"Reiji, this woman is Miss Tsunade Senju, the granddaughter of the First Hokage and also the granddaughter of Lady Mito Uzumaki."
Keito spoke cautiously, trying to explain to Reiji.
"Oh? Is that so?" Reiji looked at Tsunade as if he had just realized that fact, even though it was clear that he didn't care.
"Hmph." Tsunade huffed in annoyance, glaring at Reiji with an unhappy expression.
However, disregarding Tsunade's expression, Reiji immediately stated his position.
"If Uncle just wants me to teach Kushina, I have no problem with that. However..." Reiji paused for a moment, his gaze turning cold. "I do not want the Fuinjutsu I teach to be spread to Konoha."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly, her brow furrowing in displeasure.
"What?" Reiji looked back at Tsunade without a hint of hesitation.
"Even though we are allies, if one day Konoha betrays us, should I still give them what we have?" Reiji's tone became sharp, piercing like a knife. "Do you think we need you that much?"
"You!" Tsunade felt her anger rising to its peak.
"Konoha would never do that!" Tsunade retorted loudly.
Reiji smiled slightly, but it was not a friendly smile; it was full of mockery.
"Really?" Reiji's voice was laced with sarcasm.
"Right now, Lady Mito is surely dying, and Kushina has been taken to Konoha to replace Lady Mito."
"So, what if Uzushio is attacked? Konoha certainly wouldn't care, because they already have a replacement."
"They have already gotten what they need—Kushina."
"No!" Tsunade shouted loudly.
"We are not like that!"
"Don't speak as if you know everything about Konoha! And don't you dare say anything bad about my grandmother!"
Reiji remained unfazed, his gaze becoming even sharper.
"That is most likely what will happen," Reiji said coldly. "Believe it or not."
"Shut your mouth!" Tsunade clenched her fists, her teeth gritted in anger.
But before the situation escalated further...
"Reiji, enough!"
Keito shouted loudly, cutting through the tension between them.
Reiji flinched, realizing that he might have gone too far.
Then, Reiji's eyes caught sight of Kushina sitting there, her face pale, her eyes wide with confusion... and tears began to well up in the corners of Kushina's eyes.
Reiji fell silent.
For a moment, Reiji's anger still burned—because he knew what would happen in the future.
However, despite all that, Reiji still couldn't change it.
And worse yet... Reiji had unleashed that anger in front of Kushina, a child who was still too young to understand what was happening.
Now, Reiji had made Kushina afraid.
Reiji clenched his fists in silence, holding back the frustration that was boiling inside him.
"I will leave. Kushina, you can come starting tomorrow."
Reiji said in a flat tone before turning and walking away without saying goodbye or even looking back.
Keito could only remain silent, allowing Reiji's departure to go unchallenged.
Meanwhile, Kasumi quickly approached Kushina, trying to comfort her and make her stop crying.
Karina continued to hold Kushina tightly, showing no expression, as if wanting to provide protection that could not be expressed in words.
Seeing that scene, Tsunade finally realized...
The decision Tsunade faced was far heavier than she had thought.
On one hand, Tsunade was worried about her grandmother's condition.
After all, even though Mito came from the Uzumaki Clan, known for their long lifespans, age was still something that could not be fought against.
Mito was growing older, and now she was on the brink of death.
That was why Tsunade, along with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, was sent to the Village of Uzushio with one goal: to bring a child from the Uzumaki Clan to serve as a vessel for the Kyūbi.
Tsunade knew this was an important mission.
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