Naruto : Sequence 0 Visionary

The entire Hidden Leaf Village was engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke rising into the sky like monstrous claws reaching for the sky.

Under the dim light of the fading moon, the scene felt like the most violent and ferocious natural disaster—one that humans feared. It rampaged across everything in sight, destroying all that it touched. In its presence, humans seemed like tiny ants, insignificant and powerless.

In a surge of pure rage, the beast-like creature howled, unleashing a deafening roar that shook the air, like a thunderstorm crashing down.

From its center, a violent shockwave spread out, like a bulldozer recklessly plowing through the ground, leaving massive craters in its wake. 

Nearby buildings were crushed mercilessly, turning into rubble that flew into the air like dust, disintegrating with a deafening sound.

"Konoha—!!"

The Nine-Tails, completely out of control, had flames of fury burning in its eyes—intense and terrifying like molten lava.

Its orange-red fur billowed in the wind like a fire, and its chakra, vast like the deep sea, surged with explosive force. It felt like an invisible hand was stirring the air, creating violent turbulence that made the surroundings seem to tremble under its immense pressure.

This terrifying sight left the Anbu and regular ninjas who tried to help feeling helpless.

As the Nine-Tails forced them to retreat, just as its sharp, gigantic claws were about to crush them, a low, muffled explosion sounded through the air. 

Then, a massive, black staff, thick as a millstone and charged with the force of wind and thunder, swept across the sky.

Bang!

The staff slammed into the Nine-Tails' claw, pushing it back with incredible force. The impact created a shockwave that made the ground and air shake.

Then, a lithe figure leapt into view, landing in front of everyone. Wearing a black, tight-fitting combat suit with chainmail armor and a ninja headband, a white scarf fluttered in the fierce wind.

"Evacuate the civilians. Leave this to me."

"Lord Third Hokage."

The Anbu, stunned, instinctively called out as they saw the old man stand alone against the disaster.

"No, I'm no longer the Hokage."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's face remained calm as he turned his back to them, speaking softly: "Go. This battle is beyond what you can handle."

"But you are alone…"

The Anbu hesitated. To face the fully enraged Tailed Beast alone, especially at the age of nearly fifty, seemed nearly impossible.

"Don't forget, I was once the Hokage."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, his expression firm and resolute. "As Hokage, one must always be ready to sacrifice oneself for the protection of Konoha and its people!"

As he spoke, the Nine-Tails swung its massive paw. The overwhelming power of its attack came crashing down, creating a wind pressure as heavy as a waterfall. 

The destructive force was as if the sky themselves were collapsing, pressing everyone down with an overwhelming sense of helplessness, like facing a natural disaster. 

Despair spread through the hearts of all who witnessed it.

"As long as I'm here, no one will be hurt!"

Sarutobi threw his Adamantine Staff into the air, which transformed into dozens of iron rods, intertwining to form a cage. "Enma, Adamantine Cage!"

Boom!

The Nine-Tails' near-full-force strike only caused sparks to fly from the Adamantine cage.

Enma groaned in pain. Sarutobi's eyes revealed sorrow, but he suppressed the feeling and urged, "Thank you, Enma. Hang on just a little longer!"

The Adamantine cage vanished, and Sarutobi gripped the large Adamantine Staff, which was as thick as a millstone, with both hands. 

Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he exhaled forcefully, his forehead veins bulging as he swung the staff like a baseball bat, smashing it straight into the Nine-Tails' head.

Bang!

The Adamantine Staff struck the Nine-Tails' head, and the beast staggered, dazed by the blow.

"Go!"

Sarutobi shouted at the Anbu, still frozen in shock behind him.

The former Third Hokage once again showed the true depth of his legacy as both Hokage and a ninja.

After a brief silence, the leader of the Anbu slightly nodded, showing respect to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "It's up to you, Lord Third."

Under the Anbu's lead, the regular ninjas withdrew from the battle and began evacuating the civilians.

The Nine-Tails, whose head had been struck by a blow, quickly refocused after a moment of disorientation. It turned its attention to Sarutobi Hiruzen and charged toward him with a roar.

"That's right, come at me!" Sarutobi Hiruzen said, pleased with the outcome. Without hesitation, he turned and ran, holding his staff. "Follow me, Nine-Tails! Your target is me!"

He moved swiftly, darting between the ruined houses, dodging the Nine-Tails' attacks while leading it farther away from the center of the village.

The Nine-Tails chased after him, growing more frustrated. It opened its mouth and launched a tailed beast ball.

Boom!!!

The chakra, compressed to its extreme, radiated a dark and ominous aura.

In an instant, the tailed beast ball flew forward with devastating force, shattering everything in its path at an incredible speed, still targeting the "little person" trying to dodge.

"Lord Sarutobi!" Minato noticed the attack and his eyes widened. He stepped forward, about to rush in.

"Don't get distracted! Leave the Nine-Tails to me!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted sharply, stopping Minato from intervening. "That creature's abilities can only be handled by you!"

Even in the face of the tailed beast ball, Sarutobi Hiruzen remained unfazed, his gaze cold. "Minato, don't underestimate me! That little tailed beast ball—watch me send it flying!"

In that moment, his vast battle experience allowed him to quickly devise a solution.

Sarutobi Hiruzen gripped the Adamantine Staff with both hands, using his body as a pivot point. He extended the staff, and with a powerful flick of the tail end, he struck upward.

"AAAHHHH—!!!"

Veins bulged on Sarutobi's forehead as his face flushed red. He let out a scream that sounded inhuman.

His bones and muscles seemed to scream in agony, but driven by his willpower, he unleashed strength beyond his usual limits. 

Both his chakra and aging body were pushed to their extremes, leaving no room for any more energy.

Boom!

The Tailed Beast Ball was forcibly knocked away by Sarutobi's swing of the staff.

"You—get out of my way!"

Before the Nine-Tails could react in confusion, the Adamantine Staff was thrust into its abdomen.

With one end raised, Sarutobi stomped his foot down, and his chakra erupted in a concentrated burst. With his raw strength, he pushed the massive body of the Nine-Tails back, forcing it little by little out of Konoha.

Bang!

The Nine-Tails crashed through Konoha's outer wall, sent flying by the Adamantine Staff and landing deep in the forest.

The Nine-Tails, humiliated by being sent flying by a mere human, let out a low growl and roared in fury. Its enormous form, like a mountain, released a tremendous amount of power, attempting to crush the small, elderly figure who dared to block its path.

Considering his limited chakra, Sarutobi chose not to use ninjutsu. Instead, he opted for the most direct and effective form of combat: taijutsu.

"Adamantine Staff: Gale Strike!"

The Adamantine Staff in Sarutobi's hands was a weapon capable of limitless transformations, its length shifting unpredictably and leaving little room for defense.

And with Sarutobi's natural immense strength, the already heavy staff became an even more devastating force. Each strike was powerful, especially when the tail of the staff struck the Nine-Tails, making it cry out in pain.

Despite his aging body and the fatigue weighing him down, Sarutobi gritted his teeth and persevered.

The heavy Adamantine Staff in his hand felt much lighter, as if it had become weightless. It swung through the air, creating countless shadowy strikes, with a force so heavy and violent that it seemed like an endless downpour of storms. 

The attack overwhelmed the rampaging Nine-Tails for a moment, causing the beast to howl in pain.

He had made many wrong decisions in his life, and used dark political methods to persecute and oppress many people. But from beginning to end, his original intention had never changed: to make Konoha stronger.

Looking back now, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly realized that his entire life had been a joke.

Not only had Konoha failed to grow stronger, but it had actually weakened in his hands. He had watched generations of young people die, his students had left the village, and the most trusted aide and companion he had turned out to be a long-hidden spy. Looking back at the second half of his life, it felt like a series of failures.

But at least now, at this moment, this second... he was not a failure. He was the 'Hokage' guarding Konoha!

"Nine-Tails, as long as I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, still breathe..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, holding the Adamantine Staff, his eyes bloodshot, stood tall like a war god on the broken outer walls of Konoha. "Today, you shall not take another step into Konoha!"

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