Naruto: Puppet Master Undercover in Konoha

Kushina Uzumaki had already manifested her fifth tail.

And after briefly regaining consciousness, Kushina Uzumaki once again lost awareness.

Kushina Uzumaki was forcibly dragged back into her consciousness space, where the Nine-Tails' immense power sent her flying through the air, still bound by the chains.

Kushina Uzumaki had now displayed six tails. Even tightly wrapped in Shindai's Iron Sand, her tremendous strength easily tore both arms free, and with one punch each, sent Obito and Kakashi flying.

At the same time, a powerful swing of those six tails completely shattered Kannazuki, his body disintegrating into broken pieces scattered across the ground.

Overcome with grief at seeing his broken creation, Shindai cried out, "I just evolved you not long ago! How could you be so vulnerable?!"

As Shindai watched the rampaging Kushina Uzumaki attempt to stab Minato Namikaze with sharpened fingers, he quickly covered her hand with Iron Sand.

Kushina Uzumaki's strike connected with Minato Namikaze's abdomen.

Minato Namikaze spat blood as he flew backward.

If it hadn't been for Shindai covering Kushina Uzumaki's hand with Iron Sand, thereby increasing the surface area of impact, Minato Namikaze's abdomen would certainly have been pierced.

Even without piercing him, the blow broke several of Minato Namikaze's ribs, worsening his injuries and causing him to continuously spit out blood as though it cost him nothing.

Even more critically, Minato Namikaze being knocked away meant he could no longer continue performing the sealing technique required to maintain the Four Symbols Seal within Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina Uzumaki was about to manifest her seventh tail.

Minato Namikaze shouted toward Shindai, "Shindai! Use your Iron Sand Body to restrain Kushina Uzumaki!"

"I can't contain her!"

Despite saying that, Shindai immediately used Magnet Release to manipulate his Iron Sand again, forming a tetrahedron to trap Kushina Uzumaki inside.

[Flying Thunder God Kunai] pierced the Iron Sand tetrahedron, and instantly afterward, Minato Namikaze appeared before it using the [Flying Thunder God Technique]. He placed both hands on it, continuing the sealing technique to reinforce the Iron Sand while maintaining the Four Symbols Seal inside Kushina Uzumaki.

Inside the consciousness space, Kushina Uzumaki saw the bloodied and battered Minato Namikaze and screamed tearfully, "Enough, Minato! Run! Get away from here!"

As if in response to her voice, Minato Namikaze panted and murmured, "I won't...leave. I absolutely won't!"

Kushina Uzumaki's head had already pushed through Shindai's Iron Sand tetrahedron as she roared at Minato Namikaze, "Remove your sealing hands! This girl's jinchuriki is mine! It has nothing to do with you! You have no right to interfere!"

Despite his severe injuries, Minato Namikaze's voice remained firm, "No! It does matter! I can feel it...Kushina has always carried me in her heart!"

Kushina Uzumaki, whose body had already been overtaken by the Nine-Tails' consciousness and now bore seven tails, saw its power greatly enhanced. Despite Minato Namikaze's sealing technique, Kushina's right hand tore free from the Iron Sand Triangular Prism formation and smashed toward Minato's head.

At the same time, one of the Nine-Tails' tails burst forth from the Iron Sand Triangular Prism and struck Shindai's abdomen with full force.

Shindai's eyes bulged, bloodshot as if they were about to pop out, as he spat out a stream of blood and was sent flying backward.

"Shindai!"

Having been knocked down and left struggling to rise after being punched away by Kushina Uzumaki—who was now under the Nine-Tails' control—Obito and Kakashi shouted in alarm when they saw Shindai go flying too.

As a result of Shindai's injury, the Iron Sand Triangular Prism formation started to collapse.

Shindai was stunned with disbelief. Couldn't they have pretended to be friendly first, let the Nine-Tails lower its guard, and then strike deceitfully to seal it?

Why fight head-on like this?

If that punch connected, Minato Namikaze would have lost his head for sure.

Once Minato fell, they'd be next.

Screw it!

After spitting out the blood in his mouth, the fallen Shindai shouted through the intense pain wracking his body, "You'll regret this if you don't stop now, Kurama!"

Kushina Uzumaki's fist—controlled by the Nine-Tails—hesitated midair as she turned her head, staring at Shindai in disbelief.

And because the Nine-Tails momentarily lost focus, Minato's chakra resonated with Kushina's chakra, allowing him to enter her consciousness space.

Within the consciousness space,

Minato encountered Kushina Uzumaki, as well as the Nine-Tails, which was forming another [Tailed Beast Ball].

Seeing Minato appear before her like a savior, Kushina once again recalled the words spoken by Mito Uzumaki:

"We're born as vessels for the Nine-Tails, but before that, find someone you love and fill that vessel with love! That way, even as a vessel for the Nine-Tails, even as a jinchuriki living on, you can still lead a happy life."

Minato already had a [Chakra Sphere] swirling in his hand.

Kushina Uzumaki snapped back to reality and formed hand seals.

The chains that had loosened around the Nine-Tails quickly tightened again, binding it tightly.

Snapped from its daze, the Nine-Tails pushed aside its many doubts—at least for now, it needed to deal with this crisis first.

Minato was already diving downward from above, wielding the [Chakra Sphere] straight at the beast. The Nine-Tails tried to continue charging its [Tailed Beast Ball], hoping to complete it fully.

But Kushina exerted herself, making the chains bind even more tightly around the Nine-Tails, especially around its neck, preventing it from continuing to charge its [Tailed Beast Ball].

The half-formed [Tailed Beast Ball] now showed signs of collapsing.

Minato Namikaze was already within striking distance. With no choice left, the Nine-Tails spat out the heavily weakened Tailed Beast Ball from its mouth.

"That's right! I won't give Kushina to you!"

Minato's Maru collided with the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball.

In an instant, a blinding white light from the explosion filled the entire consciousness space.

Minato's consciousness was forcibly ejected from the space. His body collapsed onto the ground, his eyelids heavy as he looked weakly at Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina stood frozen stiff. The next second, all the tailed beast chakra surrounding her body vanished, and she returned to her original form.

Kushina dropped limply to the ground, unconscious.

Seeing Kushina safe, Minato finally lost consciousness too.

Shindai's ribs had been shattered by a blow from Kushina's tail. Now that Kushina had returned to normal, Shindai rolled his eyes back and simply passed out cold.

Kakashi and Obito crawled toward Minato and Shindai respectively.

Looking at the blood still occasionally spilling from Shindai's mouth, Obito panicked: "Kakashi, what do we do? Shindai's condition is critical."

"Sensei's condition is also bad..."

Kakashi shakily got to his feet: "We need help—now!"

Just then, a tall figure appeared behind Kakashi.

Recognizing him, both Kakashi and Obito nearly jumped with joy: "J-Jiraiya-sama..."

"Obito! Kakashi! I've brought backup!"

Rin Nohara burst onto the scene followed by a group of ninjas.

Jiraiya surveyed the unconscious forms of Minato, Kushina, and Shindai with a serious expression, then told Kakashi and Obito: "You've done well. Leave the rest to us."

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