Konoha's Tatsuya

A full moon hung in the sky. Beneath the night's cloak, Kakashi, his silver hair gleaming, strolled along the streets of Konoha with Might Guy, hands casually tucked into his pockets.

Having just completed his latest ANBU mission, Kakashi was enjoying a rare few days off. He'd spent the evening with his close friend Guy at a local izakaya, lingering until late.

As one of Konoha's renowned prodigies, Kakashi's life had been burdened by immense hardship and psychological strain. When he was only seven, his father, the "White Fang" Sakumo Hatake, had committed suicide, unable to bear the village's censure after choosing to save his comrades over completing a mission.

His father's death had deeply affected Kakashi. He'd become cold and aloof, rarely smiling, his emotions locked away. He clung to rules and regulations with an almost fanatical zeal.

Under Minato's guidance in Team 7, and thanks to his friendships with Obito and Rin, Kakashi had begun to heal. However, the Third Great Shinobi War brought fresh tragedy. The consecutive deaths of Obito and Rin shattered him, leaving him tormented by endless nightmares.

To help Kakashi overcome his inner darkness, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had personally invited him to join the ANBU. He'd assigned Kakashi the duty of guarding Kushina Uzumaki during her pregnancy, hoping that witnessing the miracle of birth would help him forget his past traumas and emerge from the shadows.

And indeed, after nearly a year of this protective duty, Kakashi's inner wounds had begun to mend. Just yesterday, with Lady Kushina's due date approaching, his mission had concluded.

Kakashi had even visited the Memorial Stone, a place of solace and remembrance, to share the good news with Obito and Rin's graves. Little did he know, those few extra words spoken at the memorial would soon lead to the fourth great blow of his life.

Leaving the izakaya, Kakashi hadn't walked far before he stopped, his gaze shifting slightly. A subtle, uneasy feeling crept into his heart. It felt as though the very air of the village was tinged with a chilling premonition.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" Guy asked, noticing his friend's sudden halt.

Kakashi shook his head, remaining silent. His apprehension grew stronger, yet it was so sudden and inexplicable that he couldn't put it into words.

At the Uchiha compound, a young Itachi Uchiha sat on the wooden veranda, his face etched with worry as he gazed up at the night sky.

Waaa! Waaa!

With Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha away, Itachi, not yet a teenager, was left to care for his infant brother. Sasuke, barely half a year old, was strapped to Itachi's chest, crying inconsolably. No matter what Itachi did, he couldn't soothe him.

Sasuke, no matter what happens, I will protect you! Itachi silently vowed, his gaze fixed on the cold, uncaring expanse of the night sky.

In a deserted corner of Konoha, ripples, like those on a pond's surface, appeared in the empty air. With a subtle spatial distortion, a figure materialized: a masked man clad in black robes.

There's nothing left for me in this world! The masked man murmured, casting a glance at the peaceful village. His right hand swiftly formed a series of seals before he pressed it to the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Poof!

A complex sealing array spread outward from the masked man's hand, and a massive plume of white smoke billowed into the sky above the village.

As the smoke cleared, a colossal, crimson figure stood in its place. The being was over seventy meters tall, nine fiery-red tails lashing like whips in the wind.

It was none other than Konoha's strategic weapon, the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Roar!

The instant the Nine-Tails appeared within Konoha, it unleashed a ferocious roar. A surge of raw chakra and a deafening sound wave ripped through the village.

Under the moonlight, the Sharingan blazing in the Nine-Tails' eyes were clearly visible.

After its initial roar, the monstrous fox began to thrash, its massive limbs and tails smashing into the surrounding buildings. Every movement sent tremors through the earth, creating an earth-shattering cacophony.

Boom! Crash!

The thunderous sounds of destruction echoed through the night.

"What the...?" Guy stared, dumbfounded, at the rampaging beast that had suddenly appeared in the sky above the village.

"This is bad!" Kakashi's expression had changed drastically. In a blur of motion, he vanished, heading straight for the Hokage Tower.

Back at the Uchiha compound, Itachi, with baby Sasuke still strapped to his chest, began to flee towards a designated shelter.

Ah!

Throughout the village, countless Konoha citizens were jolted awake by the Nine-Tails' violent rampage. People poured out of their homes, heading for the shelters, while the village's ninja raced towards the Hokage Tower, their figures flickering through the night.

Inside an office in the Hokage Tower, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was temporarily in charge due to Kushina's imminent labor, reacted with sharp focus. He threw aside the documents he'd been reviewing, swiftly donned his battle gear, and rushed towards the epicenter of the Nine-Tails' destruction.

"That's... the power of the Sharingan?" Hiruzen's face darkened as he appeared atop Hokage Rock, his eyes fixed on the giant Sharingan reflected in the Nine-Tails' eyes.

Deep beneath Konoha, within the hidden base of Root, a large group of Root ninja had gathered in the main hall.

"Lord Danzo, should we deploy?" a Root operative asked, seeking orders.

"No one is to move! Let the Third and Fourth Hokages handle the village!" Danzo commanded coldly from his position at the head of the hall.

At the Konoha Military Police Force headquarters, Fugaku Uchiha was about to lead the village's elite forces to assist in suppressing the Nine-Tails when an ANBU operative, wearing a mask, appeared before him.

"Lord Fugaku, the Third Hokage has ordered the Police Force to protect the villagers during the evacuation. You are not permitted to approach the Nine-Tails without further instructions."

Fugaku's expression flickered briefly. Then, with a decisive wave of his hand, he led the assembled Police Force members to various parts of the village to assist in the evacuation.

"So, the Nine-Tails' attack... it's happening, after all," Tatsuya murmured, his voice barely a whisper. He had been awakened from his training in the Akimichi clan's secret chamber by the Nine-Tails' colossal disturbance. He raised his head, gazing in the direction of the turbulent chakra.

Ever since arriving in this world, Tatsuya had been anxiously awaiting this day. This day marked the beginning of the main Naruto storyline.

Tatsuya had always felt conflicted about this. He both wished for the events of the Naruto world to unfold as he knew them and, at the same time, hoped his presence might alter things for the better.

For instance, he hoped that his beloved Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, wouldn't die.

Many in later generations didn't understand or agree with Minato's choices during the Nine-Tails' attack. Some believed that if Minato, with his talent and strength, had survived, the ninja world might have avoided many hardships, and Konoha wouldn't have fallen into such an awkward period of weakness.

But Tatsuya believed that the Fourth Hokage, given the limited information he possessed at the time, had made the best possible choice for Konoha.