The Nine-Tails' chakra that had been absorbed surged toward Tahara Rokuro's left arm guard — the same arm guard he had crafted using the death compensation fund left behind by his father, Uchiha Taidachi, who perished in battle.
Engraved on it were the seals for two of the Rinnegan's most iconic techniques — Banshō Ten'in and Shinra Tensei.
Now, with his mastery of sealing arts advancing even further, Rokuro had carved open a new sealing space within the arm guard itself — perfect for storing tailed beasts.
Yes, storing tailed beasts — not just the Nine-Tails.
To Rokuro, this arm guard was practically a low-tier version of the Gedo Statue.
While Rokuro was gathering the Nine-Tails' chakra, the main battlefield where the beast clashed with Konoha's shinobi had already entered its final act.
Driven by duty — and by his love for his wife — Namikaze Minato ultimately chose to sacrifice his life by performing the Reaper Death Seal.
First, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport the colossal Nine-Tails into the sealing formation, and then split the beast in two — sealing its Yin half within his own soul, and its Yang half inside his newborn son.
Thus was born the future "Child of Prophecy" — Uzumaki Naruto.
Fulfilling his wife's dying wish, Minato even sealed a portion of Uzumaki Kushina's chakra within Naruto.
And so, amidst the Nine-Tails' furious roars, the mightiest of the tailed beasts — a being that could level mountains — was torn apart and divided among one family, as if they were sharing slices of fruit salad.
"Tragic, isn't it? Possessing the power of a natural disaster… yet helpless before sealing techniques. You were destined to become nothing but a shinobi's tool. Still, it's not all bad — after all, you did slaughter hundreds of ninjas tonight. By the math of it, you came out ahead."
As the Nine-Tails was sealed, the beast's chakra lingering in the air lost its source.
Rokuro's sealing array absorbed every wisp of it, channeling it into the arm guard's inner space.
Then, as the chakra reached a critical density, a sound emerged from within — a faint, wrathful growl, echoing with unwillingness.
Rokuro's heart stirred. Just as he was about to examine it more closely
a kunai flashed out of nowhere and pressed coldly against his throat.
"Who are you? Why are you collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra? What are you planning?"
Rokuro slowly turned his head. The assailant behind him wore a fox mask; his silver-white hair gleamed faintly under the moonlight.
Through the mask's slits, Rokuro caught sight of a single, scarlet eye — a three-tomoe Sharingan.
So many clues combined left little doubt about the man's identity.
"Root operations are none of the ANBU's concern. Step aside."
From the moment the Nine-Tails appeared, Rokuro had been under a Transformation Jutsu — except for a brief moment when he'd returned home to deliver the Sealing Scroll.
After that, he'd donned a mask — one belonging to Root.
"Even Root has boundaries. You've clearly overstepped. Come with me to meet the Hokage."
"Hokage? We of Root answer only to Lord Danzō. In our eyes, there is no Hokage. Now move!"
A burst of blinding lightning exploded between them.
Kakashi acted without hesitation, slashing his kunai across Rokuro's throat
only for the blade to be repelled by an unseen force.
Rokuro's leg shot out, aiming for Kakashi's chest.
But the silver-haired ninja reacted instantly — his Sharingan reading the motion, his arms crossing in defense.
Boom!
The impact sent Kakashi flying over ten meters, crashing through a wall.
The next instant, the air crackled with the cry of a thousand birds — Chidori.
Lightning danced around Kakashi's hand as he charged forward like a living thunderbolt.
As a practitioner of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Rokuro could tell at a glance — Chidori wasn't just raw destructive power.
It enhanced the user's physical activation, enabling bursts of speed beyond their normal limits.
However, compared to the full-body enhancement of Lightning Chakra Mode, Chidori was incomplete — boosting only short-range speed and striking force.
Without the Sharingan's predictive sight, it was as uncontrollable as a runaway truck.
Kakashi already possessed jōnin-level speed, and with Chidori's boost, he was nearly on par with a Kage.
But speed alone was meaningless before Flying Thunder God.
Just as Kakashi closed in, lightning flaring and Chidori poised to pierce Rokuro's heart
Rokuro vanished.
Only the faint ripple of a teleportation mark lingered.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique?!"
"Who the hell is this guy? A Root ninja…? No. I need to report this to the Hokage!"
Unaware that his teacher was already gone, Kakashi sprinted toward the battlefield.
When he arrived — and saw the blood-soaked bodies of Minato and Kushina — he froze.
"Kakashi… my condolences."
Hiruzen Sarutobi approached, cradling a crying baby in his arms.
"This is Minato's child. They'd already chosen his name before his birth — Naruto. Your mission now is to protect him… for he is the new Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
Kakashi, mask removed, paled.
He gently lifted the corner of the infant's blanket and saw the sealing formula etched across the boy's belly.
"Why… why would sensei do this?"
"Sigh… It was Minato's will."
Hiruzen didn't elaborate, but Kakashi could already guess much of it.
As the Third Hokage turned to handle the aftermath, Kakashi suddenly called out:
"Lord Third — something strange happened earlier. I saw a Root ninja using a sealing formation to collect the Nine-Tails' chakra."
"What did you say?! Someone is collecting the Nine-Tails' chakra?!"
Hiruzen's face darkened.
The Nine-Tails was not just a weapon — it was Konoha's ultimate deterrent, a balance against the other hidden villages.
As Hokage, his greatest duty was to keep the beast under his control.
Now, someone was secretly harvesting that power?
That was tantamount to undermining Konoha's entire foundation.
"You said it was a Root ninja?"
"He wore a Root mask… and admitted to being one himself. Though, it could've been a bluff."
Hiruzen waved his hand grimly.
"No — it's almost certainly true. That damned Danzō… There's nothing he wouldn't do. Summon the surviving ANBU — we're going to Root headquarters. I'll question him myself!"
When anything shady happened in Konoha, Shimura Danzō was always the first suspect.
Decades of experience had taught Hiruzen that such an assumption was almost never wrong.
Soon after, Hiruzen led the remaining ANBU to storm Root's main base.
Most of Root's forces were already out at the Uchiha compound, leaving the stronghold undermanned.
The ANBU swept through like a storm, overwhelming the guards in moments.
Danzō emerged from the shadows, face dark as ink.
"Hiruzen! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Hiruzen slammed his Nyoi Staff into the ground with a thunderous crack, fury blazing in his eyes.
"Danzō — hand over the Nine-Tails' chakra you stole. Now!"