Twelve years before the start of the series, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox attacked Konohagakure destroying much of the village and taking many lives. The leader of the village, the Fourth Hokage sacrificed his life to seal the Nine-Tails into a newborn, Naruto Uzumaki. Orphaned by the attack, Naruto was shunned by the villagers, who out of fear and anger, viewed him as the Nine-Tails itself. Though the Third Hokage outlawed speaking about anything related to the Nine-Tails, the children — taking their cues from their parents — inherited the same animosity towards Naruto. In his thirst to be acknowledged, Naruto vowed he would one day become the greatest Hokage the village had ever seen.

As Sakura questions who the man before them were, Minato introduces himself and advises her to get ready for the explosion. Just then the sea rises up behind them, leading Minato to explain to the confused Allied Shinobi Forces that he had sent the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball to the sea. Akamaru's growls alert everyone in the vicinity that something was not right with their would-be saviour, and the shinobi soon notice that he is a reincarnated shinobi. However, Minato tells them not to worry as he was on their side, and asks Sakura if he were Naruto's girlfriend. Naruto answers bluntly, noting that was more or less the case, prompting Sakura to headbutt him in retaliation for lying to him, though the action reminded Minato of Kushina.

As Naruto notes that he has felt their chakra in Tailed Beast Mode, and that others were coming as well, the shinobi on the battlefield turn in shock to see the three other previous Hokage arrive. With their arrival, both Tobirama and Hiruzen praise Minato for the speed. Madara who can seemingly contain himself, shouts to Hashirama that he had been waiting for him, to which Hashirama notes — with matched exuberance — that he would take care of him later after stopping the Ten-Tails. Calling the other Hokage to action, Minato dons a chakra mantle similar to that of Naruto's, much to the others' shock, and leads his son to brag about his father once again to Kurama who retaliated that it knew this better than he did. With the Hokage all positioned, they perform the Four Red Suns Battle Encampment technique to trap the beast, with Hashirama adding an additional seal, pinning down the beast's tails. Just then Sasuke and Jūgo arrive on the battle, and as the other Konoha 11 members rally around Naruto and Sasuke, some in disbelief, other on the defensive, Sasuke notes that a great deal had happened, and declares that he would become Hokage. Though the others explain this was basically impossible for him who had abandoned the village and committed such heinous crimes, Sasuke simply noted that he didn't care what they thought of him, and that he would change the village. Naruto, all healed, stands beside Sasuke and claims in response that it was he who would actually become Hokage, all of which leads Hashirama to reprimand the two boys telling them to concentrate on the task at hand. Telling Sakura to rest then, he and Sasuke move to the battlefield, though Sakura follows as well, telling them that she was not a weak woman, and had been trained just as well as any of the two of them by a Sannin. This prompts Naruto to note that Team 7 had been reborn as the three look on, prepared to fight.