battle

---

"Such a troublesome night…"

Though it was nighttime—when Muzan's powers peaked—he held back. Engaging the Kyuubi directly would only waste precious time and energy.

Instead, Muzan focused on aiding the wounded. While working, he noticed Kakashi preparing to join the battle.

Muzan gripped his arm. "Are you out of your mind? You can't win this fight."

"What are you doing, Muzan?" Kakashi snapped, tensing before realizing who it was.

"Let go of me!" he insisted.

"Fool!" Muzan retorted. "This isn't your battle. Help me evacuate the injured instead."

Kakashi scowled but relented, recognizing the suicidal risk of facing the Nine-Tails alone.

At the front lines, the Third Hokage led his elite forces in a desperate struggle to contain the Kyuubi. Though age had slowed him, Hiruzen Sarutobi's skill remained formidable, though the cost of holding off the beast was steep.

Ninjas lay scattered across the battlefield, many injured by the shockwaves from the Kyuubi's attacks. Those on the outskirts had a chance of survival, but those closer to the creature suffered heavily.

BOOM!

While tending to the wounded, Muzan caught sight of a blinding flash overhead.

Kakashi instinctively looked up, but Muzan pushed him to the ground as debris rained down, the earth shaking beneath them. The Kyuubi's power dwarfed even that of other Tailed Beasts.

Pinned down, Kakashi felt the tremors all around him. As Muzan lifted his hand, Kakashi angrily sat up. "What the—"

Before he could finish, the ground where he had just stood was obliterated by a fierce gust of wind.

Injured shinobi were scattered like leaves, but Muzan's quick thinking and medics' efforts minimized further losses.

"Stay alive," Muzan muttered, positioning himself protectively in front of Kakashi.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage and his shinobi fought relentlessly, trying to contain the Kyuubi. But the true threat wasn't just the Nine-Tails—it was Obito. His clash with Minato had moved to the outskirts of the village.

Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, drew the battle to the Forest of Death, risking his life to keep the village safe. His Flying Thunder God Technique allowed him to keep up with Obito's every move.

In the charred forest, deep craters marked the intensity of their clash.

Muzan continued aiding the wounded, avoiding direct combat. But as chaos escalated, he found himself drawn closer to the fray.

"Damn it," he muttered. "Does he even know his limits?"

Despite Muzan's warning, Kakashi had charged forward.

In the original timeline, Kakashi had survived the Nine-Tails' attack, but Muzan wasn't about to leave that to fate.

"Stay alive, Kakashi," Muzan whispered.

---

Compared to Obito's space-time ninjutsu, Muzan found it more limiting than advantageous. Resolving to confront the Kyuubi directly, he thought, A true shinobi should face a tailed beast head-on. Tonight, he would be known as one who dared stand against the Nine-Tails.

However, his priorities remained clear: locate Kakashi, keep him safe, and take charge of the aftermath.

"Attention, all medical-nin! Evacuate the wounded and clear the area!"

With ninjas rushing to the front, Muzan, positioned as he was, assumed command. Spotting a group of Chuunin and Genin, he stopped in front of them, warning:

"Your mission isn't to throw away your lives. Evacuate the wounded, then fall back!"

"That's an order!"

His authority commanded respect, and the Chuunin who had rushed forward retreated.

Muzan moved past them, heading toward the Kyuubi.

Ahead, the battlefield was grim. The Third Hokage wielded Enma in staff form, blocking several of the Kyuubi's strikes. Yet age had taken its toll. Hiruzen was no longer the unstoppable force he once was. Despite his efforts, the Nine-Tails—a beast of raw chakra—remained undamaged, while sweat dripped down the Hokage's face. Fallen comrades lay around him, some without a trace.

He couldn't retreat—not tonight, not before the Kyuubi.

Gripping his staff, Hiruzen noticed a figure approaching.

Muzan arrived, clad in a black robe, chakra-infused blade in hand.

"Muzan?" Hiruzen blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't expected the young shinobi to join the front lines. Though Muzan had grown considerably in skill, the Hokage doubted his strength would be enough to shift the tide of this battle. With the Kyuubi's rampage threatening the heart of Konoha, Hiruzen attempted to turn him back.

"This isn't the place for you, Muzan. Support the ANBU in containing the Kyuubi—if it reaches the village center, there will be nothing left to protect."

"Hokage-sama," Muzan's voice was unwavering, his gaze resolute. "I'm here to fight."

Hiruzen hesitated, taking in Muzan's unyielding stance. Without further words, Muzan turned to face the Kyuubi, now under Obito's control. The monstrous aura of the Nine-Tails hung over them, heavy and oppressive, its chakra flaring in waves that felt like pure malice. Even for a seasoned shinobi, the beast was a living nightmare, its sheer power capable of shattering the village's defenses.

Despite his initial doubt, Hiruzen found himself struck by Muzan's resolve as he stepped forward.

"Haah!"

Muzan exhaled, steadying himself before forming a series of rapid hand seals, his movements fluid and precise.

"The speed of those seals..." The Third Hokage's eyes widened in surprise. Muzan's technique was impeccable, his hand speed even surpassing his own.

"It seems age is catching up to me…" Hiruzen muttered, bracing himself beside the younger shinobi, his seasoned mind quickly adapting to the unexpected ally by his side.

Both stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their attention focused on the rampaging beast before them.

"Katon: Karyūdan no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique)

With a flash of blazing chakra, a fiery dragon hurtled from Muzan's hands, surging toward the Kyuubi. The flames engulfed the beast, momentarily obscuring it in a torrent of heat, yet the Kyuubi's claws slashed through the flames with ease, dispersing the attack and sending shockwaves that shattered the ground.

Hiruzen, quick to adapt, wove his own jutsu.

"Doton: Doryūheki!" (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)

A towering earth wall rose in front of them, shielding the nearby shinobi from the scattered embers. As the wall held steady, Hiruzen noticed movement above and glanced up in shock.

There, balanced atop the wall he'd just created, stood Muzan, His stance was calm, yet unyielding, his eyes locked onto the raging beast below. The Hokage noticed Muzan's hands turning an earthy gray as he infused his body with the Earth Release technique.

With hardened skin, Muzan leapt down from the wall and struck the Kyuubi's head, aiming to disorient the beast.

Had Muzan used Chakra Enhanced Strength, the blow might have done more.

The Kyuubi was unfazed. It took more than brute strength to defeat a Tailed Beast.

Realizing this, Muzan steadied himself. There was no easy answer to facing a creature as powerful as the Nine-Tails—they could only weaken it enough for the Fourth Hokage to seal it in a new host.

Despite the looming danger, Muzan remained resolute.

Facing a beast of such magnitude, he knew he needed to approach with caution. If only he could unleash the full extent of his abilities as the Demon King; yet, he'd decided that power would remain a secret, unless absolutely necessary. His goal here was to hold off the Kyuubi, not reveal all his cards.

"Haah!"

Muzan steadied his breathing, preparing for a different approach. He stepped back, performing another sequence of hand seals.

"Doton: Yomi Numa!" (Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld)

With his technique, the ground beneath the Kyuubi transformed into a vast, sticky swamp. The beast's immense weight and size worked against it as it began to sink into the mire, buying precious moments. Hiruzen, watching the creature struggle, quickly devised a plan.

"This might be my final battle…" Hiruzen murmured, before creating shadow clones beside him.

"Goton: Dairendan no Jutsu!" (Five Elements: Grand Linked Bullet Technique)

In a display of mastery, Hiruzen's chakra took on all five elemental natures, merging into a devastating barrage that crashed into the Kyuubi with explosive force. The battlefield erupted in flames, lightning, and torrents of water, smoke billowing across the charred ground.

Through the haze, Muzan could just make out the massive silhouette of the Kyuubi, its head lifting, chakra surging. His heart sank as he realized the beast was beginning to gather energy for a Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Hokage-sama, we can't let it unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb!" Muzan shouted, his voice tinged with urgency. Even he couldn't fathom the destruction the bomb would bring if it detonated within Konoha's borders.

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