The images on the Heavenly Screen continued to play, holding everyone in the Shinobi World spellbound. In the middle of Konoha's ruins, Pain looked down impassively at Naruto, who was pinned to the ground by black rods, as though victory were already within his grasp. But at that critical moment, a slender yet resolute figure rushed forward—Hinata Hyuga.
A determined light shone in her white eyes as she stepped in front of Naruto without hesitation. Though her body trembled, she was full of resolve, raising her hands in the opening stance of the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. She knew her strength was nowhere near Pain's, but she chose to step forward anyway.
On the Heavenly Screen, Naruto struggled to raise his head and look at Hinata standing in front of him, his eyes full of anxiety and concern. His voice was hoarse and urgent. "Hinata! Why did you come out? Run! You're no match for him!"
Hinata's body trembled slightly, but her gaze was unwavering. She turned to Naruto, a gentle yet determined light shining in her white eyes. Her voice was soft, but it carried an unquestionable strength. "I'm doing this on my own... I came here of my own free will."
Naruto froze. He had never seen Hinata like this before. Her voice was full of determination and courage, as though she were a different person.
Hinata continued, "This time... I'm going to help you, Naruto. I've always been chasing after you, Naruto, wanting to catch up to you, wanting to walk beside you, wanting to stay by your side." Her voice trembled slightly, but every word was clear and firm.
Her gaze was tender and full of affection, as though she wanted to pour out all the feelings she had held for years. "You changed me, Naruto... Your smile saved me. So, if it's to protect you, Naruto, I'm not even afraid to die."
A faint blush spread across Hinata's face, but she did not back down. Her voice was soft, yet it seemed to carry immense force. "Because... I love you, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes widened, an indescribable feeling welling up inside him. He had never imagined that the girl who had always watched him silently held such powerful feelings. Every word she spoke was like a key, opening a door in his heart that had never been touched.
But just as Hinata prepared to break the black rods pinning Naruto, Pain sent her flying with a single move. Hinata got back up and rushed toward Naruto, only for Pain to send her flying again with his attractive force.
On the Heavenly Screen, Hinata's figure looked especially frail, yet she was full of unyielding resolve. Pain's Shinra Tensei had sent her flying several times, and each time she had crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust. Blood kept spilling from her mouth, and her body trembled slightly, leaving her barely able to move. Yet her gaze remained firm, as though an invisible force were holding her up.
"Naruto-kun... I have to save you..." Hinata murmured, pressing her hands against the ground and struggling to her feet. A determined light shone in her white eyes. Though her body was already covered in wounds, she gritted her teeth and continued walking toward Naruto.
The people of the Shinobi World.
Raikage A of Kumogakure snorted, but a trace of admiration flashed in his eyes. "That kid is pretty interesting."
In Konoha, Sakura's eyes were full of anxiety. She murmured, "Naruto, Hinata... please be safe..."
Kakashi silently watched the Heavenly Screen, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He muttered, "Obito, Rin... is this what you wanted to protect?"
On the Heavenly Screen, Naruto witnessed it all, his heart filled with pain and helplessness. He struggled to get up, but Pain's black rods pinned him firmly to the ground, leaving him unable to move. He could only watch as Hinata fell again and again, then rose each time. He cried out in anguish, "Stop, Hinata! Don't come any closer! You're no match for him!"
But words Naruto had once spoken to Hinata came to mind. They were memories from their time at the Ninja Academy and the Chunin Ninja Exams. Every word Naruto had spoken was etched deep in her heart, becoming the force that drove her forward. She gritted her teeth and struggled to rise from the ground, determination shining in her eyes.
Pain looked at her coldly, a trace of puzzlement in his voice. "I don't understand. You know perfectly well how insignificant your strength is, so why do you oppose me? Why do you fight? Aren't you afraid to die?"
Hinata took a deep breath. Though her body was exhausted, her voice remained firm. "I keep my word and never give up. That's my Ninja Way! I won't give up, and I won't back down!" As she spoke, she tried to pull the black rods from Naruto.
Pain said no more. He raised a hand and swept it through the air, and a powerful attractive force pulled Hinata toward him in an instant. Unable to resist, Hinata was slammed heavily into the ground. Immediately afterward, Pain drove the Black Rods in his hand toward her body without hesitation.
Naruto's eyes widened as he watched Pain strike Hinata down mercilessly. The black rod pierced her body, and blood stained the ground red. His heart felt as though it were being torn apart, pain and rage intertwining until he could hardly breathe. He wanted to rush forward, to protect her, but Pain's black rods held him firmly against the ground, unable to move. He could only roar helplessly, his voice filled with despair and unwillingness.
Pain stared coldly at Naruto, his tone calm yet carrying deep repression and pain. He spoke slowly, his voice low and cold. "Let it be this way, then. My parents, too, were killed before my eyes by you Konoha Ninja. It is because there is love that sacrifice arises; because there is sacrifice, hatred arises; and because there is hatred, one can know pain."
By then, however, Naruto could no longer hear Pain's words. He broke down completely, the image of Hinata falling replaying in his mind, along with those he had failed to protect—Jiraiya-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and the countless comrades who had sacrificed themselves. His pain surged like a tide, nearly drowning him. His body began to tremble, the Nine-Tails Chakra inside him surging out of control. Red Chakra erupted from him like flames, gradually enveloping his entire body.
In the real Shinobi World, Naruto watched helplessly as the enemy mercilessly killed Hinata on the Heavenly Screen. In that instant, his world seemed to collapse. The sight of Hinata falling was etched deep into his mind, blood staining the front of her clothes red, as though telling him, "Naruto, don't give up..." The scene utterly shattered Naruto's reason. His heart pounded violently, his breathing grew rapid, and he was plunged into distress and pain unlike anything he had ever known.
"No... no! Hinata!" Naruto roared, his voice full of despair and rage. His eyes turned scarlet, and the Nine-Tails Chakra inside him began to surge out of control. Red energy erupted from him like flames, gradually enveloping his entire body. His nails grew sharp, as did his teeth, and he seemed to turn into a raging beast.
Just as Naruto was about to fall completely under the Nine-Tails' power, a calm, firm voice rang out. "Naruto, calm down!" A figure flashed to his side. It was Kakashi. Worry and seriousness showed in Kakashi's eyes. He knew full well that if Naruto completely lost control, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Without hesitation, Kakashi formed Hand Seals and called out, "Sealing Jutsu: Evil Sealing Method!" He quickly pressed his palm to Naruto's chest, and a powerful sealing formula instantly spread out, attempting to suppress the Nine-Tails' rampaging power within Naruto. Naruto roared in pain and struggled violently, but Kakashi held him down tightly, refusing to let up in the slightest.
He knew full well that if Naruto completely lost control, the consequences would be unthinkable. Resolve flashed in Kakashi's eyes. He quickly moved behind Naruto and said quietly, "Naruto, I'm sorry. This is the only way for now."
Before he had finished speaking, Kakashi struck the back of Naruto's neck precisely with the edge of his hand. Naruto's body stiffened slightly, then the scarlet gradually faded from his eyes, and he collapsed limply. Kakashi quickly caught him and laid him gently on the ground, making sure he would not be hurt.
Sasuke and Sakura had witnessed it all and hurried over. Worry was written all over Sakura's face as she crouched down and carefully checked Naruto's condition. "Kakashi-sensei, is Naruto all right?" she asked anxiously. "He was so frightening just now..."
Though Sasuke appeared calm, his eyes also betrayed a trace of unease.
Kakashi sighed and looked at the unconscious Naruto with a complicated expression. "Naruto's emotions ran too high just now, and the Nine-Tails' Chakra took the opportunity to run wild," he said slowly. "If we hadn't stopped it in time, he might have been completely consumed by the Nine-Tails' power. I could only knock him unconscious for now to help stabilize his emotions."
In the video on the Heavenly Screen, Naruto had undergone Tailed Beast Transformation, the Nine-Tails' Chakra burning around him like raging flames. His body was completely enveloped in red energy, tails emerging one after another, his eyes scarlet and his fangs bared. He seemed to have become a beast of destruction. His reason had long been consumed by rage and pain, leaving only an instinctive urge to destroy.
Pain stood opposite him, watching the transformed Naruto coldly. His tone was calm, but carried a hint of probing. "Do you hate me? This is the Nine-Tails' power. It seems you've merged with its power because of your anger."
By now, however, Naruto was incapable of answering. He let out an ear-splitting roar, his voice filled with endless rage and grief. His claws lashed out, and a massive wave of energy instantly swept through the area, dealing another devastating blow to the already shattered ruins. The ground split, buildings collapsed, and dust and broken stone flew everywhere. The entire battlefield looked like a scene from the end of the world.
On the Heavenly Screen, the fierce battle between the transformed Naruto and Pain left everyone in the real Shinobi World watching in fear. That world-destroying power, the raging fluctuations of Chakra, and the terrifying sight of Naruto having completely lost his reason filled everyone with shock and unease.
"The Nine-Tails' power is terrifying... If Naruto completely loses control, could we get caught up in it too?"
"Th-this is the Nine-Tails' power? It's terrifying..." a Konoha ninja murmured, his voice trembling slightly. His eyes were full of fear, as though he could not believe what he was seeing.
In Otogakure, Orochimaru narrowed his golden, serpentine eyes slightly, a meaningful smile curling his lips. He murmured, "So this is the power of a Tailed Beast? Fascinating, just as I thought... The Nine-Tails' Chakra is so wild, yet so powerful."
His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of greed and desire. Orochimaru's gaze remained fixed on Naruto on the Heavenly Screen, as though he were plotting something. He had already begun devising a new experiment: how to combine a Tailed Beast's power with his own research to create an even more powerful being.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya was on his way back to Konoha, his brow deeply furrowed and his eyes full of worry. He watched the transformed Naruto on the Heavenly Screen, his heart filled with complicated emotions.