"Why hasn't school let out yet? How long is this damn drill supposed to take?!"
Kushina's face was filled with anxious frustration as she complained. The academy teacher accompanying her forced a nervous smile, trembling under her presence. Only by standing this close could one truly feel the intensity of Kushina's anger when provoked—unfortunately for him, he'd been assigned to keep her company.
"Lady Kushina, please remain calm. The results of this exercise will be recorded—"
"I know! You've said it a hundred times already! But it's already dark—shouldn't there at least be an estimated end time?!"
Something felt off to Kushina. Although the entire grade was participating, how could an exercise for six- and seven-year-olds take this long?
Lately, she had been personally escorting Naruto to and from school, unable to shake her unease. If he wasn't back on time, her anxiety would spike uncontrollably.
"That's it—I'm going to see Naruto!"
She couldn't wait any longer. The thought of not seeing him made her feel like she might tear the school apart in frustration.
But the moment she made to move, the academy teacher paled and blocked her path. "Wait, Lady Kushina! Outsiders aren't allowed to interfere during the exercise—doing so would invalidate the exam!"
"I'm just going to watch from a distance!" Kushina snapped. "I won't disrupt anything!"
"Even so... it's not allowed."
The teacher grimaced under her glare but held his ground. "Please don't make this difficult for me. Just wait a little longer—it might end soon."
Though the pressure from Kushina's anger was suffocating, he refused to step aside.
"Move!"
The more they resisted, the more suspicious Kushina became. Even before arriving, she'd noticed something strange—shops that usually stayed open late had closed early, as if under a curfew.
Had she not spotted the enforcers delivering the orders, she might've assumed the owners simply wanted an early night.
"Lady Kushina, please understand—"
"I said MOVE!"
When the teacher still refused, Kushina shoved him hard against the wall with a *thud*. Had she not held back, her raw strength would've embedded him into it.
"Try stopping me again, and I won't be so gentle!"
She stormed forward, only for several more teachers to block her way.
"Lady Kushina—"
"SHUT UP!"
In an instant, golden chains erupted from her body, binding and knocking them unconscious. The more they resisted, the clearer it became—something was wrong. Normally, would they stop her from simply checking on Naruto? Their excuses were flimsy, too. "Disrupting the exercise"?
How would watching from afar interfere? Did they really think second-year students could sense her chakra?!
After incapacitating them, she rushed toward the academy's training grounds. It wasn't far, and she arrived quickly—only to spot several masked ANBU emerging, one carrying an unconscious blond child.
"GIVE ME BACK NARUTO!"
Rage exploded within her. Chakra surged as six golden chains lashed out, striking toward the four Root operatives.
"Damn it—it's Kushina!"
The squad leader barely dodged, his team narrowly avoiding the chains that cratered the ground where they'd stood. A direct hit would've been fatal.
"Captain?"
"Proceed with Lord Danzo's secondary order—capture Kushina. Call the perimeter squad for backup."
"Understood."
In seconds, they enacted their plan. One fired a signal flare, summoning reinforcements as the squad leader vanished with Naruto.
"YOU'RE DEAD!!"
Had the Nine-Tails still been sealed within her, its chakra would've erupted from her fury. But even without it, crimson flame-like markings spread across her skin as she entered Sage Mode, her power skyrocketing.
"RETURN NARUTO TO ME!"
Just as she moved to pursue, her body froze. Glancing down, she saw her shadow pinned by another's.
"Shadow Imitation Technique—success!"
The masked Root member strained as her chakra flared violently, resisting the hold.
"Hurry! I can't keep her restrained!"
Another Root ninja formed hand signs. "Got it—Insect Jutsu: Swarm!"
A black cloud of venomous insects surged forward, their bites inducing paralysis. But Kushina's markings intensified, horns sprouting from her forehead as her skin paled, lips darkening to purple. Her chains transformed into serpentine wings, radiating an eerie aura.
"DIE!"
Her chains struck twice as fast, coiling around three Root members like constricting snakes. With a mere flex, she crushed their bones, killing them instantly.
By then, two more Root squads arrived—Danzo's contingency plan to capture her. Without the Nine-Tails, he saw no threat in her. Had it not been for Hiruzen's interference, he would've dealt with the former jinchūriki long ago, Fourth Hokage's widow or not.
In his mind, dragging the Nine-Tails' host into darkness was simple—just like awakening a Sharingan. Trauma bred obedience. Bonds were a fool's delusion; all a ninja needed was the will to complete the mission.
---
Elsewhere, a foreign signal flare erupted over the Uchiha compound. The surrounding ANBU and Root forces briefly withdrew before returning in greater numbers—nearly thirty squads.
"The Uchiha clan has rebelled. Enter the compound and eliminate all targets."
The order bore the signatures of the two elders and the Hokage's advisor.
Uchiha Fugaku exhaled deeply before issuing his own command.
"Split the Police Force. Half will follow me to engage the enemy. The rest will evacuate the clan under Uchiha Tekka's leadership. If I fall, he succeeds me as clan head."
With only four squads, Fugaku marched toward the advancing ANBU, resolved to die slowing them down.
"I understand, Clan Head!"
Tekka immediately began organizing the evacuation.
Fugaku, meanwhile, confronted the ANBU head-on. Outnumbered, he had no choice but to unleash his full power.
A deep-blue chakra cloaked him as bones, muscle, and armor rapidly formed—a towering, half-armored Susanoo standing over ten meters tall, its presence awe-inspiring in the night.
"What... is that?"
"Captain, is this our target?!"
The ANBU faltered at the sight of the colossal chakra construct.
Fugaku's eyes burned with pain, but he pushed onward. Forming a complete Stage Three Susanoo was taxing, but necessary. Even if it cost him his sight.
"Yasaka Magatama!"
His Susanoo drew the massive bow strapped to its arm, nocking ten glowing arrows. The ANBU's instincts screamed danger.
"SCATTER!"
The arrows loosed, homing in relentlessly despite their evasion.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
Ten ANBU and Root members perished instantly.
Before they could recover, Fugaku's Susanoo nocked another ten.
(End of Chapter)