'So . . . How do I play this?' Shiki wondered.
The minutes trickled by as the boy swayed between the two options, loud or quiet.
'The quiet route is probably the smartest way to go.' He decided.
A major problem still remained however.
'How to actually escape . . . Is my False Lightning Chakra Mode speed sufficient to get me through this?' Shiki internally questioned.
'Probably not.' Was the conclusion he nearly immediately arrived at.
Spacetime ninjutsu would be the most surefire failsafe, just in case.
While it would severely damage the possibility of a successful frame job, having the option to just disappear if things got too hot would be an invaluable assurance.
'The only spacetime ninjutsu I currently possess is the Summoning: Spacetime Hole from the Gelel Temple but that is a destructive jutsu without any fine control.' Shiki thought to himself.
'That said, I could probably jury rig an escape method, I just need a little bit of time and some setup.'
'I'll start by figuring out the hidden location and any possible details about it. Meanwhile, I'll begin developing my escape focused Spacetime Jutsu.' He concluded.
*
While Shiki delighted himself with his maniacal plans, Mito was also moving things along on her end.
Namely, she was currently making contact with Uchiha Naori.
How, might one ask, does a high profile figure like the Uzumaki matriarch approach a respected elder of the Uchiha clan without alerting a single soul?
Simple, by cloaking herself in a personal barrier capable of blocking even the sharingan's perception and then walking straight into the Uchiha District before slowly making her way to the slightly remote residence of Naori with all due calm.
As she walked, Mito looked around, seeing the smiling common people go about their daily lives burdened only by regular worries.
Housewives deciding what to make for dinner.
Merchants haggling over common wares.
All protected under the watchful gaze of the Konoha MIlitary Police Force, better known as the Uchiha Police Force.
'Well . . . Not watchful enough to notice me.' The Uzumaki matriarch thought with some amusement.
Still, she could not help but admit that the atmosphere in the Uchiha District was distinctly better than in the rest of the village.
Say what you want about the clan but they take care of their own, even the regular civilians which are actually the majority.
Soon enough, Mito arrived at the slightly isolated and humble residence of Uchiha Naori.
Without bothering to knock, she simply made her way in and extended the barrier previously only covering her to cloak the entire house.
Conversely, everyone within the house would now be able to detect her, though there was only one such individual.
"I heard Mito-sama had become quite dignified and observant of decorum in your old age but I'm glad to see such rumors were unfounded." An aged voice sounded out.
Even with her long wavy purple hair whitened by age, cropped bangs hung over her forehead and skin marked by the passage of time, the shadow of a once great beauty could still be seen in the kind face of the speaker.
With closed eyes and a gentle smile, she continued speaking despite the lack of response . . .
"Walking into my home completely unannounced, feeling even younger than I remember when I was but a mere child during the founding of the village . . . What could Mito-sama want with an old faded Uchiha like me?"
The redhead, vibrant and using her young, fully rejuvenated and empowered appearance, chuckled in amusement.
"You were always a smart lass, Naori. Why don't you guess?" Mito finally spoke.
"Well . . . Based on the vibrant lifeforce I feel, Mito-sama must have come with a dangerous offer full of temptation." Naori responded.
"Easy enough to figure out, no?" The Uzumaki matriarch commented.
Hours passed as day turned to night and Mito left Uchiha Naori's residence with a smile on her young, devastatingly beautiful face.
Inside, the aged Naori grasped a single small bottle with a blood colored pill inside while deep in thought.
*
Back at the Uzumaki Mansion, the redhead now awaited a visitor she had requested come to see her.
Perhaps a bit older than Naori but still having plenty of pep in her step so to speak, sporting light-coloured eyes, an oval face and a very stoic expression along with white, once dark brown hair tied in an elaborate top-knot with a long bang covering the left side of her face an aging woman stepping in to Mito's living room.
"You requested my presence, Mito-sama?" The woman formally inquired.
Now in her older and aging guise, Mito smiled at the formal and sharp woman, seemingly undulled by age.
"Still unable to loosen up even in your old age, Toka?" The redhead teased.
A pout rather unsuited for her solemn and austere aging look, appeared on Senju Toka's face.
"These niceties must be observed." She insisted.
Mito could only shake her head in exasperation.
The woman's attitude reminded her of Shiki's refusal to address her as anything other than Mito-sama despite her numerous requests for him to speak more casually.
"Sit. I have an important matter to discuss with you." The Uzumaki matriarch declared.
And, barely giving Toka time to sit, Mito aging, wrinkled skin became lustrously young, her red hair, once losing its vibrancy now bore a mesmerizing crimson color more eye catching than the Senju ever remembered and her softened tired eyes regained the sharpness of cold steel.
"This . . ." Toka was at a loss for words.
"This is the truth of my current state and part of the offer I'm making to you." Mito declared.*
A few hours later, Senju Toka solemnly made her way back to her own residence, her hand continuously feeling the small pill bottle tucked in her kimono.
*
'With those two secured and empowered, arrangements will proceed far more smoothly. All I have to do now is wait for them to set things up on their end and for Shiki to gather as much evidence as possible.' The Uzumaki matriarch thought to herself as she drank her favorite tea.
While she held quite the tight reign over the Senju, there were still some old men within the clan that made noise whenever she started making decisions over the clan.
This was simply because, despite having married Senju Hashirama, Mito kept the Uzumaki surname.
So having a powerful ally within the Senju that she could trust to lead the clan in the "right" way, would make things significantly easier.
Nawaki was too young and Tsunade was still too naive and ignorant of politics to lead.
It was fine while Mito herself was around but that would not last long.
'Considering I do not want to reveal my current rejuvenated state, the obvious move for the Monkey is to push for a new Jinchuuriki.' Mito was long aware of it.
'The special clone created through the Four Symbol Puppet Clone Jutsu has been redying Kushina in Uzushio.'
'Once the Nine Tails is transferred to her, I can sacrifice the clone to restore my life while instantly transporting myself to its previous location.' She planned.
That meant that while the world considered her dead, she would be in perfect health, back home in Uzushio with half of the Nine Tailed Fox.
Once this strategic relocation was undertaken, lulling their enemies into a false sense of security, it was imperative having someone strong enough and politically capable enough to hold the reins of the Senju in Mito's absence.
Senju Toka was who the Uzumaki matriarch had chosen for the job.
+++++
Hey, Author here!
To promote the novel I will be releasing BONUS CHAPTERS on SUNDAYS based on the previous week's power stone count.
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
500 Power Stones = 2 Bonus Chapters
1000 Power Stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
Every earned BONUS CHAPTER on Webnovel will also be posted on Scribble.
Just a reminder that you can read up to a FULL MONTH ahead of this site on pa-treon.
I'm trying to become a full time Author now and I'm not going to be starting any new novels just so I can make sure this one is properly completed.
Find those sweet advanced chapters on pa-treon.com/lusoba without the -