Chapter 31


    Fugaku was still seeking a coup d''etat, hoping to use the power of the Nine-Tails to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, and other Konoha leaders. Hence, when Hiruzen deliberately provoked the Nine-Tails, his n seeded easily.


    The Nine-Tails was lured from the heart of Konoha to the outskirts.


    After all, neither Fugaku nor Hiruzen wanted Konoha to be utterly destroyed. Fugaku, confident in his victory, was already imagining himself as the Fifth Hokage, while Hiruzen, as Hokage, felt a duty to protect the vigers.


    Both wanted to avoid leaving Konoha in an irreparable state due to their conflict.


    Despite the Nine-Tails’ enormous size and the destruction its roars caused, thanks to Fugaku''s control, it was rtively restrained in its actions against anything other than Hiruzen, Danzo, and their forces.


    "Fire Release: Dragon me Bomb!"


    One of the Nine-Tails’ massive tails blocked the zing fireball. The beast swiped at Hiruzen with its ws, but he leaped away just in time.


    The ws embedded into the ground, causing the forest to crack and crumble.


    Hiruzen nced back, gritting his teeth.No wonder the Nine-Tails was feared. Thatst attack would have killed him if it had hit.


    "Summoning Jutsu: Monkey King Enma!"


    A white monkey with a golden circle appeared, crouching on a tree and ring at the skinless creature above. First, it was stunned, then it spoke in a deep voice:


    "Nine-Tails again?"


    "Yes, old friend, another dangerous situation," Hiruzen said, shaking his head.


    "No problem, it''s just a skinless fox."


    "Transform into the Adamantine Staff, Enma." Hiruzen’s eyes were cold.


    "Understood!"


    "Roar!"


    The Nine-Tails roared, its eight tails shooting at Hiruzen like arrows.


    Hiruzen raised the massive Adamantine Staff, several timesrger than himself, and batted the tails away like nails.


    Enma, with its indestructible body, was a formidable summon, capable of fighting even the Nine-Tails.


    "Enma, erge!"


    "Yes!"


    The staff grew evenrger. Hiruzen, like an ant wielding a giant stick, swung it at the vicious, hairless fox.


    "Naruto… wake up!"


    "Boom!"


    The first hit knocked the Nine-Tails'' head to the side.


    "Boom!"


    The second hit mmed the beast to the ground.


    "Boom!"


    The third hit buried the Nine-Tails into the earth.


    For a moment, silence fell.


    Naruto did not wake up.


    "——Roar!!"


    Instead, an even angrier Nine-Tails crawled out of the ground.


    Though Hiruzen''s performance was impressive, it had little real effect. The Nine-Tails seemed unhurt, emitting a sharp screech before charging at the now somewhat exhausted Hiruzen.


    "You’re old now, Hiruzen."


    No longer the tireless youth he once was, Hiruzen was winded after just three swings of the giant staff.


    Hiruzen ignored Enma’s teasing, dodging the Nine-Tails'' relentless attacks.


    "This isn''t working," said Enma''s voice from the staff.


    "I know!"


    The Nine-Tails shattered the earth wall, Hiruzen narrowly escaping being devoured.


    "We need to either wake Naruto from the Nine-Tails’ control, defeat Fugaku who controls the Nine-Tails, or…"


    Hiruzen didn’t finish the sentence.


    But it was clear. Thest resort was the Reaper Death Seal.


    Effective, but at a great cost.


    Konoha had gained safety but lost its youngest Hokage.


    Hiruzen wasn’t unwilling to sacrifice his life. He had lived long and was satisfied.


    But he refrained from using the Reaper Death Seal not just because he believed hisrades could defeat Fugaku, he could wake Naruto, or the battle was on the outskirts, minimizing coteral damage.


    It was also because the Nine-Tails was within Naruto, the son of a hero. Using the Reaper Death Seal would target the Nine-Tails and doom Naruto.


    "I''m sorry, Naruto. If ites to you bing too strong, and I can''t stop you… I will have to do it," Hiruzen sighed internally.


    He would be ashamed to face Minato and Kushina in the afterlife if it came to that. How could he exin it to them?


    So, unless necessary, Hiruzen hoped to dy as long as possible.


    …


    Fugaku was under siege.


    Just as Hiruzen hoped to hold out until Fugaku was taken down, Fugaku hoped the Nine-Tails would defeat the aged Hiruzen. Once the Nine-Tails returned, no one in Konoha could stop the Uchiha from taking over.


    "Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!" A cloud of hot ash spewed from Asuma’s mouth.


    "Ha, showing off!" Fugaku scoffed, not even bothering to use Susanoo for defense.


    Using Fire Release against a Uchiha?


    Let me show you real fire techniques!


    "Fire Release: Great Fire Annihtion!"


    A massive ze ignited Asuma’s ash, about to backfire. A white-haired figure suddenly descended.


    "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"


    Steam rose as the water shed with the Great Fire Annihtion.


    Seeing the water nearly evaporate, the other ninjas attacked Fugaku directly, forcing him to stop his jutsu and summon Susanoo to fend them off.


    "Don''t rush, Asuma." Kakashi sighed in relief, ncing at Asuma.


    Asuma’s face was grim.


    The Nine-Tails chased his father, and the key to breaking the stalematey with them. How could he not be anxious?


    "That guy… won’tst much longer." Kakashi watched the battle with Fugaku.


    Whether it was the Great Fire Annihtion or Susanoo, such powerful jutsu consumed immense chakra. How long could Fugaku hold out?


    But the same logic applied. If Fugaku couldn’tst, could the situation with the Hokage be any better?


    Asuma looked troubled, treating his wounds while asking:


    "Weren’t you assigned to the battle in the Uchihapound?"


    To trap Fugaku, Shikaku had sent the returning strike team to thepound, preventing the Uchiha from regrouping with their leader.


    "Danzo has taken over…"


    Kakashi’s expression wasplicated.


    Danzo had pushed him out.


    The Root operatives were overly brutal.


    It seemed more like they were collecting war trophies from the Uchiha than stopping them.