"Naruto, these people are all being controlled. If there's no way to Release them right away, take out their leader first!"
Almost the instant Minato returned to the inner world, his voice reached Naruto through the Nine-Tails.
"That's what I was thinking!"
After driving back the Anbu around him, Naruto glanced at Shisui Uchiha, who was surrounded by more than a dozen Anbu and was about to be escorted out of the basement.
The other Anbu noticed Naruto changing targets and hurried to block him, but his shadow clones intercepted them while his Original Body turned to give chase.
Before Naruto had taken more than a few steps, however, several of the Anbu guarding Shisui stopped, turned, and drew their ninja tools, their Masks fixed on Naruto.
They apparently intended to stay behind and cover the retreat.
"You can't stop me..."
Just as Naruto prepared to break through in one go, the Anbu's next move brought him to an abrupt halt.
Slice!
The foremost Anbu on the stairs leading outside drew a kunai and slashed his own throat.
Bright red blood gushed from the artery in his neck, splattering the stairwell walls and floor.
Even in Fox Sage Mode, Naruto's pupils contracted in shock at the lethal wound before his eyes!
Yet the man himself seemed utterly unconcerned, his eyes beneath his Mask fixed on the stunned Naruto.
"If I can't... keep you here, I... would rather... die..."
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Naruto shouted angrily, but before he could move forward, several other Anbu standing farther up the stairs, who had also stayed behind to cover the retreat, drew their kunai.
They said nothing, but their intentions were unmistakable—
They were threatening to kill themselves if Naruto pursued!
"Impossible. How could their behavior suddenly change like this on