Kushina paused, momentarily stunned.
"The village?" she repeated softly.
At only six years old, she had never truly considered what a "village" meant.
Yet despite having only known Mito for a short while, Kushina had already come to see this radiant woman as something more than a mentor—she was like a mother. Even though Mito was old enough to be her grandmother, her presence filled the emptiness in Kushina's heart.
The contrast between them was stark. Mito was the princess of the fallen Uzumaki clan, wife of the First Hokage of Konoha, a woman of legendary strength and dignity. Kushina was merely a war orphan from the destroyed Land of Whirlpools, nearly killed during the chaos that consumed her home.
The difference between their statuses was like heaven and earth.
Kushina had always lacked a sense of security. That was why she slept with a kunai under her pillow. She had survived the brutal life of a child caught in a warzone, and because of that, she was far more mature than most children her age.
She sensed, even without being told directly, that Konoha expected something from her. That she had been brought here for a reason.
Still, it was Mito who had taken her in, given her shelter, food, and guidance. Most importantly, Kushina felt warmth in the older woman's eyes—a warmth that reminded her of family.
She wanted to repay that kindness, even if she didn't know how.
But to blindly praise Konoha? She couldn't. The village was good, yes, but it wasn't her true home.
Memories stirred in her mind—cold stares from the shinobi who escorted her here, the mocking voices of peers when she struggled at the academy, the sneers about her unusual red hair. She had always fought back, but it never erased the sting of being singled out.
And then… there was Hayashi.
That boy.
On that night, he had awkwardly apologized, gently wiping away her tears.
When they first entered the academy together, Kushina, determined not to be underestimated, had loudly declared her dream of becoming the first female Hokage. It was Hayashi who had stood beside her and promised he would support her dream.
There was something different about him—something she could feel. A detachment from Konoha, from this world itself. A loneliness that came from losing a home.
Kushina understood that feeling. She, too, had been torn away from the place she once belonged. Perhaps that was why she could sense his pain so clearly.
They looked up at the same sky, but each of them saw a different place.
And yet, just looking at him sometimes made her chest tighten, her heart squeeze with an unfamiliar sadness.
What was this strange feeling brewing inside her?
Kushina clutched at the fabric of her shirt and, after a long silence, forced a smile for Mito.
"…I like it very much."
Mito's lips curved knowingly as she gently brushed Kushina's hair.
"What you like isn't this village, is it?"
Kushina blinked, startled, but before she could respond, Mito continued with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Let me guess. Is it that little brat? What a lucky boy. To be admired by such a beautiful girl from the Uzumaki clan… how enviable."
"Grandma Mito!" Kushina's cheeks flared crimson as she stomped her feet in protest.
"Alright, alright," Mito chuckled, raising her hands in mock surrender. "So shy. I won't tease you further."
Her expression softened, her gaze on Kushina filled with both fondness and nostalgia. In that moment, she wasn't just looking at her young junior—she was looking at a memory, a shadow of Tsunade's fiery youth.
"Kushina, do you know what this feeling inside your chest is called?"
"Huh?" Kushina tilted her head, puzzled.
Mito held her hand, guiding it to her own heart. "It's called love."
Kushina's eyes widened. "Love?"
Mito's gaze drifted toward the past, her voice carrying the weight of years.
"When I married Hashirama Senju, I didn't want to. At the time, there was a rumor in the Land of Fire that Hashirama's true feelings were for Madara Uchiha. Because of that, I opposed the marriage."
(Wtf...)
Kushina blinked rapidly, too stunned to speak.
"But in the end, I married him anyway. It was my duty as the princess of the Uzumaki clan. At first, it was only responsibility. Yet, little by little, I found myself drawn to him. Despite being silly at times, a little dense, and too attached to Madara, he had something no one else possessed—his love for others."
She smiled faintly, remembering. "His persistence, his selflessness… it captured me. He made me realize that love is the most powerful bridge we have. It's what allows people to truly connect, to find peace."
"One day, he took me to a mountaintop. There, he told me about his dream. A village, a sanctuary where everyone could belong. A place where children would never have to go to war, where clans could set aside their hatred and stand side by side. That was the birth of Konoha."
Her hand lowered to her stomach, where the Yin Seal's chakra pulsed faintly beneath the layers of her robes.
"Love also comes with responsibility. My life is nearly at its end, Kushina. The beast sealed within me—Kurama, the Nine-Tails—needs a new host. Though the world fears it, in truth, it is lonely. It hides its pain behind anger, but what it truly needs is someone to embrace it. Someone with love in their heart."
Her eyes softened as she looked at Kushina. "If you accept this burden, you will gain the power to protect Konoha, and those you hold dear."
Kushina's small fists clenched. The weight of the words frightened her, but she remembered the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools. She remembered her helplessness. Power was necessary if she wanted to protect the people she loved.
"…I'm willing."
Even though she didn't fully understand what a Jinchūriki was, if Grandma Mito asked this of her, then it must be the right path.
Mito smiled warmly, brushing Kushina's hair back. "Good child. You'll do well." She rose gracefully, her long dress trailing like the petals of a lotus in bloom.
"Lastly," she added, narrowing her eyes with a playful smile, "the girls of the Uzumaki clan are bold. If you meet a boy you truly like, don't hold back. Don't hesitate—snatch him without fear."
Her lips curved into a triumphant grin. "After all, that's how I snatched Hashirama away from Madara."
"Grandma!" Kushina protested loudly, face burning red.
Mito chuckled again, her eyes gleaming with both mischief and pride.
"I truly look forward to meeting that Uchiha boy you're so fond of."
The room fell into silence, yet Kushina's heart beat wildly, as if echoing Mito's words.
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