Chapter 55: The Moonlit World · Wood Style · True Several Thousand Hands!

In the dead of night, all of Konoha seemed to have pressed the pause button. Apart from the occasional patrols on the streets, the residential area was deserted.

A figure clad in black moved silently across the rooftops, landing without a sound. Tetsuya kept a vigilant eye out, avoiding the patrolling Konoha Shinobi and attracting no attention.

"Going home to sleep is such a waste of time," Tetsuya thought, deciding to visit Naruto instead.

The distance between their homes wasn't far, and it didn't take long for Tetsuya to reach Naruto's place.

"One, two... Just two Anbu?" he counted, quickly locating the Anbu watching over Naruto. When Naruto was younger, there were always several Anbu and numerous ninjas around him. But now that Naruto had grown stronger, the Third Hokage had scaled down the security, leaving only two Anbu as a precaution.

Tetsuya skillfully avoided the Anbu's detection and slipped into Naruto's room. He always found the Anbu's performance lackluster—despite their masks and aura of secrecy, they often fell short in crucial moments. Especially when Yakushi Kabuto single-handedly took down the Anbu team Kakashi had assigned to protect Sasuke without alerting anyone.

Inside Naruto's room, Tetsuya saw his friend sleeping soundly. "Better make sure he stays that way," he thought, using a hypnosis technique to deepen Naruto's sleep.

Lifting Naruto's pajama top, Tetsuya examined the Eight Sign Seal. Though it wasn't visible without chakra running through it, he knew it was there. Activating his Sharingan, Tetsuya focused his consciousness into the seal, entering the realm where the Nine Tails was imprisoned.

The space was vast and empty, with a huge gate dividing it. Red liquid covered the ground. Tetsuya approached the gate, his steps splashing in the liquid. Suddenly, a pair of malevolent red eyes appeared from the darkness, locking onto him.

"You have an aura I despise, kid," a deep, menacing voice echoed. The Nine Tails emerged fully, its destructive aura palpable even through the seal.

"My name is Tetsuya Kamiyo," Tetsuya introduced himself, his Mangekyō Sharingan whirling into view. The Nine Tails' breath quickened, its nine tails thrashing behind it.

"An Uchiha again," the Nine Tails growled, its hatred evident. "All of you Uchiha deserve to die!"

The red liquid surged silently, forming claws behind Tetsuya, but he swiftly cut them down. "Your moves are too clumsy," he said, noticing the chakra the Nine Tails had tried to manipulate.

Undeterred, the Nine Tails sneered. "Humph!"

"My parents died because of you," Tetsuya continued, his voice cold. "I didn't come here to chat, but since we've met, consider this a gift."

Mangekyō in his left eye spun, casting the Nine Tails into a gray, lifeless realm.

"What did you do?" the Nine Tails demanded, panic creeping into its voice.

"This is my illusion space," Tetsuya explained, his voice echoing. "Everything here is under my control."

The Nine Tails thrashed, but found itself powerless. "What are you planning, kid?"

Tetsuya smiled. "Just collecting a little interest."

Clapping his hands together, Tetsuya summoned, "Moonlit World · Wood Style · True Several Thousand Hands!"

The ground cracked, and a colossal wooden Buddha rose, its thousand hands poised in various mudras. The Nine Tails' eyes widened in terror. "Senju Hashirama's technique!" it realized, recalling the man who had once subdued it.

"This is just an illusion," Tetsuya assured, "but it's going to hurt."

"No, wait!" the Nine Tails pleaded. "We can talk—"

But Tetsuya was done listening. "Moonlit World · Wood Style · Thousand Years of Death Limited Edition!"

The Buddha's thousand hands formed tiger seals and 'stabbed' the immobilized Nine Tails. Its screams echoed through the illusionary realm, making the scene all the more harrowing.

When the final hand struck, the Tsukuyomi space shattered. Back in the sealed space, the Nine Tails lay panting, its rage replaced by fear.

"Remember me, Tetsuya Kamiyo," Tetsuya said, "and know that if you ever escape, I'll be waiting."

Ignoring the Nine Tails' curses, Tetsuya turned his attention to the sealed gate. "Fourth Hokage, I know you can see this. If you don't come out, I'm going to open the seal myself."

The Nine Tails was taken aback. "The Fourth Hokage? Namikaze Minato?"