The Sakegari no Tachi was slowly drawn from Uzumaki Raiden's waist. Just as he was about to make his move, a sudden fluctuation in space caught his attention.
"Whoosh!"
"Oh!"
Several figures suddenly appeared amidst the ruins behind Raiden.
"Huh? Minato, sister, what are you doing here?"
It was none other than Namikaze Minato and the others, who had been sent outside the village to give birth using the Flying Thunder God Technique. In Kushina's arms was an infant wrapped in a cloth.
Behind them stood Hiruzen Sarutobi and Fugaku Uchiha, who had been assigned by Raiden to guard Kushina during childbirth. Both men bore injuries and were panting heavily, clearly drained of chakra.
"Raiden, we were attacked by a masked man."
"It was Uchiha Madara!"
Minato spoke hurriedly before being distracted by the massive golem towering before him. They had arrived based on Raiden's coordinates, only to find the village in ruins following the destruction caused by the Gedo Mazo.
"The village was attacked?! Who did this?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned grim at the sight of his beloved village in flames.
"If my guess is correct, the only one capable of controlling two Tailed Beasts and the Gedo Mazo simultaneously is Uchiha Madara."
"But... he might have had help."
Raiden glanced at the child in Kushina's arms, then at the two restrained Tailed Beasts his shadow clones had dragged outside the village. He hesitated.
Although the Tailed Beasts were currently under his control, this was not a long-term solution. His shadow clones would eventually run out of chakra, and he needed to find suitable hosts to contain the beasts before that happened.
The best way to seal the Tailed Beasts, of course, was to create new Jinchuriki.
In Konoha, there were a few prime candidates—Kushina and Naruto, as well as Uzumaki Mariko and her daughter, Karin. They were all excellent choices to become Jinchuriki.
However, Raiden did not want these individuals to bear the burden of being Jinchuriki.
The Tailed Beasts had caused immense destruction in Konoha, and Raiden knew all too well the treatment future Jinchuriki would face. Even with his protection, it would be impossible to silence every whisper and eliminate every bit of discrimination.
"ROAR!!!!!"
A deafening roar snapped Raiden out of his thoughts. The Gedo Mazo, bound by the Thunder Dragon, began to struggle violently. Suddenly, a thick cloud of white smoke rose from the top of the golem in the dark night, concealing a figure.
Though the figure was well-hidden, Raiden could clearly sense an overwhelming chakra presence within his perception range—its intensity nearly rivaled his own at full strength.
"Lord Sarutobi, please take my sister and the others away immediately!"
"Minato, you stay and assist me. The rest of you, evacuate the area and inform the Konoha shinobi to stay away!"
Even without using sensory ninjutsu, the sinister chakra radiating from the golem's head was palpable. Raiden issued his orders without hesitation.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not argue and swiftly led the others away. Despite having just given birth, Kushina exchanged a long, affectionate look with Minato before turning to Raiden and saying,
"Raiden, don't do anything that will make me regret leaving you behind."
With those parting words, she followed the others in retreat.
Fugaku Uchiha initially intended to stay and support Raiden, but after a few whispered words from him, Fugaku nodded in understanding and withdrew with the group.
"Who would have thought I'd live to see this place again?"
Atop the Gedo Mazo, Uchiha Madara stood with his arms crossed, his red armor gleaming under the moonlight. Gazing down at Konoha, his voice carried a hint of nostalgia.
His face no longer bore the marks of old age; instead, he looked to be in his prime, around fifty years old. His eyes gleamed with the matured Sharingan, each holding the three tomoe.
Though not at his full strength, Madara was still capable of wielding a significant portion of his former power.
"This so-called peace... it's nothing but an illusion."
Madara shook his head slightly after surveying the village, memories flooding his mind. His gaze then shifted to the massive golden spheres containing the Tailed Beasts. A smirk crept onto his face.
"The Fourth Hokage, Uzumaki Raiden, has done well!"
"But... he's still too inexperienced."
Clasping his hands together, Madara channeled a vast amount of chakra into the Gedo Mazo. The golem let out a thunderous roar and began tearing apart the Thunder Dragon restraining it, sending arcs of lightning flashing across the night sky.
"Minato, can you teleport this golem and the Tailed Beasts outside the village?"
Raiden's expression darkened as he turned to Minato.
"I'm afraid not. My chakra reserves aren't strong enough to teleport something of this scale," Minato replied. "At best, I can teleport the golem alone."
Without hesitation, Raiden placed his hand firmly on Minato's shoulder and poured a surge of chakra into him.
"Then teleport me along with it... and the man on top of it."
"I've managed to restrain the Tailed Beasts at the village entrance. Once we're gone, take charge of the sealing process."
"I was about to say—" Minato began, but Raiden cut him off.
"I know. I trust you'll make the right choice for the Jinchuriki."
Minato's eyes showed firm resolve. He already knew what Raiden meant. When it came to choosing Jinchuriki, it was customary to select from the Hokage's close relatives.
The most obvious choice now was his newborn son, Uzumaki Naruto. And as for the second Jinchuriki, Raiden's thoughts were clear—Senju Nawaki's daughter, Karin, was the most suitable candidate.
"Understood. Leave it to me, Raiden."
With a nod, Raiden withdrew his hand from Minato's shoulder. The chakra he transferred was more than enough to perform the teleportation. His shadow clones would assist with the sealing process afterward.
Minato pressed his palm against Raiden's back, teleporting him and the Gedo Mazo away in an instant.
Moments later, Minato moved swiftly to the entrance of the village, where the two Tailed Beasts were bound, and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In the blink of an eye, the monstrous golem and Uchiha Madara disappeared into a different space. Madara, sensing what was happening, did not resist—he understood that Konoha's forces wanted to create a battlefield away from the village, and he welcomed the challenge.
With the disappearance of the terrifying chakra, the remaining Konoha shinobi intensified their rescue and firefighting efforts.
Before Raiden's return, everyone was instructed to gather in the village's emergency shelter.
(End of this chapter)