NoviceAuthor
patreon
[NTU] [ARC-09-KYUUBI] Chapter : 131
🕑 Added 2024-07-18 22:00:01 +0000 UTCThe bright moon disappeared behind thick dark clouds as the cold, biting night wind whirled and whistled through the valleys, plains, forests, and Konoha.
"Sir, the sealing team is ready."
"Please, Toshiro-sama, you and Shiromari-sama need to suppress the Kyuubi for a while. The sealing can begin immediately." said a sealing team member.
After all their hard work, the sealing team finally seemed competent. Both Toshiro and the Third Hokage felt relieved.
Of course, this seal wouldn't directly contain the Nine-Tails in a human body; that would require a Jinchūriki. It would only temporarily suppress the Kyuubi’s mobility.
"You may start. Toshiro and I will support you."
"Yes, sir."
Without further hesitation, the sealing ninja, who had reported to Toshiro, vanished.
"Vajra Immobilizing Seal... activate!"
As the sealing ninja left, a huge sealing circle lit up under the Kyuubi.
"Oh! The Vajra sealing circle... Using this to suppress the Nine-Tails... Along with the efforts of the sealing team, it should hold for 10 to 15 minutes."
"This should give us enough time for the Yondaime Hokage to arrive."
"It seems these sealing team members do have some skill."
As black seals emerged from the feet of the sealing personnel surrounding the Kyuubi, they began to move and interconnect, forming a fixed formation, which then slowly climbed up the Kyuubi’s body.
Toshiro had to admit that while the mental strength of the sealing team was lacking, their technique was effective.
Seeing the black seals spread to even his body, Shiromari asked, "Oi, what's happening?"
Two figures in ANBU uniforms and masks, each wielding a tanto that glinted coldly, approached with the intent to kill.
"Sandaime-sama, be careful..."
"There are assassins..."
The sudden attack left the Sandaime's guards, the ninjas intercepting the Kyuubi, and the members of the sealing team stunned.
Boom!
A massive explosion followed, releasing a thick cloud of white smoke that enveloped the entire scene, obscuring visibility for those outside.
"Protect the Sandaime!"
"Sealing team...!! what are you doing? Are you planning to betray Konoha?"
"And these ANBU, they can't be trusted either; they're trying to assassinate the Sandaime..."
The burst of white smoke threw the entire scene into chaos.
Seeing the sealing team's abnormal behavior and the two ANBU attempting to assassinate the Sandaime and Toshiro left all the ninjas present bewildered.
"Did they succeed?"
Less than a kilometer from the sealing position of the Kyuubi, a figure with a cane stood quietly, squinting and observing the situation in the smoke.
"Danzo-sama... is this really okay?"
The subordinate beside him, voice trembling, looked at the smoke-obscured scene, then at Danzo.
"Hmph... that brat Minato Namikaze isn't fit to be Hokage at all!"
"Only I can lead Konoha to become the strongest ninja village in the world!"
After answering his subordinate, a voice echoed in Danzo's heart:
'Hiruzen, don't blame me, blame yourself for being too weak. Without you, Konoha will thrive under my leadership.'
After the Sandaime rejected his plan to kill Toshiro, Danzo didn't abandon his scheme. Instead, he secretly instructed a sealing team member to seal even Shiromari while sealing the Kyuubi.
As he was about to give the order to assassinate Toshiro, seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen standing next to Toshiro, a bold idea formed in his mind.
If he could kill Toshiro and the Third Hokage, then blame it on the Fourth Hokage, could he then...
With the Kyuubi's rampage destabilizing the Fourth Hokage's position, implicating him in the Sandaime's death could make it easier to dethrone him.
With no obstruction from the Third Hokage, no Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, only a young Minato and the free-spirited Jiraiya, how could they oppose him?
As for Orochimaru, since the Sandaime chose Minato, Orochimaru turned to researching 'immortality' and Danzo had significant leverage over him.
Not to mention the Senju princess suffering from hemophobia.
As the prospect of the Hokage's throne beckoned, Danzo couldn't contain his excitement. He immediately altered his plan, ordering his men to kill the Sandaime as well.
Now, he awaited the outcome.
"The smoke has cleared... Go and check on the Sandaime!"
This burst of smoke was a visual obstruction created by Toshiro, who, seeing the sealing technique coming towards him, instructed Shiromari to release the summoning and return.
The goal was to confuse any potential follow-up attackers.
After a few moments, the white smoke dissipated, revealing the scene inside.
"Sandaime-sama... are you alright?"
"Enma?"
As the smoke cleared, the Konoha ninjas saw the figures inside, and their hands and feet turned cold.
Toshiro Uchiha was nowhere to be seen, leaving only the Sandaime Hokage and a burly old monkey.
The old monkey was unharmed. His near indestructible body had withstood the sharp chakra-infused ninja sword without a scratch.
With one hand, he grabbed the attacker's neck, and with the other, he seized the sharp blade. He was completely unscathed.
The Sandaime Hokage, however, was not so fortunate. Though he avoided a fatal blow, the ninja sword had still pierced his body.
Despite failing to complete his mission and having his sword jammed by the old monkey, the attacker in ANBU clothes did not give up. He drew a kunai from his ninja bag and aimed it at the Sandaime Hokage's neck.
With an exploding tag tied to the kunai and ninjas closing in, it was clear the attacker had no intention of surviving. He planned to die along with the Sandaime Hokage.
"...Ahem! Damn it, these seals..."
Black seals crawled over his body, preventing him from summoning chakra and making it extremely difficult to move.
The Sandaime, seeing the kunai inching closer, felt a moment of despair. Escaping the initial fatal attack had already pushed him to his limit.
'This bastard Danzo... how dare he?'
Realizing the sealing squad and the assassins' desperate behavior were pointing to Danzo's root, the Sandaime understood it was too late for regrets.
And Toshiro Uchiha, that traitor—how did he maintain his chakra use under the seal of Vajra? He didn't even come to my rescue and completely ignored me.
"Sorry... I was late!"
Just as the kunai was about to reach the Sandaime Hokage's neck, a gentle voice spoke in his ear.
In an instant, Minato Namikaze grabbed the attacker's arm, snatched the dangerous kunai, and threw it away.
With his other hand, he pressed the attacker's chest, sealing all his chakra and movement.
"...Minato, I'm saved because of you!"
"Otherwise, my old bones would have been left here!"
Wiping the blood from his mouth, the Sandaime looked at Namikaze Minato and smiled.
"Sandaime-sama... you should explain what happened with these attackers and those on the sealing team?"
"It was really dangerous just now. I was almost killed by these guys. Fortunately, I took precautions in advance, or it would have been much worse. Sorry, I couldn't come to your defense!"
With the arrival of Namikaze Minato, Toshiro appeared nearby, using the cover of Kyuubi’s massive form.
'Defense? Who is this bastard defending against!'
Before the Sandaime could respond, Enma, having been used as a scapegoat by Toshiro, erupted in anger. If not for the sealing technique, it would have likely attacked Toshiro directly.
Just moments earlier, Toshiro had sensed something amiss and instructed Shiromari to release the summoning, creating a large cloud of white smoke that obscured visibility and disrupted the seal that suddenly lost its target.
This small delay allowed the Sandaime Hokage to avoid the assassin's killing blow. Toshiro used this opportunity to employ the substitution technique, making Enma take the brunt of the seal's effects and subsequent attacks.
His years of practice with the substitution technique had paid off.
"It’s fine. With my indestructible body, this kind of attack is merely a scratch."
"More importantly, we need to deal with these attackers."
Standing beside Enma, Toshiro examined the mouth of the ANBU, whose neck was gripped by the demon, revealing a black curse mark on his tongue.
"As expected, it’s the curse seal. Sandaime, your old friend seems to harbor a lot of resentment towards you and me! I'll take care of him right now."
Casually pulling the ninja sword from the attacker's hand, Toshiro ignored the Sandaime’s stern look and began searching for Danzo, intending to take advantage of the chaos to eliminate him.
"Toshiro... don’t be impulsive. This incident might be the work of the Root and not directly connected to Danzo."
As these words left his mouth, the Sandaime Hokage suddenly coughed up blood, his injuries proving severe.
"Quick... medical ninjas, check the Sandaime Hokage’s injuries!" Namikaze Minato urgently called for the medical team to attend to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Simultaneously, he addressed Toshiro: "Toshiro, the situation is critical, and Kyuubi has not been dealt with. We’ll discuss this later. I promise you'll get an explanation..."
"Tsk!"
"The Sandaime sure knows how to pick his friends! If it were me, I wouldn't have thought about it for a second. I’d take this chance to get rid of that old guy and seize power."
Though Toshiro's voice softened as he spoke, everyone present had sharp senses and heard him clearly.
The Sandaime's face darkened with each word. If he could move, he would have leapt up to teach Toshiro a lesson about respecting elders.
Minato scratched his head awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
The Konoha ninjas exchanged looks, their expressions reflecting the tension and complexity of the situation. They understood the current state of affairs with the Yondaime Hokage but kept their thoughts to themselves.
