Naruto lowered his head and clenched his fists.
His nails dug deep into his flesh, and blood dripped onto the ground.
"I..."
He raised his head, the last glimmer of light dying in his blue eyes.
"I hate you all."
His voice was quiet, yet it sent a chill through everyone present.
"Seal him!" Tsunade ordered.
The Sealing Squad immediately activated the barrier. Countless chains of runes surged from the ground and wound around Naruto. He did not resist, merely watching them quietly, his eyes heartbreakingly empty.
Moments later, the sealing was complete.
Wrapped in layer upon layer of runes like a cocoon, Naruto collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
The square fell deathly silent.
Tsunade walked over to Naruto and crouched beside him. She reached out to stroke his head, but her hand stopped in midair.
In the end, she withdrew her hand, stood up, and called, "Shino Yamanaka."
"Here." Shino Yamanaka stepped out of the shadows.
"Check his memory sealing and reinforce it."
"...Yes."
Shino Yamanaka walked over to Naruto, formed hand seals, and pressed his hands against his forehead.
Pale blue chakra lit up.
But a few seconds later, Shino Yamanaka's expression changed, and he withdrew his hands. "Lord Hokage... the sealing jutsu... isn't working."
"What?" Tsunade frowned.
"Naruto's... no, the Nine-Tails' chakra has formed an autonomous defense mechanism inside him," Shino Yamanaka said bitterly. "Any jutsu that attempts to interfere with his memories is automatically neutralized by the Nine-Tails' chakra. Unless... unless we extract the Nine-Tails first."
Tsunade fell silent.
So did Jiraiya.
Extracting the Nine-Tails meant Naruto's death.
"Is there any other way?" Tsunade finally asked after a long while.
Shino Yamanaka shook his head. "Unless Naruto willingly accepts the sealing, there's... no solution."
Another long silence followed.
At last, Tsunade slowly spoke, her