Tobirama's hesitation made the Shinigami's pulling arm slow to a crawl. It froze right at the breaking point.
Below, Menma spotted the opening. He took control of the clone in the Shinigami's grip and thrashed wildly, roaring in fury.
"Tobirama Senju! Didn't you say this was just a technique like Reaper Death Seal?" Menma demanded.
"Then why is there a white-clad Shinigami staring at us?!"
"Bullshit! You're not trying to separate me at all. This is Reaper Death Seal! You're planning to die with me!"
As he spoke, the clone—pulled to the limit—began to sink back toward the sealed space, fighting the draw.
Feeling the clone's rage and an intense downward force, Tobirama finally shoved his doubts aside and refocused on the struggling figure.
"Reaper Death Seal is part of it. That's true. But separating you needs the Shinigami's power to cut your consciousness. I didn't lie about that," Tobirama said.
"I just didn't tell you everything because I knew you'd panic like this."
Tobirama silently cranked up the pulling force while reassuring what he still thought was just Menma.
"Stop! I don't want to separate anymore! Knock it off, you hear me?!"
The clone played its part perfectly, eyes blazing with genuine-looking rage.
"Don't be ridiculous. Konoha poured resources and manpower into this. You can't just call it off when you feel like it," Tobirama retorted.
"And besides, I modified the seal. It can be shut down manually. The Shinigami won't swallow anyone."
Sensing Menma's desperate pull, Tobirama's relief grew. He didn't hesitate this time—he yanked with everything he had.
The dutiful clone saw Tobirama's expression and let out another furious roar.
"Naruto!"
"Stop them from the outside! They're trying to seal me!"
But Naruto didn't answer. Silence.
As Tobirama hauled the clone back to the brink, he dropped the act.
"Save your breath. Naruto's under the Yamanaka technique. He can't hear you."
The clone's face twisted into something inhuman, a mask of pure hatred.
"You really are sealing me!"
"I never should've let you walk back to Sound Village. I should've sealed you and Hashirama together!"
"There's no rewinding time." Seeing Menma was out of tricks, Tobirama smirked.
"Rest easy. You won't be alone in the Shinigami's stomach. The Fourth Hokage will keep you company."
With that, the Shinigami's massive hand ripped Tobirama and his clone free of the sealed space.
Watching Tobirama vanish into the sky with that smug grin, Kurama below let out a weary sigh.
"Poor Senju kid. Spent his whole life guarding, only to get played by those eyes in the end..."
Outside, Jiraiya and Tsunade watched Naruto, Tobirama, and Yamanaka Inoichi with tense expressions.
When the massive white Shinigami materialized behind Tobirama, shock hit them like a physical blow.
Jiraiya froze completely.
"That's Reaper Death Seal!"
"Why would separating two personalities need that? No—wait. Could the Second Hokage be..."
"He's trying to seal Menma," Tsunade cut in, her voice low.
"That's him. My grand-uncle, the hardass who loves order more than life. He's been lying this whole time."
"He never planned to let Menma walk away."
"If he'd had more time, he probably would've invented a soul-wiping jutsu instead of this."
Now she got it. And she knew Tobirama was doomed.
He'd be trapped in the Shinigami's gut forever, no reincarnation, no escape.
"No. I can't let him do this."
"If he fails, the Reaper will go nuclear. It could take out the whole village!"
"And Naruto—he'd be crushed if he knew we tricked him into sealing his own brother."
"And Minato's already in there. Do we really want father and son reunited like that?"
Jiraiya clenched his fists and charged Tobirama, desperate to stop the sealing.
Bang!
Tsunade put her fist through the ground right in front of him, blocking his path.
"Wake up, Jiraiya! Reaper Death Seal is live. Nothing stops it now."
"Do you want your grand-uncle's sacrifice to be for nothing? Or do you want to 'save' Menma and get everyone here killed instead?"
"I... you're right." Jiraiya knew Menma's temper. Even if he didn't go after the village, the barrier team and Anbu would be dust.
Tsunade pulled her fist back.
"Only one path left now. We see this through and pray your grand-uncle pulls it off."
"Otherwise..."
She didn't finish. Jiraiya knew the rest.
An enraged Menma would tear through everyone with Kurama's power. Another Night of the Nine-Tails.
What they didn't know was Tobirama's backup plan.
If the seal failed, Yamanaka Inoichi—who was controlling Naruto point-blank—had orders to kill him on the spot.
No Nine-Tails bomb. No risk.
The Shinigami's hand finally withdrew from Naruto's body.
Two wisps of chakra, wind-natured and shaped like Tobirama's face, were dragged to the god's mouth by the hand that had pierced the Hokage's chest. Inhaled.
Tobirama's reanimated body crumbled to dust, revealing a dead genin in a Sound Village headband underneath.
"Success..."
Tsunade and Jiraiya didn't look relieved. Their faces were heavy as they moved fast, catching Naruto before he hit the ground.
Yamanaka Inoichi wavered, then pulled his hand back. He wiped sweat from his brow and bowed stiffly.
"Hokage-sama, Tsunade-sama. The Second Hokage's sealing was successful."
"The jinchūriki is stable, but Reaper Death Seal took a lot out of him. He'll need rest."
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