Naruto: The Nine-Tails' Legacy

The surging torrent transformed into the shape of a raging dragon, crashing forward with the force of a tsunami.

Water Release?

In a place like this?

Behind the mask, Obito revealed a trace of ridicule.

The instant he sensed the attack, he activated Kamui.

His body became intangible as the roaring water dragon passed harmlessly through him.

A powerful Water Release technique.

But against him—

It was meaningless.

He no longer paid attention to Izumi Uchiha, who remained bound by chains and helplessly swept away by the dragon's current.

Instead, he immediately turned toward the source of the attack.

Who was it?

"So it really was the masked man I fought before…"

At the far end of the water dragon, "Naruto" slowly raised his head.

A strange chakra cloaked his body.

Red markings surrounded his eyes.

And the complicated emotions currently visible on his face were absolutely not expressions a child like Naruto should possess.

"It really is Obito…"

Even after realizing the Water Release had no effect, he still didn't stop.

The endless torrent continued surging from his mouth.

"Water Release won't work against him."

Kurama's voice echoed beside his ears.

"This old man can't lend you my chakra. First because of the seal. Second because he absolutely cannot realize Naruto is here."

"At most, I can share natural energy."

"You can only use Naruto's chakra."

"This is a power he knows nothing about."

"Just leave, Minato!"

That's right.

The current "Naruto" using Water Release—

Was Minato Namikaze.

Time rewound slightly.

The moment Kurama sensed Obito's chakra, he immediately prepared to warn Naruto and make him flee.

But unexpectedly, Naruto's prematurely awakened ability to sense malice—caused by Kurama's earlier influence—was shaken by the overwhelming negative emotions flooding the Uchiha district.

Perhaps because this version of Kurama no longer constantly filled Naruto's thoughts and dreams with hatred and resentment—

Naruto became afraid in that instant.

"Minato, prepare yourself."

Realizing something was wrong, Kurama acted decisively.

"I'll pull Naruto's consciousness into the mental world. You'll—"

Kurama could already sense the approaching malice.

If Obito discovered Naruto, escaping the abilities of those eyes wouldn't be simple.

"Understood!"

Minato instantly grasped Kurama's intention.

No preparation was necessary.

The moment he opened his eyes and saw the girl protecting him before him—

After lightly brushing his fingers across the edge of her clothes—

He vanished instantly.

Even the fully focused Izumi failed to notice Naruto's disappearance.

Suppressing his presence to the absolute minimum, Minato hid himself in the perfect observation point while instantly connecting with the natural energy Kurama transmitted to him.

As the strange red eye markings appeared on Naruto's face—

Minato's sensory abilities multiplied dramatically.

He had entered Sage Mode.

Without anyone needing to remind him, Minato instantly made the most rational judgment and tactical decision possible for the situation.

After all—

He was the Yellow Flash of Konoha.

The legendary hero forged through countless battlefields across the ninja world.

"Using Naruto's body…"

Minato murmured quietly.

"I wonder how long my imperfect Sage Mode can last…"

Then he focused entirely on the battlefield.

Even Obito failed to notice it.

Because when Izumi instinctively protected Naruto earlier, Obito dismissed the action completely.

Thus, just as he prepared to kill Izumi—

Minato, controlling Naruto's body, finally moved.

"Sage Art: Water Release—Heavenly Triple Roaring Cyclone Blossoming Ice-Sealing Water Dragon Bullet: Zero Style!"

Though the name sounded absurdly bizarre, the technique was essentially an enhanced version of Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.

But under the amplification of senjutsu chakra—

Its power became incomparable to the original.

Combined with Naruto's naturally monstrous Uzumaki chakra reserves—

An endless flood erupted instantly.

The waters crashed forward, transforming the entire area before Konoha Military Police Headquarters into a lake, swallowing both Obito and Izumi within it.

Back when Minato discovered Naruto possessed Wind and Water chakra affinities, the first elemental ninjutsu he taught him had naturally been Water Release.

In life, Minato himself possessed Wind, Lightning, and Fire chakra natures.

But that certainly didn't mean he lacked mastery over Water Release.

Quite the opposite.

Jiraiya once said:

"Compared to Minato Namikaze, everyone else seems inadequate."

Mastering countless ninjutsu was merely one small part of Minato's genius.

However—

"Who's using Water Release?!"

Obito, still intangible through Kamui, charged directly upstream against the raging current.

The violent torrent posed no obstacle to him whatsoever.

Instead, it became the perfect marker leading him toward his enemy.

Almost instantly, Obito reached the front of the Water Dragon.

Yet within his Mangekyō Sharingan—

He saw nobody.

Boom!

Another roaring water dragon crashed down.

But this time—

It attacked from behind him.

Perfectly continuing the previous torrent and trapping Obito within the raging waters once again.

"How did he move?!"

Obito turned sharply.

Only to realize the source of the second dragon was now even farther away than before.

The enemy had crossed an enormous distance instantly—

Then accurately launched another Water Release attack.

Still…

It remained meaningless.

As long as Kamui's intangibility remained active, all attacks were useless against him.

Once more, Obito rushed upstream against the Water Dragon.

This time—

He would use the Sharingan to clearly observe the enemy's movements.

"He's already adapted?"

Even Minato had to admit Obito's abilities were troublesome.

He glanced toward Izumi lying nearby at his feet.

When she had been struck by the earlier Water Dragon, Minato intentionally used the impact to sweep her away to this location.

And upon the edge of her clothes—

A Flying Thunder God seal had already been placed.

The moment Minato attacked Obito with Water Release, he simultaneously used the force of Sage Art Water Release to blast Izumi away.

Because Obito's intangible state prevented him from being swept away as well.

Instead, Obito naturally advanced toward Minato's previous position.

But before Obito could arrive—

Minato had already used Flying Thunder God to teleport beside Izumi.

The distance created through this exchange granted him enough operational space.

More importantly—

This entire maneuver pushed both himself and Izumi outside Obito's observation range while simultaneously preventing Obito from discovering either his identity or his techniques.

This—

Was Minato Namikaze's combat awareness.

"You still won't leave?"

Kurama's voice sounded again.

But this time—

There was no urging in his tone.

The fox had already vaguely guessed Minato's intentions.

"This is the night, isn't it?"

Minato spoke inwardly.

"The night the Uchiha clan is massacred."

"Probably."

Kurama answered calmly.

"So what are you planning?"

"I'll keep him trapped inside the water."

Minato analyzed the situation calmly.

"At night, visibility underwater becomes far worse. His movements will slow down."

"Until he fully understands my abilities, he most likely won't casually deactivate his intangibility."

"And according to the intelligence gathered from my previous encounter with him…"

"While intangible, he cannot attack or use other techniques."

"Second, you already told me Kamui's intangibility has a time limit."

"He cannot maintain it forever."

"If he's forced into a situation where he must become tangible without understanding his enemy…"

"There's a good chance he'll abandon pursuit."

"That means you'll need to stall him for a very long time."

Kurama immediately pointed out the flaw.

"And you'll constantly need Flying Thunder God to guide him around while preventing him from noticing."

"Naruto's chakra won't be enough."

"Besides Naruto's chakra…"

Minato's voice remained calm.

"I still have my own."

"After converting and absorbing the chakra you continuously transferred to me earlier, using all of it together should allow me to last for a while."

"... Why go this far?"

Kurama's voice lowered slightly.

"If your goal is just saving this little girl, you could simply use Flying Thunder God and leave immediately."

"You're still trying to save the entire Uchiha clan?"

"How naive."

"Even if they survive tonight, what then?"

"Will the world suddenly become peaceful tomorrow?"

"... Nine-Tails-sama."

Minato fell silent briefly before speaking slowly.

"I understand your reasoning."

"I understand Lord Third's reasoning too."

"And I understand exactly why the village reached this decision."

"I understand even more clearly that if I interfere now and expose your existence and changes…"

"It could bring countless unnecessary dangers to Naruto."

"And naturally…"

"I fully understand the enemies you fear in the future are far more dangerous and powerful."

Minato sensed Obito's approach through Sage Mode.

Yet he never stopped consuming chakra.

The moment Obito neared once again, Minato immediately used Flying Thunder God to return to his previous location and launch another Sage Art technique.

"But…"

"At least until this moment…"

"The Uchiha clan are still members of Konoha."

"And I…"

Minato's eyes became resolute.

"Am still the Hokage whose face is carved upon the Hokage Monument."

"The title of Hokage I carry…"

"Was a vow made to every single person within Konoha."

"I swore to protect the village and its people."

"They are currently in danger."

"And I absolutely cannot run away."

"This…"

"Is something I refuse to abandon."

At this moment—

The soul burning within Naruto's tiny body shone with astonishing determination.

Once upon a time—

This same man willingly sacrificed his own life to seal the Nine-Tails and protect the village.

His name—

Was Minato Namikaze.

The Fourth Hokage of Konoha.

And that had never changed.

"... Even placing yourself and your own child in danger just to uphold the name of Hokage."

Kurama quietly sensed Minato's resolve.

For a brief instant—

The fox seemed to see another familiar figure overlapping with Minato.

A man wearing the cloak of the Seventh Hokage.

Unable to stop himself, Kurama sighed softly.

"You really are father and son."

"Fine then."

A grin slowly spread across the Nine-Tails' face.

"This old man will help you, Minato."

"Use Shadow Clones!"

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