Chapter 29
"You’ve lost, Fugaku. Don’t make this worse," Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the rooftop, gazing at the Uchiha n leader within the Susanoo. "I promise to spare the Uchiha, just as the Second Hokage did when Uchiha Setsuna rebelled."
Uchiha Setsuna was a member of the Konoha Police Force during the Second Hokage’s tenure. He sought to reim power from the Senju n and incited rebellion among his n members, only to be swiftly crushed by the Anbu.
Setsuna wasn’t the Uchiha n leader, and his rebellion failed before any significant action was taken. Compared to Fugaku’s current situation, their scale and nature were entirely different.
Hiruzen’s message was clear: only the ringleaders would be punished. He wanted Fugaku and a few high-ranking Uchiha to surrender and spend their lives in prison while the remaining n members would be spared.
"Who said I’ve lost?" Fugaku asked calmly.
"The Nine-Tails hasn’t appeared. Your n has failed. Isn’t that enough?" Hiruzen frowned. Aside from causing damage to Konoha, he didn’t see what Fugaku’s persistence would achieve. "I never knew you had such hatred for Konoha."
"I don’t hate Konoha," Fugaku shook his head. Perhaps due to the Mangekyou Sharingan, his face twisted in anger. "But my n hates you and Danzo to the core!"
"Hiruzen!!"
"My Uchiha n has been pushed to this point by you and the other Konoha leaders!""It was Tobirama, it’s you, it’s Danzo, all of you have continuously marginalized the Uchiha, reducing us from founders of Konoha to mere police officers!"
"You’ve had us under surveince day and night!"
"You forced us to move our n from the heart of Konoha to this remote corner!"
"And today, without any warning, you attacked ourpound!"
"If the Uchiha don’t resist, we fear we’ll never see the light of day again!"
Hiruzen firmly shook his head at Fugaku’sst usation. "That would never happen!"
He also disagreed with the penultimate usation. "You kidnapped Naruto first. We invaded yourpound to prevent something far worse!"
Fugaku sneered and shook his head.
Who pped whom first didn’t matter anymore. This back-and-forth had ended. What mattered was the oue between Konoha and the Uchiha.
Fugaku, as if recalling something, nced around. "Tell me, how did you find my hideout… I was so close."
Hiruzen, feeling a bit proud, turned and saw Neiki, who had retreated behind the group. He praised, "It was our Hyuga’s strongest spear, Neiki, who found you with his Byakugan."
Luckily, Neiki arrived in time. Otherwise, if Fugaku had managed to summon the Nine-Tails, the consequences would have been dire.
Neiki’s involvement lessened Hiruzen’s resentment towards the Hyuga n and increased his displeasure with the Hyuga elders.
Such a talented young man like Neiki was wasted as a Hyuga’s private warrior.
Fugaku couldn’t help but think of his son, who, alongside Neiki, was considered one of Konoha’s brightest talents.
His son hadn’t shown up today.
This didn’t surprise Fugaku.
After all, he was a coward.
A coward who couldn’t choose between his n and the vige.
His intense emotions calmed slightly. Fugaku nced at Neiki with some understanding:
"I suppose that’s not just any ordinary Byakugan you have."
Fugaku knew Konoha had Byakugan users, so he ced special ninjutsu defenses around his hideout. Yet, Neiki had still found him. It was baffling.
Neiki didn’t answer, feeling irritated.
He had helped Fugaku so much, and now Fugaku was fixated on him. Such ingratitude.
Did Fugaku think he could make Naruto take that final step alone?
"Where is Naruto? He hasn’t wronged the Uchiha. Since you’ve already failed, can you release him before we continue?" Hiruzen’s concern for Naruto, the hero’s orphan, was evident.
"Oh?" Fugaku’s mouth curled into a smile. "You really want to see him?"
Hiruzen’s brow furrowed, a terrible suspicion rising.
"What have you done to him?" His tone was low, filled with warning.
He didn’t believe Fugaku would harm Naruto, especially after failing to summon the Nine-Tails.
Naruto had no family.
But Fugaku still had his n.
Crossing that line wouldn’t benefit Fugaku at all.
But Fugaku’s response wasn’t what he expected. He smiled and said:
"Nothing much. He’s fine."
"Since you want to see him, I’ll show him to you now."
Fugaku suddenly mmed his right hand to the ground!
ck runes spread from his palm.
Sensing something, Hiruzen and the others looked down at the ground.
The earth.
Was trembling.
This… this is?
They heard Fugaku shout:
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The next moment.
—Roar!!!
A roar shattered every cloud within a hundred miles!
Roof tiles were blown away, and the surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble.
In the sunlight, a massive shadow loomed over the gathered shinobi.
Staring at the monstrous creature before them, both the Uchiha and Konoha forces, even those fighting fiercely within thepound, paused and lowered their weapons.
All Konoha shinobi who had experienced the Nine-Tails’ attack years ago knew what this creature was.
This is—
The Nine-Tails.
The Nine-Tails in its Eight-Tails form without its fur!!
Its eyes reflected the Mangekyou Sharingan!!!
Indeed.
Fugaku hadn’t summoned the Nine-Tails.
But he had pushed Naruto to the Eight-Tails state using the Tailed Beast Unsealing Jutsu.
Only one step away from the full Nine-Tails.
Just one small step.
But Neiki had found Fugaku before he could push Naruto to that final step.
With Hiruzen’s forces storming in, Fugaku had to halt the transformation process.
Yet clearly, the Eight-Tails Nine-Tails was nearly as devastating as the full form.
It was enough to bring disaster upon Konoha.
"So?"
"Hiruzen!"
"Did I lose?!"
"Did the Uchiha lose?!"
Fugaku looked at the stunned Konoha shinobi, at Hiruzen’s grave expression, and burst intoughter.
"This time, there’s no Minato."
"Hiruzen."
"Do you think you’ll win?"