"Haruto, what's the meaning of this?"
Shima and Fukasaku hurriedly scanned their surroundings. To their shock, Senju Haruto had used Wood Release to create a massive cube, sealing everyone inside.
Haruto followed up by weaving Fire Release, igniting light within the wooden walls.
"No matter how you look at it, this must be Haruto's precaution for helping Naruto control the Nine-Tails' power," Jiraiya muttered, narrowing his eyes at the wooden prison.
It wasn't exactly a secret that Wood Release could suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra, so Jiraiya immediately guessed Haruto's intent.
"You could put it that way." Haruto smirked faintly, not bothering to deny it.
But the truth was simpler. Haruto just thought it looked cool. Life needed its sense of ceremony, after all.
And besides—he didn't only have Wood Release. He wielded the Uzumaki clan's Adamantine Sealing Chains, and even the Mangekyō Sharingan. With advantages like these, Haruto couldn't fathom how he could possibly lose.
Still, the sight left Fukasaku, Shima, and Uzumaki Naruto deeply shaken. Just the thought that they would soon be confronting the infamous Nine-Tails filled their hearts with complicated emotions.
Yes—Haruto had once stopped Naruto's rampage before, but at that time Naruto had only grown his eighth tail. That hadn't been the Nine-Tails at full power.
And this time, the battlefield wasn't some open field—it was inside Naruto's own body.
Even if Haruto could enter Naruto's spiritual world through a Sharingan genjutsu, how much of his strength would he actually be able to wield in there? Could he truly contend with the Nine-Tails?
None of them could say for certain.
To be honest, aside from Haruto, everyone else felt at least some unease.
Naruto in particular drew in deep breaths one after another, trying to calm his nerves.
Haruto noticed and placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll be right beside you. So… there's nothing to fear."
Naruto blinked, startled, then met Haruto's unwavering gaze. Slowly, he exhaled, tapped a fist to his chest, and nodded.
He had trained at Mount Myōboku all this time, even going without a single bowl of ramen, all for this very moment.
"If I pull this off… Haruto-nii, you owe me ramen," Naruto said with a grin.
"You'll eat until you can't move," Haruto replied without hesitation, then turned toward Jiraiya, signaling him to summon the Scroll Toad—the keeper of the key to unlock the seal.
Without it, the only way to open the Nine-Tails' seal would be through a berserk transformation. But that would cost Naruto his consciousness, and if the ninth tail appeared, Namikaze Minato's lingering will would intervene and reinforce the seal once again.
Even so, Haruto wasn't entirely sure—would Minato's presence manifest in Naruto's mind this time, as it had once before?
"It's finally time, huh."
The Scroll Toad let out a low croak, throat quivering. He had opposed this reckless plan from the beginning. But with even the Great Toad Sage's approval, what choice did he have? After handing over the key to Naruto, all he could do now was pray for the boy's success.
As an extra measure, Haruto left behind a Wood Release clone to take over the role that had once belonged to Yamato—suppressing any Nine-Tails chakra that leaked out of Naruto's body.
Haruto had briefly considered calling Yamato in person, but then dismissed the idea. His own clone was stronger than Yamato himself—why bother?
With preparations complete, the tension in the air grew sharper.
Especially for Fukasaku and Shima.
They had originally intended to teach Naruto the Fusion Technique, which would have extended the duration of his Sage Mode. But with the Nine-Tails interfering, such fusion was impossible.
That meant Naruto's Sage Mode was severely limited.
"Sage Mode can only last three minutes right now," Shima croaked, throat rumbling as she reminded Naruto. "Use it with extreme caution."
"Three minutes?" Haruto's brows knit together. If he remembered correctly, Naruto's Sage Mode usually lasted around five minutes. Plus, he could normally refresh it by releasing clones who had gathered natural energy.
Then it clicked.
In the original course of events, Naruto hadn't fully mastered Sage Mode until later in the Shippuden timeline—after returning from Mount Myōboku and facing Pain. Back then, he was a few years older than he was now.
At this younger age, even with his massive Uzumaki chakra reserves, three minutes was his current limit.
"I know," Naruto nodded firmly. He understood well enough, and swore to use Sage Chakra at the critical moment.
But this wasn't Turtle Island—there was no real waterfall here to help Naruto face his true self.
So Haruto would have to rely on persuasion—his so-called "Talk no Jutsu"—to guide Naruto.
Unfortunately, his explanations only left Naruto looking puzzled and confused.
"Forget it…" Haruto sighed, rubbing his temple. Staring at Naruto's blank expression, he gave up on that approach. "I'll just use my Sharingan. Worst case, I'll jump in directly."
With that, everything was set.
Naruto sat cross-legged on the ground, closing his eyes.
Mangekyō Sharingan—open!
Haruto seated himself as well, leaving his Wood Release clone in charge of suppressing any leaked chakra.
Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima all watched anxiously, silently praying for success—that Naruto might finally seize the Nine-Tails' chakra for himself.
Haruto wasted no time. His Mangekyō spun, and his genjutsu enveloped Naruto, pulling him straight into his spiritual domain—his inner world.
For Haruto, it was his first time entering such a place. Yet he instantly recognized it.
"Water, huh…"
He glanced around. Dim yellow light seeped through the air, illuminating floors covered in ankle-deep water. It felt like a flooded prison.
It made sense. Sealed tailed beasts were, in essence, prisoners within their jinchūriki.
Haruto stood calmly, waiting. There was no need to rush to the Nine-Tails.
"Come to think of it," he murmured, "Naruto first entered this world when Jiraiya pushed him off that cliff. The Nine-Tails feared his death and lent him chakra, letting him summon Gamabunta."
"I wonder… can this Naruto come here by his own will?"
As the thought left his lips, a splash rang out.
A familiar figure fell from above, crashing into the water with a spray of droplets.
Who else could it be but Uzumaki Naruto?