"Using the Rasengan on you?!"
Naruto froze and immediately reacted. His body swayed as if his legs couldn't support him, and tears streamed down his face.
"No... no, this can't be..."
"There's gotta be another way! There has to be!"
Unable to accept the unfolding reality, Naruto looked around desperately, like a drowning man grasping at straws.
Then he saw Kakashi, standing on a tree branch in the distance.
"Kakashi-sensei... he's over there! He even took down an Akatsuki member!"
"Kakashi-sensei used to be the ANBU captain! He's got the Sharingan..."
"The Sharingan... eyes! The Sharingan!"
Naruto, who had been clutching at hope, suddenly snapped alert and grabbed this lifeline like a drowning man grabbing a rope.
"Your eyes have turned into circles, right? That means this control jutsu is related to eyes!"
"And the Sharingan is the strongest ocular jutsu! It's gotta be useful!"
"Even if it's not perfect, it'll have some effect! We can figure something out later!"
Convinced he had a shot, Naruto hastily wiped the tears blurring his vision and grabbed Jiraiya's red robe, ready to sprint toward Kakashi.
But Jiraiya's sharp shout cut him off.
"Wake up, Naruto!"
"I'm the Fifth Hokage. I know what we're up against. The Sharingan is useless!"
"Did you forget? Sasuke Uchiha is from the Uchiha clan! His Sharingan is stronger than Kakashi's!"
"And even he failed—defeated by the Sage's Eyes. Possessed by the Sage of Six Paths!"
"The Sage of Six Paths! The Sage's Eyes!" Hearing that name, all the strength drained from Naruto.
The legendary progenitor of ninjutsu. A figure straight out of myth.
Only that kind of terrifying power could defeat and control Jiraiya.
Thinking this, Naruto trembled and took a few steps back, clutching his chest. Agony contorted his face.
Pain. Unbearable pain.
Looking at the five faces he'd sworn to protect, Naruto felt like his heart would explode with grief.
"Even the Sage's Eyes must have a weakness!"
"Nine-Tails... Yeah, I still have Kurama!"
Undeterred, Naruto pleaded with Kurama in his mind again.
But all he got back was the fox's cold mockery.
"What can you do? If Menma were here, he might have a way. But you tricked him into sealing himself away."
"Brother..." Hearing Kurama mention Menma, Naruto was flooded with regret and self-blame.
Why had he, the coward, the useless one incapable of protecting anyone, insisted on being the primary personality?
Why hadn't he let Menma—the stronger one—stay in control? He would have protected everyone, everything Naruto cherished.
"If Brother were still here, everyone would be safe, just like before. Every crisis, every enemy—Menma solved it. His comrades always came home in one piece. It wouldn't be like this."
"Kid, I'm telling you—act fast."
"Once the Rinnegan-wielding bastard realizes what's happening, he'll control you all again and force you to do things against your will."
The Nine-Tails' urgency rang in his ears.
Seeing Naruto hesitate, Jiraiya and the other four outside snapped into action. Their faces twisted in struggle, bodies trembling, they surrounded Naruto, anxiety and pleading sharpening their voices.
"Hurry up, Naruto! He's controlling us again!"
"No! No! NO!!!" The yelling and their approaching bodies made Naruto collapse to the ground. Despair overwhelmed him. Two streams of tears flowed uncontrollably, his face twisted in pure agony.
Even the words "Perverted Sage" wouldn't come. Instead, he cried out the name he always held back.
"Teacher! Teacher!!!"
Naruto's mouth hung open, saliva dripping onto the ground. His eyes were blank, filled with absolute despair.
"I can't do it! I really can't!"
"You're my most important people... more important than life itself, more precious than anything..."
By the end, his voice was barely a whisper, and his body went limp on the ground.
"I know, Naruto..." Jiraiya's cold hand stroked his head once more.
Naruto looked up and saw the Toad Sage's gentle, pleading smile—a dazed overlap of memories flashed through his mind. His first meeting with Jiraiya, who'd laughed just like that.
With a fawning smile and a ridiculous dance, he'd proclaimed himself the Toad Sage, begging Naruto not to report him for spying...
"I'm the Toad Sage, Naruto! Please, don't shame me any further..."
After Jiraiya finished, Sasuke Uchiha's cold hand landed on Naruto's shoulder. This time, he didn't say, "I'll never lose to an idiot loser."
Instead: "Although it's hard to accept... you really won this time, Naruto."
Then Sakura Haruno smiled and moved closer — the same sweet smile Naruto remembered from when they first met.
But this time, she didn't say, "You're so annoying."
Instead: "Naruto, you're not annoying at all. I'm the one who's annoying..."
Then came Teuchi, with the same hearty laugh, promising to buy Naruto ramen and patting his back.
"Naruto, even without Ichiraku Ramen, remember to eat on time. Grow as tall as me..."
Finally, it was Iruka Umino's turn. Unlike the others, he didn't smile. His face was filled with worry and heartache as he reached out to wipe away Naruto's tears.
"Don't cry, Naruto. It's not your fault."
"Promise me—you'll live on with a smile, carrying our share of the fun too..."
With a gentle final touch, he straightened Naruto's slightly askew headband.
Iruka raised his hand.
Jiraiya, Sasuke, Sakura, and Teuchi all raised their hands.
Relieved smiles on their faces, they spoke softly in unison:
"Naruto, laugh big and use the Rasengan on us!"
Looking at the five people before him, Naruto completely broke down. He cried and laughed, his expression twisting into pain and desperation, eyes sobbing sorrowfully while his mouth forced a smile.
His hand glowed with the most primal blue chakra: the Rasengan.
Under their expectant gazes, the Rasengan descended...
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