Amegakure, in an underground hall of black stone.
The long sealing ritual had reached its final moment.
A purple-black dragon of Chakra still plunged into the Sealing Scroll. Patterns flickered along its body as it drained the red-haired boy on the altar, mouthful by mouthful, like a tireless beast.
The screaming from the altar had long since stopped.
At last, even the faintest whimper vanished into the deathly silence.
The stone hall was frighteningly quiet. Only the low hum of the dragon drawing in Chakra remained, sounding again and again.
"Another wisp."
Atop one of the statue's massive fingers, Kakuzu stared at his palm. His face was dark as soot, and the pain of his mounting losses was almost palpable.
"The Chakra I've spent in just one day could buy half a street-facing shop with my bounty money on the black market. Seventy-two full hours... I've had two whole shops drained out of me."
He gritted his teeth, bitter to the core. "How is this a sealing technique? It's robbery in broad daylight."
No one in the hall answered.
Sasori had not moved since the ritual began.
His arms were wrapped around his knees, his hood pulled low enough to hide every expression. He stood like an ancient Puppet worn by the ages, without a ripple of emotion.
Orochimaru stood with his eyes closed in concentration, the tip of his tongue resting lightly against his palate. He had drawn his presence so far inward that his stillness was uncanny.
On the outermost massive finger, Uchiha En sat quietly with his sword in his arms and a straw raincoat draped over him.
For seventy-two hours, they had eaten nothing but soldier pills while their Chakra was continuously drained. An ordinary Jonin could never have lasted.
Kakuzu stole several glances at him