The Fourth Hokage’s Choice (Please Subscribe)

Uzumaki Ayaka saw Kushina in her current state and did not know what to say. Eight Adamantine Sealing Chains extended from behind her as well, opening a gap in Kushina’s Adamantine Sealing Barrier with the same Sealing Technique. She entered alongside Hyuga Mirai.

Though Adamantine Sealing Chains could form an immensely powerful barrier, another set of the same chains could open a small breach in it.

"Why… did you come here?"

Uzumaki Kushina could do nothing about Ayaka’s actions. All her remaining strength was devoted to suppressing the Nine-Tails; being able to stay where she was and speak was already no easy feat.

Then Kushina saw the look in Ayaka’s eyes and immediately understood the intentions of both Ayaka and Hyuga Mirai beside her.

"For the Nine-Tails?"

Ayaka did not answer Kushina’s question. Instead, she calmly asked, "Princess Kushina, let me ask you one last time. Are you willing to leave Konoha now and return to Whirlpool Country with your child? Having a Tailed Beast extracted from the body is not beyond saving."

"No, Ayaka. Konoha… is my home."

"You’re beyond reason, Kushina. Has your brain gone bad?!" Ayaka furiously rebuked her. "My parents held off the enemy for so long back then. If Konoha had truly wanted to rescue Whirlpool Country, how could they have failed to send even a single person?"

"Kushina, even now, you still see Konoha as your home. Besides you, did any other Uzumaki Clan Members ever seek refuge in Konoha?"

The more Ayaka spoke, the angrier she became. She even shot Namikaze Minato a furious glare. Seeing the Fourth Hokage behind him made Ayaka intensely displeased.

"Minato, I’d advise you not to entertain that thought. You do possess a very powerful killing move now, but your weakness is just as obvious…"

As Hyuga Mirai spoke, he glanced at Uzumaki Naruto and continued, "Is this your child? He’s quite cute. Congratulations, Minato."

"Hyuga Mirai, is the Nine-Tails your target?" After Mirai’s reminder, Namikaze Minato’s expression darkened slightly as he put aside the thought in his heart.

He likely only had the strength for one counterattack left. Yet for the first time, Minato felt that even the Flying Thunder God Technique would be useless against the man before him. And beside Hyuga Mirai stood Uzumaki Ayaka, who had entered Sage Mode.

"Who would dislike such great power?"

Hyuga Mirai waved a hand, then smiled lightly at Minato. "Minato, I want to make a deal with you. It is somewhat coercive in nature, but in your current state, you probably can’t refuse."

"First, I take the complete Nine-Tails, and you get a way to treat Kushina. Restoring her to normal may be difficult, but keeping her alive for another decade or two can still be done."

"Second, you use the Reaper Death Seal to split the Nine-Tails in two and make your child the new Jinchuriki. It’s a pretty good idea. Then I’ll take the other half of the Nine-Tails. In exchange, you get my word that I won’t interfere."

"Third, you can trust in your own strength. After using the Reaper Death Seal, you may have a chance to kill me. Of course, only a chance—it may not succeed. So, want to try?"

There were three choices, but Namikaze Minato did not want to choose any of them. If possible, he only wanted Kushina to rest properly after giving birth.

He was Konoha’s Hokage. He could not hand the Nine-Tails over to an enemy. But now, both Kushina and Naruto were in grave danger, and Minato could not stop the Reaper Death Seal either.

If he chose to fight to the death… honestly, Namikaze Minato had no confidence in that. He was not even confident he could die together with Hyuga Mirai.

His opponent was also a Taijutsu Ninja skilled in high-speed movement. If he was determined to keep Minato entangled, then even the Flying Thunder God Technique would have a hard time catching him quickly.

"Don’t think about stalling for time, Minato. Even if the Third Hokage comes, it won’t matter. Today, the Nine-Tails is mine."

Hyuga Mirai spoke calmly. As soon as he finished speaking, a cyan Sage Face appeared at the corner of his eyes, while Natural Energy gathered around him.

"If you find it difficult to decide, how about I choose for you?"

When Namikaze Minato noticed Hyuga Mirai entering Sage Mode, his face darkened again. He had indeed considered waiting for reinforcements, but it seemed his opponent would not give him that time.

"Minato, no matter what you do, I will support you…"

After Kushina spoke, she coughed up blood once more. The sight caused Namikaze Minato unbearable pain.

Should he abandon his family to protect the village, or give up the Nine-Tails, the village’s most important asset, to protect his family?

When his roles as a husband and father came into severe conflict with his identity as the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato did not know what to do.

His child had only been born a day ago. If Naruto lost both parents and became a Jinchuriki, what would his life in the village be like afterward? Namikaze Minato truly did not dare imagine it.

But becoming Hokage and protecting the village’s safety had always been his dream. For that, even if he had to sacrifice his own life, Namikaze Minato would do so without hesitation.

"I choose the second."

After Namikaze Minato spoke, it was as though all the strength had been drained from him. He turned his head and closed his eyes, not daring to look at Naruto and Kushina.

If he looked at Naruto and Kushina even once, Namikaze Minato feared he would regret it and make another choice.

He was Konoha’s Fourth Hokage. No matter what, he had to leave half of the Nine-Tails behind for the village.

"Namikaze Minato, you’re such a bastard."

Upon hearing Minato’s choice, Uzumaki Ayaka was so furious that she wanted to curse him a few times. However, Hyuga Mirai placed a hand on Ayaka’s shoulder, stopping her from saying anything further.

"Ayaka, this is their choice. We have no right to interfere."

"I understand, Lord Mirai."

After hearing Hyuga Mirai’s words, Ayaka stopped berating Namikaze Minato. She simply felt that Kushina was somewhat pitiful. She clearly had a chance to live, but Minato had not chosen it.

"Sage Art: Adamantine Sealing Barrier: Seal!"

Ayaka sensed that someone was about to arrive, so she first erected an even sturdier barrier to prevent anyone from disturbing Lord Mirai.

The eight Adamantine Sealing Chains extending from behind Ayaka were all condensed from Sage Chakra. Whether in toughness or binding force, they were far stronger than Kushina’s Adamantine Sealing Chains.

"Go ahead, Minato. No one will disturb you now."

After Ayaka’s barrier was raised, Hyuga Mirai gestured to Namikaze Minato.

Hearing this, Namikaze Minato took a deep breath. Then he pressed his hands together and shouted, "Seal!"

An invisible hand of the Death God immediately extended from his abdomen and seized the Nine-Tails at incredible speed.

Neither Hyuga Mirai nor Uzumaki Ayaka could see the Death God behind Namikaze Minato. However, their senses had been greatly heightened in Sage Mode. Ayaka in particular already possessed formidable sensory abilities through the Mind’s Eye of the Kagura, and Sage Mode amplified them even further.

"Lord Mirai, Namikaze Minato has begun sealing the Nine-Tails." Ayaka moved close to Hyuga Mirai and spoke.

Hyuga Mirai nodded. "I know."

Then, dragged by the Death God, the Nine-Tails’ enormous body instantly shrank by half. A visible mass of Nine-Tails Chakra was separated by Namikaze Minato.

"Eight Trigrams Seal!"

After extracting half of the Nine-Tails Chakra, Namikaze Minato immediately used the Double Four Symbols Seal to seal that half of the Nine-Tails Chakra into his child, Naruto.

Only after Namikaze Minato had sealed half of the Nine-Tails into Uzumaki Naruto did Hyuga Mirai speak. "Then it’s our turn."

"Damn humans!"

After half its Chakra had been extracted, the Adamantine Sealing Chains around the Nine-Tails loosened considerably because Kushina had gone to check on Naruto. The Nine-Tails seized the opportunity, roaring as it swung its fox claws down at Uzumaki Ayaka and Hyuga Mirai.

"Stinking fox, don’t even think about attacking Lord Mirai! Adamantine Sealing Chains!"

Ayaka let out a shout. Several Adamantine Sealing Chains burst from the ground and tightly bound the Nine-Tails, leaving it unable to move even an inch.

"Seal it quickly, Ayaka. The Third Hokage is already here!"

As soon as Hyuga Mirai finished speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen and two Anbu leaped out from the woods. When they saw what was happening inside the barrier, they were stunned and confused.

"Hyuga Mirai, why are you here? Were you the one behind the Nine-Tails’ Rampage?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen furiously demanded an answer. He raised Enma’s Adamantine Staff and swung with all his might, trying to smash through the barrier. But the Adamantine Sealing Chains condensed from Ayaka’s Sage Chakra were incomparably tough. When Hiruzen struck them with the Adamantine Staff, the recoil even sent him flying.

"At your age, you should just retire in peace."

Hyuga Mirai glanced at the Third Hokage, then paid him no further attention.

After binding the Nine-Tails with Adamantine Sealing Chains, Ayaka formed hand seals once more. "Four Symbols Seal!"

Countless densely packed Sealing Runes appeared on the Adamantine Sealing Chains, spreading from Ayaka’s body toward the Nine-Tails.

When the Nine-Tails saw those Sealing Runes, it knew it was about to be sealed. It struggled with all its might, but aside from roaring in fury, it could do nothing.

The Adamantine Sealing Chains condensed from Sage Chakra possessed immense binding force. The Nine-Tails could sense that once it was sealed into this woman’s body, it would have no ability to resist.

"Seal!"

As the Sealing Runes spread from the Adamantine Sealing Chains onto the Nine-Tails, they instantly dragged it into Uzumaki Ayaka’s body.

Once the Nine-Tails Chakra was sealed into her body, Ayaka immediately felt as though her body had become incomparably heavy.

Hyuga Mirai asked, "How is it? Can you handle it?"

"No problem, Lord Mirai." Ayaka formed hand seals as she spoke. "That stinking fox is being a little unruly. It’ll be fine in a moment."

After being sealed into her body, the Nine-Tails could only cause Ayaka a little trouble if it tried to make mischief again. Once she adapted to the Nine-Tails Chakra, it would have no choice but to obediently provide Chakra.

Second update!

Three more to come!