To block the incoming attack, Yōsuke had no choice but to divide his focus and swing the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi to counter.
But because his attention wavered, the Nine-Tails—who had been struggling desperately against its restraints—twisted its massive body and snapped several of the blood-forged bindings.
Regaining part of its mobility, the Nine-Tails immediately gathered a Tailed Beast Ball and fired it at Yōsuke, who was restraining it.
Minato teleported in front of Yōsuke using the Flying Thunder God Technique, formed hand seals, and erected a barrier to redirect the Tailed Beast Ball.
With Minato covering him, Yōsuke successfully re-bound the Nine-Tails.
Seeing the chance, Minato activated the Eight Trigrams Seal.
"Seal!"
An invisible force pulled at the Nine-Tails' chakra, ripping out a gray-brown Yang half of the beast.
The extracted half was successfully sealed back into Uzumaki Kushina.
The Nine-Tails' massive form instantly shrank by half.
But just as Minato was about to seal the remaining Yang half into Naruto, Root operatives attacked again.
Having recovered some chakra, Kushina used Adamantine Chains, reinforcing Yōsuke's Dark Binding to restrain the Nine-Tails once more.
With Kushina's support, Yōsuke finally had a free hand to strike back.
Toward these ungrateful shinobi, Yōsuke had already resolved to kill.
"Breath of Blood, Third Form — Tempest flame Blood Blades!"
Countless flying blades of blood swept across the Root operatives.
In an instant, those struck were consumed by invading blood and died violently. Only a few who narrowly avoided the blood blades survived.
Seeing his own villagers being killed, Minato felt no anger—only sorrow.
"Breath of Blood — First Form: Crimson Decay!"
A massive blood-red flower bloomed around Yōsuke, enveloping Minato, Kushina, and the Nine-Tails within its petals.
The shinobi outside tried to break through, but upon inhaling the pollen, they lost their sanity and began attacking one another.
"Minato, no one will interrupt us now. Continue the sealing!"
Minato nodded and once more proceeded to seal the remaining Yang half of the Nine-Tails.
Sensing it was about to be sealed inside a newborn child, the Nine-Tails roared in frustration and defiance.
Desperate for even the faintest sliver of freedom, it recklessly unleashed another Tailed Beast Ball—even at risk of harming itself.
"Seal!"
As the Yang half was sealed into Naruto's body, the Tailed Beast Ball detonated within the blood-red flower.
At the final moment, Yōsuke opened a gap in the petals, allowing Minato's shadow clone to carry Naruto out.
Minato's shadow clone handed the baby to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Third, please take good care of Naruto. This is my final request… as the Fourth Hokage."
A violent explosion burst from within the crimson flower, tearing it apart. The blast's shockwave toppled nearby buildings before fading into silence.
Minato's shadow clone dissipated at the moment of the blast, successfully faking the death of the real body.
Holding Naruto—and seeing the Eight Trigrams Seal on the infant's stomach—Hiruzen felt a deep, suffocating guilt.
"I'm sorry, Minato. Everything was for the sake of the village… I will take care of Naruto."
The deaths of Minato and Yōsuke filled Danzō with delight. His eyes glimmered with greed as he looked at the child in Hiruzen's arms.
"Hiruzen, entrust the jinchūriki to me. I guarantee I can train him into a perfect shinobi."
Hiruzen rejected him immediately.
"No. Minato entrusted him to me before he died."
"The jinchūriki is the Fourth's child—he has countless enemies. Only Root can protect him properly!"
"The Fourth Hokage is gone. As Acting Hokage, my first order is this: no one present may reveal Naruto's true identity, and from this day forward, his name is Uzumaki Naruto."
After announcing his first decree, Hiruzen fixed Danzō with a sharp stare.
"Danzō, did you know Orochimaru entered the village?"
Danzō feigned ignorance.
"Orochimaru? I wasn't aware he came to Konoha."
"Danzō, do not let me discover that you've done anything to endanger this village. Even if you are an old friend… I will not show mercy."
Hiruzen left the battlefield carrying Naruto.
Danzō's expression shifted between light and dark before he finally let out a cold laugh.
"Hmph… the Fourth Hokage is dead. The ones who stood in my way are gone. Konoha and the jinchūriki will be mine sooner or later."
Outside the Land of Fire.
The figures of Yōsuke, Minato, and Kushina reappeared.
At the final second before the explosion, Minato—having completed the sealing—used Flying Thunder God to escape the blast, allowing all three to survive.
Parting with Naruto and being made a jinchūriki once more overwhelmed Kushina, and she collapsed unconscious.
Minato held her gently in his arms, heart aching.
Yōsuke asked, "Minato, what are your plans now?"
"I'll take Kushina somewhere she can recover. After that, I'll investigate the masked man's identity—and the mastermind the Sage of Six Paths mentioned."
Always gentle, Minato now wore a hardened, cold expression.
"And you, Yōsuke?"
"I'm going to find Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru? Is he the one you've been searching for?"
Yōsuke nodded.
"He wasn't before. But now… the person I'm hunting has taken over Orochimaru's body. So I must find him."
Minato handed over a scroll.
"This is a communication scroll. I'll also search for Orochimaru's whereabouts. When I find something, I'll contact you through it."
Yōsuke accepted it.
"Thanks."
"No need for thanks. If anything, Kushina and I should be thanking you. If Yōsuke has any news, you can contact me the same way. I'll come immediately."
Yōsuke and Minato parted ways, leaving the Land of Fire.
Minato removed his Konoha forehead protector, gripping it tightly as a tear traced down his cheek.
He had once been proud to be a shinobi of Konoha…
But now, after being betrayed by his own comrades, all his efforts felt meaningless.
With a heavy heart, Minato threw the forehead protector to the ground—yet his eyes never left it.
After a long moment, he picked it up again and placed it close to his chest.
"Third… take good care of Naruto. Don't make me… don't make us lose faith in you—or in Konoha—again…"
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