Minato's sudden entrance saved Shinku, who otherwise would have perished beneath the Nine-Tails' claws. However, the scene at that moment was... a bit awkward.
"Lord... Lord Fourth, could you perhaps put me down first?" Shinku asked, his voice strained with embarrassment.
Indeed, under the watchful eyes of many, Minato had caught Shinku in a full bridal carry to dodge the Nine-Tails' strike. By the time he regained his footing, he was still cradling a visibly flustered Shinku.
Wait? Why is there a hint of bashfulness here?
Minato blinked, realization dawning, and quickly set Shinku down. "Go and regroup immediately."
"Yes, Lord Fourth!" Shinku replied, clearing his throat.
Previously, Minato had intended to break the control over the Nine-Tails by taking down the masked man. That final Rasengan to the masked man's back had been reinforced with a Contract Seal, severing Obito's summoning bond with the Nine-Tails. This was precisely why Shinku had been able to seize the opening a moment ago to release the Sharingan genjutsu.
Hiruzen directed the ninja to temporarily stall the beast before quickly approaching Minato. "What's the situation?"
"A man claiming to be Uchiha Madara is behind this," Minato said grimly. He didn't seem inclined to elaborate; before Hiruzen could even react in surprise, Minato pressed on: "Lord Third, if we re-seal the Nine-Tails into Kushina now, will she..."
"It's never been attempted, but with Kushina's constitution, it should be possible. However, Minato, the Nine-Tails' Chakra is too immense. Fully re-sealing it quickly is no simple feat," Hiruzen said helplessly.
Minato's brow furrowed slightly. "What if I seal only half of it?"
"Half?" Hiruzen was stunned again. "You want to split the Nine-Tails? It's the village's property, you can't just..."
But seeing the look of sheer agony in Minato's eyes, the words died in Hiruzen's throat. He thought of his own wife, currently in the hospital, and after a moment of heavy silence, he spoke solemnly: "Then go and try. I don't know if it will work, Minato..."
Hiruzen was a dutiful Hokage, but at this moment, he comforted his conscience by thinking: I've already retired, haven't I? Ultimately, he was a man of deep sentiment, not a heartless machine. Even knowing that Minato's plan would likely slash the village's Tailed Beast power in half, he gave his consent.
"I won't make things too difficult for you, Lord Third," Minato said with a sudden, appreciative smile. As a fellow Hokage, he understood exactly what kind of concession Hiruzen was making. In this moment, Hiruzen had placed Minato's personal burden above the interests of the village. That was enough; Minato understood everything.
Hiruzen sighed and shook his head weakly, saying nothing.
Just then, the Nine-Tails opened its maw, condensing another Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Lord Third, buy me a few minutes. I need to make preparations," Minato said firmly. Then, as the beast prepared to fire, Minato slammed his hand down. "Summoning Jutsu: Gamabunta!"
The massive Chief Toad descended from the sky, landing squarely on the equally massive Nine-Tails – the Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique. This crushing weight disrupted the stabilization of the Tailed Beast Bomb, causing the Chakra to destabilize and the orb to collapse.
"Go," Hiruzen said, his eyes filled with resolve.
"Yes!" Minato replied, vanishing in a flash of light.
…
A moment later, he was home. Kushina and Naruto lay there, Kushina looking even more frail, her eyes fixed lovingly on her sleeping son.
"Minato? You're back? How is it?" Kushina struggled to sit up.
Minato embraced her, and after a momentary hesitation, he pulled Naruto into his arms as well. At this moment, Minato could only treat his own son as the final contingency. If the seal failed to save Kushina, Konoha could not afford to lose the Nine-Tails entirely. If it comes to that, let my child become the new Jinchuriki!
"It's not over yet. The Lord Third has agreed," Minato explained.
With another Flying Raijin, the three appeared at a ritual altar outside the village. Minato quickly briefed her. If she could live to see Naruto grow up, Kushina was naturally willing to try anything.
"But how will you split the Nine-Tails?" she asked.
"Leave that to me," Minato smiled, his eyes brimming with confidence.
Kushina didn't overthink it, assuming Minato had a specialized method. "When you bring the Nine-Tails here, I'll use the last of my strength to cast the Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind it. I'll leave the rest to you."
"I understand. Trust me," Minato nodded.
Suddenly, Kushina whispered, "Minato, please don't overexert yourself!"
Minato paused, then gave her a radiant smile. "I don't feel like I'm overexerting myself at all." For the people he loved, Minato would sacrifice everything without hesitation. With those words, he vanished again.
…
Back at the battlefield, the Adamantine Staff slammed into the Nine-Tails' jaw from below. Gamabunta swung his blade, aiming for the beast's neck. The Nine-Tails, ferociously powerful, lashed out with its nine tails, sent the toad flying, and swiped at Hiruzen.
At that exact second, Minato appeared atop Gamabunta, leaped high into the air, and landed on the Nine-Tails' head. The beast's massive, hateful eyes locked onto him.
"Namikaze Minato!!!" The Nine-Tails actually spoke in a human tongue.
Minato blinked. "So, you know me?"
The Nine-Tails was seething. Damn it all! Being sealed in your wife's belly was humiliating enough, but for the last ten months, I've had to watch you 'coming and going' constantly. I... The beast's resentment toward Minato was immense, matching its ancient hatred for Hashirama, partly due to Hashirama's overwhelming power, and partly because Uzumaki Mito had been Hashirama's wife.
At this moment, the Nine-Tails had a ridiculous thought: Even if I have to be sealed again, I refuse to be put inside a woman ever again! The psychological trauma is too much!
Minato didn't waste words. While the beast was momentarily distracted, he slammed his hand onto its head. Flying Raijin activated once more.
In the next second, Minato and the colossal Nine-Tails vanished from the chaotic battlefield.
"Lord Third? What do we do?" a Jonin asked hesitantly.
Hiruzen seemed to have anticipated Minato's intent. The knowledge that the Nine-Tails was about to be split and weakened could not spread. He raised a hand, stopping the others from pursuing. "Trust in the Fourth Hokage."
Hiruzen wanted to protect Minato's legacy. Since Minato had taken the beast away, he must have a plan. All Hiruzen could do now was safeguard Minato's reputation, keep the secret of the weakened Nine-Tails, and stand as the final pillar of support for the Fourth Hokage.
…
The Nine-Tails roared in fury as it suddenly appeared at the altar. Before it could react, Kushina struck.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!!!" she cried. Her remaining Chakra erupted as glowing chains burst from her back, binding the Nine-Tails with lightning speed.
"ROAAR!!!" The Nine-Tails struggled, but these chains were one of the three ultimate banes of a Tailed Beast. It couldn't break free. Kushina's face turned deathly pale, her breathing shallow as she stood on the verge of collapse. She looked up at Minato; the rest was up to her husband. She truly believed he could save her.
However, as she looked up, she saw Minato forming hand signs. She recognized the sequence as she was the one who had taught it to him.
Her expression changed instantly. "No, Minato!!! You can't..."
Before she could finish her protest, Minato turned to her with a tender smile. "What reason is there, Kushina, to stop a husband from protecting his wife and son?"
As the words left his lips, he shouted, "Ninjutsu: Reaper Death Seal!"
Beneath Kushina's despairing gaze, a massive void opened behind Minato. A demonic, ghostly specter, the Reaper, emerged. It reached through Minato's body, pulling out a soul-like essence.
The Reaper Death Seal was a technique invisible to most, unless they were like Diarmuid, practitioners of the Spirit Transformation Technique who possessed spiritual vision, or masters of the seal themselves. Kushina, a master of sealing arts, saw it clearly. Her heart shattered as she watched the Reaper claim Minato's soul. She knew that once the Reaper was summoned, the process was irreversible. Success or failure, the caster's soul was forfeited.
Minato was already a dead man.
"GRAAAH!!!" the Nine-Tails roared. It couldn't see the Reaper, but it felt its Chakra being seized by an invisible force. No matter how it struggled, it was useless. As the source of its power, its very will, was sliced in two, a gut-wrenching pain surged through it. It felt exactly half of its power being torn away.
What is happening?!