Shinji fell silent.
If he had been sealed away for a hundred years and learned that he might die soon after being unsealed, he doubted he would have taken it as calmly as Nameless.
So he asked, his tone mild, "Don't you hate them?"
"I hate ninjas. I hate the Uchiha Clan, and I hate this ugly Shinobi World that knows nothing but killing each other! But..."
Shinji asked, "But what?"
Nameless spoke slowly. "Even in this hateful world, there's a light like you, Shinji! You're the person I love most in the world I hate the most!"
Shinji was stunned by her words. Then he let out a long breath. "Nameless, I'm going to start unsealing you!"
"Mm!"
Nameless answered, then ended the connection.
Shinji stepped back a few paces and activated Wood Release.
In an instant, countless vines shot from his sleeves and plunged into the earth. In just a few breaths, several wooden hands formed by Wood Release had dug out a large pit, revealing the stone slab sealed inside.
As before, the slab was covered in sealing formulas.
Shinji used Seal Absorption to forcibly break the sealing formulas, then activated Banshō Ten'in again and yanked the slab up.
A moment later, a small figure curled up in a ball came into view. "Na-Nameless?"
As if she had heard Shinji calling her, the curled-up figure slowly raised her head and looked at him with bewildered eyes. She asked cautiously, "Shinji?"
"Yeah!"
Shinji nodded, crouched at the edge of the pit, and held out his right hand to Nameless, who was curled up at the bottom.
Nameless grasped his hand tightly.
"Don't be afraid. I'll pull you out!"
As he spoke, Shinji hauled Nameless out of the pit.
Once she reached the surface, Nameless plopped down on the