Age Sixteen (continued)
The central chamber was deep underground.
The walls were lined with sealing tags—Uchiha designs, I recognized them. The bomb sat in the center of the room, a sphere of purple chakra suspended in a cage of steel and stone.
"It's powered by the three-tails," Tsunade said, her eyes wide. "The jinchuriki's chakra is feeding it. If we disrupt the seals, the bomb could detonate."
"Then we don't disrupt them. We disable them."
I walked to the bomb. My Eternal Mangekyo showed me the threads—every seal, every connection, every consequence. I could see how to disable it. How to drain the chakra. How to make it harmless.
But it would take time. And the jinchuriki was coming.
"Shikaku, Tsunade. Guard the entrance. I need ten minutes."
"Five," Shikaku said. "The jinchuriki is already on her way."
"Then I'll do it in five."
---
I worked fast.
My hands moved across the seals, tracing the patterns, redirecting the chakra flow. The purple light dimmed. The sphere shrank.
Three minutes. Two. One.
The jinchuriki's chakra filled the corridor. She was close. I could feel her rage, her hunger.
"Ren!" Tsunade shouted. "She's here!"
"Almost done."
The jinchuriki burst through the door. Her purple chakra blazed like a second sun. Her eyes were wild, feral.
"You," she snarled. "The boy who escaped."
"The boy who's going to stop you."
I slammed my hand on the final seal. The bomb flickered, dimmed, and died.
"No!" she screamed.
She lunged at me. My chains shot out—golden and blazing—and wrapped around her arms, her legs, her throat. She struggled, but the Eternal Mangekyo had made my chains stronger.
"Run!" I shouted.
We ran.
---
The fortress was in chaos.
Guards were everywhere, but they were disorganized, confused. Shikaku led us through the chaos, his shadow techniques tripping pursuers, creating diversions. Tsunade healed our wounds as we ran. I covered our retreat, my chains cutting down anyone who got too close.
We reached the cliff. The sea was below us.
"Jump!" I shouted.
We jumped.
The water was cold and dark. I surfaced, gasping, and looked back at the fortress. The jinchuriki was standing on the cliff, screaming in rage. But she didn't follow.
The bomb was destroyed. The mission was a success.