Inside the Seal Space, it was oppressive, damp, and filled with nauseating negative energy.
Hinata's words left the Nine-Tailed completely bewildered; it had no idea what she was talking about and only felt like she was mocking it.
Hinata slowly approached the Nine-Tailed, staring into its bloodshot eyes while also sensing its power.
The massive iron bars seemed to separate two different worlds; behind them, the Nine-Tailed stared deathly at Hinata.
"Roar—!!!"
A roar even more violent and filled with killing intent than before exploded! The terrifying Chakra, like a physical black storm, frantically battered the iron bars.
"Get lost! Stay away from me! Don't come near me!"
The Nine-Tailed's voice sounded like countless pieces of metal grinding together as it roared frantically.
Hinata's cat-loving genes were activated by the hissing sounds, and her fists tightened.
[This is a Jazz Bad Cat, Can Dasi]
The moment the young girl approached, the Nine-Tailed's instincts as a Tailed Beast began to scream in warning; its fur started to stand on end as its intuition told it that this person was extremely dangerous.
Naruto was startled by the sudden violence and took half a step back, but he still forced himself to shout, "You damn fox! What are you going crazy for?!"
"Shut up! You idiot!" Part of the Nine-Tailed's rage seemed to shift onto Naruto.
"Do you have any idea what kind of monster you've brought in here?!"
The Nine-Tailed watched Hinata warily, unsure of what she intended to do.
Hinata took a few more steps forward, getting even closer to the massive iron bars.
"You're afraid," she said softly, observing the Nine-Tailed's stress response.
These words were like adding fuel to the fire.
"Afraid?! I would be afraid of an ant like you?! What a joke!"
The Nine-Tailed's roar nearly shattered the space; it slammed frantically against the iron bars, its claws tearing through the air toward Hinata with a fierce wind, only to be firmly blocked by the invisible power of the Seal.
"Just you?! With this damn Seal in place, what can you possibly do to me?! You can't get in! You can't even scratch me! When I get out, the first thing I'll do is tear you to shreds!"
The Nine-Tailed roared, trying to use anger to mask its inner feelings.
Hinata listened quietly to its roaring until the sound subsided slightly.
"A Seal, huh... it is indeed a bit of a nuisance."
It was interfering with her cat-loving.
"So," Hinata's gaze swept over the shimmering runes before finally resting back on the Nine-Tailed's crimson pupils, which had constricted slightly in suspicion, "I'll just undo it."
What?!
Undo the Seal?!
Naruto was dumbfounded!
The Nine-Tailed was also stunned, followed by an even more frantic and unbelievable roar.
"What did you say?! Undo the Seal?! How arrogant!"
Before its words could even land, Hinata's body floated up toward the Seal tag on the gate, reaching out to tear it off.
"Stop it!!" The Nine-Tailed let out a genuine roar tinged with a hint of panic.
Although it craved freedom, it certainly didn't want it in this manner! If the Seal was removed in front of this person, it would lose the Seal's protection; the consequences would be unthinkable, as it would have to face this young girl directly.
Buzz—!!!
Just as Hinata's hand was about to tear off the Seal.
A figure appeared without warning, grabbing Hinata's hand and stopping her.
Hinata turned her head to see a young man wearing a white Hokage robe, with the same brilliant golden hair, looking at her with a smile.
Hinata let go; seeing Minato was within her expectations. She landed on the ground and took a few steps back.
Minato stood between Hinata and the Seal.
"Let's stop here, young lady of the Hyuga Clan," Minato Namikaze said in a calm tone.
"This Seal is vital to Naruto's safety and the stability of the entire Konoha; it cannot be undone yet."
The sudden turn of events caused the entire Seal Space to fall silent instantly.
The Nine-Tailed looked at the golden figure and let out a low growl mixed with deep-seated hatred and a hint of complex emotion.
"It's you... Fourth Hokage!"
Naruto was completely bewildered, looking at the young man who shared a similar face to his own.
"Eh? Fourth Hokage? Why are you here?"
Minato looked at Naruto, his eyes filled with endless apology and tenderness.
"Naruto, you've grown up."
"You... how do you know my name?" Naruto was stunned.
"I was the one who gave you your name; you are my son."
"Then... that means you're my father?!" Naruto stood rooted to the spot, feeling both excited and happy, his lips involuntarily curling upward.
His father was actually the Hokage... Minato didn't have time to explain much more to Naruto; he looked back at Hinata, his gaze becoming sharp.
"I can feel that you possess power beyond imagination, but regardless of what you intend to do, I will never allow it if it involves harming Naruto or breaking the Seal."
Hinata looked at the suddenly appearing Fourth Hokage.
"I don't intend to harm Naruto. As you should have seen, suppressing this fox isn't difficult for me. It's just too arrogant, and I wanted to teach it a lesson to keep it from making trouble."
Her gaze moved past Minato, looking once more at the Nine-Tailed behind the iron cage.
"Now, do you still think I have no way of dealing with you?"
Under the gaze of those calm Byakugan, the Nine-Tailed actually took a step back, letting out a threatening low growl, but its previous arrogant aura had mostly dissipated.
It realized that this human girl truly had the ability and the audacity to touch the Seal that even it held in some degree of awe.
Minato's brow furrowed slightly; he could sense the seriousness in Hinata's words. He said in a deep voice.
"Regardless of your reasons, the Seal must not be compromised. You can use other methods."
Hinata looked at the Nine-Tailed, which was acting as if facing a great enemy, then at Minato, who was protective of his child, and finally at Naruto, who was still processing the information about his "father." Let's end it here for today.
Originally, she had wanted to have a good talk with Minato, such as about Naruto's tragic experiences and the matter of Obito, to see how Minato would react. It seemed now was not the right time for such a discussion.
If she continued, she feared Minato might also have a stress response. If he exhausted his remaining Chakra to resist her, there would be nothing left to talk about.
"It seems today isn't a good time for a conversation." She withdrew her gaze and gave a slight nod to Minato. "Fourth Hokage, sorry for the intrusion. We will meet again."
She took another look at the Nine-Tailed, which was huddled deep in the cage, still baring its teeth at her but no longer daring to roar wildly. She then turned to the dazed Naruto.
"Let's go, Naruto. It's time to head back."
Consciousness returned.
In the forest, Naruto abruptly opened his eyes, his face filled with shock, confusion, and countless questions.
"Father... Fourth Hokage... Hinata, you..." He felt like his head was about to explode.
Seeing his headache, Hinata decided to let Naruto process it himself. At least knowing his father was the Hokage would stop Naruto from being so self-deprecating; he'd probably be happy for a while.
He might also resent the Fourth for a moment for making him carry these burdens, but then he'd let it go, thinking that as the son of the Hokage, he could endure it.
The benevolent Ashura's power would correct him.
"Go back and think about it slowly."
After Hinata spoke, her figure slowly vanished into the shadows of the woods, leaving Naruto alone on the spot, his heart racing, unable to calm down for a long time.
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