Chapter 87: The Nine-Tails Uprising! Provoking Luo Fu

Uchiha Obito’s personality was inherently very similar to Naruto Uzumaki.

Especially in terms of unpredictability, the two seemed carved from the same mold.

Had he pressed forward immediately, Uchiha Obito could have swiftly severed the seal on Kushina Uzumaki—but upon hearing such a shocking revelation,

he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of curiosity.

Yet no amount of curiosity shook Uchiha Obito’s obsession with completing his goal.

After a moment’s hesitation, he moved again.

“Stop… stop…” Kushina Uzumaki weakly said: “Itachi can kill me. Itachi can revenge yourself on Minato. But… I beg Itachi, don’t release the Nine-Tails! The village…”

Before she could finish speaking, Uchiha Obito reached out and seized.

A sinister, crimson torrent of chakra was violently ripped from Kushina Uzumaki’s body.

With a scream of agony, she collapsed once more into unconsciousness.

“Sister Kushina, I never imagined Itachi were connected to that bastard Luo Fu. Don’t blame me—I did all this to change the world. In the future, we’ll meet again in Infinite Tsukuyomi, and everyone will live happily.”

The instant he finished speaking, Uchiha Obito’s form was swallowed whole by a spatial vortex.

The very next second after Uchiha Obito departed, Minato Namikaze arrived at Kushina Uzumaki’s location.

Seeing his wife’s pitiful state, Minato Namikaze grew even more enraged.

But he also knew his immediate priority was dealing with the unleashed Nine-Tailed Fox.

After securing Kushina Uzumaki in a safe place, Minato Namikaze donned the Hokage robe emblazoned with the words “Fourth Hokage.”

Within the Uchiha compound.

As the Nine-Tailed Fox was released, its chilling, terrifying chakra instantly shook the entire Hidden Leaf Village.

Upon sensing this malevolent chakra, Uchiha Fugaku’s eyes widened in horror.

“Damn it! Damn bastard—how dare he? How dare he actually unleash the Nine-Tails? Does he truly hate the village this much?”

After calming his wife, who had just given birth and was still weak, Uchiha Fugaku hurriedly gathered his clan members and headed toward Luo Fu’s residence.

In the clan leader’s chamber.

Uchiha Mikoto, sleeping beside her two-month-old Sasuke, stared through the window at the grotesque, rampaging Nine-Tailed Fox—and froze in place.

“Kushina? Luo Fu actually…”

She glanced uneasily at Sasuke lying in his crib.

Uchiha Mikoto summoned her eldest son, Uchiha Shisui, and ordered him to take their two-month-old brother to the evacuation shelter.

She herself, however, rushed after her husband, heading straight for Luo Fu’s quarters.

When the Uchiha ninja, led by their clan leader Uchiha Fugaku, arrived outside Luo Fu’s residence,

they immediately saw Uchiha Luo Fu standing atop the roof, gazing calmly at the Nine-Tailed Fox’s rampage.

Overwhelmed by unprecedented dread, Uchiha Fugaku’s voice trembled as he shouted: “Luo Fu, tell me—did Itachi do all this?”

Uchiha Luo Fu glanced at Fugaku, then his body instantly dissolved into starlight. When he reappeared, he stood directly before Uchiha Fugaku.

“Do Itachi think, with my power, I’d resort to such crude methods to retaliate against Konoha?” Luo Fu sneered. “Instead, think about how to help the village fight the Nine-Tailed Fox.”

Hearing Luo Fu’s denial with his own ears, Uchiha Fugaku exhaled in relief, rallied his spirits, and led the Uchiha ninja toward the compound’s outer gates.

But when they reached the entrance, they were stunned to find the entire Uchiha compound sealed off by Root ninja.

Upon learning from the Root ninja that the Third Hokage had ordered the Uchiha clan not to participate in the battle against the Nine-Tailed Fox, but instead to evacuate civilians,

Uchiha Fugaku once again displayed his trademark stupidity at a critical moment.

He knew full well that the Third Hokage had already retired, and that the man now sitting in the Hokage’s office was the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.

Yet Uchiha Fugaku actually chose to obey the Third Hokage’s order, abandoning any thought of reinforcement, and commanded his ninja to assist genin and chunin in evacuating civilians.

Watching Fugaku’s actions, Luo Fu sneered, and finally stopped caring about these useless fools.

As Luo Fu prepared to go alone and watch the spectacle,

a figure swiftly appeared before him.

“Luo Fu, was this your doing? How could Itachi be so heartless?”

The moment she saw Luo Fu, Uchiha Mikoto—dressed in ninja garb, looking strikingly fierce—demanded: “That’s Kushina! Don’t Itachi know that if a jinchuriki’s seal is broken and the Tailed Beast is released, the jinchuriki dies too?”

Luo Fu raised an eyebrow. “Which eye did Itachi see me do this?”

She opened her mouth to launch into a long speech about the village’s innocence—but Luo Fu’s reply silenced her completely.

She froze for a moment, then hesitated: “So… it really wasn’t Itachi?”

Luo Fu shook his head. “Of course not.”

Uchiha Mikoto eyed him suspiciously. “If it wasn’t Itachi, why aren’t Itachi helping?”

A thought struck Luo Fu. He suddenly grabbed Uchiha Mikoto and, using his Kamui Mangekyo Sharingan’s space-time ability, teleported them both outside the village.

In the brief delay, the village ninja had jointly driven the Nine-Tailed Fox beyond the village’s borders.

Though the Nine-Tailed Fox had been blocked from reaching the village’s core by the ninja’s resistance, its immense chakra and devastating Tailed Beast Ball had still inflicted heavy damage upon Konoha.

When Luo Fu and Uchiha Mikoto appeared,

the battle between Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Obito had just ended.

Merely using one Mangekyo Sharingan, Uchiha Obito—the former dead last—had managed to hold his own against his own teacher, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, for so long.

From this alone, one could grasp just how powerful the Uchiha’s Sharingan truly was as a kekkei genkai.

The Uchiha clan’s arrogance was not without reason.

Having just defeated the masked man and severed his control over the Nine-Tailed Fox,

Minato Namikaze hadn’t even caught his breath

when he noticed Luo Fu and Uchiha Mikoto nearby.

Instantly, Minato Namikaze tensed with caution.

“Minato, don’t misunderstand,” Uchiha Mikoto hastily explained. “This wasn’t Luo Fu’s doing.”

Uchiha Mikoto rushed to clear Luo Fu’s name because Luo Fu was also Uchiha. No matter how much internal rivalry existed among them, if the blame were pinned on Luo Fu,

the entire Uchiha clan would become the target of Konoha’s wrath.

Minato Namikaze nodded faintly and spoke directly: “I must handle the aftermath now. Uchiha Luo Fu, as Fourth Hokage, I ask Itachi: what is your true stance?”

Luo Fu knew Minato suspected him—he had indeed publicly threatened to destroy Konoha together.

Then, within moments, Konoha was attacked by a masked man wielding a Sharingan, and the Nine-Tails jinchuriki was kidnapped and released.

Although Luo Fu’s presence had somewhat cleared his suspicion,

he knew he’d face suspicion from the village for a long time.

“My stance? As long as Itachi haven’t done anything to provoke me, I remain at peace with the village. Now? I’m just here to watch the show.” Luo Fu said something that nearly made Minato spit blood.

Minato Namikaze took a deep breath. “So Itachi mean—if the village doesn’t attack Itachi, Itachi won’t harm it, correct?”

After receiving Luo Fu’s nod of confirmation, Minato hesitated. “Given that we were classmates, even friends once… could Itachi do me one favor?”

This time, Luo Fu’s reply was just as blunt.

“Sorry. No.”

Minato Namikaze froze. Uchiha Mikoto’s eyes widened—she truly felt how utterly cold Luo Fu was. After all, Kushina Uzumaki had almost fallen in love with him.

And Minato Namikaze himself had been Luo Fu’s close friend in ninja academy.

Yet now, facing such a catastrophe, Luo Fu stood idly by, even watching with interest.

To Luo Fu, the fleeting feelings his former self had for Kushina Uzumaki weren’t even close to affection.

Back then, both Luo Fu and Kushina were mere children—infants, really. What passed for “feelings” was nothing more than childish play.

Minato Namikaze and the village had always been wary of him. Why should he burden himself helping them?

As always: Konoha and the Uchiha clan meant nothing to Luo Fu. He had no emotional ties to either.

To expect him to help them for free? Minato Namikaze was dreaming.

“I’m sorry.” Minato Namikaze gave Luo Fu one last long look, then vanished in a flash.

“How could Itachi be so cruel?” Uchiha Mikoto snapped. “Do Itachi know? Kushina always felt guilty toward Itachi. She even gave Itachi the Uzumaki sealing techniques—do Itachi know how valuable those are in the ninja world?”

“I know perfectly well!” Luo Fu glared at her. “And then? So I should grovel like a dog and obey them? Didn’t Itachi just say it was Kushina Uzumaki who felt guilty and gave me the techniques? Isn’t that her compensation? We’re even. Why should I help her?”

“Itachi…” She wanted to argue, but knew this was a matter beyond logic.

Emotions are like drinking water—only the drinker knows if it’s hot or cold.

Outsiders have no right to judge.

Yet as Kushina Uzumaki’s closest friend, Uchiha Mikoto could never bear to see her end like this.

As Uchiha Mikoto hesitated, unsure how to continue pleading, Luo Fu’s voice reached her ears directly.

“Come. This half-hearted Nine-Tails disturbance is ending soon—but what comes next will be the real spectacle.”

The moment he finished speaking, Luo Fu used his Kamui Mangekyo Sharingan again, teleporting Uchiha Mikoto into the forest.

When they arrived, the scene before them was clearly nearing its final moments.

Nagato and Kushina Uzumaki were skewered like candied haws, impaled on the Nine-Tailed Fox’s sharp claws.

“Kushina!” Seeing her friend’s horrific fate, Uchiha Mikoto cried out in grief.

Kushina Uzumaki, busy giving final words to the newborn Naruto, who would become the new Nine-Tails jinchuriki,

suddenly heard her friend’s voice. As she turned, she immediately noticed Luo Fu beside Uchiha Mikoto.

“Itachi… how did Itachi bring him here?” Kushina Uzumaki had already learned from Minato Namikaze that Luo Fu was not the one who kidnapped her or released the Nine-Tails.

Yet she still harbored deep suspicion toward Luo Fu.

In the distant forest, a vantage point overlooking most of Konoha—including the spot where Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki were sealing the Nine-Tailed Fox—

“Nagato, though I failed to use the Nine-Tails to destroy Konoha completely, I still gained other rewards.”

He was thoroughly beaten by Minato Namikaze using the same space-time ninjutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique.

But as soon as he turned around, the forgetful and reckless Obito Uchiha began boasting to Naruto Uzumaki, Konan, and Ye Cang.

However, Obito Uchiha did this not only to share with them the big secret he had just uncovered, but more importantly, to sow discord between Luo Fu and Konan and Ye Cang.

Because Konan had this inexplicable trust in Luo Fu.

During this time, Obito had absolutely no say in the reestablished Akatsuki.

He had already realized that the root cause of this was entirely Konan.

Even though Ye Cang, that woman entangled with Luo Fu, was also in the Akatsuki, Konan acted as if she had been fooled by a genjutsu—she inexplicably held an incomprehensible fondness and trust for Luo Fu.

Even Naruto Uzumaki, because of this, treated Luo Fu far more favorably than he treated Obito.

And just now, he had learned of the tangled love triangle between his teacher Minato Namikaze, his teacher’s wife Kushina Uzumaki, and the bastard Obito Uchiha.

Obito Uchiha immediately began stirring up trouble in Luo Fu’s backyard.

“Itachi mean to say Itachi were completely toyed with by the Fourth Hokage?” Naruto Uzumaki said coldly with a smile.

Even with a Mangekyo Sharingan, Obito Uchiha had been utterly outclassed throughout his entire fight with Minato Namikaze.

Naruto Uzumaki’s blunt words, delivered like a slap to the face, instantly made Obito Uchiha seethe with rage.

Obito Uchiha took a deep breath and said: “I’ve merely discovered something very interesting and wished to share it with Itachi. Do Itachi know why, despite the Sharingan’s powerful suppression over the Tailed Beasts, not a single Uchiha ninja appeared in Konoha after I released the Nine-Tails?”

Before anyone could respond, Obito Uchiha continued on his own: “The reason is simple. Not long ago, Uchiha Luo Fu was tricked by one of Konoha’s ninja into the Root, but Luo Fu is strong—he slaughtered all of Danzo’s Root subordinates.”

“And then? What exactly are Itachi trying to say?” Konan asked, frowning at Obito Uchiha.

Although in Konan’s heart, Danzo was also one of her targets for revenge.

But why did Obito Uchiha suddenly bring up this conflict between Luo Fu and Danzo? It seemed utterly unrelated.

“Don’t rush. The true origin of this incident goes back over a decade.” Obito Uchiha was indeed clever; upon realizing he had stumbled upon a major secret, he immediately ordered the White Zetsu to investigate Luo Fu’s past.

Luo Fu’s actions inside the Root base had been truly shocking—so much so that the White Zetsu uncovered the truth without spending much time.

That was why, despite having been utterly dominated by Minato Namikaze just moments ago,

Obito had managed to uncover this information so quickly. Having inherited everything from Madara Uchiha, Obito had the authority to summon the White Zetsu at any time.

The White Zetsu were, in the truest sense, the strongest spies, capable of effortlessly gathering intelligence on everything in the ninja world.

Luo Fu’s past, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Four Greats of Konoha—along with the tangled affairs of the Uchiha clan.

Under Obito Uchiha’s vivid narration, Naruto Uzumaki, Konan, and Ye Cang quickly learned the truth.

Ye Cang’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I never expected this guy had such a past—had it not been for the village and clan forcing him, even the Fourth Hokage’s wife nearly ended up with him!”

Konan couldn’t help but sigh. “No wonder he has no affection for Konoha or the Uchiha. After being targeted and schemed against like that, who would hold goodwill toward the place that betrayed them?”

Even Naruto Uzumaki, though silent, found his perception of Luo Fu improving considerably.

In a certain sense, Naruto Uzumaki saw himself and Luo Fu as both victims of Konoha’s betrayal.

Danzo and Kabuto teamed up to destroy the original Akatsuki through deception; similarly, Konoha’s leadership and the Uchiha clan destroyed the bond between Luo Fu and Kushina Uzumaki.

A faint smile curled on Naruto Uzumaki’s lips as a bold idea suddenly formed in his mind.

“A jinchuriki does not necessarily die after the Tailed Beast is extracted!” Naruto Uzumaki said, and behind him, several figures stepped forward.

They were the Six Paths of the Rinnegan that Naruto Uzumaki had gradually gathered over this time.

The body of Nagato, now the Deva Path, stopped beside Naruto Uzumaki, while the remaining Asura Path, Human Path, Animal Path, Hell Path, and Preta Path, under Naruto Uzumaki’s control, charged straight toward the altar.

Along the way, those who had just fought together against the Nine-Tails—even though the battle had been brief—were all nearly spent, whether it was the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, clan ninja, or even elite Jonin and Chuunin.

With the arrival of the five Rinnegan Paths, no one could stop them; Naruto Uzumaki easily reached the altar’s perimeter.

“Who is it?” Just as Uchiha Mikoto was hoping her best friend could resolve her misunderstanding with Luo Fu before dying,

she suddenly spotted several figures in black cloaks, adorned with strange black rods, rushing toward her, and immediately went on alert.

“What a busy day for the village!”

Minato Namikaze gave Luo Fu a long, meaningful look.

The moment Luo Fu saw those figures, he recognized their identities.

Though these individuals differed from the Pain Six Paths he remembered, their black cloaks—still without the red clouds—and the chakra rods embedded in their bodies confirmed their identities.

Among the Pain Six Paths, the Deva Path remained unchanged; even if damaged, the fact that its body was Nagato’s ensured Naruto Uzumaki would never replace it.

But the other five Paths had changed countless times before becoming the ones he knew in the future.

Seeing these strange figures charge straight toward him,

Kushina Uzumaki, already at her last strength, looked at Luo Fu with grief and fury: “Minato and I are nearly gone—surely Itachi won’t just stand by now?”

The bulky Hell Path stepped forward and said: “Itachi might not die. Fourth Hokage, after a jinchuriki’s chakra is extracted, there is another way to survive: reseal the Tailed Beast back into the host within the shortest possible time. The Uzumaki clan possesses extraordinary vitality—this window is longer than for other jinchuriki!”

Minato Namikaze had already performed the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, splitting the Nine-Tails: the Yang half sealed into Naruto Uzumaki on the altar, the Yin half intended to be taken into the Shinigami’s belly.

But upon hearing Kushina Uzumaki might survive, Minato immediately changed his mind.

In truth, Minato Namikaze didn’t have to die. He didn’t die to seal the Nine-Tails—he died because, amid a chain of events, he exhausted his chakra and chose to die to be with Kushina Uzumaki. He was committing suicide out of love.

Otherwise, had he simply avoided the Nine-Tails’ final claw, avoiding its sharp nails piercing him, Minato wouldn’t have been wounded at all.

“I am truly not a worthy husband, nor a worthy father,” Minato Namikaze said after a moment of silence. Ignoring Kushina Uzumaki’s protests, he used his final moments to pull the Yin Nine-Tails from his body and reseal it into Kushina Uzumaki.

“Are Itachi really just going to watch?” Uchiha Mikoto cried, tears streaming down her face.

Luo Fu glanced at Uchiha Mikoto, hesitated, then said: “I can stand farther away.”

Uchiha Mikoto was instantly furious.

Luo Fu knew perfectly well what Uchiha Mikoto meant.

To others, he clearly still harbored lingering feelings for Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze.

But Luo Fu himself knew well: the original body’s emotions had virtually no effect after he awakened his past memories.

The original body’s age and experience, washed away by Luo Fu’s memories, might have left faint echoes—perhaps just the vague warmth of childhood playmates—but nothing more.

As Luo Fu spoke with Uchiha Mikoto,

Minato Namikaze, sustaining the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, used the Shinigami’s power to split the Nine-Tails: sealing the Yang half into Naruto, then pulling the Yin half from his own body and resealing it into Kushina.

After completing this, Minato Namikaze, weak and exhausted, looked at Luo Fu: “I am grateful Itachi did not interfere. As a former friend, I beg Itachi—after I’m gone, let Kushina leave the village. Please… take care of her…”

Minato Namikaze, utterly spent, did not even finish his final words—his soul was instantly taken by the Shinigami.

With Minato Namikaze’s death,

Kushina Uzumaki finally slipped into unconsciousness.

The five Paths of the Pain Six Paths stepped forward, separating Minato Namikaze’s body from Kushina Uzumaki. Then the delicate girl form of the Human Path picked up the unconscious Kushina Uzumaki.

She looked at Luo Fu and said: “Since even the Fourth Hokage wished his wife to leave Konoha, I will take her away for Itachi.”

“Itachi…” Uchiha Mikoto gasped, staring at Luo Fu in shock. She now felt more certain than ever that everything was tied to Luo Fu.

Perhaps even the one who released the Nine-Tails was connected to Luo Fu.

Ignoring Uchiha Mikoto, Luo Fu hesitated briefly, then ultimately chose to accept the Pain Six Paths’ action of taking Kushina Uzumaki.

Had he just been reborn and possessed immense power, he might have intervened to help Minato and Kushina Uzumaki—even to fulfill the regret of his former self as a spectator.

But the original body had been brutally betrayed. Had his past memories not awakened in time,

Luo Fu might not have survived even the tail end of the Second Shinobi World War.

Even if the original body’s betrayal had nothing to do with Minato and Kushina Uzumaki, the root of it all stemmed from them.

Luo Fu would not blame them, nor would he actively harm them—but he would never act like a naive good person, offering help merely to satisfy his own conscience.

Actions determine mindset. Not only was Luo Fu’s Uchiha identity destined to be targeted by Konoha, but simply letting go of that self-righteous urge to help others was enough to make him watch everything unfold.

Seeing Luo Fu made no move to stop them, the five Paths—the Human Path carrying Kushina Uzumaki, the other four forming a front and rear guard, flanking on both sides—headed straight toward Naruto Uzumaki.

“The show’s over. How did it feel?” Luo Fu asked Uchiha Mikoto beside him.

Uchiha Mikoto looked at Luo Fu with an utterly alien gaze. “Do Itachi plan to revenge everyone who wronged Itachi? Kushina and Minato are just the beginning—next, will it be the Uchiha clan or the village?”

Luo Fu laughed silently. “What makes Itachi think I did this?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Uchiha Mikoto’s eyes were red. “Those who took Kushina—Itachi know them. And before taking her, they even needed your permission. Don’t tell me tonight’s events had nothing to do with Itachi.”

Luo Fu shrugged indifferently. “I can tell Itachi this: I knew these events would happen, but I didn’t know the exact timing. As an Uchiha, I believe even Itachi—Kushina Uzumaki’s best friend—didn’t know her exact delivery date.”

“Itachi knew?” Uchiha Mikoto said, both sorrowful and resentful. “Itachi knew all this and just stood by. Do Itachi hate them that much?”

“This is their fate. I merely chose not to interfere.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Fu ignored Uchiha Mikoto’s emotions and vanished on the spot using Kamui, before Hiruzen and the others arrived.

Luo Fu understood Uchiha Mikoto’s grief—watching her best friend, who was moments away from a happy family life, have it all shattered before her eyes.

Had the five Pain Paths appeared, Kushina Uzumaki would not have survived at all.

Kushina Uzumaki’s disappearance caused no great stir.

After all, Naruto’s seal and the detectable Nine-Tails chakra were undeniable.

Naruto was clearly the new Nine-Tails jinchuriki. And it was universally accepted in the ninja world that a jinchuriki died after the Tailed Beast was extracted.

Even though Kushina Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage’s wife, in the wake of Konoha’s devastation—with the Fourth Hokage himself sacrificed—the funeral was not held with great pomp. How much less so for the Hokage’s wife?

Far more important now were the village’s reconstruction and casualty statistics.

A corpse destined to die, unlike Hashirama Senju’s cells, which spread across the entire ninja world, meant no one—except perhaps future Naruto—cared about Kushina Uzumaki’s fate.

At most, Kakashi might have been puzzled, but as a Jonin, especially an Anbu Jonin, he would have no time to investigate Kushina Uzumaki’s whereabouts.

Accompanying Luo Fu, witnessing the tragic fate of his best friend’s family,

Uchiha Mikoto returned home and said nothing—not even to her husband, Uchiha Fugaku.

Luo Fu had assumed that after such a profound shift in perception, Uchiha Mikoto would no longer interact with him.

But to his surprise, just a few days later, she brought him a problem.

It was a small child, barely four or five years old, with a tiny tear-shaped mole beneath her right eye, her large eyes filled with anxiety.

She followed closely behind Uchiha Mikoto, stepping timidly up to Luo Fu.

(End of chapter)