Tsunade stared at Naraku's face, so calm it was almost peaceful, and waited for several breaths.
There was still no response.
Not even his eyelids twitched.
Growing agitated, she called out again, her voice rising louder and louder.
But there was still no response.
Naraku's eyes were open.
Those eyes, bright as stars, gazed in a certain direction, as though piercing through the ruins and rock walls before him to rest somewhere far away.
Tsunade was not quite sure whether he could see her standing in front of him.
She took half a step forward and waved a hand before his face.
No reaction at all.
"Lady Tsunade..."
A Jonin from the Sealing Squad beside her spoke cautiously. "Lord Hokage should be in a sealed state."
"Even... even if he can hear your voice, I'm afraid he cannot respond in any way."
Tsunade turned her head to glance at him.
The Sealing Squad Jonin immediately swallowed the rest of his words.
"I know."
Tsunade's tone was far from pleasant, even carrying a hint of impatience.
Of course she knew Naraku was sealed. She was not blind.
But she could not help calling out to him a couple of times.
It was more a way of venting.
After all, Naraku had been missing for so long, and the safety of Konoha and the entire Shinobi World weighed on her shoulders, leaving even her struggling to bear it.
So it was perfectly normal for her to vent a little.
Still, after the Sealing Squad Ninja's persuasion, she stopped trying to speak to Naraku and turned around, sweeping her gaze over the Sealing Squad members scattered nearby.
"How is the survey of the surrounding area going?"
The first to answer was the Jonin standing behind Naraku to his left, crouched with his palm