Ch-19:You father and son are really good at playing!

Upon seeing the form of the Fourth Hokage, the Anbu operative let out a string of curses in disbelief. Hastily, he vanished from his vantage point, racing towards the Hokage building to report what he had witnessed.

Meanwhile, Minato Namikaze, the user of the Flying Thunder God technique, had marked various locations in Konoha, including the Forest of Death. This allowed him to easily transport himself and Naruto to the scene. Grasping Naruto's hand, Minato teleported them directly to the forest.

"Kurama," Minato called out as they landed, keeping his distance. "I'm not sure why you're helping Naruto, but I'll need you to guide us."

It was essential to note that this Minato was not his full self. His presence was a remnant of the chakra he had sealed within Naruto, containing only his memories up until the fateful night of the Nine Tails' attack. Hence, this Minato had no awareness of his soul's fate or its entrapment by the Shinigami.

With the seal loosened, the Nine Tails had gained more freedom, allowing it to aid Naruto. Taking the form of a guide, it directed Minato and Naruto toward their destination.

With a kunai in hand, Minato surged forward at lightning speed, thanks to his signature Flying Thunder God technique. However, his chakra reserves were limited, and within moments, his form began to flicker and fade.

"Even with all your power, you're still bound by chakra limits," Kurama remarked, with a hint of smugness in its voice.

Minato, still smiling despite the situation, responded, "True, but at least we've made it in time."

The pair found themselves perched atop a large tree, overlooking three Cloud Shinobi who were transporting a captured Hinata. Minato's face darkened as he observed the scene. He quickly turned to Naruto.

"My chakra is almost spent," he said. "You'll have to handle this from here. I'll go alert the Third Hokage."

And just like that, Minato disappeared.

Naruto, watching his father leave, whispered a quiet, "Thank you."

Kurama, who had been silently observing, couldn't resist a snide comment. "Your father just left you to deal with Jōnin-level enemies. Talk about trust."

However, Kurama knew the real reason for Minato's confidence: Naruto had an overwhelming amount of chakra, far more than most shinobi. Minato must have sensed this and believed his son could handle the situation.

Naruto, unwilling to engage in a verbal sparring match with the Nine Tails, focused on the task at hand. From his vantage point, he observed the Cloud Shinobi transporting Hinata, who was bound and injured, her arms marked with cuts and bruises. It was heartbreaking to see her in such a state, especially since this was not the first time she had been kidnapped.

Instead of following Minato's instructions to track the shinobi, Naruto decided to act immediately. He quickly formed a hand seal, summoning the Adamantine Sealing Chains — a unique technique of the Uzumaki clan. Golden chains, shimmering with chakra, appeared in the air, aimed at the three shinobi.

Kurama watched with curiosity. "I still don't understand how your chains aren't constrained by your body. Typically, the Adamantine Sealing Chains are drawn from within the body to maintain their strength and chakra flow, but yours..."

Ignoring Kurama, Naruto sent the chains flying toward the unsuspecting enemies. The chains moved with deadly precision, piercing through two of the shinobi, killing them instantly. Only the third, who seemed to be stronger, managed to leap back in time to avoid the attack.

The surviving Cloud Shinobi, now on high alert, sneered as he scanned the area. "So this is how Konoha fights? Hiding in the shadows like cowards?"

Naruto remained silent, stepping out from behind the cover of a nearby tree. He moved quickly to Hinata's side, lifting her into his arms and leaping hundreds of meters away, out of the enemy's immediate reach.

"Naruto... Naruto..." Hinata's voice was faint, but she stirred in his arms.

Under the moonlight, Naruto's face radiated a sense of safety and warmth, and Hinata's tired eyes filled with relief. She struggled to stay conscious as Naruto gently untied the ropes binding her wrists.

Despite her exhaustion, Hinata managed to whisper, "Naruto-kun, that man is just a clone. The real one... he's at three o'clock."

Naruto smiled softly, "Thank you, Hinata-chan," he whispered as he held her. In that moment, the bond between them felt stronger than ever.

Meanwhile, the real Cloud Shinobi clone moved stealthily, preparing to strike. Unfazed, Naruto formed hand seals once more, casting a technique he had learned after unlocking his chakra pathways: the Myojinmon (Gate of the Great God). Massive wooden gates, each the size of a building, fell from the sky, crashing down with a tremendous force around the Cloud Shinobi.

The enemy, feeling the crushing pressure of the gates, tried to flee but found himself immobilized. The sheer power of the sealing technique rendered his chakra useless, pinning him to the ground.

"This... this can't be!" The Cloud Shinobi gasped in disbelief, recognizing the seal. "This level of sealing power—it's used to subdue tailed beasts!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Naruto sent his Adamantine Sealing Chains straight through his chest, silencing him for good.

From her position in Naruto's arms, Hinata managed to speak once more, "Naruto-kun... are there... any more enemies?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, Hinata. It's over."

Exhausted from the ordeal, Hinata finally let herself cry, burying her face in Naruto's chest. All the fear and terror she had kept bottled up spilled out as she clung to him. After all, she was still just a young girl, and the experience had been overwhelming.

"Don't worry," Naruto whispered as he held her tightly. "You're safe now."

Hinata, through her tears, looked up at him with gratitude. In that moment, she felt safer than she ever had before. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

As the two shared the quiet moment, Kurama interjected with a sarcastic tone. "You two, father and son, really know how to put on a show."

Having witnessed the whole event from within Naruto, Kurama couldn't help but note how closely this rescue mirrored the one Minato had performed in the past. It was almost uncanny how similar they were.

…

Elsewhere, Minato appeared within the Hokage's office, using his Flying Thunder God technique. Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been diligently working late into the night, nearly dropped his pipe in shock when he saw the Fourth Hokage standing before him. His eyes widened in disbelief.

For a moment, the elderly Hokage thought he might have passed into the Pure Land to join his predecessors...

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