"Uzumaki Nagato?"
Naruto's eyes widened.
"You're from our clan too?"
The old man nodded.
A complicated light flashed through his clouded eyes.
"Twenty years…"
"I've stayed here all this time, guarding the graves of our clansmen."
"I never thought I'd live long enough to see our descendants return."
"A gravekeeper?"
Mina hurried forward excitedly.
"Grandpa Nagato, do you still remember me?"
"I'm Mina!"
"You even taught me sealing techniques when I was little!"
Nagato carefully studied her face.
Then a kindly smile appeared.
"Of course I remember."
"The little girl who was always stealing my candy."
"And now you've grown this old."
"You've really stayed here all these years?"
Karin asked curiously.
"By yourself?"
"Not just me."
Nagato turned and pointed toward a distant hillside.
"There are a few other old fellows over there."
"None of us could bear to leave our homeland."
Naruto immediately brightened.
"That's great!"
"Then we have even more people now!"
"Hold on."
Nagato raised a hand.
"You said you intend to rebuild the Land of Whirlpools."
"What exactly do you mean by that?"
Sasuke briefly explained their plan.
By the time he finished—
Nagato's expression had become serious.
"Your idea is good, kid."
"But reality isn't that simple."
He slowly shook his head.
"This land is cursed."
"Cursed?"
Everyone froze.
"That's right."
Nagato's voice grew low.
"When the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, the clan head sacrificed his life to perform our strongest sealing technique."
"He sealed the resentment of every enemy who died here beneath this land."
"For twenty years, that resentment has continued to accumulate."
"And now…"
"It's almost ready to erupt."
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
Mina's face paled.
"Resentment?"
"What kind of resentment?"
"Too many enemies died here."
Nagato sighed.
"Their hatred transformed into evil spirits."
"They've been wandering beneath the ground ever since."
"Every night…"
"You can hear their wailing."
"Then why did you stay here?"
Uzumaki asked.
"Because someone has to keep them suppressed."
Nagato raised the staff in his hand.
Only now did everyone notice—
The entire staff was covered in intricate sealing formulas.
"This is the Soul-Suppressing Staff left behind by the clan head."
"Only someone with Uzumaki blood can use it."
Sasuke frowned.
"You mean this land can't be used normally?"
"Not unless the curse is removed."
Nagato nodded.
"But doing so would require extremely powerful sealing techniques."
"And the risk is enormous."
"How enormous?"
Naruto asked.
Nagato looked at him.
His gaze was complicated.
"If we fail…"
"All of the resentment will erupt at once."
"Everything within a hundred li will become a dead zone."
Everyone exchanged looks.
The news had come far too suddenly.
"Then there's no other way?"
Mina asked unwillingly.
"There is."
Nagato fell silent for a moment.
"We need the power of the Nine-Tails."
Naruto blinked.
"The Nine-Tails?"
"The Nine-Tails is the strongest of the Tailed Beasts."
Nagato explained.
"Its chakra can purify negative energy."
"If we combine its power with the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan…"
"We should be able to succeed."
"Then there's no problem."
Naruto patted his stomach.
"Kurama is inside me."
"Wait."
Sasuke immediately stopped him.
"This isn't something you rush into."
"If anything goes wrong…"
"You could die."
"Then I die."
Naruto waved it off casually.
"How will we know if it works unless we try?"
"Idiot!"
Sasuke grabbed him by the collar.
"If you die, who's going to manage the reconstruction project?!"
"You."
Naruto answered as though it were obvious.
"I'm not interested in management!"
Watching the two of them argue—
Karin couldn't help laughing.
"You two really haven't changed at all."
"What are you laughing at?!"
Naruto and Sasuke snapped toward her at the exact same time.
Nagato also chuckled.
"Enough."
"Stop arguing."
"This requires careful preparation."
"We cannot act recklessly."
"What do we need to prepare?"
Mina asked.
"First…"
"We need to draw the complete sealing formation."
Nagato explained.
"Second, we'll need enough chakra to sustain it."
"And most importantly…"
"It must be performed at a specific time."
"When?"
"On the night of next month's new moon."
Nagato looked up toward the sky.
"That is when Yin energy is at its strongest."
"And when the resentment will be most active."
"We need to seize that opportunity and resolve everything in one attempt."
"Is one month enough time?"
Uzumaki asked worriedly.
"It's enough."
Nagato nodded.
"Until then, you can familiarize yourselves with the area."
"And I'll teach you some basic sealing techniques."
Over the next several days—
Everyone began studying sealing arts under Nagato's guidance.
Naruto's talent left everyone stunned.
Complex sealing formulas that should have been incredibly difficult—
Became surprisingly simple in his hands.
"As expected of Kushina's son."
Nagato spoke with satisfaction.
"Your talent for sealing techniques may even surpass your mother's."
"Really?!"
Naruto jumped up in excitement.
"I finally found something I'm better at than Sasuke!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Childish."
Karin also displayed astonishing learning ability.
Her sensory abilities allowed her to perceive chakra flow with extraordinary precision.
The accuracy of her sealing formulas surpassed everyone else's.
"Looks like the bloodline of our clan is awakening again."
Mina sighed emotionally.
"That's a good sign."
But while everyone was immersed in training—
Something unexpected happened.
On the fifth night—
A group of figures dressed entirely in black suddenly attacked their camp.
"Who's there?!"
Sasuke reacted instantly.
His Rinnegan opened.
"Heh heh heh…"
The black-clad man at the front let out a strange laugh.
"To think someone really is trying to rebuild the Land of Whirlpools."
"Who are you?"
Naruto stood.
Golden chakra began rising from his body.
"We are remnants of Root."
The man removed his mask.
A face covered in scars was revealed beneath it.
"Lord Danzō may be dead…"
"But our mission continues."
"Root?"
Nagato's expression changed drastically.
"What are you doing here?"
"What else?"
The scar-faced man sneered.
"We're here to stop you from rebuilding the Land of Whirlpools."
"The sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan are far too dangerous."
"We cannot allow your clan to rise again."
"That excuse again."
Sasuke snorted coldly.
"You rats really do love hiding in the shadows and playing your little games."
"Enough talk!"
The scar-faced man waved his hand.
"Kill them!"
More than a dozen black-clad figures attacked simultaneously.
Ninjutsu filled the air from every direction.
Naruto and Sasuke immediately moved to meet them.
But the enemy had clearly come prepared.
Every black-clad shinobi was strong.
And their teamwork was seamless.
"These guys aren't ordinary."
Sasuke spoke while fighting.
"They're all at least jōnin-level."
"Who cares what level they are?!"
Naruto entered Sage Mode.
"If they came here looking for trouble…"
"I'll beat them until they understand!"
The battle became fierce almost instantly.
Karin, Mina, and the others knew some ninjutsu—
But against opponents of this level, they were clearly at a disadvantage.
"Protect Grandpa Nagato!"
Mina shouted.
Despite his age—
Nagato was still an elder of the Uzumaki clan.
His strength could not be underestimated.
He raised the Soul-Suppressing Staff.
His lips began moving rapidly as he chanted.
"Sealing Technique…"
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/SorenSwiftTL (replace @ with a)