"So, he died this quickly? What a useless Mizukage."
'Kushina-sensei back then...'
'Even after having the Tailed Beast extracted, she still clung to life for quite a long time,' Leisurely sitting on a large tree, Uchiha Obito, wearing a single-eyed mask, quietly watched the Mist Village being ravaged by the rampaging Three-Tails not far away.
'Just like Konoha over a decade ago.'
"Except the moon isn't as round as it was back then, nor is it red enough."
The setting sun had left only a last trace of fiery red, and now what appeared in the sky was a pale white full moon.
"Useless struggle."
"This world is just like this. No hope, no light, only despair remains."
Watching the Mist ninja being swept away while resisting the Three-Tails, and the civilians who, having lost their hiding places, were left with nowhere to escape and could only be trampled by the Tailed Beast...
Obito revealed a hint of satisfied laughter.
However, recalling Konoha also brought back many unpleasant memories, causing his brows to furrow deeply.
At the same time, his distinct presence was noticed by the Mist Village's sensory ninja.
"Byakugan again, how troublesome."
Though not strong in power, the Byakugan's abilities had repeatedly disrupted his enjoyment.
Whether it was seeing through the genjutsu he had cast on the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, or now, directly locating him as he watched the scene unfold from the treetop.
"But, it doesn't matter anymore. I have no intention of wasting more time in this useless village."
Not planning to confront the Mist ninjas, Obito slowly vanished from the spot using his space-time ninjutsu before the Byakugan-wielding Mist ninja could arrive with a large group of reinforcements.
———
"Gone... Disappeared?", While dispatching ninja to contain and battle the rampaging Three-Tails in the village, Ao also used his Byakugan to spot a masked man behaving suspiciously.
He even saw the other party reveal his Sharingan.
"The Three-Tails' eyes too… have the appearance of the Sharingan. It seems highly likely that the one who just vanished is the mastermind behind controlling the Three-Tails and, previously, the one who manipulated the Mizukage."
Unfportunately, they still couldn't capture him.
———
ROAR!
The sheer sound of the roar was enough to create shockwaves and strong winds.
Three long tails rose into the sky, thick limbs, a heavy turtle shell—this gigantic beast descending from above sent chills down the spine.
"That is... the Three-Tails?"
Staring as the Tailed Beast Bomb exploded in the center of the village, Mei Terumi finally snapped back to reality and realized what was happening.
The Three-Tails was rampaging inside the village!
"RUN!"
"AH..."
"MOM..."
RUMBLE!
The massive Tailed Beast wreaked havoc, using its tails and body to destroy surrounding houses. Falling debris and collapsing rooftops crushed the fleeing crowds.
"STOP IT, NOW!"
To protect the villagers, Mist ninja fearlessly rushed toward the Tailed Beast.
But in just a single clash, the crazed Three-Tails sent the ninja flying like broken kites.
"Damn it! Why is this happening all of a sudden?"
Watching her fellow Mist ninja torn apart, the newly rebuilt village reduced to ruins, Mei Terumi clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.
"Someone doesn't want Konoha and the Mist to form an alliance."
Observing Mei Terumi's frosty expression, her enchanting yet furious eyes, Uchiha Kage quietly let go of the wrist he had just grabbed.
At this moment, the only one capable of orchestrating this chaos, while also knowing about the alliance between Konoha and Mist, was likely the rising force of the East—Uchiha Obito.
"Lady Mei! The elders are all injured, and Master Genshi requests you to lead the village's Jōnin to subdue the rampaging Tailed Beast as soon as possible…"
Just as Mei Terumi prepared to engage the Tailed Beast, Ao arrived nearby with a group of Mist ninja after chasing the so-called 'mysterious masked man.'
"Understood."
Taking a deep breath, Mei Terumi nodded and looked at the surrounding Mist ninja.
"Water-style users, form a battle formation and simultaneously release Water Jutsu to push the Tailed Beast out of the village center!"
"Yes!"
"The rest of you, assist the Sealing Unit in setting up the seal."
"Understood!"
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
Ninja squads swiftly moved into position.
"Lady Mei, I just spotted a masked Uchiha ninja nearby. It seems he's the one who unleashed the Tailed Beast in the village. Also, the genjutsu on Lord Yagura last time might have been his doing..."
"Where is he now?"
"He escaped."
Though Ao said this, his eyes kept scanning the Uchiha boy beside Mei Terumi.
And the Konoha ninja on the other side.
Everything was fine until they arrived, and now the village was in chaos. It was hard not to make connections.
"Another Uchiha ninja!"
Mist ninja preparing to counter the Three-Tails also noticed the massive Sharingan in its eyes.
This was undoubtedly the sign of genjutsu control by the Sharingan.
"Don't get distracted! Focus on dealing with the Tailed Beast first!"
Mei Terumi also glanced at the Uchiha boy who had grabbed her wrist earlier.
However, to be honest, she didn't think he would do something like this.
And what he had said earlier about someone deliberately sabotaging the Konoha-Mist alliance did make sense.
"You Konoha ninja, get back! Don't blame us if you get caught up in this!"
Exuding the might of a female warrior, Mei Terumi charged toward the Three-Tails alone.
Her hands rapidly formed seals.
Lava Release: Melting Acid Explosion!
Using high-temperature Boil Release to ignite the acid she spewed out, causing a corrosive explosion.
Mei Terumi unleashed her strongest combination technique.
Watching the countless bubbling acid droplets corrode and explode on the Three-Tails' shell, she thought this would finally make the beast behave for a moment.
"Hurry! Get the villagers to safety!", Seeing the collapsed houses and the two massive craters left by the earlier Tailed Beast Bomb, Mei Terumi grew increasingly anxious.
In just a short time, the Tailed Beast had caused such immense destruction to the village. If this continued.
The village that had only just glimpsed hope would...
"Lady Mei, behind you!"
If it were an ordinary Three-Tails, Mei Terumi's attack might have made it retreat. But this was a berserk Three-Tails under Sharingan control—it felt no pain.
Moreover, it specialized in defense, so her attack only made it go even wilder.
"What?"
Having just used a chakra-draining jutsu, Mei Terumi was catching her breath when she heard a whooshing sound from behind.
ROAR!
With a bizarre roar, the Three-Tails shot a thick water pillar from its mouth, sweeping toward the "tiny humans" before it.
The foremost target was the female ninja who had caused it pain—Mei Terumi.
"Tailed Beasts can use Ninjutsu too? And it's Water Release?"
Unable to dodge in time, Mei Terumi frantically formed hand seals to protect herself.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
Slapping her hands together, she raised a thick water barrier before herself just before the water cannon struck.
But no temporary chakra barrier could match the sheer power of a Tailed Beast's enormous chakra.
BOOM!
The water wall lasted less than a second before being pierced.
Mei Terumi's body was sent flying like a leaf in the wind, struck by the massive water column.
"Lady Mei!"
Ninja preparing their Water Release formation paled in fear.
"Help her! Chōjūrō!"
Watching from the sidelines, Ao quickly sent the only remaining member of the Mist's Seven Ninja Swordsmen into battle.
"Understood!"
Twin Swords: Hiramekarei—Release!
Chōjūrō swiftly unwrapped his blade and charged fearlessly at the Three-Tails.
———
"This... how could this happen... The Tailed Beast... was actually released…"
Having lived through the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, and losing her father in that battle, Kurenai Yuhi found the scene before her terrifyingly familiar.
That blood-red full moon night, Konoha had been trampled the same way.
And back then, as a child, all she could do was wait in the shelter. Until she received news of her father's death…
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