When the massive, spectral form of the Nine-Tails let out a thunderous roar,
a wave of despair swept through the village.
Most of Konoha's elite were on the front lines.
And the Nine-Tails... who could possibly stand against it?
The rampage of the Eight-Tails had already left a deep scar on the Hidden Cloud.
Many still remembered what the Raikage had done the last time he visited Konoha.
If the Eight-Tails could nearly bring Cloud to its knees…
then what would happen with the Nine-Tails?
No one could even imagine it.
Despair spread like wildfire.
But then—
just moments later—
the terrifying chakra abruptly vanished.
Just as quickly as it had appeared.
The Nine-Tails' riot…
was subdued before it even started.
"It's the Senju Clan's land!"
A sharp-eyed ninja suddenly snapped out of it, realization dawning on his face.
The nearby villagers also began to piece things together.
Their hearts eased.
That was Senju land.
They knew their hero was there.
Senju Yukika, the new clan head of the Senju.
The man who had once defeated a demigod.
With him around, suppressing the Nine-Tails didn't seem impossible anymore.
Everyone exhaled in relief.
Their earlier dread faded.
As for Naruto…
When disaster struck,
no one called his name.
All they thought of was… Yukika.
The Senju Clan lived on the outskirts, separated from the main village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, quickly brought along Koharu and Homura.
His face was grim.
He understood the Nine-Tails far better than the average villager.
The moment its chakra leaked out, he knew—it had to do with Uzumaki Mito's childbirth.
It was natural for the jinchūriki's seal to weaken after giving birth.
But this time… why had the Nine-Tails stirred?
Could Yukika have been telling the truth—
was there something wrong with Mito's body?
Either way, Hiruzen had to find out.
"Step aside."
He frowned and stepped forward—
only to be blocked by members of the Senju at the gate.
Koharu glared.
"This is Konoha! How dare you stop the Hokage?!"
The one guarding the gate was Senju Tetsuhashi, one of Yukika's trusted men.
He'd been personally cultivated by Yukika.
And he had another identity: a former Root member.
His son had died thanks to a trap laid on the battlefield.
A trap tied to the village's dark politics.
He'd lost his closest friend, Senju Genshō, thanks to it.
After seeing things more clearly,
he developed a deep hatred for Konoha's upper echelon.
So naturally, he didn't have a shred of respect for Hiruzen now.
"I said, step aside!"
Homura raised his voice.
If Tetsuhashi refused, he wouldn't hesitate to strike.
"No need to announce yourselves," Hiruzen said, regaining composure.
"If something unexpected really happened, we'll just go in and see. If Yukika is occupied, we'll return another day."
He was trying to stay polite,
but inside, a gut feeling gnawed at him—
this was about the Nine-Tails.
If Mito was dead,
who would be the new jinchūriki?
Uzumaki Kushina was the most likely candidate.
She was young, ambitious but manageable.
If it was her, he could control her—even if Yukika tried to protect her.
But no matter who the new jinchūriki was,
Hiruzen had to confirm if Mito was alive or not.
He kept his tone civil—
but once he got his answer…
Senju Yukika's days would be numbered.
Without Mito, even if Yukika had power to rival a demigod,
he would be vulnerable.
In the light, in the shadows—
Hiruzen would come at him from all sides.
But first, confirmation.
Step one: the Nine-Tails.
Step two: accuse the Senju of treason.
The Senju on the front lines?
They'd "tragically die in battle."
And Hiruzen would emerge as the victorious Hokage who saved the village.
The Senju would be absorbed back into Konoha.
Just another tool to feed the village.
That had been his plan all along—
if Yukika hadn't risen up so suddenly.
That kid ruined everything.
But now that the Hokage had spoken, there was no reason to keep blocking him.
Tetsuhashi nodded and led them into the back courtyard.
In truth, this was all by design.
Yukika had anticipated Hiruzen's visit.
He'd told his men—let them in, but don't make it easy. Keep the pressure on.
People only make mistakes when they feel rushed.
Before unleashing the Nine-Tails, Yukika had set the stage.
Even the actors were in place—
like Tsunade, who had just won "Best Civilian Extra" at the war front.
As they walked, Hiruzen scanned the surroundings.
What he saw pleased him.
The Senju in the area looked depressed.
Some even sighed in sorrow.
A good sign.
Everything pointed to something being wrong with Uzumaki Mito.
He didn't ask anything yet—just followed quietly.
Then they stepped into the courtyard.
And there—he saw him.