In about a minute, Nagi had already packed up most of the forbidden techniques he was interested in.
Then, using the mark left behind by the Shun Goku Satsu Formation, he returned to Naruto's side.
Thanks to his Wood Release, Nagi blocked all sensory detection.
Wood Release suppressed chakra flow—so as long as he surrounded Naruto completely with it, Hiruzen wouldn't be able to sense Naruto's chakra, and thus couldn't monitor him.
"The ANBU should be out there looking for Naruto by now."
Nagi hoisted up the completely cocooned Naruto and carried him to the forest on the eastern edge of the village.
He had already prepared everything there.
"Alright, come on out."
Once Nagi dispelled the Wood Release binding, Naruto didn't respond.
"…Don't tell me he fell asleep."
Nagi was honestly impressed. This kid actually managed to fall asleep at a time like this.
"Well, I already used him as the scapegoat—might as well help him a little more."
Looking at Naruto fast asleep, Nagi decided to go the extra mile.
After all, his gains tonight had already been absurd.
Nagi entered Naruto's mindspace using his consciousness.
"So this is the Nine-Tails? Damn, it's massive."
He first scanned his surroundings, then looked at the Kyūbi locked behind the bars.
To be honest, the Nine-Tails' life in that iron prison didn't seem too great.
"...Huh?"
The freshly awakened Nine-Tails was baffled. Why was someone here?
And of all people—it was someone he despised.
"GET OUT! GET OUT OF HERE!"
The Kyūbi roared furiously and hurled a verbal onslaught at Nagi from behind the bars.
Its crimson eyes locked onto him.
"You… You have Wood Release chakra! Get out, now!!"
The Nine-Tails immediately sensed Wood Release, and with it, the aura of the First Hokage. How could it not panic?
"Relax, relax. I'm here to help."
Nagi tried to offer what he thought was a friendly smile.
To the Nine-Tails, though, he looked like a complete demon.
"...Sigh. Guess I'll have to do it the hard way."
Seeing that words weren't working, Nagi stepped inside the cell the next moment.
He activated his Wood Release and smacked the Kyūbi right on the forehead.
Boom!
The hulking fox was sent flying into the cell wall behind it.
Yep—when it came to taming the Nine-Tails, Wood Release was still king.
Now the Nine-Tails stopped yelling. Or talking at all.
"See? This is what I mean by calming down."
Under Wood Release, all beings are equal.
"What do you want?"
The Kyūbi seethed with frustration but had nowhere to vent it—he couldn't even win a fight against this guy.
Looking at the sulking Nine-Tails, Nagi decided not to push it.
"When Naruto trains his jutsu, don't interfere."
He had only used enough force to scare it. Otherwise, the fox would've kept ranting non-stop.
"That's it?"
The Nine-Tails felt completely wronged. You broke in here just to whack me for that?
Do you have any idea how traumatic a wake-up slap is for a just-awakened fox?
"…Fine."
The Kyūbi agreed begrudgingly, face dark.
"Good fox."
Nagi nodded in satisfaction.
He then glanced around the prison. Honestly, the Nine-Tails' accommodations sucked.
Nagi forcibly undid some of the seal bindings—not to kill the beast, as the Kyūbi feared, but simply to expand the cell.
At least now it wouldn't be so cramped in here.
"Nine-Tails, stay put and behave from now on."
The carrot-and-stick combo worked wonders.
"Hmm? Where is this?"
"White Night!"
Naruto lit up the moment he woke up and saw Nagi.
"This is the place where the Scroll of Seals is hidden. You've got two hours. After that, Mizuki will probably come looking for you."
Nagi had already calculated the entire sequence down to the minute.
"What about you?"
Naruto clutched the scroll in panic.
Everything had been handed to him on a silver platter, and he'd done nothing in return.
He was so moved he nearly cried.
"I've decided—I'm going to confess everything to Lord Hokage!"
Naruto made up his mind on the spot.
Nagi just smiled without saying a word.
He wasn't worried in the slightest. Even if Naruto ratted him out, there was no risk.
After all, this body was just a clone.
His real self? Enjoying dinner at the Yamanaka household.
Between Yamanaka Inoichi and Ino herself, he had solid alibis: he hadn't left all night.
Even if Naruto pointed fingers, he had airtight proof of innocence.
"Alright then, I'll take my leave."
With that, Nagi dispelled the clone.
Elsewhere, in the Yamanaka household—
"Hmm?"
"Nagi-kun, was my cooking not to your liking?"
Ino looked at him nervously.
She had put in so much effort to show off her domestic skills. It was a rare chance to have Nagi over as a guest.
"No, it was excellent."
Nagi smiled softly. He had just been momentarily overwhelmed as the clone's memories returned to him.
But now, he was back in sync.
"Really?!"
Ino's face went bright red.
He praised me…!
"Oh, right—Nagi, have you given any thought to team assignments?"
Inoichi gave his daughter a look. She was being too obvious.
The real reason for tonight's dinner was to get a read on where Nagi planned to go next.
"Well, I have been thinking about that…"
Nagi replied after a moment of thought.
[End of Chapter]