Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

Gamabunta glanced at Jiraiya skeptically.

Hearing this, Jiraiya quickly crouched down and explained in a low voice, "Bunta, here's the situation..."

"What did you just say? You want me to deal with the Nine Tails?" Gamabunta exclaimed in disbelief. "Jiraiya, have you lost your mind? How exactly do you expect me to fight the Nine Tails? With my life?"

Gamabunta felt like he'd just swallowed something unpleasant. He knew full well how terrifying the tailed beasts were—especially the Nine Tails, the strongest among them. It seemed like Jiraiya had no regard for his survival.

"Calm down, Bunta," Jiraiya reassured him. "I'm not asking you to fight the Nine Tails head-on. All you need to do is sever one of its tails. That's it."

Jiraiya cleared his throat and continued, "Besides, we'll be restraining the Nine Tails beforehand, so you won't be in any danger. Trust me, okay?"

"Is that so?" Gamabunta asked, still uncertain.

Jiraiya nodded vigorously. "Of course! Have I ever lied to you? And if anything happens to you, your mother would kill me anyway, right?"

At the mention of his mother, Gamabunta's doubts started to fade.

"Alright, fine. I'll trust you this time," he finally agreed. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "But what if, and I mean if, I can't cut it?"

"..."

Silence fell over the group. The implications of Gamabunta's words were grim. If he truly couldn't stop severing the tails, the consequences would be disastrous.

Tsunade, who had been reassured earlier by Uchiha Chiba, remained calm. She believed that even if Gamabunta wasn't up to the task, Uchiha Chiba would handle it.

However, Uzumaki Kushina wasn't as composed. Upon hearing Gamabunta's words, she grew visibly anxious.

Sensing her distress, Uzumaki Mito gently took her hand and comforted her. "Don't worry, Kushina. I'll be fine. Just trust me, okay?"

Seeing Mito's warm smile, Kushina's anxiety eased slightly. "Alright, Grandma Mito, I trust you."

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke up. "Bunta, just do your best. Whether we succeed or not is in fate's hands."

Then, he turned to Uzumaki Mito. "Mito-sama, let's begin."

Mito nodded before stepping into the center of the group, sitting down cross-legged.

Inside the Sealed Space

Within the dark confines of her mind, Mito found herself once again face-to-face with the Nine Tails.

The beast laughed menacingly. "Hahaha! So, old woman, you're finally on your deathbed. About time!"

The Nine Tails grinned wickedly. "Don't worry, the moment I break free, I'll make sure to send your entire family to join you in the afterlife. That way, you won't be lonely on your journey to hell!"

But Mito remained unfazed. Stepping closer to the massive cell that held the Nine Tails, she gently placed her hand on the cold iron bars.

"For decades, we have been together," she said calmly. "I don't know if this will be our last meeting, but I like to think we've become something like… friends."

"As a friend, let me give you a piece of advice—Konoha doesn't need Hashirama to handle you. So when you're free, you'd best behave yourself. Otherwise, you'll only suffer."

The mention of Hashirama made the Nine Tails' eyes flicker with fear.

It remembered all too well. It was once a mighty force, roaming freely, waiting for the chosen one the Sage of Six Paths had spoken of. But then, one day, Uchiha Madara had appeared.

With a single glance, he had seized control of the Nine Tails. The beast had no memory of what followed—only that when it came to, it was in the grasp of a different man.

That man had spoken just a few words:

"Nine Tails, you are too dangerous to be left unchecked. You must be sealed."

The next thing it knew, the man had caught it as easily as if it were a tiny animal, leaving it utterly helpless.

Even now, the memory burned.

But that was then, and this was now. That man was long gone.

Now, as long as no one possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan, the Nine Tails was certain it could never be tamed again.

With renewed arrogance, it bared its fangs. "Hah! Don't underestimate me, old woman. Senju Hashirama is dead. Without his power or the Mangekyō Sharingan, I am an unstoppable force—a natural disaster!"

The Nine Tails sneered. "Once I'm free, I won't just wipe out your family—I'll reduce Konoha, that village Hashirama cherished so much, to nothing but ashes."

Mito sighed, realizing the beast's defiance wouldn't change. She said nothing more.

Back in the Real World

From Uchiha Chiba's perspective, the moment Mito sat down, a mass of fiery orange-red chakra began to leak from her abdomen.

Mito's expression twisted in pain.

"Everyone, get ready!" Sarutobi Hiruzen commanded.

Immediately, the group tensed, preparing for battle.

The chakra quickly expanded, twisting and forming a massive shape.

Then—

"ROOOOAAAARRR!"

A deafening roar shook the area. The Nine Tails had emerged.

Uchiha Chiba gripped the Thunder God Sword tightly, opening the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates technique.

"Now!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted.

The sealing team wasted no time. As one, they performed their technique.

"Six Purple Flame Formation!"

A hexagonal purple barrier rose around the Nine Tails, trapping it inside.

At the same time, Kushina stepped forward, activating the Uzumaki Clan's special ability.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"

Golden chains shot from her body, wrapping tightly around the Nine Tails.

"Damn it! This technique again!" the beast roared, thrashing violently.

It recognized this move—it was the same sealing jutsu that Mito had used against it before.

However, compared to Mito's power, Kushina's chains were weaker.

"HAAAH!"

With a powerful swing of its claws, the Nine Tails shattered the chains restraining it.

Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen called out, "Jiraiya, now!"

Jiraiya bit his thumb.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

With a burst of smoke, the Monkey King, Enma, appeared at Hiruzen's side.

Uchiha Chiba wasted no time. He pulled out a kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God technique and hurled it straight at the Nine Tails' head.

In the blink of an eye, he teleported above the massive beast, his Thunder God Sword turning pitch black with chakra.

With a sharp swing, he slashed at the Nine Tails' neck.

"CLANG!"

To his shock, the blade met resistance as if striking solid steel. The beast's hide was unbelievably tough.

Still, the attack had drawn blood, though it was akin to a mere pinprick on such a colossal creature.

Enraged, the Nine Tails let out a furious roar and began shaking its head violently in an attempt to throw Chiba off.

But Chiba clung on like a leech, unmoved by the beast's frantic thrashing.

The battle had begun.