The atmosphere was tense. Senju Rinki's face was ashen — truthfully, it hadn't looked normal in quite some time.
Standing behind Captain Yellow Dog, Yagami waited for his orders.
In front of the captain, Danzo spoke coldly.
"Senju Clan must surrender the Uzumaki sealing techniques. The Nine Tails will be sealed by the Anbu.
Senju Rinki, your clan is not what it used to be — nowhere near the level it was under Lord Tobirama's leadership.
If the sealing goes wrong, half the village will die because of your clan's ambition."
Rinki's expression twisted in pain before he exhaled slowly and answered,
"The Senju Clan is weaker because we've sacrificed too much for this village!
My father died. My uncle died. My younger brother died. And now, my son is dead too.
Tell me — which one of them didn't die for the sake of the village?
The Nine Tails' seal is the foundation of the Senju Clan. Only we possess the sealing arts strong enough to contain it, and only my niece, Uzumaki Kushina, can endure its chakra.
The Nine Tails' seal must be completed by the Senju Clan! On this matter, I will not compromise."
Yagami listened with interest. It was clear neither side would back down.
As long as the Senju Clan controlled the Nine Tails, they remained the greatest clan in the Hidden Leaf.
Even weakened, even after countless deaths, they were still indispensable to the village.
If they yielded now and handed the seal to the Anbu, the organization could use the pretext of "maintaining the seal" to seize control over the jinchūriki itself.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, spoke up.
"Enough. This isn't the place to argue."
Danzo's face remained emotionless, while Rinki bit down on his teeth, his jaw trembling.
Hiruzen's gaze shifted several times as he looked at the Senju patriarch's stubborn, almost feral expression. Finally, he sighed.
"Endless arguing won't help. Lady Mito's mind grows less clear by the day.
However, we cannot conduct the sealing transfer within the village. If anything goes wrong, half of Konoha would perish with it.
Clan Head Rinki, draft a plan and begin preparations for the transfer."
Rinki's eyes brightened — had the village finally compromised?
Danzo glanced at Hiruzen in confusion, wondering why he had deviated from their earlier plan to pressure the Senju further.
"Understood, Lord Hokage. I'll design a flawless sealing plan!"
Hiruzen nodded, though his face was heavy with concern.
"Rinki, I understand your position.
But tell me — does the Senju Clan still have the strength to complete this seal? How much power are you truly willing to put forth?
Danzo is right — your clan's decline is undeniable.
I want a practical solution, not just your conviction."
Rinki spoke with unwavering confidence.
"Lord Hokage, our clan has long studied ways to unite people's power.
Yes, the number of our Kage-level and elite ninja has dropped, but the Senju never believed in relying solely on individuals — our strength lies in unity.
We have developed a Combined Sealing Technique, capable of merging the power of every Senju.
When the time comes, I'll have every member of the clan — men, women, young, and old — join together to complete the seal!"
From afar, Yagami listened, stunned.
Was Rinki really planning to gamble everything the Senju had on this seal?
Could this "Nine Tails Transfer Seal" be the night of the Senju Clan's destruction?
His heart trembled. No... I can't let the Senju fall like they did in the original timeline.
Meanwhile, Hiruzen and Danzo walked toward the Hokage building.
The surrounding area was cleared by Anbu — no one else was present.
Danzo broke the silence. "So, you've made up your mind?"
Hiruzen nodded grimly.
"The Second Great Ninja War has only lasted two years, yet too many from Konoha have died.
In just two years, we've lost a quarter of our shinobi.
The more relatives people lose, the more resentment they direct toward me.
I can't take any more risks. I can't allow any accidents. We must keep the Nine Tails under firm control.
Danzo… execute your plan. Go to the frontlines and contact Orochimaru."
Danzo nodded and vanished in an instant.
The next morning, after the shift change, Yagami followed Captain Inu back to the Anbu base.
The captain issued a new order: every squad and team leader was to study the Combined Sealing Technique — investigate its history and collect all available intelligence.
At this time, the Anbu weren't skilled in sealing arts, and Root hadn't yet adopted the cursed tongue seal.
Yagami himself knew a few seals: the Karmic Binding Seal from his system, and the Contract Seal gifted to him by Uzumaki Yuka's scroll.
He only pretended to study the new seal alongside the others — there was no way he would expose his own techniques.
Days passed. The Nine Tails' chakra grew increasingly unstable.
By the twelfth day of the second month, the Senju Clan finally began preparations for the sealing ritual.
Under the night sky, one by one, the lights within the Senju compound went out.
Doors opened. Senju ninja stepped into the streets.
Husbands and wives. Fathers and sons. Brothers and sisters.
As long as they were shinobi — even those freshly graduated from the Academy — they donned their traditional robes bearing the clan crest.
Unlike the standard flak jackets, these robes were grand and flowing, more like those of nobility.
The Senju were a clan steeped in honor — a lineage that carried over a thousand years of pride.
Every face showed that same pride.
If they succeeded in completing the seal transfer, the Senju Clan could continue to thrive around Uzumaki Kushina for decades to come.
Long ago, when Hashirama Senju left the Nine Tails to Leaf and his clan, he believed that only the Senju and Uzumaki possessed the power to control it.
Yet now, the once-glorious clan had withered, relying solely on the jinchūriki to preserve their strength.
This was their lowest point — but also their chance to rise again.
Their young heir, Nawaki, had already fallen in battle. This was the moment for the clan to either perish or be reborn.
Uzumaki Kushina would become the next Kage-level ninja of the Senju line.
From the rooftop outside the compound, Yagami gazed at the scene below — the once-lively Senju district was eerily empty.
Only a few children who hadn't yet graduated from the Academy remained, each carrying infants on their backs.
At the gates stood the elderly and crippled, watching silently with anxious eyes.
From what Yagami knew, aside from Tsunade and a few critical members still stationed at the frontlines, every Senju had returned home.
In the depths of the compound, Uzumaki Mito moved slowly, pausing to rest after every few steps, supported by others as she was helped into a carriage.
Uzumaki Kushina followed and climbed aboard.
This time, it wasn't a ruse like the one during battle before — this was the true sealing transfer.
The carriage wheels began to turn, carrying both the elder and the young Uzumaki forward.
Around them marched eight of the Senju Clan's finest.
Tonight... might very well be the Senju Clan's requiem — their final song.
***
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