To read the next chapters of the book, please visit *patreon. com/casca02*
"A canary in a cage."
"Huh? What?"
"I said you're like a canary kept in a cage. You look glamorous, but in reality, you have no freedom at all."
Uzumaki Kushina had personally told him and Mikoto about being chosen as the next Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, so Uchiha Yuzuru didn't have to worry about bringing it up.
Hearing Uchiha Yuzuru's evaluation of her, Uzumaki Kushina was stunned for a moment.
Then her mouth pouted, and her eyes immediately welled up.
"You, what do you know? I've long been prepared to accept this fate."
"I came to Konoha for this in the first place!"
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Yuzuru said indifferently, "Then do you like this fate?"
"What difference does it make whether I like it or not?"
"If you don't like it, then resist!"
Uchiha Yuzuru suddenly pressed down on Uzumaki Kushina's head and loudly said, "Why accept others' arrangements? Why can't you do what you want to do?"
"Constant compromise will only lead to others' escalating oppression."
"Right now, you're not even a Jinchuriki and you're restricted from leaving the village. What about after you become a Jinchuriki?"
"Will you be monitored even when you sleep, and have to report to the Hokage just to go shopping?"
"Lord Mito must have told you some things already!"
After hearing Uchiha Yuzuru's words, Uzumaki Kushina could no longer hold back, and all the grievances in her heart surged out.
Two lines of clear tears flowed from her eyes, and she murmured, "But, but I want to gain everyone's approval…"
Uchiha Yuzuru snorted lightly, "Why care so much about what other people think? Is their approval or disapproval really important?"
"Can approval gained through compromise truly make you happy?"
Looking into Uchiha Yuzuru's dark eyes, Uzumaki Kushina felt all the strength drain from her body.
She squatted on the ground, burying her head in her arms, and sobbed, "I, I don't know…"
"Yuzuru, I don't want to be a Jinchuriki, I don't want to be monitored all the time, I also want to go on missions outside with my companions like everyone else…"
"But, but I really don't know what to do…"
After all, she was still young, and the Land of Whirlpools had been destroyed.
Even if she disliked the path laid out for her future, Uzumaki Kushina didn't know how to resist, nor did she have the strength to resist.
Seeing Uzumaki Kushina express her true feelings, Uchiha Yuzuru's tone softened.
He sighed and sat down next to Uzumaki Kushina.
"Kushina, those who truly approve of you won't force you to do anything."
"Just like us Uchiha, most villagers reject us, but so what?"
"Should we change ourselves to gain their approval?"
"An Uchiha who is smooth in social interactions and smiles at everyone they see, would that still be an Uchiha?"
After hearing Uchiha Yuzuru's words, Uzumaki Kushina couldn't help but look up and think, then suddenly burst out laughing through her tears.
Uchiha Yuzuru looked at her strangely and asked, "What's wrong?"
Uzumaki Kushina shook her head, "Nothing, I just imagined you smiling at everyone, and it felt really strange."
"Exactly," Uchiha Yuzuru smiled, "Kushina, what do you truly want to do?"
Uzumaki Kushina thought for a moment and whispered, "I want to make many, many friends, I want to do what a Ninja should truly do, I want to not be monitored by others every day…"
"But if I don't become the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, then many people will be harmed because of it, even pay the price with their lives…"
"Yuzuru, what do you think I should do?"
"Kushina, you won't find the answer to such a thing from others; you have to figure it out yourself."
Uchiha Yuzuru gave an ambiguous answer.
From the current situation, Uzumaki Kushina was indeed very resistant to becoming a Jinchuriki.
It was only because she had been brainwashed by the so-called "will of fire" and morally blackmailed by righteousness that she silently accepted all of this.
In other words, if Kushina were to become completely disillusioned with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the will of fire, then Kushina would certainly not be so indecisive anymore.
This way, his plan to abduct Uzumaki Kushina would be easier to succeed.
That's right.
After so many days of interaction, Uchiha Yuzuru decided to take Uzumaki Kushina with him when the clan relocated.
He and Hiruzen Sarutobi were destined to be enemies, so he naturally didn't want to leave Kushina, a Jinchuriki who could perfectly suppress the Nine-Tailed, to become Konoha's fighting force.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others discovered that both the Uchiha Clan and the future Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki were missing, their expressions would surely be very entertaining, right?
Just thinking about it made him look forward to it.
However, Uchiha Yuzuru was not overly anxious.
Kushina had been in Konoha for so many years, and under the subtle influence of Hiruzen Sarutobi, it was unlikely to convince her with just a few words.
His goal today was merely to tear a small crack in Kushina's heart.
When the time came, this tiny crack would be enough to trigger an earthquake that would collapse everything!
Because if he remembered correctly, something particularly absurd was about to happen to Kushina soon.
As long as he guided her slightly, Kushina would definitely be completely disappointed with the Konoha higher-ups.
"Yuzuru, what about you?" Uzumaki Kushina saw Uchiha Yuzuru spacing out, so she nudged him with her shoulder, "What's your dream?"
Uchiha Yuzuru thought for a moment and said firmly, "I want to become very strong, so that everyone I care about can live freely and as they please."
"No longer troubled by money, no longer coerced by force."
"Even if it means standing against the whole world, I will not hesitate!"
As his words fell, the air seemed to solidify.
From Uchiha Yuzuru's words, Uzumaki Kushina could hear his determination.
"Let everyone I care about live freely and as they please…"
"Even if it means standing against the whole world…"
She repeated it, feeling her heart suddenly quicken.
Who were the people Yuzuru cared about?
If she was also someone Yuzuru cared about, would Yuzuru find a way to let her do what she wanted to do?
Thoughts flashed through Kushina's mind… Looking at Uzumaki Kushina's eyes, so close to him, Uchiha Yuzuru couldn't help but reach out and wipe away the lingering tear stains on her face.
Uzumaki Kushina instantly snapped awake.
She immediately took two steps back, like a startled rabbit, and quickly walked towards the door.
"Yuzuru, don't tell Mikoto about today."
After Uzumaki Kushina finished speaking, her face immediately turned red as if on fire, and she quickly ran away without looking back.
Uchiha Yuzuru shook his head with a smile.
It wasn't that he wanted to take advantage, it was just that the atmosphere was right.
——
Hokage Building.
Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Uzumaki Kushina walking on the street through the crystal ball, puffing on his pipe.
Just then, the office door was roughly pushed open, and a man with slender eyes, dressed in a black and gray kimono, walked in.