"Th-this…" Uzumaki Mito was momentarily speechless. She hadn't expected the Nine-Tails to refuse before she even finished speaking.
"You imprison me and then expect me to help you humans? Keep dreaming!" The Nine-Tails grew angrier the more it thought about its situation.
Uzumaki Mito patiently explained, "I had no choice but to seal you here. If I let you roam free in the Ninja World, people would try to use your power to cause chaos. Nine-Tails, try to understand. Besides, we've been together for decades… aren't we already friends?"
"Friends?" The Nine-Tails paused, stunned. No one had ever used that word with it before.
"That's right. Friends. Over the years, I've come to see you that way. And friends help each other. I need your help now—can't you lend me your strength?"
For a brief moment, the Nine-Tails hesitated… then its anger surged even stronger.
"What kind of friend keeps me locked in a cage? You're just trying to use me! If you really saw me as a friend, you'd set me free!"
Seeing persuasion wasn't working—and knowing time was running out—Uzumaki Mito's expression hardened.
"I wanted your help willingly… but since you refuse, I have no choice. I'm sorry."
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Golden chains burst forth, instantly binding the Nine-Tails in place.
"I knew it! Damn humans! You only ever want to use me! Just wait—if I ever get free, I'll kill you all!"
Ignoring its rage, Uzumaki Mito extended her hands and began extracting its Chakra.
Within the Nine-Tails existed two types of energy: violent, destructive power—and pure life energy. What she needed was the latter.
Under the restraint of the chains, the Nine-Tails couldn't resist at all.
After about a minute, the life energy was successfully drawn out.
"…Sorry," Uzumaki Mito said quietly before leaving.
The Nine-Tails roared behind her, "Despicable humans! One day, I'll destroy you all!"
Back in the real world, Uzumaki Mito opened her eyes and walked over to Isamu.
"Katsuyu, step back. You too," she said to the White Zetsu. "I can handle this now."
They obeyed, watching closely.
Mito placed her hands over Isamu's chest.
A blinding green light erupted, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
As the life energy flowed into him, Isamu's fading life force finally stabilized.
In truth, this was almost unnecessary.
As the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, Isamu could not truly die from life force depletion. His condition was caused by overusing the Power of Time and forcibly breaking through his limits.
Even without help, his life would stabilize at the brink—and over decades, he would eventually recover.
But now, with the Nine-Tails' life energy, that recovery time dropped from forty years to just over twenty.
Uzumaki Mito stepped back, staring at him.
"I've given everything I extracted… Isamu, this should be enough to save you."
Tsunade and the others watched anxiously.
Inside his unconscious mind, Isamu sensed the surge of energy.
"So… they chose to save me. Good. I didn't protect the wrong people."
But twenty years of recovery?
That wasn't acceptable.
Without hesitation, Isamu made a decision.
He burned half of the newly gained life energy.
Instantly, his recovery time stretched back to thirty years—but it gave him something else.
Control.
His body slowly lifted off the bed.
Then—
His eyes snapped open.
The Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan spun into motion.
Before anyone could react, Isamu vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared in front of one of the White Zetsu.
Grabbing it by the throat, he lifted it off the ground.
The Rinnegan spun rapidly—
A flash of white light shot directly into the Zetsu's body.
Everyone froze.
Tsunade rushed forward, overjoyed—but before she could reach him—
Isamu collapsed again.
"Tian—Isamu! Isamu!" she shouted, catching him.
"Grandmother, hurry!"
Uzumaki Mito quickly examined him again, her brows tightening.
"What…? Why has so much life energy disappeared?"
"Is he going to die?" Tsunade asked, panic rising again.
Mito shook her head. "No. His life is stable. But more than half the energy I gave him is gone…"
Meanwhile, the White Zetsu that Isamu had grabbed revealed a strange, satisfied smile.
"Good… it finally worked."
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