One.
Two.
Three.
…
Eight.
Within Kyusei's Mind's Eye of the Kagura, eight distinct chakra signatures had already formed a tight encirclement around his house.
Without changing his expression, Kyusei placed his hand on the doorknob, then lifted his right foot and stepped inside.
And in the very next instant—
Three figures shot toward him like arrows loosed from a bow!
The red-haired boy snapped his head around, an inexplicable smile appearing on his face.
Golden chains surged forth, coiling tightly around his arm, and he smashed his fist straight toward the man who reached him first!
The blow looked powerful and overwhelming—
Yet it was caught effortlessly.
Kyusei's pupils shrank as he stared in disbelief at the man who had stopped his punch so easily.
Bathed in silvery moonlight, the forehead protector marking Kumogakure came clearly into view.
"Heh…"
The Cloud ninja curled his lips into a cruel smile, using the moment to restrain Kyusei's arm. At the same time, two more Cloud ninjas arrived at his sides, locking him down completely in the blink of an eye.
"You—!"
Kyusei tried to shout for help, but a sharp chop landed squarely on the back of his neck.
Darkness swallowed his vision, and his consciousness vanished.
Feeling the boy go limp, the Cloud ninja leader frowned and immediately signaled a retreat.
The Second Shinobi World War was nearing its end, and Kumogakure's situation was dire.
If they could bring this Nine-Tails brat back to the village, it would be more than enough to turn the tide.
Even if nothing else mattered—so long as they had the Nine-Tails, everything else on the battlefield became irrelevant.
With practiced coordination, the group vanished into the night, carrying Kyusei with them.
Behind them, the door they had forced open slowly creaked shut under the push of the wind.
"Hmph. Kid… was that fun?"
Inside the sealing space, the Nine-Tails glared irritably at Kyusei, who was sitting right on top of its head.
"Relax, relax. Aren't you curious too, Little Nine?"
Kyusei ignored the beast's complaints and casually rubbed the soft fur on its head.
"Curious about how these Cloud ninjas managed to sneak into Konoha?"
"Why would I care about the actions of a few ants?"
The Nine-Tails snorted.
"Just crush them."
After six long years together, the Nine-Tails had fully grasped the temperament of its Jinchūriki.
The more irritable it became, the more it seemed to amuse this brat—so it simply chose to ignore the hand messing with its fur.
Kyusei sprawled out in a starfish shape atop the Nine-Tails' head, using his Mind's Eye to observe the outside world, thoughtfully sharing everything he sensed with the beast as well.
The Nine-Tails neither approved nor objected, merely closing its eyes in silence.
Kyusei could already tell—the Cloud ninjas were carrying him straight through the Forest of Death, heading for the barrier on the far side.
What puzzled him, though, was something else.
Was Hiruzen Sarutobi really the mastermind behind this?
Before now, Kyusei had been convinced that the original plot involving Kushina's kidnapping had been orchestrated by Hiruzen.
That incident was just too ridiculous—completely incapable of withstanding scrutiny.
But now?
Hiruzen knew Kyusei's growth and temperament. There was no way he would stage something this crude and theatrical again.
If this really were Hiruzen's doing, then he might as well hand the Hokage seat over to Danzō.
Out in the real world, the Cloud ninja carrying Kyusei noticed that the boy still hadn't woken up and glanced at his companion.
"You didn't hit him too hard, did you?"
"Why isn't he awake yet?"
The ninja who had knocked Kyusei out frowned, about to respond—
Then froze.
A faint, steady snoring sound drifted from Kyusei's mouth.
"…He fell asleep."
The Cloud ninjas were momentarily speechless.
Should they admire this kid's nerves of steel… or conclude that all Jinchūriki were just this unreliable?
The Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki back home never shut up for a second.
And yet this Nine-Tails brat from Konoha could sleep soundly while being kidnapped.
"Boss, we're almost there."
Seeing the border of Konoha approaching, the ninja carrying Kyusei finally relaxed a little—
But just as he spoke, he felt something damp against the back of his neck.
He reflexively turned his head.
This sleeping little bastard was drooling on him.
Veins popped on his forehead as he endured it in silence and picked up the pace.
"Don't let your guard down. Keep moving."
One after another, the Cloud ninjas burst through the sensory barrier.
"Hurry! Once we cross this, Konoha will already know what's happening—we must—"
Before the leader could finish, he saw black markings erupt from the ground the instant the man carrying Kyusei passed through the barrier, surging skyward in a flash.
This was—
A barrier specialized for detecting the Nine-Tails!
"Move! Now!"
Cold sweat streamed down the leader's face as he shouted.
If Konoha's shinobi caught up to them, ten lives wouldn't be enough.
They had come prepared to die, convinced this mission would be nearly impossible—
Yet they had captured the Nine-Tails brat with shocking ease.
Victory was right in front of them.
As long as they escaped Konoha's pursuit with the Nine-Tails, the mission would be a success.
And when survival was an option, no one wanted to throw their life away.
…So this wasn't arranged by Hiruzen after all.
Kyusei slowly opened his eyes.
If he let these guys keep running with him, things would get really troublesome.
If nothing else, Hiruzen would skin him alive for this.
Having the ability to resist, yet allowing himself to be taken out of Konoha—
That alone was an extremely dangerous signal.
"Sorry."
"Game over."
Kyusei flexed his body, and the ropes binding him snapped instantly.
Just as he was about to make his move and teach these Cloud ninjas what a true Uzumaki was—
A sudden weight slammed down on him.
A pair of clear blue eyes stared straight into his.
It was Namikaze Kaoru, who had realized Kyusei was missing.
As if guided by fate, the two of them reenacted a classic scene beneath the moonlit forest.
Only this time—
Kaoru arrived even faster than Minato had in the original story.
…Huh?
Kaoru?
Wait—when did you leave a Flying Thunder God mark on me?!
While Kyusei was completely dumbfounded, the Cloud ninja carrying him was equally confused.
Why did this kid suddenly feel so much heavier?
Before he could think any further—
Several Cloud ninjas lunged toward him!
Or more precisely—
They lunged toward Kyusei on his back.
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