The Ultimate Conflict, Nine-Tails' Outburst

"Huh?"

Kushina and Minato Namikaze looked at the approaching Shimizu in confusion.

Why was Shimizu here too?

"I just saw some ANBU on the way, and they were knocked dow—"

Before Shimizu could finish, Kushina hurriedly covered his mouth, frantically signaling with her eyes for him to keep quiet.

Minato immediately realized that Kushina had lied to him earlier.

Without the Hokage's permission, there was no way Kushina could have left the barrier—she must have confronted the ANBU!

At that moment, Minato felt a surge of anger. Kushina was being far too reckless.

Shimizu's sudden appearance disrupted their chance to reconcile and apologize to each other. Instead, it made Minato aware of Kushina's deception right away, causing his brows to furrow deeply.

"What happened to those surveillance personnel?" Minato's voice carried a trace of displeasure, though he tried to suppress it. However, Kushina's sharp senses picked up on it immediately.

This made Kushina bristle in frustration. On the way here, she had already started regretting her decision to come out. She had only come to apologize to Minato.

But now he was scolding her?

"They're fine!" Kushina huffed angrily.

Minato shot a questioning glance at Shimizu.

"Minato-sensei, they're unharmed. They're just bound by sealing techniques," Shimizu promptly explained once Kushina released him.

"Kushina, you need to return right away. If the Hokage finds out, it'll be trouble."

"So what if he finds out? Why do I have to stay inside that barrier forever? Why do I have to be the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and endure everyone's judgment just because my last name is Uzumaki?"

Kushina turned her head away, crossing her arms in defiance.

Minato had always known that she was being watched and couldn't leave the barrier. Yet he had never offered to resolve the issue. Despite his dream of becoming Hokage, he had never even taken a stand on her situation.

"Well... the power of tailed beasts is simply too dangerous, Kushina," Minato said with a serious expression.

He had just returned from a mission with Jiraiya's team along the Fire Country border.

Recently, tensions between nations had intensified, and even Iwagakure had deployed the Four-Tails.

The chakra wave from a single Tailed Beast Bomb was terrifying. If not for Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique allowing them to retreat, the mission would have ended in a bloody battle.

If the Nine-Tails went berserk in the village, who knew how many lives would be lost from just one Tailed Beast Bomb?

"You... don't trust me?"

Disappointment filled Kushina's heart.

The Nine-Tails often tried to manipulate her, and she frequently woke up from nightmares.

But she had never harmed anyone because of the Nine-Tails. Was that not proof of her efforts?

"It's not that I don't trust you, Kushina. It's just that this is a matter of grave importance," Minato explained solemnly, describing the consequences of a Nine-Tails rampage and the difficulties it would pose for the Hokage.

Since his dream was to become Hokage, he had adopted what he called a "Hokage mindset" to protect the village.

Shimizu quietly observed Minato's increasingly rigid arguments and Kushina's growing gloom.

Minato's concerns were valid, but women didn't need logic in moments like this.

They understood reason—they just cared more about attitude.

Comforting her first, then gently explaining things, would have made communication smoother.

Now, Minato's overly official tone only created a sense of distance.

"Let's head back together," Minato said, trying to smile. It wasn't too late to salvage the situation.

Kushina pressed her full lips together, attempting to smile but failing.

Minato's lack of trust reignited the loneliness she had long suppressed, nearly suffocating her.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, her light blue eyes turned crimson with vertical pupils. She clutched her head as crimson chakra gushed from her body.

"This is the Nine-Tails transformation!"

Minato's pupils contracted. He tried to grab Kushina, but the Nine-Tails chakra lashed out, sending him flying. He rolled on the ground seven or eight times.

"Gah!"

Minato spat out blood. In the chaos, he hadn't had time to reinforce his body with chakra and had taken the hit directly.

Perhaps due to Kushina's more intense emotions than in the original timeline, the Nine-Tails chakra was even more overwhelming. Minato immediately suffered six broken ribs, with shards piercing his organs.

"Minato!"

In the dark, damp mental space, Kushina instinctively wanted to rush out. She had no intention of hurting Minato.

"I told you not to trust anyone!" roared the Nine-Tails behind her. "That guy is just using you! Break this seal, and you'll be free from all this pain. If you won't do it, I'll possess you and kill him myself!"

The Nine-Tails seized the opportunity, determined to regain his freedom.

While Kushina and the Nine-Tails clashed in the mental space, back in the real world, Minato wiped the blood from his mouth and struggled to stand.

"Minato-sensei, let me handle this."

Shimizu, as if waking from a dream, stepped forward and struck Kushina's abdomen. A sealing pattern spread across her body.

Though it was just an ordinary sealing technique, far inferior to the ones Minato had used in the legendary Whirlwind of the Uzumaki, it was enough to momentarily slow the Nine-Tails.

Inside the mental space:

"A sealing technique?"

The Nine-Tails sneered at the black, undulating seal binding him.

"This is nothing compared to Hashirama's seals. Do you really think this can stop me?"

In the real world, the Nine-Tails' chakra had already formed a layer of chakra armor around Kushina.

The beast's voice echoed outside.

"Shimizu, let me handle this," Minato insisted, trying to stand and prepare his enhanced Four Symbols Seal.

However, as soon as he moved, he coughed up blood. He realized that six of his ribs were bent, nearly piercing his heart. If he forced himself to act, he would suffer devastating injuries.

Shimizu wasn't about to waste this chance to gain favor. He immediately said, "Minato-sensei, you need to rest. I'll handle this."

Before Minato could protest, the Nine-Tails overheard Shimizu's bold declaration.

The beast's mouth curled into an exaggerated grin—this boy was utterly delusional.

Did he think everyone was like Hashirama Senju?

With this meager sealing technique, he wouldn't last a second!

Kushina's heart sank as she watched the Nine-Tails tear apart the sealing pattern.

She had taught Minato many Uzumaki clan sealing techniques, but she had never taught Shimizu.

Now, a complex mix of emotions swirled within her.

Minato, who knew sealing techniques, was lying on the ground injured.

Yet Shimizu, who barely knew any sealing techniques, stood defiantly in front of her transformed self, trying to block the Nine-Tails.

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