It used the ancient tree's life force to heal Naruto, but this time, the treatment worked slowly.
Naruto's wounds were not merely physical. His mind and soul had been injured too.
The contamination left by the Ōtsutsuki's will was not so easy to purge.
"I can only keep you alive. The rest is up to you," the Forest Guardian said.
It placed Naruto in the center of the tree hollow, wrapped him in roots, and nourished him with the purest life energy.
Then it looked toward the cavity.
The mother tree had been sealed again, but only temporarily. That eyeball was merely a projection of the Ōtsutsuki's will. The mother tree's true core still slumbered deeper within the ley lines.
And the power Naruto had just unleashed might awaken it.
"Everything is about to change..." the Forest Guardian sighed.
It looked outside the tree hollow, toward Las Noches.
"Uchiha Ryūha, what exactly are you planning? What do you intend to turn this child into?"
There was no answer.
Only the forest wind blew silently.
[Las Noches · Main Hall]
Liuyu stood by the window, looking toward the Forest of Menos.
He could sense that the mother tree's seal had been reinforced with Asura's yang power, mixed with the Nine-Tails' chakra and Naruto's own will.
"A month earlier than I expected," he murmured.
Lilynette stood behind him and asked, "Should we bring him back?"
"No," Liuyu said. "Let him stay there another two days. The ancient tree's healing is better than the medical facilities at Las Noches. Besides, he needs time to process what he just experienced."
"But it's dangerous," Lilynette said. "He's awakened his yang power. The Ōtsutsuki's will is going to target him."
"That's all the more reason for him to stay there." Liuyu turned to Lilynette. "The ancient