Chapter 153: The Torch is Passed
Kagenori was prepared to depart for the Land of Grass with Orochimaru when a message arrived via summoning creature. The content was brief and expected, yet it sent a jolt of urgency through him.
Uzumaki Mito was dying.
He immediately sought out his mentor. "Orochimaru-sensei, I cannot accompany you to the Land of Grass. I must return to Konoha."
Orochimaru's serpentine eyes narrowed in curiosity. It was unlike Kagenori to commit to a mission and then rescind it so abruptly. "What is the matter?"
"Lady Mito's time has come," Kagenori replied, his voice flat but his intent clear.
"Ah," Orochimaru hissed in understanding. "You fear for Kushina's situation. While I doubt there will be any last-minute changes to the Jinchuriki selection, your concern is… prudent. You would be distracted on the front lines. Very well. Return to Konoha. The situation in the Land of Grass should be manageable without you."
"Thank you, Sensei," Kagenori said with a slight bow of his head. His primary concern was indeed a potential, last-second reversal of fortune. He needed to see with his own eyes that the vessel was not Kushina. Beyond that, witnessing the end of Uzumaki Mito, a true pillar of the shinobi world, would undoubtedly yield a significant reward from his system.
He set off for Konoha without delay. Partway through his journey, a formal missive caught up with him—a direct order from Sarutobi Hiruzen, summoning him back to the village immediately. It seemed the Hokage shared his unease and wanted the insurance of a Mangekyō Sharingan user on hand.
When Kagenori finally arrived home, he found Kushina there, her surprise evident.
"Kagenori! You're back! You didn't say anything in your letters!" she exclaimed.
He took her hands in his. "Lady Mito… she doesn't have long. Perhaps only a few days."
Kushina's vibrant spirit seemed to dim instantly, her expression freezing. Despite the calculated reasons for her coming to Konoha, she had lived with Mito for years. The old woman had been a stern but kind grandmother figure to her. The news struck a deep chord of sorrow.
Kagenori gently pulled her into an embrace. "I'll go with you to see her. If we don't go now… you might not get another chance."
The sealing ritual for a Tailed Beast would be conducted under the strictest security. Now that Kushina was no longer the designated vessel, she would be kept far from the proceedings.
Kushina nodded silently against his chest, not yet aware that the candidate had been changed. She believed she was still slated to become the next Jinchuriki.
She put on a brave face, pulling back to look at him. "Kagenori, no matter what happens, I'll be okay. You don't need to worry. Being a Jinchuriki isn't so bad! With a Tailed Beast's power, no one would dare bully us!" She punctuated this with a small, forced smile and a shake of her fist.
Kagenori looked down, his voice barely a whisper. "I already succeeded…"
Kushina looked at him, confused. "Succeeded? At what?"
He squeezed her hand. "Let's go see Lady Mito. Everything will become clear."
They made their way to the secluded Uzumaki compound. It was now heavily guarded, with a pair of ANBU standing sentry at the gate and, as Kagenori's Observation Haki confirmed, over a dozen more hidden in the surrounding area.
To his surprise, he sensed two familiar chakra signatures inside the mansion alongside Mito's fading one.
The ANBU at the door recognized him and, without a word, stepped aside as if they had been expecting their arrival.
Kagenori and Kushina entered and approached Mito's chamber. He knocked softly on the door. "Lady Mito. Kushina and I are here."
The door opened, revealing Namikaze Minato.
Kushina's brow furrowed. "Minato? What are you doing here?"
Minato offered an slightly embarrassed smile. "Kagenori, Kushina. I'm… here with Miyuki. She's visiting Lady Mito."
Inside the room, Uzumaki Miyuki stood by the bedside. Kushina was utterly bewildered. Why would Minato be accompanying Miyuki?
Kagenori, however, felt a piece of a puzzle click into place. Ever since he had found Miyuki, he had suspected the future 'Child of Prophecy' might be hers. With his own path irrevocably tied to Kushina, he would never allow their future child to bear such a destiny. He had quietly assumed that Miyuki's partner would be Minato. Seeing them together here felt less like a shock and more like a confirmation of a logical outcome.
He and Kushina entered the room. Minato naturally stepped back to stand beside Miyuki, their proximity speaking of a comfortable intimacy that had clearly developed.
Kagenori was mildly surprised at the speed of their relationship, but not the pairing itself.
Their attention was drawn to the bed. Uzumaki Mito lay there, her form frail and shrunken, her life force a faint ember clinging to existence.
She turned her head slowly, a gentle smile gracing her aged features. "Kagenori… Kushina… you came."
Seeing her in such a state, Kushina's eyes welled up with tears. "Grandma Mito…"
"Do not cry, child," Mito whispered, her voice a dry rustle. "To be born, to age, to fall ill, to die… this is the natural path. No one escapes it."
Her gaze then shifted to Kagenori. "I did not think Hiruzen would call you back. Though I am weak, the chakra stored in my Strength of a Hundred Seal is more than enough to complete the transfer. And you need not worry… the decision is final now."
She looked toward Uzumaki Miyuki. "Miyuki… the rest is in your hands."
Miyuki bowed her head respectfully. "I will be a Jinchuriki Konoha can be proud of. You have my word, Lady Mito."
"Wait!" Kushina's head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Miyuki. "Miyuki? Why? Why would you become the Jinchuriki? It's supposed to be me!"
In that moment, Uzumaki Miyuki, Namikaze Minato, and Uzumaki Mito all glanced, almost imperceptibly, at Kagenori.
And in that shared, silent look, Uzumaki Kushina finally understood the meaning behind Kagenori's words: 'I already succeeded.'
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