Chapter 156: The Darkness Hidden in the Shadows

After learning from Black Zetsu that Byakuya had arrived in Konoha, Obito's face immediately changed.

Although Byakuya was also a participant in the Eye of the Moon Plan, he constantly overshadowed Obito. Not only could he, like Minato Namikaze, see through Obito's space-time ninjutsu, but his strategic mind was even more refined.

Obito had just managed to develop a plan to weaken Konoha, spending a lot of time preparing for it. Yet at the critical moment, he was defeated by his former teacher and now had to watch Byakuya take credit for his work.

This was something Obito, who had always been sensitive and fragile, could not accept. The wounds on his body, which had only just begun to heal, ripped open again.

Seeing Obito show such a vulnerable side, Black Zetsu secretly shook his head. Compared to Byakuya, Obito was far too immature. It made Black Zetsu wonder why Uchiha Madara had chosen Obito in the first place.

Thinking of this, Black Zetsu turned his gaze to where the Nine-Tails was, eagerly anticipating Byakuya's return with good news.

---

Deep in the dark forest, Byakuya was observing a battle between powerful shinobi of Kage level.

The two sides in combat were Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, and the Nine-Tails, which had broken free from the control of the Sharingan. In this narrow space, they were engaged in a life-and-death struggle.

To be honest, the battle between the Fourth Hokage-The Red-Hot Habanero couple, and the Nine-Tailed Fox wasn't all that thrilling.

As the Fourth Hokage, Minato was incredibly powerful, but after transferring the Tailed Beast Bomb and fighting against the masked man Obito, he had little chakra left.

Kushina was even weaker, having just gone through childbirth and being in a state of extreme exhaustion.

While the Nine-Tails was the strongest of the Tailed Beasts, it had just been controlled by the Sharingan and fought a fierce battle with Konoha's shinobi. It too was running low on chakra... well not really.

At this moment, both sides were on the verge of collapse, and the battle could end at any moment.

However, it is in moments like these that incredible willpower and battle strategy can emerge, and Byakuya certainly wouldn't miss such a spectacular display.

After dodging the Nine-Tails' claws, Kushina unleashed the last of her chakra.

Suddenly, eight golden chains, each tens of meters long, shot out from her back. The chains crossed over one another, locking the Nine-Tails firmly to the ground, making even the slightest movement difficult.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Minato quickly summoned Gamabunta.

Gamabunta landed heavily on top of the Nine-Tails, then drew a short sword over ten meters long from his waist, thrusting it into the Nine-Tails' body, impaling it.

Seeing this, Byakuya couldn't help but marvel at the powerful physique of the Uzumaki clan. Even on the verge of death, they could summon enough strength to suppress a Tailed Beast temporarily.

The giant toads of Mount Myoboku also deserved respect.

Though Gamabunta wasn't as strong as a Tailed Beast, Mount Myoboku had three such powerful toads. Combined with the mysterious Great Toad Sage, Mount Myoboku's strength rivaled that of a shinobi village.

But while temporarily suppressing the Nine-Tails was one thing, fully defeating it was far more difficult. A Tailed Beast's greatest strength wasn't its destructive power but its terrifying regenerative ability.

As Byakuya pondered, the Nine-Tails launched a counterattack.

Lowering its head to gather chakra, the Nine-Tails began forming a Tailed Beast Bomb in its mouth. It intended to fire this bomb at the ground to break free from Kushina's sealing technique.

A Tailed Beast's life force is boundless. Even if it dies momentarily, it will eventually resurrect over time.

Sensing the immense energy in the Tailed Beast Bomb, Gamabunta swung his sword at it. A mushroom cloud erupted between the two giants and the violent explosion even caused the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

When the explosion subsided, half of the Nine-Tails' face had been blown off, and Gamabunta had returned to Mount Myoboku.

Minato and Kushina were thrown dozens of meters away by the shockwave, like leaves in a storm, with blood trickling from their mouths.

Seeing the Nine-Tails in the distance, rapidly regenerating, Minato looked at Kushina with a serious expression and said, "Kushina, it seems we won't survive this day."

Kushina was stunned for a moment and asked in confusion, 

"Why? You can use the Flying Thunder God technique to escape. There's no need to die with me. Besides, after a Jinchuriki has the Tailed Beast extracted, they don't have much time left to live anyway."

Minato Namikaze shook his head gently, smiling softly as he replied, 

"Kushina, I can't just stand by and watch you die, nor can I allow the Nine-Tails to roam free outside of Konoha."

After a brief pause, he continued, 

"I intend to use the Reaper Death Seal to seal the Nine-Tails into Naruto."

Hearing this, Kushina froze in place, looking over at baby Naruto crying in his swaddling clothes. She said, "But what about Naruto? He's already lost his mother; he can't lose his father too."

"I believe Naruto can take care of himself. I also believe in the Konoha we've sacrificed our lives to protect..." Minato gave a forced smile, then pulled out the Shinigami mask. His hands swiftly formed seals, completing the hand signs for the Reaper Death Seal.

A spectral figure of the Grim Reaper appeared behind Minato, its previously shut eyes now wide open.

Seeing Minato perform the Reaper Death Seal, Kushina sighed in her heart. Since Minato had made his decision, as his wife, she could only support him. She used the last of her life force to restrain the Nine-Tails' movements.

Sensing the terror of the Reaper Death Seal, a look of fear spread across the Nine-Tails' vicious face.

It didn't want to be imprisoned inside a Jinchuriki's body again, nor did it want to spend decades staring at two grim-faced women. As a Tailed Beast, it had the right to roam freely across the land.

Noticing the panic on the Nine-Tails' face, Kushina smiled and said, "Nine-Tails, I'm sorry I can't stay with you any longer, but my son will still be with you."

The Nine-Tails struggled fiercely against the Reaper Death Seal, growling and cursing.

However, the strength of the Reaper Death Seal exceeded the Nine-Tails' expectations. Under its power, the Nine-Tails was swiftly split in two—half was sealed inside Naruto, while the other half was devoured by the Grim Reaper.

After completing this, Minato had burned through all his life force.

Just before his soul was taken away by the Grim Reaper, he looked at Kushina and severed part of her chakra, sealing it within himself.

The reason Minato used the Reaper Death Seal wasn't just to protect Konoha by keeping the Nine-Tails, but also to preserve Kushina's chakra, allowing her to witness Naruto growing up someday.

With great effort, he walked over to Naruto's side and, looking down at his son in the swaddling cloth, said with a complex expression, 

"I wish I could see you grow up, but unfortunately, your father is a weak man. Having chosen to be Hokage, I naturally have to bear the responsibilities that come with it."

At that moment, an untimely voice echoed in Minato's ear: 

"Fourth Hokage, you truly are an incompetent Hokage—so incompetent that you can't even see Konoha's true face. Do you really think Konoha will take care of Naruto?"