Thick dust filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision.
For a few tense moments, the ANBU ninja could see nothing inside the Four Violet Flames Formation. They had complete trust in Aomizu's strength—but their opponent was the Nine-Tails, the strongest of all the Tailed Beasts. Even the most loyal faith could not fully suppress the anxiety in their hearts.
"How is it…?" one ANBU member asked nervously.
The captain's expression remained grave beneath his mask. He did not answer immediately.
Fortunately, the dust soon began to settle.
Gradually, two figures emerged from the haze.
Aomizu stood tall and unharmed.
Beside him, Kushina had returned to her normal state.
For a brief second, silence hung in the air.
Then—
"Great! Lord Aomizu has suppressed the Nine-Tails!"
"As expected of Lord Aomizu! To subdue the Nine-Tails alone!"
"Thank goodness he arrived in time. Otherwise… not just us—even Konoha might have suffered terribly!"
Relief washed over the ANBU squad like a tidal wave.
At the same time, shock lingered in their hearts.
That had been a rampaging Nine-Tails. Their entire elite squad had been powerless against it, reduced to defending desperately just to survive. And yet Aomizu had single-handedly suppressed it.
The gap in strength was overwhelming.
Truly worthy of the title—Konoha's Hero.
A reputation that fully lived up to its name.
It was easy to imagine that once this incident spread throughout the village, Aomizu's fame would rise yet again.
Still, his reputation would likely remain just beneath that of the White Fang of Konoha and the Three Legendary Sannin. After all, those names had been carved into history during the Second Great Ninja War, built upon countless enemy corpses and battlefield achievements.
Such prestige was not easily surpassed.
Inside the Ruins
Carrying the weakened Kushina in his arms, Aomizu entered one of the few houses that remained relatively intact.
He gently laid her down and began treating her injuries.
Kushina looked pale and exhausted. From the moment she regained consciousness, she had been apologizing nonstop.
"I'm sorry… I was too reckless…"
Her voice trembled with guilt.
Aomizu, however, wore a stern expression as he worked.
"So you know you were wrong?"
"You dared to make contact with the Nine-Tails' chakra on your own. Do you think you're Lady Mito?"
Moments earlier, Kushina had already explained her reasoning. She had hoped to take the initiative in mastering the Nine-Tails' power, believing that if she could control it herself, she would no longer need constant monitoring.
But her attempt had nearly led to disaster.
"Do you realize how worried we would be if something happened to you?"
His tone was firm, almost harsh.
He was not angry because she had endangered Konoha.
He was angry because she had endangered herself.
Of course, with ANBU personnel still stationed nearby, he did not voice that thought directly.
"I'm sorry… I really am…" Kushina lowered her head obediently.
Seeing her like this, Aomizu sighed inwardly.
He understood her feelings. Being confined to the Senju Clan Compound day after day was suffocating. Even if it was for the village's safety, it still felt like imprisonment.
After a moment, he spoke more gently.
"From now on, you are only allowed to attempt controlling the Nine-Tails' power when I'm present."
His voice left no room for negotiation.
With his mastery of sealing techniques, he could significantly reduce the risk of the Nine-Tails going berserk again. And even in the worst-case scenario, he had the strength to suppress it quickly.
This time, he had arrived in time.
Only half of the Senju Clan Compound had been destroyed. The rest of Konoha remained unaffected.
If things had escalated further, Kushina might have suffered the same fate as Naruto in the original timeline—ostracized and branded as a "demon fox" by ignorant villagers.
Fortunately, the destruction had been contained.
And technically speaking, ninja were under military management anyway. Without assigned missions, they were not allowed to leave the village.
Kushina's situation was special—but not entirely unique.
Moreover, the Hokage had not forbidden her from taking missions. She simply had to follow protective protocols.
The Barrier Falls
Outside, the four Shadow Clones maintaining the Four Violet Flames Formation dispersed.
The massive purple barrier vanished into thin air.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally exhaled in relief.
Thank goodness Aomizu had been present.
Otherwise, Konoha might have paid a devastating price.
With that thought, he led the remaining ANBU into the compound.
What greeted them was a field of destruction.
The once-proud Senju Clan Compound had been reduced to rubble. The ground was riddled with massive craters—clear evidence of the battle that had taken place.
The ANBU behind Hiruzen felt chills down their spines.
What kind of terrifying clash had produced such devastation?
If they had been caught in that fight, they would have been annihilated instantly.
And they were not ordinary ninja.
They were ANBU—the Hokage's direct subordinates. Every member had at least Chunin-level strength, and many were Special Jonin or full Jonin.
That only made the scene before them even more shocking.
"Hokage-sama," the injured ANBU greeted respectfully.
Hiruzen nodded before turning to Aomizu and Kushina. His expression was complicated.
Suppressing the Nine-Tails was one thing.
Understanding why it had rampaged was another.
A New Ability
As Aomizu finished treating Kushina, a familiar notification appeared in his mind.
[Treatment of Kushina complete. Reward: one gold orb.]
[Congratulations: You have obtained Adamantine Sealing Chains.]
Aomizu's eyes flickered.
The Adamantine Sealing Chains.
A unique ability of the Uzumaki Clan, combining sealing techniques, barrier construction, and offensive capability.
Because only members of the Uzumaki Clan had been known to use it, many mistakenly believed it was a Bloodline Limit.
In truth, it was a secret technique.
Its principle lay in condensing chakra into physical chains and releasing them outward. It likely required advanced Yin-nature chakra transformation.
In the original timeline, both Kushina and Karin—who wielded the technique—possessed strong Yin-nature chakra. Karin also had Yang-nature chakra, which granted her the Physical Healing ability Kushina lacked.
In theory, with the proper method, even non-Uzumaki could learn this technique.
But they would never bring out its true power.
The strength of the Adamantine Sealing Chains depended heavily on chakra reserves.
Only the Uzumaki, born with immense vitality and chakra, could truly unleash its might.
In anyone else's hands, it would be nothing more than flashy chakra chains—barely stronger than a kunai.
Fortunately, Aomizu's chakra reserves were already vast.
For him, this technique was perfectly suited.
At present, its power might not equal that of the Uzumaki.
But once his chakra reached A-rank—or even S-rank—he might surpass them entirely.
Gratitude and Rewards
"Thank you for your help, Aomizu," Hiruzen said sincerely.
He then turned to Kushina to inquire about the full circumstances.
Meanwhile, Aomizu moved on to treat the injured ANBU.
"Thank you, Lord Aomizu," the captain said respectfully.
Aomizu smiled lightly. "We're comrades. There's no need to be so formal."
His humility only deepened their respect.
Soon, another notification appeared.
[Treatment of Sarutobi Shōtarō complete. Reward: one gold orb.]
[Congratulations! You have obtained Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu.]
Aomizu glanced at the captain thoughtfully.
A Sarutobi, as expected.
Given the sensitive nature of guarding the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, it made sense that Hiruzen would entrust the task to his own clansmen.
The Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu was an A-rank technique developed by Hiruzen himself. Inspired by the Shadow Clone Technique, it allowed a single thrown shuriken to split into multiple tangible duplicates.
Each duplicate possessed the same physical attack power as the original.
A practical and formidable technique for overwhelming opponents.
After treating the remaining ANBU—earning minor chakra increases—Aomizu returned to Kushina's side.
The Hokage's Dilemma
Having heard the full explanation, Hiruzen's expression grew complicated.
He wanted Kushina to master the Nine-Tails' power.
No matter how gently one phrased it, she was Konoha's strategic deterrent against the other great nations.
But another rampage like this—
That was unacceptable.
Aomizu read his concerns immediately.
"Lord Hokage," he said calmly, "I've already warned Kushina. She will only attempt to control the Nine-Tails when I'm present."
Hiruzen visibly relaxed.
"With your assurance, I feel much more at ease."
He trusted Aomizu's strength completely.
"As long as you're there, the Nine-Tails shouldn't cause further trouble."
Still, he added carefully, "But its power is formidable. We must not act recklessly."
Kushina puffed her cheeks slightly.
"I don't want to stay locked inside this compound forever. Everyone else has things to do. I'm bored all alone."
Hiruzen fell silent.
He was the Hokage.
He could not gamble the safety of the entire village.
Sensing the tension, Aomizu stepped in.
"It's fine. Tsunade and I will make time to keep you company."
He paused before continuing.
"And… I may have an idea."
Both Kushina and Hiruzen looked at him.
"A method to help you control the Nine-Tails' power more safely."
Kushina's eyes lit up.
"If it works," Aomizu said with a faint smile, "you'll be able to walk through Konoha freely again."
Hope flickered in the air.
And for the first time since the chaos began, Kushina smiled—not with recklessness, but with genuine anticipation.
The path to mastering the Nine-Tails had just begun.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)