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[NTU] [ARC-13] Chapter : 176
🕑 Added 2024-09-21 10:02:31 +0000 UTCSince Minato’s death, Kushina had moved with little Naruto to this more remote area, living a semi-secluded life. It hadn’t been her choice, though. She would have preferred to stay in the bustling heart of the village, where Naruto could meet children his age, something she believed was vital for his development.
After the last Nine-Tails incident, while the destruction wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been, there were still some casualties—both ninja and civilians in Konoha.
Somehow, her identity as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki had leaked, and she feared it might negatively affect Naruto’s future. To protect him, she had made the decision to move here, away from the heart of the village, leading a life as quietly and inconspicuously as possible.
She tried to keep a low profile for the sake of Naruto.
"It's about the Cloud Ninja," the Third Hokage said after a long pause. "The Fourth Raikage, the Eight-Tails jinchuriki, and the Two-Tails jinchuriki have all gathered at Konoha's border, confronting us. We're finding ourselves a bit short on high-level combat power."
Finally, the reason for his visit was clear.
He truly regretted his decision now. He shouldn’t have sent that fuckin Uchiha to the front lines. The moment Toshiro arrived at the frontlines, he immediately captured the Two-Tails' jinchuriki, provoking not only the Fourth Raikage but also the Eight-Tails' jinchuriki.
And if that wasn’t enough, he still had to ask Kushina for the Uzumaki sealing secrets.
The more he thought about it, the more he regretted his choice.
"... I understand," Kushina responded after a long silence, her voice calm.
"I'm willing to go to the front lines, but what about Naruto's safety?"
As a mother, her protective instincts were sharp, and combined with her heightened sensory abilities, she could constantly feel the presence of the Nine-Tails lurking within Naruto, always watching, waiting for an opportunityy.
If something happened to Naruto while she wasn’t there, she would never forgive herself. Her eyes shifted towards the Third Hokage, concern evident in her gaze.
"Don't worry, I'll personally ensure Naruto's safety during this time," the Third Hokage reassured her, his tone firm. "I promise nothing will happen to him."
He adjusted his hat slightly, avoiding Kushina's piercing gaze, and continued, "The main reason I need you on the front lines is to act as a deterrent. We're close to signing a peace agreement with the Cloud Village."
After hearing this, Kushina felt a sense of relief. Why had she agreed to leave Naruto behind while heading to the front lines?
Because she knew that the one who used to protect her was gone. As a jinchuriki, she had to secure her place within the village and gain power and, more importantly, protect Naruto, ensuring he could grow up happily.
It was not something that could be accomplished with mere words.
"Shikaku has the Flying Thunder God mark, and I'll arrange for Genma's squad to teleport you over," the Third Hokage said calmly.
"Flying Thunder God..." Kushina repeated softly. Hearing the name of that familiar jutsu again, her eyes misted over, and her thoughts drifted to Minato—the smiling, bright presence he had once been.
She couldn't help but recall how he had chosen to sacrifice himself to save her. A bittersweet memory.
"I understand," she said quietly, collecting herself. "I'll get ready and head out soon."
After calming her emotions, Kushina didn’t linger in the past. She immediately started packing her things and focused on the mission ahead.
"…Thank you," the Hokage said, his voice laden with regret.
If he had the choice, he would never have come to disrupt Kushina's life again. The events surrounding Minato's death already weighed heavily on his conscience.
Despite Shikaku's repeated urgent pleas for assistance, the Third Hokage couldn't help but feel guilty for disturbing Kushina's peaceful life once again.
'If only Minato were still here,' he thought, his heart heavy.
The current situation in the ninja world, the rising tensions in the village, and... Uchiha Toshiro—he was an unpredictable force, troublesome, and formidable.
He had often wondered what the village might be like if it hadn't been Minato who sacrificed himself. What if things had turned out differently?
—
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed as a leather whip snapped against a bull's hide.
As soon as the Eight-Tails made contact with the ground, Shiromari delivered another heavy blow, following up on the one before. Now, the Eight-tails knew firsthand the punishment B had just endured.
Even with its immense size, after taking two powerful strikes, the Eight-Tails felt a dizzying sensation, struggling to maintain its balance.
"Shiromari!"
"Oh!"
Shiromari, riding high on the thrill of dominating the battlefield, responded instantly to Toshiro's command, generating a massive amount of chakra without hesitation.
Standing tall atop Shiromari, Toshiro, with his three heads and multiple arms poised, prepared to unleash his next barrage of attacks.
"Water Style: Oil Bullet!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Vacuum Slash!"
"Tornado Style: Windstorm Fury!"
In rapid succession, the ninjutsu were cast. Positioned only a few strides away from the massive Eight-Tails, Shiromari, utterly exhilarated, opened his enormous jaws. A dull yellow torrent, a concentrated transformation of water-attributed chakra, erupted from his maw. It resembled an oil geyser from Toshiro's past life, surging towards the Eight-Tails like a force of nature, ready to consume its target.
Among Toshiro’s three heads, fire and wind erupted simultaneously, fusing with the flammable liquid surging from Shiromari. But that wasn’t enough. He maliciously added a multitude of wind blades to the mix, making it even more challenging for the Eight-Tails to defend.
Whoosh!
The central head of Toshiro opened its maw, spitting out a searing flame that ignited the stream of oil spewing from Shiromari. Moments later, a fierce storm and countless wind blades followed, all merging with the blazing, high-temperature oil as it rained down upon the Eight-Tails.
But the assault didn’t end there.
While the wind blades created wounds—minor by the Eight-Tails' immense standards—the relentless combination of flame, storm, and burning oil continued to assault its body, amplifying the devastation with each passing second.
The real threat lay in the wind blades.
These weren’t just swirling along with the oil—they formed a powerful tornado that enveloped the Eight-Tails entirely. Faced with this onslaught, the Eight-Tails, now regaining some clarity, had no choice but to coil its massive tails around its body, hoping to shield itself from the relentless barrage.
As for unleashing the Tailed Beast Bomb... that was out of the question. Even the Eight-Tails wasn’t foolish enough to attempt such a risky move in these circumstances.
In the aftermath, the night sky, which had briefly been lit by the Eight-Tails’ tailee beast bomb previously, was now ablaze again—this time from Toshiro's doing. But instead of the blinding white light from the earlier Tailed Beast Bomb, Toshiro had ignited a towering bonfire, its flames stretching tens of meters into the air, casting a fiery glow across the battlefield.
The night sky glowed a deep orange.
Whoosh!
The intense flames, fueled by the relentless tornado, began to stir the surrounding air currents, causing the massive firestorm to spin naturally. Its diameter gradually expanded from its original tens of meters, and the core of the inferno began to glow white-hot, radiating a blistering heat that even Toshiro, standing nearby, could feel.
"Damn, even for a tailed beast, this combo should have some serious impact!"
With a nearly frenzied output of chakra, Toshiro observed the destruction he had wrought with satisfaction. His battle with B had begun with a powerful tail-swinging drift, followed by a barrage of supercharged Rock Iron Cannons that sent B flying out of the fight.
After the Eight-tails re-entered the fray, he summoned the Fivefold Rashomon to block the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb and used the stealth abilities of Shiromari to quietly approach their target.
As a lizard, Shiromari possessed an ability that had greatly surprised Toshiro—*invisibility*. However, while it could turn invisible, it wasn’t adept at sneaking up on something as massive and perceptive as the Eight-tails. Shiromari's sheer size made any movement noticeable, and its presence impossible to fully conceal, especially from an opponent like the Eight-tails.
But with Toshiro's support, this limitation became an advantage. He employed the Lighted Rock Jutsu, drastically reducing Shiromari’s weight. This not only made the lizard lighter on its feet but also minimized the risk of detection. What had once been a liability now had a tactical application in their strategy.
Toshiro’s plan worked brilliantly. By combining Shiromari’s invisibility with his own misleading projection illusions, even the sharp instincts of the Eight-Tails struggled to detect them as Shiromari carefully slowed its movements. The chaotic aftermath of the Tailed Beast Bomb, with smoke and debris filling the air, provided further cover for their stealthy approach.
The only obstacle was the oil-based ninjutsu attack that followed. Converting Shiromari’s chakra into oil had required considerable mental focus, draining much of Toshiro’s energy. Yet, for an Uchiha who had awakened the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan, such challenges were manageable.
Exhale!
He let out a long breath, realizing that even his vast chakra reserves were strained after such an intense barrage of techniques. Seeing the fire tornado fully take shape, he promptly cut off the chakra flow from both himself and Shiromari, ensuring they didn't overextend.
Now, with the battlefield ablaze and his strategy unfolding as planned, he allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. The tide was turning in his favor.
