Tap.
Kai's fingertip landed on Naruto's burning forehead once more.
This time, the Vajra Sealing Chains surged forth again—but unlike before, they were wrapped in Mangekyō-level mental domination.
Hua—hua—
Pff.
Like a stone dropped into a deep lake, Naruto's beast-twisted, feral face froze mid-snarl.
Behind him, the five crimson chakra tails were extinguished instantly.
Gone.
Snuffed out like flames in a vacuum.
And at the exact moment Kai's finger touched Naruto's skin—
his eyes slowly closed.
Drip.
Drip.
Darkness.
Pure, boundless darkness.
Only the faint sound of water rippling echoed around him.
"So… I finally made it in."
Kai's lips curled slightly as he looked ahead—despite there being nothing but black.
"Long time no see, Kurama."
Hua—
At those words, the darkness peeled away.
Revealing the truth.
This wasn't the sewer-like prison Naruto usually saw.
It was an endless ocean of crimson chakra, rolling and boiling in all directions.
Thick, viscous energy churned like blood plasma, bubbling violently.
Glub—glub—
Every bubble that burst released a choking, nauseating stench.
Enough to make ordinary people faint on the spot.
But for Kai—
it meant nothing.
His gaze swept across the crimson sea and finally settled at its center.
There stood a massive cage of colossal iron bars.
And within it—
a pair of enormous, vertical crimson pupils burning with pure malice, staring straight at him.
"Uchiha brat…"
Kurama's voice was low and hoarse, like an old monster growling deep in the mountains.
"I didn't expect you'd actually be able to get in here."
"Since you're here—"
"Die."
No pleasantries.
No hesitation.
The Nine-Tails attacked instantly.
Its massive body surged with power, nine crimson tails whipping violently.
BOOOOM—!
Pure malice condensed into substance, smashing toward Kai.
A normal person—no, even an elite jōnin—would have their soul torn apart by this kind of mental assault.
But Kai…
wasn't normal.
"…That's it?"
He muttered, shaking his head.
"No small talk? You really don't understand social etiquette."
No wonder this fox spent its life either sealed—
or on the way to being sealed.
He calmly activated the trait Heart Toward the Light.
Hummmm—
In an instant, the soul-crushing wave of hatred passed straight through his body.
Not even slowing.
Instead, it tore across the chakra sea behind him, stirring massive turbulence.
"…Huh?"
Kurama's hoarse voice faltered slightly.
Its tails lashed harder, agitation growing.
Then it threw back its head and roared.
BOOOOM—!
"Annoying."
Kai frowned, irritation finally surfacing.
Why did this fox keep screaming?
Did it think he came here to negotiate?
He slowly raised his right hand.
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG—!
A screeching metallic roar exploded through the space, instantly suppressing Kurama's howl.
These were no longer the restrained, gentle golden chains used outside.
They were molten, blazing like solidified lava.
Three thick, crimson-gold chains, blazing with searing heat, burst from Kai's hand.
Ancient, complex sealing runes crawled along every link.
The mere sound of their movement silenced the surrounding chakra sea.
Vajra Sealing Chains.
The most fundamental sealing power of the Uzumaki bloodline.
And far stronger here—inside the seal—than anything used on Naruto's body.
"WHAT?!"
Kurama's body snapped upright.
Its limbs stiffened, back arching instinctively.
Fur bristled.
Fear—raw and ancient—flashed across its face.
It stepped back.
Just one step.
Too late.
The crimson chains lunged like living dragons.
Spinning. Whistling. Hunting.
BANG—BANG—BANG!
In a blink, they locked around Kurama's shoulders, waist, limbs—
even two of its tails were bound tight.
The sealing runes spread like parasites, racing along its chakra pathways.
Crimson chakra flared—
and was instantly extinguished.
"ROOOAR—!!!"
Kurama screamed again.
But this time, it wasn't rage.
It was fear.
"WHY?! Why do you have THIS MUCH chakra?!"
This wasn't Kurama's first time facing Vajra chains.
But to be suppressed this easily?
Even the previous red-haired woman—
even she had needed serious effort.
Kurama knew the truth of Vajra Seals.
Age and physique mattered, yes.
But above all—
chakra quantity.
The more chakra, the stronger the chains.
So why—
why did this red-eyed brat have more chakra than that woman ever did?!
It couldn't comprehend it.
Kai lifted a finger and wagged it lightly.
"Chakra?"
"Please."
"Call me Chakratons."
After years of sunlight exposure, high-grade Wood Release cells, Eight Gates conditioning, and Sage Mode—
Kai's chakra reserves had already climbed close to three million units.
Kurama struggled violently.
The chains roared and rattled.
"Still fighting when you're tied up?"
Kai sighed.
Then—
SMACK.
A formless air blast—Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm—slapped Kurama straight across the mouth.
A crisp, humiliating sound echoed.
The Nine-Tails froze.
Then—
SMACK—SMACK—SMACK!
More invisible slaps hammered its face, one after another.
Each strike drove the once-arrogant head downward—
crushed into the sludge of its own chakra sea.
Its pupils exploded with fury.
"I'LL TEAR YOU APART, YOU DAMN HUMAN BRAT!!!"
Kurama thrashed wildly.
Claws raked the chains.
Its maw blasted destructive chakra beams, trying to obliterate the bindings.
But the crimson chains didn't budge.
Instead—
a familiar power emerged behind Kai.
PFF—PFF.
Two crimson chakra tails formed behind him.
Swaying.
Fox-like.
Kurama's ancient, violent eyes widened.
For the first time in centuries—
shock appeared in them.
"THAT'S—!"
"How do you have MY power?!"
"Relax," Kai said cheerfully, grinning wide.
"We're just getting started."
As his words fell—
a third crimson chakra tail formed behind him.
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