harleyscars Chapter 230 Do you want to know the mastermind behind the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage?
Chapter 230 Do you want to know the mastermind behind the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage?
Chapter 231 Do you want to know the mastermind behind the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage?
The grayish-white dust completely condensed, and the body reborn from the ashes was fully formed.
Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, slowly opened his eyes.
Those eyes, once as blue as a clear sky, full of sunshine and wisdom, now appear as a dull gray due to the nature of the Impure World Reincarnation, like dusty gems, but the sharpness and vigilance that flashed within them have not diminished in the slightest.
His consciousness seemed to be forcibly pulled back from an endless slumber, with a slight sense of disorientation, but the instincts honed by his years as a ninja made him immediately examine his surroundings.
Cold metal walls, dim lighting, an unfamiliar underground space—
And the two people standing in front of me.
His gaze first settled on the mysterious figure directly in front of him, who was wearing a strange white three-eyed fox mask and a black robe.
The powerful aura and unfathomable depths instantly put him on alert, and his brows furrowed unconsciously.
"Who are you?" Minato's voice was hoarse from just waking up, but he remained calm: "This is—Edo Tensei?"
He immediately recognized his own condition. As the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, he had a basic understanding of the forbidden techniques developed by the Second Hokage, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.
However, when his gaze passed over the mysterious man and fell upon the figure behind him, he froze in shock.
Long red hair, a familiar face, and eyes that, though now grey, were gleaming with intense excitement.
That's Kushina!
His wife!
But-
Why was she holding a little fox girl with a pair of fluffy fox tails that she had never seen before?
The fox-woman tilted her head, curiously observing him with her large, intelligent eyes.
Minato turned his gaze back to the mysterious masked man in front of him.
The other party remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and removed the white three-eyed fox mask.
Beneath the mask was the face of a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old.
His short, black hair stood up like stubborn hedgehogs, and his handsome face carried a composure and indifference beyond his years.
What made Minato's pupils shrink the most were those eyes!
Those were his eyes, just like Naruto's, blue like a clear blue sky!
Minato was completely stunned, his brain racing.
"Is it... Naruto?" Minato murmured subconsciously, but immediately denied it: "No... that's not right..."
Looking into the boy's calm, almost aloof gaze, another name slipped out: "It's Menma, isn't it?"
His tone carried an incredulous confirmation, tinged with a hint of realization.
It turns out that the child who was kidnapped by the masked man and whose fate was unknown was actually still alive!
Although their hair colors were different, there was a deep resonance in their bloodlines, and a complex feeling that was both extremely familiar and strangely unfamiliar subtly emanated from their eyes—
Menma looked at Minato, a complex emotion flashing in his blue eyes, so fleeting it was almost impossible to catch.
He nodded slightly.
Looking at his eldest son, who had grown into a young man, Minato felt a thousand words stuck in his chest, which finally turned into a sigh full of endless guilt and emotion: "You've grown up so much."
He tried to force a smile, but it came across as somewhat bitter: "I had considered many slim chances of seeing you again, but I never imagined it would be in this way."
He paused, his gray eyes filled with sincere apology, and his voice was low and solemn: "I'm sorry—Menma."
As parents, they failed to protect their child, causing him to suffer hardship shortly after birth and wander outside. This guilt was deeply buried in his heart.
Menma seemed somewhat surprised that Minato could recognize him so quickly. He reached out and touched his black, spiky hair: "Is this the perception of parents? Even though my current appearance is not my original form, and even my hair color is different from when I was born, I was still recognized."
Minato shook his head, looking at him gently: "Because you are special. That night, even though you were just born, you opened your eyes and quietly looked at everything around you, unlike Naruto who cried and fussed."
That memory of our first meeting remains as clear as yesterday, even years after my death.
Then, his guilt surged again: "And I—failed to fulfill my responsibilities as a father, letting you, who was just born, be kidnapped by that mysterious masked man." Menma paused for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "I don't blame you. The situation at that time was not entirely within your control."
His tone was unexpectedly calm, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.
Then, Menma changed the subject and began to explain: "Actually, only seven years have passed since you died. My current appearance is not my true form, but just a transformation technique."
Then, Menma slowly recited her prepared explanation: "The moment I opened my eyes and entered this world, I fell under the illusion of that mysterious masked man, the 'Limited Tsukuyomi.' It was an extremely powerful illusion, constructing a nearly complete illusory world. I spent a full fifteen years in that false world before finally breaking free and returning to reality."
Minato and Kushina listened quietly. Minato was filled with shock, while Kushina felt heartache.
Fifteen years of illusory life, knowing it was a false world, yet powerless to change it—what a lonely and distorted experience that must have been.
Menma continued, "This time, I used the Impure World Reincarnation to free my father's soul from the Grim Reaper. Besides wanting you to regain your freedom and ask you some questions about the specific circumstances of what happened back then, there is another very important decision I need to tell you."
His tone became extremely serious, instantly making the atmosphere in the entire underground space heavy.
Even Kushina subconsciously hugged the little Nine-Tails in her arms. The little Nine-Tails seemed to sense the change in atmosphere and quieted down, no longer moving around.
Minato Namikaze stared intently at Menma with his gray eyes, a strong sense of unease rising within him.
He sensed that what Menma was about to say would be very shocking. Menma met his gaze and said clearly, word by word, "In a short while, the Konoha leadership will issue an order to 'massacre' the Uchiha clan."
"What?!" Minato exclaimed in shock. Even with his calm mind, he was shaken to his core by this sudden news!
Massacre of an entire clan?
This would be an unimaginable tragedy in any ninja village!
But Mianma hadn't finished speaking.
"Therefore, I have prepared some 'audience seats' and hope that my father can accept the invitation to attend."
"At that time, I will take action and take away some of the Uchiha clan members, so that they can join my ninja village and my country."
Minato is shocking again!
The village of ninjas with pockmarked faces?
country?
Menma's voice was calm, as if he were announcing a predetermined future: "Then, when the time is right and we have accumulated enough power, I will lead these new-era ninjas to launch the Fourth Shinobi World War."
He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, staring directly into Minato Namikaze's shocked eyes.
"Sweep across the five great nations, annihilate the five great ninja villages, and unify the entire ninja world! End this thousand-year-long chaos! Complete the great feat that even the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, could not accomplish!"
"So, you're going to stop me, Father?" Menma's deep blue eyes were fixed intently on Minato Namikaze.
silence!
Deathly silence!
Minato Namikaze was so stunned by his eldest son's series of words that he was speechless, his mind going completely blank.
Konoha's high-ranking officials massacred their clan?
Did Menma establish his own ninja village and country?
To launch the Fourth Shinobi World War?
Unify the ninja world?
Any one of these pieces of news, taken individually, would be enough to cause a major earthquake, but now they've all come crashing down on him at once!
He simply couldn't believe his ears!
Is this still the son he just "met"?
This enormous ambition, this ruthless plan—"Why?" Minato's voice was hoarse. He forced himself to calm down, searching for the core of the problem: "Why would the Konoha leadership issue an order to massacre the Uchiha clan? That's impossible! Who is the Hokage of Konoha now?"
"And Menma, your ninja village? Your country? Isn't this Konoha?" He looked around at the cold metal walls, his heart filled with immense confusion.
Menma calmly answered his question: "This is not Konoha. This is the country I founded—the Land of Stars. As for the fundamental differences between this country and its ninjas and those of the old era, Father, you can observe and experience that for yourself later."
"And Konoha," he said, his tone turning cold, "is now ruled by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Then, Menma began to reveal the cruel reality: "As for why the Uchiha clan suffered such a catastrophic disaster—the root cause may lie in the Nine-Tails' rampage back then."
"You should remember that when the Nine-Tails went out of control, the pattern that appeared in its eyes was the Sharingan. Many of the Konoha ninja who participated in the suppression at the time saw this."
Minato's face darkened. Of course he remembered!
This is also one of the biggest questions in his mind!
Menma continued, "At that time, the Konoha Police Department, which was supposed to be responsible for part of the village's protection, was restricted in its actions by Shimura Danzo's 'Root' for various reasons. They were assigned to evacuate civilians and were unable to arrive at the core battlefield in time to provide effective rescue."
"In the following years, the Konoha leadership, especially Danzo, suspected that the Nine-Tails' attack was related to certain individuals within the Uchiha clan."
Or at least, it was due to the Sharingan's abilities malfunctioning. Therefore, they imposed comprehensive restrictions, surveillance, and exclusion on the Uchiha clan. From marginalization of power to relocation, discontent and resentment steadily accumulated within the Uchiha clan.
"Suspicion breeds hatred, and oppression breeds rebellion." Menma's voice was icy, as if he were reading a verdict: "The discontent within the Uchiha clan is growing louder, and the distrust and fear among the higher-ups are deepening. At the end of this path, it seems, only—"
Minato's face turned extremely ugly; he had already foreseen that terrible ending.
As a former Hokage, he was all too familiar with the darkness of political struggles and the vicious cycle that could result once trust was broken.
Menma seemed to think that wasn't enough, so he added another example: "By the way, just two years ago, a similar major event happened in Kirigakure, far away in the Land of Water."
"The Yuki clan, who possessed the Ice Release bloodline limit, was exterminated by order of the Third Mizukage on charges of treason. Immediately afterward, the Kaguya clan, whose personalities were even more extreme and warlike, launched a rebellion, which was brutally suppressed by the Third Mizukage and the Hidden Mist ninja. Almost the entire clan was slaughtered, with only one child remaining, who was taken in by me."
The Kaguya Clan Annihilated: Hearing these bloody examples, Minato Namikaze felt a chill rise from his spine and straight to the top of his head!
He was almost certain that Menma's description of the Uchiha clan's future was not an exaggeration!
The Uchiha clan of Konoha is following in the footsteps of the Kirigakure bloodline clan!
Minato spoke with difficulty, trying to grasp at the last straw: "The one who kidnapped you and killed me and your mother back then was indeed a mysterious person with Sharingan! But the space-time ninjutsu he used was extremely strange and powerful, and it's impossible for the current Uchiha clan members of Konoha to do it! They couldn't possibly have that ability to control the Nine-Tails!"
This has always been Minato's judgment, and it's why, although he suspected the Sharingan, he didn't directly point the finger at the Uchiha clan of Konoha.
However, Menma chuckled softly, a laugh tinged with both mockery and pity.
"You're right, that person isn't any member of the current Uchiha clan in Konoha. But—"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Kushina behind him, who was also watching intently, before turning back to Minato and slowly, clearly uttering a name:
"He is indeed from the Uchiha clan of Konoha. And—he is also acquainted with you, Father."
Minato froze, his gray eyes widening slightly in utter shock: "Who—is it?"
Menma looked at him and, word by word, revealed the cruel truth:
"His name is Uchiha—."
"Obito".
Minato Namikaze was struck as if by an invisible bolt of lightning, and stood frozen in place.
Those gray eyes trembled violently, filled with disbelief, shock, pain, and bewilderment.
"No—it's impossible." He muttered to himself subconsciously, as if he had heard the most absurd and terrifying joke in the world: "How could it be Obito?"
广」
That boy who was always late, had a bright smile, dreamed of becoming Hokage, liked his teammate Rin, and initially didn't get along with Kakashi but gradually became his best friend...
The student who was confirmed to have sacrificed himself in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge and gave his Sharingan to Kakashi was actually the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails' rampage, the deaths of him and Kushina, and the kidnapping of his own son?!
At this moment, Minato Namikaze was subjected to an unprecedentedly fierce impact.
So much so that he even forgot about his eldest son's ambition to unify the ninja world and the question of whether he should stop him.
Menma knew that Minato needed some time to process these cruel truths, so she didn't tell him too much all at once.
The next day, the morning sunlight streamed into Menma's home through the window.
As Menma came downstairs yawning, he saw Minato Namikaze on the veranda, his brows still bearing the weight of shock and confusion.
Kushina, who was sitting opposite him, was clearly still not fully recovered from the shock and anger of "Obito is the murderer," and seemed to have been thinking all night.
He said to the two of them, "Mother, why don't you take Father around Star City? You can go wherever you want."
Mianma's tone was calm, as if the shocking conversation from the previous night had never happened.
He paused, then added, "I won't disturb your 'private time' any longer. The Star Kingdom has just annexed three countries, and its administration is very busy; there are still many follow-up matters to handle."
As he spoke, he looked at Minato, his blue eyes holding an indescribable depth: "Furthermore, Father, you could take this opportunity..."
"Take a look at this country with your own eyes, and think carefully about what kind of world it will be after the ninja world is unified."
The little nine-tailed fox, who had been obediently held in Kushina's arms, had been itching to get out of bed. Seizing the opportunity, it chirped and nimbly broke free from Kushina's embrace. It quickly climbed onto her numb shoulder, then skillfully climbed onto her head, found a comfortable spot to lie down, and proudly flicked its nine fluffy tails, as if declaring ownership of this "territory".
Minato Namikaze opened his mouth; he hadn't slept all night, even though he didn't need to rest after being resurrected with Edo Tensei.
But he was still immersed in the cruel truth and the shock brought by Menma's enormous ambition. He had countless questions and ideas he wanted to discuss, but Menma clearly did not intend to continue the topic from last night.
Just as he was about to say something more, Kushina suddenly erupted beside him.
"Let's go! You idiot Minato!" She grabbed Minato's arm with a strength that was completely unlike that of an Edo Tensei body, and practically dragged him away, her tone filled with suppressed anger.
"Our son already told us to go shopping by ourselves! What are you dawdling for?!"
Clearly, the matter of Obito and the old grudge of Minato failing to protect the child had reignited Kushina's volatile temper. At this moment, she needed something to distract herself, and "teaching" her husband a lesson was obviously a good choice.
Faced with Kushina, who was clearly furious and whose red hair was practically floating on air, Minato Namikaze chose to keep quiet without hesitation. He didn't even dare to resist in the slightest and could only helplessly be dragged along, a bitter smile on his face.
This familiar feeling is something I haven't felt in a long time.
Meanwhile, the Yin Nine-Tailed Fox inside Minato's body stared intently at the little fox girl with nine tails on Menma's head.
There's always this strange feeling, like a tailed beast, or maybe another version of myself. What exactly is this thing?!
Minato and Kushina used a transformation jutsu to disguise themselves as an ordinary young couple before leaving Menma's mansion and blending into the bustling crowds of Star City.
Walking along the bustling commercial streets, Kushina was quickly drawn to the dazzling array of goods. As if temporarily forgetting her troubles, she excitedly looked left and right like a real little girl, occasionally letting out a gasp of amazement.
Minato Namikaze followed beside her, watching her joyful figure, his gray eyes revealing boundless tenderness and emotion.
As far as I can remember, during their relationship, he was away on missions most of the time, while Kushina, as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, had her movements restricted.
The time the two spent together was short and precious.
This was even more true after they got married; he couldn't even give her a proper honeymoon.
It seems like only yesterday they were preparing clothes for their unborn child and discussing names. In the blink of an eye, seven years have passed, and they are separated by life and death. When they meet again, they are both dead, while their child has become a powerful figure stirring up the ninja world.
This sense of temporal and spatial dislocation made him feel as if he were in a dream.
While accompanying Kushina shopping, Minato Namikaze also personally experienced the uniqueness of this city.
The streets were wide and clean, lined with shops on both sides, offering a wide variety of goods, many of which he had never seen in Konoha before.
What surprised him even more was that some shops had obvious chakra lamps displayed at their entrances, and he even saw ordinary people using some kind of small device to embed a crystal that emitted a faint chakra fluctuation, which allowed them to activate some simple machines.
"That's a chakra storage device," Kushina explained, noticing his gaze, a hint of pride in her voice. "It was made by those guys at the research institute. It can be pre-charged by ninjas, and ordinary people can use some simple chakra devices now. Isn't that convenient?"
Minato nodded in surprise.
The idea of making chakra so widespread and accessible to the general public is unimaginable in Konoha.
Just then, a bright whistle sounded in the distance.
Following the sound, Shuimen looked and saw a long steel dragon rushing past along the laid tracks at an extremely fast speed!
"That's..." Minato was shocked again.
"Lightning Chariot!" Kushina said with a smile, "This is a large vehicle that uses Lightning Release chakra as its power source, and it has become the main mode of long-distance transportation in the Land of Stars."
"The main road connects the Star Capital with the surrounding counties, facilitating transportation and the movement of people. I heard that the next step is to extend it to the newly occupied Snow County."
Minato watched the departing lightning chariot, his heart filled with turmoil. This country's development direction and technological application were completely different from the ninja village model he was familiar with.
The endless stream of people made him ask, "Kushina, how big is this city? The population density looks incredibly high."
Kushina thought for a moment and said, "I don't know the exact number, but I heard from Vanilla that the population of Star City has already exceeded 500,000 and is still increasing."
"Five hundred thousand?!" Minato was once again shocked by this number.
Konoha Village, the largest ninja village in the ninja world, has a population of only around 100,000, including all its residents.
The management difficulty and resource requirements of a city with a population of 500,000 are terrifying!
He immediately thought of a crucial question: "How can security be maintained in such a large city? Does the Land of Stars have that many ninjas?"
In his mind, maintaining order necessarily required a large number of ninjas.
Kushina shook her head and began to explain in detail. Clearly, during her time living here, she had gained a good understanding of the structure of the Star Country: "The ninjas of the Star Country are professional combat personnel officially incorporated into the 'Star Ninja Army.' Their equipment, training, and even their living needs are all covered by special funds allocated by the Star Country's Ministry of Military Affairs."
"Although they occasionally take on missions such as bandit suppression, escorting important caravans, and protecting targets, they are not like Konoha ninjas who need to earn money by taking on missions to support themselves and their families."
She paused, then continued, "Here, being a ninja is more like a profession and an honor. Of course, talented ninjas will receive better resources and training, while those with average talent but who work hard and diligently carry out their missions can accumulate 'points' and 'military merits' to exchange for better ninja tools, more advanced ninjutsu, and even some rare secret techniques."
"What about public safety?" Minato asked as he followed Kushina as she created her artwork amidst the crowded throng.
"Maintaining public order is the responsibility of a profession called 'police'," Kushina explained. "They are divided into rank-and-file police and special police. Rank-and-file police are mostly ordinary people, and a few who can only simply refine chakra and whose strength is roughly equivalent to that of a genin. They are responsible for daily patrols and mediating disputes, which are minor tasks."
"Special police are the elite among them, some even possessing the strength of Chunin or even Special Jonin. They are mainly responsible for handling sudden emergencies, such as natural disaster relief and combating armed gangs. Only when the situation becomes so serious that even the special police cannot handle it will the Star Ninja Army be deployed to carry out military operations."
As they were talking, a strangely shaped vehicle, shimmering with blue chakra light, slowly drove past them, the word "Police" clearly displayed on its side indicating its identity.
The two patrol officers inside the car scanned the street with sharp eyes.
Minato noticed that when pedestrians saw the patrol car, they would make way for it in a friendly manner. Their eyes did not show the hidden fear and alienation that Konoha villagers had when facing the Uchiha Police Department, but rather a heartfelt respect and trust.
This police-community relationship struck him as very novel.
Then, Kushina took Minato to many places.
At the training grounds of the Star Ninja Academy, they saw some children in their early teens engaging in intense taijutsu and ninjutsu sparring. Their skill level was quite impressive, almost all of them reaching the level of genin. This greatly surprised Minato, who was amazed by the Star Country's investment in and effectiveness in cultivating the next generation.
In the bustling trading area, they saw merchants from the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, the Land of Fire, and even the distant Land of Water and the Land of Thunder, chatting and bargaining in different accents. A wide variety of goods were on display, demonstrating the active commerce and open attitude of the Star Kingdom.
In the western suburbs of Star City, they saw vast, fertile fields. Many strangely shaped steel machines they had never seen before were working in the fields, tilling, sowing, and irrigating with great efficiency. There were also some people who looked like technicians operating the machines or communicating with the farmers.
Even at a large construction site, they saw several Earth Release and Water Release ninjas wearing Star Ninja vests, but with armbands that read "Infrastructure Team," skillfully using ninjutsu in conjunction with large machinery to reinforce the foundation and carry out water diversion and drainage operations. The scene of using ninjutsu for construction rather than destruction deeply moved Minato.
They also randomly visited several villages around Xingzhidu and saw the same busy and hopeful spring plowing scene, with villagers' faces beaming with anticipation for the future.
Watergate deeply felt the vibrant energy of this country, the upward momentum of everything.
But he keenly sensed that something was missing here.
He thought about it carefully and finally figured it out!
It is the kind of omnipresent, high-ranking aristocratic and famous class!
Here, he saw no domineering nobles or entertainers, nor any grand entourages.
"Kushina, the nobles and daimyo here..." Minato frowned slightly and asked, "Where did they go?"
Kushina's expression turned slightly serious.
She pulled the water gate and arrived in front of a magnificent building located in the center of Starbraid City.
Stepping into the National Museum of the Star Braided Nation, the water gate seems to lead one into a heavy yet magnificent history.
The museum uses a large number of artifacts, pictures and text materials to record in detail the history of the nobles and daimyo classes in the five countries that were annexed by the Star Braid Kingdom: the original Bear Braid Kingdom, Ghost Braid Kingdom, Swamp Braid Kingdom, Nether Braid Kingdom and Snow Braid Kingdom.
A large portion of the exhibition specifically showcases items collected from various regions that record the luxurious lifestyles of nobles and daimyo, as well as evidence of the impoverished lives of ordinary people in stark contrast to the queue hairstyle.
Even more shocking is that many of the display boards are covered with testimonies and tearful records of ordinary people who stood up to accuse the nobles of their crimes at the public trials.
From seizing land, arbitrarily levying taxes, disregarding human life, to bullying men and women, every act is bloody and outrageous.
Shuimen saw that some children from ordinary schools, led by their teacher, were quietly listening to the public explanations in front of these exhibitions.
The teachers did not simply instill hatred, but while explaining history, they focused on guiding children to think about "why such inequality exists" and "how to build a more just society," and constantly instilled in them the new era spirit of "serving the public good" as taught by the Xingbian Kingdom.
This clashed violently with the education Minato received at the Konoha Ninja Academy from a young age, which instilled in him the will to cultivate his loyalty to the Hokage and protect the village.
He instinctively felt that this way of completely negating the old order was somewhat radical, but looking at the evidence before him and the unprecedented vitality shown by the Star Braid Kingdom, he could not refute the changes it brought about.
Minato remembered Menma's words: "What kind of world will it be after the ninja world is unified?"
He fell into deep thought.
After the unification of the ninja world, will it be a better world, as Menma described?
Without nobles and daimyo, without fragmented ninja villages, power was used for construction and creation rather than war and destruction.
In such a world, is it possible for milk to be produced?
With their thoughts in turmoil, the two finished their visit and headed home.
However, just as he was passing through a relatively quiet street, near the military research institute of Gaoyouhe East π, Minato suddenly sensed a chakra fluctuation that was extremely familiar yet cold and strange!
He suddenly stopped and looked in the direction he sensed.
Not far away, a man, or rather a woman, wearing a white lab coat like that of Wu Jian, a researcher from the Star Braided Country, with long black hair, pale skin, and golden snake eyes, was handing over several boxes of materials labeled "Danger" to several Star Ninja Army officers, along with several subordinates also wearing white lab coats.
Although the face was slightly different, the signature cold and sinister aura remained. "Orochimaru?!" Minato Namikaze's pupils contracted sharply, and he almost blurted out the words, his voice filled with disbelief and shock.
What's Orochimaru doing here?
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