"Roar—!"
The orange giant beast threw back its head and roared furiously at the sky, as if venting all the anger and hatred in its heart. Across the field of devastation, its roar carried far into the distance, and the chilling rage and resentment invaded the hearts of everyone within earshot.
At that moment, everyone stopped what they were doing. Even those who could not see what was happening turned toward the source of the sound.
Everyone—every Konoha ninja participating in this battle against the giant beast known as the Nine-Tails—was suddenly seized by a feeling of loss.
As though something immensely important was about to vanish.
Whether they were the Konoha ninja amid the ruins at Konoha's front gate, treating the wounded after the Nine-Tails had suddenly been transported away; the frightened people in Konoha's shelters; or the young ninja being protected, Konoha's hopes for the future, all of them looked in this direction, toward where the giant beast was, toward a secret place far, far outside Konoha.
A place enclosed by a powerful Barrier.
"Naruto, don't be a picky eater. Eat your fill every day and grow up strong. Remember to take a hot bath every day, and don't stay up late—make sure you get enough sleep. Also, make friends. It's fine if you don't have many; just a few trustworthy friends will be enough... Even though Mommy wasn't very good at it, you need to study hard and master ninjutsu properly. But everyone has things they're good and bad at, so even if your studies don't go well, there's no need to be discouraged. Respect the teachers and seniors at the Academy. And one more important thing—the Ninja's Three Taboos..."
Just as the furious, hate-filled roar subsided, a weak voice softly rang out before the giant beast.