Fleeing from Konoha-Chapter 640 - 97: Curtain Falls (Part 2)

Seeing the unscathed body of the Nine-tails, the expressions on the faces of the Konoha ninjas instantly froze.

The Nine-tails bared its fangs and looked at the headbands on the Konoha ninjas, which brought back those deeply unpleasant memories from the past.

Konoha... First Hokage... Uchiha Madara... Uzumaki Mito... Uzumaki Kushina, die! All of you, die!

Those who wish to imprison and control me, every last one of you—die!

The Nine-tails held bitter hatred and hostility towards humans in its heart. To it, this was a battle of revenge!

Imprisoned for decades, forced to live like livestock inside a human, stripped of its freedom and dignity.

One after another, they call themselves saints, claiming it’s for its own good, but in truth they’re all selfish, egotistical scum!

Humans—truly the very meaning of ugly and hypocritical!

In these decades, the Nine-tails’ view of humans had sunk to absolute zero.

Towards the Konoha ninjas, it felt nothing but utter loathing.

In its heart, perhaps it felt a certain grim satisfaction towards the strange one who had released it from Kushina’s body.

Finally, it could let loose at last!

The surrounding Konoha ninjas noticed the Nine-tails’ unharmed body, which also meant that though their attacks could restrain it, in essence, they were only wasting their chakra.

Once their chakra ran dry, then the Nine-tails would sweep into Konoha like an unstoppable force.

An utterly hopeless battle—even the most optimistic hearts were shrouded by despair.

As the spirits of the Konoha ninjas began to falter, the Nine-tails’ face twisted into an even more hideous snarl.

It slid forward with blazing speed, whipping its tails and swinging its claws, ready to tear the Konoha ninjas blocking its path to pieces.

However, a massive, long staff came hurtling from afar, striking it square in the face.

The tremendous force caused its body to stagger backward, its enraged gaze fixed on the newcomer.

The one who had saved so many Konoha ninjas was none other than the urgently arrived Hiruzen.

"Do not lose hope! We’ll hold the front—support from the flanks!"

Hiruzen’s face was grave.

By his side were his two advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, and their old companion Akimichi Torifu also hurried to the front lines to help quell the Nine-tails’ rampage.

"This is far more terrifying than the incomplete Nine-tails we fought years ago... Looks like I’ll really have to bet my old life on this one."

Akimichi Torifu let out a low sigh, pulled a pill from his Ninja Tool Bag, and swallowed it down in one gulp.

His body erupted with a startling surge of chakra, manifesting into tangible butterfly wings as he charged towards the Nine-tails.

The Nine-tails swung its claws, clashing with Torifu’s massive fists.

With a thunderous boom, the air itself seemed to explode.

Akimichi Torifu coughed up blood and staggered back, and as the Nine-tails tried to press its advantage, Hiruzen leapt in, wielding the Adamantine Staff to block its attack.

That so-called indestructible weapon struck the Nine-tails on the head, making even it feel a searing pain.

Hiruzen’s own hands trembled; even armed with the Adamantine Staff, fighting up close with the Nine-tails was an incredible strain.

But, his not-yet-aged body still, Hiruzen did not fear the Nine-tails’ power.

Though he couldn’t defeat the Nine-tails, he could at least pin it down.

Yet, merely restraining the Nine-tails was far from enough—it had to be sealed again.

The power to seal the Nine-tails, Hiruzen possessed... but the Jinchuriki was not present.

Moreover, not just anyone could serve as a Jinchuriki.

If you just picked someone at random, the moment you sealed the Nine-tails inside, it would likely break free immediately—just squandering a life for nothing. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Hiruzen, where are the Fourth and Kushina? We can’t hold on much longer!"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu supported Hiruzen and Torifu from the flanks, using ninja techniques to bind and distract the Nine-tails.

Even so, the two of them and Torifu looked utterly battered and pale-faced.

"I don’t know. I’ve already sent the Anbu to search for them both."

Hiruzen shook his head and continued to strike the Nine-tails with the Adamantine Staff, holding it at bay.

"Then what do we do?"

Mitokado Homura cried out in shock.

Minato wasn’t the issue—Kushina was. She had the Uzumaki Clan’s unique body, making her the most suited to sealing the Nine-tails.

Without a suitable vessel, even if they knew how to seal the Nine-tails, it would be meaningless.

Hiruzen said nothing, his eyes clouded with heavy worry.

Compared to Homura and the others, he cared even more about the whereabouts of Minato and Kushina.

What exactly happened during Kushina’s childbirth?

Hiruzen swept his eyes over the ground littered with Konoha ninja corpses, sighing inwardly.

◎

The situation inside Konoha Village was still relatively stable. The Uchiha Ninjas of the Security Team managed the crowds in an orderly manner, guiding them to the shelters.

Though the Nine-tails had yet to invade Konoha, none of them dared gamble that it wouldn’t attack the village.

Thus, sending non-combatants to the shelters was by far the best choice.

At the top of the Konoha Security Team building, a dozen or so Uchiha Ninjas were gathered, led by the Uchiha Clan Leader, Uchiha Fugaku.

Those assembled here were the elite of the Uchiha Clan, but only a portion—the rest were still busy evacuating civilians. This was all the battle strength they could muster.

Fugaku, his expression grim, gazed at the Nine-tails outside the village—the monster’s terrifying silhouette, that unfathomable chakra power—even as the Uchiha Clan Leader, his own palms were slick with cold sweat.