Naruto's relentless charge was like an unstoppable tide. Hiruzen Sarutobi had no choice but to release his grip on the adamantine staff and raise both hands into a defensive stance.
Several ANBU operatives rushed forward, attempting to relieve some of the pressure on the Third Hokage.
But the six chakra tails sprouting from Naruto's back moved with a will of their own. Without even glancing at the incoming shinobi, he lashed out—his tails whipping through the air like bladed whips, smashing them aside in an instant.
Even Hiruzen himself was forced back several steps, his gauntlet shattering under the force of the blow.
Not as strong as the Nine-Tails… he thought grimly, drawing in a sharp breath. If this had been the complete Nine-Tails, he wasn't sure what kind of injuries that single strike might have caused.
But his speed is even faster than the Nine-Tails.
"Raaah!"
Naruto roared again, lunging forward at breakneck speed, aiming to finish Hiruzen here and now.
At this point, "Naruto" was Naruto in name only—his movements were wild and feral, more beast than man.
No choice but to use ninjutsu.
Hiruzen's tone was grave. Knocking him outside the village was impossible now. A large-scale capture technique might be the only option.
If he could suppress Naruto, all would be well. If not, at least he could stall until Senju Haruto arrived.
More importantly, this rampage was happening in the very heart of the village—the civilian sector.
Even with ANBU and Root operatives scrambling to evacuate the residents, the process was far from quick.
Worried the battle would spill over and kill innocents, Hiruzen steeled himself.
"Forgive me, Minato… this is for the village."
His hands blurred into seals.
"Earth Release: Great Earth Flow River!"
The ground beneath him began to rumble violently. All ninjutsu drew strength from its environment—water techniques from rivers, lightning from stormy skies. For an earth user, the endless soil beneath their feet was the perfect source.
With a deep, grinding roar, his chakra surged into the earth, transforming the solid ground into a rolling torrent of mud and stone.
The sludge rose like a tidal wave, surging forward with unstoppable force.
"Your speed may be incredible, but let's see you dodge this!"
Sweat beaded on Hiruzen's forehead. He wasn't sure this would work—but failure was not an option.
Naruto, however, simply roared back, his limbs pumping as he sprinted to try and circle around the jutsu.
But age or not, Hiruzen was still one of Konoha's top fighters. His chakra reserves were several times greater than even elite jonin like Kakashi.
"Nine-Tails!" he growled, forcing the mudflow onward.
Naruto's foot suddenly sank into the churning earth, his leg caught. The mud was no terrain for speed, no matter how much power the fox granted.
"Raaaagh!"
Hiruzen roared in turn, pushing the wave down over Naruto.
With a deafening crash, the Great Earth Flow River swallowed him whole.
While Hiruzen kept him pinned, Hiashi Hyūga arrived with members of the branch family.
"Hokage-sama." Hiashi gave a curt nod before activating his Byakugan, locking on Naruto's position.
They were only the first wave. After splitting from Hiruzen, Shibi Aburame had sent his insects to broadcast a danger signal. But with such massive chakra flooding the air, many elite jonin had already started moving even before the message reached them.
"Again… the Nine-Tails?" Inoichi Yamanaka landed on a nearby rooftop, his mind flashing back to that terrible night years ago.
"No… it's Naruto," replied Shikaku Nara, arriving alongside Chōza Akimichi.
They had fought alongside Minato during the Third Shinobi War, and his sacrifice still weighed heavily on them. Seeing Naruto unconscious and overtaken like this was… painful.
More and more jonin arrived, speeding the evacuation of civilians.
"It's not over! Stay alert!" Hiruzen suddenly shouted. Being a sensory-type, he could tell—Naruto's chakra wasn't fading. It was growing.
"His tails…" Hiashi muttered, eyes narrowing. Through his Byakugan, he could see clearly: beneath the mud, Naruto's six chakra tails were becoming seven.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
Fearing Naruto would break free, Hiruzen slammed his palms into the ground. A massive dragon of earth rose and snapped its maw wide, spitting a stream of packed soil down onto Naruto's buried form, trying to press him deeper.
"Damn…" Hiruzen could feel a raw, violent force pushing back.
With an explosion, the mud burst outward, the Seven-Tails form erupting free.
"Everyone, back!" Hiruzen barked, hastily erecting an Earth Wall, though it was only a temporary barrier.
Several jonin were caught by the blast and sent flying.
"I'll handle it!" Inoichi grit his teeth, launching the Yamanaka clan's Mind Body Switch Technique straight into Naruto's consciousness, seeking the boy's true self.
He lasted barely a second before coughing blood, crimson welling from his eyes, ears, and nose—the Nine-Tails' malice was too much to bear.
"Got you!" Shikaku appeared behind him just in time to catch his staggering body.
"Chōza!"
Without hesitation, Chōza leapt down into the mud, expanding into a towering giant and reaching for Naruto. Shikaku, setting Inoichi down, cast his Shadow Possession Jutsu to bind him.
Naruto roared, his seven tails whipping out to knock Chōza's hand aside. Then he sprang onto Chōza's arm and charged forward.
"Neji!" Hiashi called, seeing the danger. If they could seal Naruto's chakra points, they might bring him back.
Hizashi Hyūga answered immediately, joining his brother as they leapt in unison, their Gentle Fist poised to strike.