Chapter 15: two weeks before nine tail attack
Timeline:
Few weeks before the Nine-Tails attack (Year 51, Hidden Leaf Calendar)
Ages:
Minato Namikaze: 24
Uchiha Mali: 6
Kushina Uzumaki: pregnant with Naruto
Obito Uchiha: 13 (masked man, preparing attack)
Black Zetsu: active in secret
Preparations in the Shadows
The Uchiha compound was unusually tense. Raigen, Mali's grandfather and clan elder, convened a secret meeting with the radical division of the Uchiha clan—those who quietly opposed the village's increasing distrust of their people.
"We must prepare," Raigen said in a low voice. "The time to leave Konoha may come soon, though we do not know when or why. We only know the village's eyes grow darker upon us."
The radical faction nodded grimly. They began organizing supplies, scouting escape routes, and quietly contacting trusted allies outside the village. Their plan was cautious and slow; they did not yet know of the Nine-Tails' impending rampage, only that unrest was growing.
Mali, though only six, was aware of more than he let on. He had learned from secret whispers that Kushina Uzumaki was pregnant—a fact that stirred something deep within him, though he did not fully understand why.
The Hidden Enemy's Scheme
Far from the village, in a dark cavern, Black Zetsu merged with Obito Uchiha. The masked man's Sharingan eyes gleamed with cold calculation.
"The seal weakens as Kushina's labor approaches," Obito murmured. "The moment is near. The Nine-Tails will be unleashed, and Konoha will fall into chaos."
Black Zetsu's form twisted and shifted. "Our preparations must be flawless. The village's defenses will crumble once the beast is free."
Together, they sharpened their plans, gathering forces and setting traps. The attack was imminent, but only a select few knew its true scale.
The Calm Before the Storm
Back in Konoha, life continued with an uneasy normalcy. Minato, now Hokage, oversaw the village's defenses but remained unaware of the full extent of the enemy's designs.
Uchiha Mali trained quietly, his mind heavy with the knowledge that the future held great change. His grandfather's preparations and the whispers of a coming exodus weighed on him, but he remained focused on mastering his skills.