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HSU: Ch. 43
🕑 Added 2024-12-04 11:50:50 +0000 UTCGenerally speaking, Masashi didn't care much for protagonists burdened with bitterness and grudges, so he avoided such dramas during his initial run-through.
When faced with problems, shouldn't one simply find a way to solve them?
That exaggerated sense of self-importance was really detrimental to the viewing experience.
The couple didn't exactly fall into that category—after all, Minato's actions were usually decisive. His sharp mind and quick thinking had earned him the title of Hokage for good reason.
No matter the situation.
His long hours after becoming Hokage were purely due to his inexperience, not because he slacked off during work.
It's just that whenever something involved his wife, his behavior became a bit awkward.
Naruto had already been carried out by Minato. The kid was sleeping so soundly...
You're busy with your family moment right now, that's fine. But shouldn't you at least pay attention to the Nine-Tails? Are you really this relaxed?
Masashi tilted his head to look at the Nine-Tails.
The massive fox was utterly livid, thrashing with all its might. That expression, that killing intent, that ferocity—it was intense.
If it weren't trapped by the Uzumaki clan's Adamantine Sealing Chains, it would've long since unleashed a Tailed Beast Bomb.
In the pursuit of freedom, humans were never alone. They had tailed beasts alongside them.
"You should stop struggling," Masashi said. "It's not your time yet."
You might not like it now, but in the future, you might find it tolerable.
"Damn you! Damn Uchiha!" roared the Nine-Tails furiously.
"Hey, hey, hey, be reasonable. I'm not the one who used these chains on you." Masashi frowned, maintaining eye contact with the beast. "Do you believe I won't just add another seal on you?"
Go ahead, vent at me. This fox will definitely snap at me.
Masashi was on point. More accurate than the Great Toad Sage's prophecies.
"Come on! I won't yield!" the Nine-Tails roared furiously, its chakra flaring wildly against its bonds. "Damn Uchiha!"
"Alright!" Masashi responded promptly, immediately creating three shadow clones.
His original body stayed in place, while the three clones positioned themselves in different directions, forming seals simultaneously.
It looked like a barrier, but it was actually a sealing technique called the Four Red Yang Formation, instantly activated. Red light connected the clones in a perfect square, forming walls of pure chakra.
Of course, the strength couldn't compare to the version used by the four Edo Tensei Hokage in the future.
That one could even reflect a fully charged Tailed Beast Bomb from the Ten-Tails.
This technique was one of the Senju clan's trump cards. Operating as a barrier, it could weaken any opponent trapped inside.
With an A-rank difficulty level, most ninja with sufficient skill could learn it.
It could serve as both a confinement barrier and a weakening tool—a very practical jutsu.
The downside was that it didn't differentiate between friend and foe; anyone caught inside would be weakened. But for the Senju, who excelled in physical strength, this wasn't a concern.
After all, when it came down to physical combat, the Senju clan had the upper hand.
Like most jutsu, its power depended entirely on the user. With his current level, using shadow clones limited the technique's effectiveness to a passable level.
He used it as a precaution to prevent the Nine-Tails from actually breaking free of the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Although this also weakened the chains themselves, the weakening effect was synchronized. If the Nine-Tails could break free, it wouldn't matter whether this technique was there or not; with it, at least it could buy some time.
When he turned back, the the couple was finally looking at him.
"Who are you…?" Kushina, forcing herself through her physical weakness, croaked, her red hair matted with sweat, "Masashi?"
"Kushina-nee." Masashi approached her, noting how pale she'd become. "Do you still have strength left?"
"It doesn't matter anymore at this point." Kushina glanced at the Nine-Tails, further subdued by the Four Red Yang Formation. "You've come at the right time. Help me—I want to…"
Please don't "I want" me anymore. I've been listening to your whole conversation, and you two just keep getting weirder.
One of you regrets not being able to watch your son grow up, and the other immediately says, "Save your chakra—let me do it!"
Do what? The Reaper Death Seal, of course!
Can we please not?!
"Why not just seal the Nine-Tails back inside? Wouldn't that solve everything?" Masashi interrupted.
Kushina was stunned.
Minato, whose hands were already forming seals, was also stunned. The half-formed hand signs for the Reaper Death Seal fell apart.
After a while, Kushina weakly asked, "Is that… possible? No one's ever mentioned such a method."
"Has anyone ever tried to seal it back?" Masashi retorted, annoyed. The solution seemed so obvious to him. "How would you know if you don't try? And how can you as parents even consider leaving your child an orphan?"
This was something he couldn't understand.
If it weren't for Minato being the current key mediator between the Uchiha clan and the Hokage administration, he wouldn't even care about this couple.
After all, their deaths would only weaken the Hokage faction.
But this advantage was trivial and wouldn't change the larger situation. Them staying alive had greater potential benefits.
"You're right, Kushina, think about it!" Minato's eyes lit up with hope. "Has this ever been done before?"
"No," Kushina said. "Once a tailed beast is extracted, the jinchūriki immediately…"
She paused.
There had never been a precedent because previous jinchūriki weren't Uzumaki—they all died instantly.
If they all died, no one could seal the beast back. There was no way to know what would happen if someone tried.
In that case… it could work.
"It's worth a shot!" she exclaimed.
Kushina, being her straightforward self, immediately began trying once she felt it was possible.
And Masashi's Four Crimson Ray Formation greatly eased the pressure on her. The barrier's suppressing effect made the Nine-Tails' chakra more manageable.
Her life was in danger because the Nine-Tails had been extracted, causing her life force to drain. If sealing it back could stop this trend, the lost vitality could potentially be recovered.
It would just mean being weaker in the future, but not excessively so. After all, with advanced medical ninjutsu, lost vitality could be somewhat replenished.
Rehabilitation was key.
Kushina exerted her strength, pulling the Nine-Tails closer.
If the Uchiha clan's power suppressed a tailed beast's mind, the Uzumaki clan's power restrained its body.
As distant relatives of the Senju, this clan had carved their own path, excelling in the development of physical energy.
The Nine-Tails looked furious. This all-too-familiar sensation told it that it was about to be sealed again.
The entire process went smoothly, chakra flowing like water between beast and vessel.
When it came to sealing tailed beasts, Kushina was an expert, and Minato, having learned from his wife, was no slouch with sealing techniques either. Their chakra signatures synchronized perfectly as they worked.
With the couple working together, the Nine-Tails, who hadn't even enjoyed a full night of freedom, was sealed away once more.
The massive form of chakra condensed and flowed into Kushina's seal.
After everything was done, the utterly exhausted Kushina clutched her stomach and leaned into Minato's arms, carefully assessing her body's condition.
"How are you?" Minato asked anxiously, supporting her weight.
Masashi also observed her closely, noticing that her complexion seemed to improve.
Though still pale, she no longer looked like someone on the brink of death.
Sure enough, he soon heard Kushina's joyful voice.
"I'm fine! My vitality isn't being drained anymore!"
And that's how you solve a problem without unnecessary drama. A midnight snack would be nice..., Masashi thought, finally letting his barrier technique drop.
---
As the sun rose the next morning, every resident of the southern district felt as though they had narrowly escaped death.
"Did you see how he stopped that thing?" a shopkeeper whispered to his neighbor as they cleared frost from their storefront. "With that thing, right there on our walls!"
"I heard about it. My daughter says the Uchiha saved us all," the neighbor replied, glancing at the police station's emblem. "Maybe we've been too quick to judge them."
Whenever they recalled the incident, two images came to mind: the massive frost giant and Masashi.
And then, the Uchiha Ice and Snow Festival and the Uchiha clan.
Overnight, the Uchiha clan's standing in the hearts of the southern district villagers skyrocketed.
The ninjas of Konoha had their opinions too. Those whose families lived in the southern district and who had personally witnessed Masashi blocking the Nine-Tails on the walls were grateful for his help.
Among them were even members of the elite jonin corps.
However, ninjas—at least the jonin—weren't about to extend their gratitude indiscriminately to the entire Uchiha clan. Still, their perceptions of the clan had significantly shifted.
This did not hinder their enthusiasm for Masashi.
When Minato, along with Kushina and Masashi, returned to the southern district walls and loudly declared that the Nine-Tails had been resealed, cheers erupted.
"The Nine-Tails has been successfully contained!" Minato's voice rang clear across the crowd. "Thanks to our combined efforts, Konoha stands strong!"
They were hailed as heroes throughout the village.
Minato was the Hokage, and Kushina was his wife. While people wanted to celebrate them, they couldn't help but feel somewhat reserved.
But Masashi was different—a young hero, a bashful teenager.
Thus, the elated Konoha ninjas surged forward and hoisted him high, tossing him repeatedly into the air.
Minato and Kushina walked back, but Masashi was carried along by the jubilant crowd, lifted and tossed the whole way.
Even the Uchiha clan ninjas decided to join in.
"Come on, might as well make it a proper celebration!" one of them called out, joining the tossing.
It was too awkward just standing there; might as well join the tossing!
Hiruzen observed this scene with mixed feelings.
He was comforted that Masashi, despite his exceptional talent and strength, embodied the Will of Fire. His concern, however, was that Masashi might be led astray by his clan.
He considered himself to have many flaws, but he swore he had never deliberately targeted the Uchiha clan.
During his tenure, he had never intentionally singled out any clan.
It was just that the game had rules.
The Uchiha monopolized one-sixth of Konoha's departmental benefits. Shouldn't there be concessions in other areas?
One couldn't just take without giving back. Everyone was eating from the same pot, and when it came down to it, no one's contributions were insignificant.
Hiruzen decided to discuss with Minato the possibility of inviting Masashi to join the ANBU.
Joining Root was out of the question. Root dealt with the dirty work, and Masashi was now a hero of the village. It wasn't possible—or appropriate—for him to do dirty work.
He should serve as a bridge between the Uchiha clan and the Hokage's office.
If joining the ANBU proved unfeasible, then Masashi should be removed from the Police Force and integrated into the regular army.
Since Minato became Hokage, the completion rate of S-rank missions had noticeably slowed.
Hiruzen's three disciples no longer took on missions.
Orochimaru was always hanging out with Danzō, rarely seen. Jiraiya claimed he was searching for the Child of Prophecy and was also rarely seen.
Tsunade? She was at the gambling dens. Thanks for asking.
This meant that the Hokage's office's former mainstays for S-rank missions were effectively out of commission.
This was intolerable.
"I've made up my mind," Hiruzen said to Danzō, his expression serious. "I will ensure this boy is removed from the Police Force."
"Oh?" Danzō's eyes lit up. "Then let him join Root. We could use someone like him."
"No. He must not dwell in darkness."
"Given his combat prowess, serving in the shadows would benefit the village most." In Danzō's mind, a dozen plans instantly took shape.
There were several organizations he believed could be dealt with ahead of schedule this year.
Those that threatened Konoha, opposed it, feigned compliance, or misused Konoha's funds...
All of them could be eliminated with someone of his caliber, he thought, already mapping out operations.
"Your vision is too narrow, Danzō," Hiruzen said with a shake of his head. "This child must walk in the light."
Serving in darkness? Absolutely not. I'm already worried his clan might lead him astray, and you want him serving in darkness?
As cheers rang out, the two old men followed the flow of people back to the village.
Staying up all night was tough at their age.
---
In the following days, Konoha was as lively as if it were celebrating a festival.
Without the catastrophic losses of the original timeline, the villagers' attitudes toward the Nine-Tails jinchūriki remained unchanged. The only difference was a clearer understanding of what a jinchūriki was.
The Hokage's office did, however, reflect on its previous overly optimistic outlook.
During this period, the office even organized a modest award ceremony for Masashi.
"Your actions have brought great honor to both your clan and village," the official announced during the ceremony.
"I merely did what any shinobi would do," Masashi replied with perfect humility.
Thanks to the firm stance of Minato and Kushina, the elders kept their political maneuvering to a minimum. The ceremony was held at the Hokage's office, and the prize money was handed over on the spot.
Masashi's reputation was firmly cemented.
A large crowd of southern district villagers showed up, fervently cheering from below. His popularity skyrocketed.
Riding this wave of enthusiasm, Hiruzen, in the role of a benevolent elderly man, formally invited Masashi to join the ANBU.
"Your talents could serve the village in more... specialized ways," Hiruzen suggested warmly.
"Sandaime-sama, you honor me with such trust..." Masashi declined politely. "I fear I lack the experience for ANBU. Perhaps S-rank missions would better serve both my growth and the village's needs."
He just wanted to broaden his horizons, become a more useful asset to the village, and make a modest contribution to Konoha's revenue.
Hiruzen was deeply gratified and praised the young man's initiative. After all, their older generation's thinking was more conservative, not as flexible as the youth.
He also invited Masashi to take on a role at the Ninja Academy, encouraging him to contribute to the next generation's growth.
Masashi readily agreed.
The cooperative effort between the younger and older generations left a lasting impression on the staff, filling them with confidence in the village's future.
Where the leaves danced, fire burned eternally.
The Will of Fire had its successor.
This year's S-rank mission completion rate was sure to reach new heights. Everyone knew that Masashi could use the Flying Thunder God.
When it came to delivering classified documents, his speed was unmatched. What took others a month, he could finish in a day.
Since Minato became Hokage, Konoha's efficiency in such tasks had plummeted to the same level as other villages.
Now, everything was back on track.
