Minato's heart was wrenched with agony; his eyes were frantic, nearly brimming with tears.
"Where's Naruto? Where is Naruto?" Kushina's first thought upon waking was of her child.
"Naruto is safe. I'm taking you to be with him right now. Don't worry, I will save you!" Minato said firmly. In a flash of Flying Raijin, he transported Kushina back to their home. Naruto, who had been wailing earlier, had now fallen into a deep sleep.
Seeing her child unharmed, Kushina truly relaxed. She spoke weakly, "It's the Sharingan. That man had the Sharingan... he might be an Uchiha. Minato, be careful."
She didn't ask Minato to stay by her side, even though she was dying and their time together was running out. She knew that Minato, her husband, did not belong solely to her; he belonged to all of Konoha. He was the pride of the village, the Fourth Hokage!
Minato desperately wanted to stay with her and find a way to save her life. But he knew he couldn't. The weight of responsibility rested on his shoulders. He was the Hokage!
"I know. Don't worry," Minato replied softly.
Kushina forced a faint smile, looking at Naruto lying beside her. "Go, Minato. Naruto and I will wait for you here."
"Alright. Wait for me," Minato said seriously. He cast a deep, final look at his wife and son before transforming into a flash of light and vanishing once more.
…
On the rooftop of the Hokage Residence, Diarmuid watched the Nine-Tailed Fox rampaging through the village, destroying countless buildings. He noted Obito standing atop the fox's head.
"So he went through with it after all. I truly feel sorry for you, Black Zetsu..." Diarmuid muttered to himself with an amused smirk.
He had wondered if his presence here with Obito would cause a ripple effect, perhaps Obito would just take the Nine-Tails and bolt. But it seemed the man was truly a lunatic. One could not predict his actions using normal logic.
Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, had begun leading a team to intercept the Nine-Tails, but under Obito's control, the fox handled them with ease. Diarmuid scanned the village... as expected, that old schemer Danzo had not appeared. Currently, those fighting the Nine-Tails were exclusively the forces directly under the Hokage's control.
What did this signify? It meant Danzo had not disappointed Diarmuid; he truly was a man who placed personal interest above Konoha, at least until he could become Hokage. But if a man like that actually attained the position, could he truly change?
The thought flickered through Diarmuid's mind before he dismissed it. It was better this way. A selfish Danzo was a much better "friend" to Diarmuid. If he were a selfless saint acting solely for the village, how could Diarmuid have any fun with him?
Danzo's current plan was likely to let the Nine-Tails weaken the Hokage's faction. He probably wasn't worried about the village being destroyed; he had confidence in Konoha's resilience and likely believed he could step in at the last moment as the hero who saved the day.
In fact, Danzo's calculation was quite accurate. The Nine-Tails' attack would severely deplete the Hokage's forces and drive a deeper wedge between the Uchiha and the village. Many of Hiruzen's elite loyalists would die in this chaos, men like Shinku, a staunch ally and head of a minor noble clan whose daughter was dating Hiruzen's son.
Diarmuid mused over these details. He already had the Scroll of Seals in hand. Moreover, from the secret chamber behind the cabinet, he had secured numerous Konoha ninjutsu scrolls, many written by Hiruzen himself, some inherited from his teacher, Tobirama. They were immensely valuable.
His objective for this trip was accomplished. Now, he just had to watch the show. He even considered whether he should stir the pot further. Not to harm Konoha, there was no profit in that now, but perhaps to pivot and help them? There might be new gains to be had. He hadn't decided if he'd make a move yet, so for now, he just watched.
…
Outside Konoha, Black Zetsu was utterly dumbfounded as he watched the Nine-Tailed Fox wreaking havoc within the walls.
What the hell is going on?
Why, after securing the Nine-Tails, had that idiot Obito not retreated immediately? Instead, he summoned it in the center of the village as if he intended to take Konoha down with him.
What about our plan? What about my Nine-Tails?
Since he could clearly see the Sharingan reflected in the fox's eyes, Black Zetsu knew Obito still had full control. Obito could technically withdraw at any time via Kamui and then re-summon the beast elsewhere.
It's fine, Black Zetsu tried to console himself. Maybe Obito has suppressed too much for too long. Letting him vent might be for the best. Once he's done, he can still withdraw. There's still a high probability of securing the Nine-Tails.
But the more he tried to reassure himself, the angrier he became. Because he hadn't followed the plan, Diarmuid obviously wouldn't fulfill the agreement to cover the rear. Diarmuid might even think they were playing him. The favor Black Zetsu had worked so hard to build with Diarmuid was being squandered by this lunatic.
Thinking of Diarmuid, a man of such immense power who was actually willing to coordinate and follow a logical plan, only highlighted how reckless Obito was. People called the boss of the Yorozuya a "madman" and an "outlaw," but as far as Black Zetsu was concerned, Obito was the one who was truly insane!
"Diarmuid is the only one who understands me... Should I..." Black Zetsu hesitated, his internal scales tipping significantly toward Diarmuid.
…
"Enma!" Hiruzen dodged a massive claw from the Nine-Tails. Tumbling through the air, he landed on a rooftop and slammed his palm down.
With a poof of smoke, the Sarutobi clan's ancestral summon appeared. "What happened... Wait, the Nine-Tails? Honestly, Hiruzen, can you stop calling me out only when things are this dangerous?"
"If I don't call you when it's dangerous, am I supposed to call you for tea?" Hiruzen retorted, using the banter with his old comrade to steady his nerves. He had noticed the Sharingan in the fox's eyes, and his unease grew. If this was an Uchiha conspiracy, there had to be more to come.
"Quickly, let's go!" Hiruzen barked.
Enma nodded and, with a puff, transformed into the Adamantine Staff!
At that moment, Obito stared at the Hokage Rock in the distance, his rage boiling, especially at the face of Minato. He controlled the Nine-Tails, halting its other movements to begin charging a Tailed Beast Bomb aimed directly at the stone faces.
"You bastard!!!" Hiruzen roared, swinging the Adamantine Staff. "Extend!"
The staff expanded in size and length, slamming into the Nine-Tails' belly to push it out of the village. Normally, such a blow would interrupt a Tailed Beast Bomb, but the beast was under total compulsion. Even as it was being pushed back, the orb continued to charge and, an instant later, was fired.
Hiruzen's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. His anger was beyond words, not because of the stone faces, which could be rebuilt, but because Konoha's primary evacuation shelter was located inside the Hokage Rock! Countless civilians were already inside.
This was a massacre!
But just as Hiruzen reached the brink of despair, a massive barrier suddenly opened in the air in front of the stone faces!
Space-Time Barrier: Flying Raijin – Guiding Thunder!?
Hiruzen recognized the technique instantly and let out a sigh of relief. Minato had returned.