Zhongli thought for a moment but did not halt his actions. He extended his hand forward, summoning a dark yellow spear into his grasp. With a swift motion, he hurled the spear forward.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the spear rapidly expanded, growing to an enormous size within seconds. In the blink of an eye, it became as large as the Nine-Tails itself, striking the colossal beast and sending it flying thousands of meters away.
"This..." The gathered shinobi of Konoha collectively swallowed their saliva, utterly shocked by the sheer power on display. It was overwhelming, beyond their expectations.
Especially Sarutobi Hiruzen, who stood in a daze. Only through direct battle with the Nine-Tails did he fully comprehend the might of this man. He had seen such destructive capabilities before—Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara—but those legends were long gone.
However, his awe quickly gave way to concern. A warrior of such power appearing suddenly in Konoha at this critical moment? What was his objective?
Had this man released the Nine-Tails himself?
Could his true aim be to take control of the beast?
This could not be allowed to happen.
As Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen had learned to view unexpected events with the utmost suspicion. He instinctively assumed the worst.
"Follow him! We must not allow the Nine-Tails to fall into his hands!" he ordered urgently. His mind raced—where was Minato? The situation was slipping from his control.
---
"Is anyone here?" Namikaze Minato's battle with Uchiha Obito had carried them toward the vicinity of the Hokage Rock. As they approached, they spotted four figures watching the conflict unfold. Seeing them standing there calmly, Minato's heart pounded with unease.
If these people were allied with the masked man...
"Don't worry," Smith's voice rang out. "We are not with Uchiha Obito. As for the Nine-Tails, our ally is already handling it. You should focus on sealing it. Your wife, Uzumaki Kushina, will not die as long as she successfully reseals the Nine-Tails."
"What?! Obito?!"
Obito's reaction was immediate. His body tensed. Minato and Kushina had not recognized him—but this stranger knew his identity?
At the same moment, Obito caught sight of the Nine-Tails being thrown around like a ragdoll, and an unsettling mix of relief and confusion filled him.
Where had such a powerful warrior come from?
Who were these people?
Obito's gaze swept across Smith and his companions, pausing when it landed on Gan Yu. His eyes narrowed at the sight of her horns. What was she? An alien? His mind raced. He needed to consult Black Zetsu.
Why did this woman have horns?
---
A golden flash.
Minato Namikaze capitalized on Obito's distraction. With expert precision, he threw a marked kunai, vanishing and reappearing behind his enemy in an instant.
Before Obito could react, Minato slammed a Rasengan into his back, simultaneously applying a contract seal to sever his control over the Nine-Tails.
"Show some mercy," Smith sighed at the scene. He had warned Minato partly because their mission involved him, and partly because he personally despised Uchiha Obito.
Kamui? Overrated.
In Smith's view, Obito was worse than scum, yet people still defended him. What twisted logic.
Who greeted their teacher's newborn child with an explosive tag?
Who turned a happy family into an orphan's tragedy?
Minato, however, did not strike to kill. He had the chance to end Obito's life with that Rasengan, but he held back.
"As expected of Minato-sensei," Obito muttered as his form began to dissolve.
"Wait, Obito! Why are you doing this?" Minato called out, but his former student did not answer. He activated Kamui and vanished before Minato could pursue.
Frustrated, Minato wanted to chase after him, to demand answers—but he had more pressing matters to attend to. He turned to Smith and his group, bowing slightly. "Thank you."
---
Smith chuckled. "As expected of the Fourth Hokage. Even though we provided you with information and assistance, your first thought is still to suspect us of ulterior motives, isn't it?"
Minato remained silent.
"That's the nature of shinobi," Smith continued. "They can defeat—or even kill—stronger opponents through deception and cunning. Trust is a rare commodity in this world."
Minato's expression hardened. "No. I trust my comrades in the village."
"Maybe," Smith said with a smirk. "But would you turn your back to Shimura Danzo? That old man craves the Hokage title more than anything. He would gladly see you dead to take the position himself."
Minato frowned.
"And let's not forget," Smith added, "how your Hokage predecessors have constantly oppressed the Uchiha clan."
"That's not true!" Minato protested. "Kushina and Lady Mikoto are dear friends. Fugaku and I fought side by side as comrades!" But even as he spoke, doubts crept in. What had driven Obito to such lengths?
"Enough talk," Smith said, nodding toward the battlefield. "Go seal the Nine-Tails. If you wait any longer, the Emperor might kill it outright. Your wife can still be saved."
Minato's eyes widened in alarm. "Kushina!"
He turned to Smith, gratitude flashing across his face. "I don't know your goals, but thank you. I will seal the Nine-Tails first and speak with you later."
With that, Minato disappeared in a golden flash.
Smith watched him go, amused. "Even as he leaves, he's still evaluating us. That's a ninja for you."
Ningguang nodded thoughtfully. "If Ye Lan were in this world, she would thrive."
Smith smirked. "Oh, she would rise through the ranks effortlessly."
Ningguang blinked in surprise. "You even know about Ye Lan?"
Smith merely chuckled. "Let's watch the show."
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