Chapter 57: Five Seal Barrier
"Kakashi-sensei…" Naruto collapsed to his knees, his usually vibrant sapphire eyes now dull, drained of their spark. His voice was hollow, a mechanical whisper as he called out, his emotions seemingly sucked dry by the weight of what he'd done.
Renji, hands glowing as he mended Kakashi's blood-soaked wounds, glanced at Naruto alongside his mentor. The boy's desolate state raised Renji's brow. He hadn't revealed Minato's identity as Naruto's father—yet Naruto's reaction screamed that he knew. The answer hit Renji like a thunderbolt: the Nine-Tails, that malicious beast, must've taunted him with the truth.
"Naruto?" Kakashi's voice carried surprise, his own pain momentarily forgotten as he studied his student's broken expression.
Renji finished healing Kakashi's wounds, the torn flesh knitting seamlessly under his touch. He stepped to Naruto's side, gently taking his hand to repair the strained muscles and meridians ravaged by the Nine-Tails' chakra. "Naruto, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft, laced with concern that masked his calculating thoughts.
Naruto's head hung low, his silence heavy, until a single question slipped out. "Kakashi-sensei, what's the connection between the Fourth Hokage and me?"
Kakashi's heart sank, his face hardening with solemnity. Chiyo caught his expression, understanding dawning. Every village guarded its secrets, and this one was Konoha's heaviest. Killing one's father, moments after their first meeting—she'd seen war's cruelty, but this chilled even her weathered heart. She stayed silent, respecting the moment's gravity.
Naruto's reaction confirmed he already suspected the truth. Kakashi knew hiding it further was pointless. Naruto had grown, strong enough to bear the burden. "The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was your father," he said, his voice steady but heavy. "He sealed the Nine-Tails inside you to protect Konoha."
As Kakashi's words landed, Renji felt warm tears splash onto his hand. Naruto's eyes, like a broken dam, poured tears that glistened in the sunlight, his body trembling with grief.
"How could this be?" Sakura's pupils dilated, her voice trembling as she stared at Naruto. If that was true, then Naruto had just… unknowingly… Her heart clenched, a wave of sorrow crashing over her, her hands shaking as she fought to process the tragedy.
"They toy with people's emotions like it's a game!" Chiyo spat, her voice thick with disgust. "That organization is pure scum!"
Renji: "…"
Technically, he wasn't human, so the label didn't quite stick. Still, being cursed stung a bit. Fine, don't argue with the elderly, he thought, suppressing a smirk. Later, he'd make Chiyo watch her grandson twisted into a grotesque ball—purely to spook her, of course.
Respecting the old and cherishing the young, right? If Gaara hadn't died so soon, he'd have molded him into a ball for Naruto's benefit too. And when the time came to reveal his true nature, what would happen if he kneaded Sakura and Kakashi? The thought sent a thrill through him, a delicious anticipation.
"So that's how it is…" Renji's mind buzzed with dark creativity, but he had a role to play. His acting skills kicked into high gear, his face a mask of heartache as he gazed at Naruto. He reached out, gently wiping the tears from Naruto's cheeks, his own eyes reddening to mirror the grief, appearing even more devastated than Naruto himself.
Naruto leaned into Renji's shoulder, his sobs muffled but relentless. Renji's hand patted his back gently, the other stroking Naruto's head, his voice a soft murmur of comfort. "It's okay, Naruto. Lord Fourth must be so proud to see the shinobi you've become. Instead of letting him be a puppet, controlled to kill, you freed him to return to the Pure Land. How could he blame you? He'd only be proud of your strength, right?"
If Naruto truly missed Minato, Renji could sculpt a new Minato daily for him to "play" with—assuming Naruto's heart could handle it. His resilience is still too fragile, Renji thought, shaking his head inwardly. Some stronger medicine was needed. And Kushina Uzumaki? She was next on his list to twist into a ball, a grand finale waiting to unfold.
Naruto's despair was fleeting, just as Renji predicted. His words sank in—being controlled to attack Konoha betrayed Minato's will. Freeing him was the right choice. Naruto forgave himself, his father's pride imagined in his heart. He sprang to his feet, eyes reigniting with fiery determination. "We've wasted too much time! We need to save Gaara!"
He yanked Renji up, his vigor infectious. "Let's move!"
Kakashi watched the revitalized Naruto, a helpless smile tugging at his lips. No matter the blow, Naruto's spirit never stayed broken for long.
Sakura exhaled, relief softening her tense features. Seeing Naruto bounce back warmed her heart.
Renji: "…"
He'd underestimated Naruto's resilience. Jiraiya needed to join the list of those to be kneaded into balls, he decided, his thoughts deadly serious.
…
The team pressed through the forest, their steps swift and urgent. A wide, blinding white light broke through the trees ahead. They leapt from jagged rocks, landing lightly on a shimmering body of water. Before them, familiar figures stood waiting, their silhouettes stark against the cavern's glow.
"Renji!" Lee's eyes lit up, his enthusiastic wave brimming with his usual boundless energy. Before arriving, Guy had warned them to keep their earlier ordeal secret. His sharp instincts told him the enemy targeted Renji specifically. If Renji knew what happened, his emotions could cloud his judgment. Until the enemy's true motives were clear, silence was safest.
"Sakura, Naruto!" Lee winked at Sakura. Sakura ducked behind Renji.
Renji: "…"
What terrible karma. His expression remained neutral, but inwardly, he groaned at the chaos of these bonds.
"Kakashi, you're late as always!" Might Guy's voice boomed, his toothy grin flashing as he spotted his rival. The smile held a warmth that Renji found suspiciously ambiguous.
"Not at all," Kakashi replied coolly, his tone effortlessly casual despite the battle's toll. "Just a minor delay from some trouble on the way." No matter how brutal the fight, he'd never let Guy see him rattled—their eternal rivalry demanded it.
A massive rock blocked the cave entrance, a talisman inscribed with the word "forbidden" glowing faintly on its surface, radiating an ominous chakra.
…
Inside the cavern, the air was thick with dark energy, the Outer Path Demon Statue looming over the Akatsuki's ritual.
"It's getting lively outside!" Black Zetsu chirped, its voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere. "Reinforcements have arrived."
"Whose?" Deidara asked, his fingers twitching with eagerness, clay already forming in his hands. "The ones Kisame-san held off, un?" He glanced at Kisame's phantom, a smirk playing on his lips.
"They're all here," Phantom replied, his Rinnegan glinting as he relayed the intelligence with cold precision.
"Too bad… it's too late," Black Zetsu said, his gaze dropping to the cavern floor. Gaara lay motionless, his body lifeless, a husk drained by the sealing ritual.
"I hear there's another Jinchuriki out there!" Sasori's voice carried rare excitement, his puppet strings twitching in anticipation.
…
"We need to break this barrier!" Guy said, eyeing the giant rock and its glowing talisman. He turned to Kakashi. "Can you tell what kind it is?"
"What do you think?" Chiyo asked, her sharp eyes studying Kakashi. As a seasoned elder, she'd seen countless jutsu and barriers, but Kakashi's early graduation, extensive missions, and tutelage under the Fourth Hokage made him equally knowledgeable.
"It's a Five Seal Barrier," Kakashi said, his Sharingan analyzing the talisman's chakra signature.
Chiyo nodded, her suspicion confirmed. "I agree."
Naruto tilted his head, puzzled. "Five Seal Barrier?"
Kakashi explained, his voice calm but precise. "It's formed by five talismans, each marked with 'forbidden,' placed in specific locations. Besides the one on this rock, there are four others hidden nearby."
"How do we break it?" Guy asked, his fists already clenched, ready for action.
"All five talismans must be removed simultaneously," Kakashi replied, his tone steady despite the challenge.
"Where are the other four?" Naruto asked, scanning the surroundings with a confused squint.
Kakashi looked at Neji, who nodded sharply. "Understood." Veins bulged around Neji's eyes as his Byakugan activated, the world snapping into crystal clarity. His vision stretched outward, piercing through rock and tree. "Found them. One on a rock, five hundred meters northeast. Another on a tree trunk by the riverbank, three hundred fifty meters southeast. The third is on a cliff face, six hundred fifty meters northwest. The last is in the forest, eight hundred meters southwest." His report was swift and precise, each location mapped in his mind.
"The distance isn't too bad, but removing them all at once is tricky," Sakura said, her brow furrowing. "What about signaling?"
"No problem," Guy said, flashing a confident grin as he pulled a headset from his backpack. "At this range, wireless communication will do the trick."
"Then let's move," Guy ordered, his voice brimming with authority. "Stay in contact, listen for my signal, and find those talismans!"
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