Two days later.
Southwestern front.
Inside the main command tent of Orochimaru—
The light was dim.
He stood before the war map.
Golden slit pupils flickering with cold calculation.
A shadow slipped in.
An intelligence shinobi.
Kneeling.
Presenting a scroll.
Orochimaru read.
Silence stretched.
Then—
His voice.
Low.
Cold.
"The Land of Rivers…"
"Rogue activity is irrelevant for now."
His gaze lifted.
Sharp.
"But Sunagakure…"
"Still unclear?"
"Reporting, Orochimaru-sama."
"Their forces have moved toward Rōran."
"Intent—still under investigation."
A soft hum.
Neither approval.
Nor dissatisfaction.
His gaze drifted—
Across borders.
Across warlines.
Konoha.
The Northwest.
Infinite City.
"Sensei…"
He murmured softly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Your path…"
"Will only grow harder."
Konoha Camp — Southwestern Front
Dust.
Blood.
Groans of the wounded.
Then—
She arrived.
Kushina Uzumaki.
Red hair like fire.
Unbound.
Alive.
ANBU surrounded her.
But she—
Was the center.
Every shinobi felt it.
The Nine-Tails.
Inside the command post—
Jiraiya turned.
Then laughed.
"Kushina!"
"Finally!"
A hand slammed her shoulder.
Heavy.
Warm.
"With you here—"
"Those Cloud bastards are finished!"
But across the room—
Minato Namikaze stood still.
His eyes—
Lit up—
Then darkened.
Joy.
Concern.
Fear.
All buried.
She stepped toward him.
Smiling.
Bright.
"Minato."
"I'm here."
He took her hand.
Tight.
Then—
ALARM.
"Enemy attack!"
"Cloud forces advancing!"
"Raikage and Eight-Tails confirmed!"
Everything shifted.
Jiraiya's grin vanished.
"Perfect timing."
Kushina's chakra—
Exploded.
Red.
Thick.
Alive.
"I'll take the Eight-Tails."
Her voice—
Sharp.
Certain.
Minato hesitated.
Too dangerous.
But—
No time.
"…Be careful."
She grinned.
"Of course."
Battlefield
Hell.
Lightning tore the sky.
Explosions shattered earth.
Kushina leapt.
"Eight-Tails—fight me!"
Before her—
Killer B.
Half-transformed.
Inside him—
Gyuki stirred.
"Be careful."
"Kurama is here."
Then—
It came.
A surge.
Dark red.
More violent than any beast.
From Kushina—
One tail.
Two.
Three.
Eight.
Eight massive chakra tails—
Unfurled behind her.
Half-Tailed Beast Mode.
A monster.
Inside—
Another roared.
Kurama.
Bound.
Chained.
Furious.
"LET ME OUT!"
Golden chains—
Tightened.
Silencing him.
But not his will.
Hatred.
Violence.
Destruction—
Flooded her mind.
Yet—
She stood.
Above the battlefield.
Chakra condensed.
A sphere formed.
Not stable.
Not pure.
But—
Terrifying.
She fired.
A distorted Tailed Beast Bomb—
Ripped through air.
At the same time—
Killer B answered.
Two meteors—
Collided.
Then—
ERASED.
Sound vanished.
Then—
BOOM!!!
Reality shattered.
Shockwaves tore earth apart.
Sky split.
Killer B—
Thrown back.
Crashing.
Dragging destruction behind him.
Kushina—
Forced back—
But standing.
Power against power.
The battlefield froze.
Then—
Moved again.
Elsewhere—
Jiraiya summoned Gamabunta.
Clashing head-on—
With A (Fourth Raikage).
Lightning vs steel.
And then—
Minato moved.
Not once.
Not twice.
Everywhere.
A flash.
A mark.
A kill.
Again.
Again.
Again.
He wasn't fighting anymore.
He was—
Harvesting.
Flying Thunder God.
Perfect.
Relentless.
Kunai flew.
Marked space twisted.
Golden light—
Blinking across the battlefield.
Every appearance—
A death.
Neck.
Heart.
Gone.
Entire rows of shinobi—
Collapsed.
Before they understood—
They were already dead.
Minato—
Didn't stop.
Didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
All his fear—
All his anger—
All his helplessness—
Turned into speed.
Into killing.
Into silence.
Where he passed—
A golden scythe—
Cut through the army.
Cloud forces—
Broke.
Formation shattered.
Retreat began.
The Raikage roared—
Held back by Jiraiya.
Killer B—
Forced into full transformation.
The Eight-Tails emerged—
Towering.
To face—
Kushina.
Then—
Another presence.
Blue flames.
Matatabi entered the battlefield.
And far away—
Hidden watchers stirred.
Iwagakure—
Was watching.
Waiting.
For the perfect moment.
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