The Land of Whirlpools, a steadfast ally of the Leaf, was destroyed. The Leaf did nothing.
And according to what Orochimaru had told Qianyu, it wasn't that the Leaf couldn't have sent aid back then.
It was because aiding the Land of Whirlpools didn't align with the Leaf's interests.
Too many nations and clans had joined the assault. Sending a force large enough to make a difference would have meant crippling losses for the Leaf.
And what would the Leaf gain? Nothing.
The Whirlpool's most prized asset, its sealing techniques, were all held by Mito Uzumaki.
And what Mito Uzumaki held, the Leaf held.
So the Leaf chose to look away. To watch as an ally burned.
And now, for the sake of the Nine-Tails, they'd specifically sought out Kushina Uzumaki. Brought her here. Planned to make her the Nine-Tails's jinchūriki.
Qianyu felt like an idiot. He should have seen this coming. Mito Uzumaki was never going to agree to help him.
He took a deep breath. Let out a soft, humorless laugh. "In the end, it all comes back to myself," he murmured. "I have to find Karin's mother. Otherwise… the exit plan moves up."
…
Early the next morning.
Qianyu went straight to Mito Uzumaki's residence to collect Kushina.
Mito didn't show herself. A silent permission to take the girl.
Qianyu walked directly to Kushina's room and knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again. Nothing.
Frowning, he pushed the door open.
He found Kushina still in bed and let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least she was here.
He approached the bed. "Kushina. Wake up."
He called her name a few times.
She had the blanket pulled over her head. No movement.
Then he heard it. A faint, choked sob.
He yanked the blanket back.
Her eyes were raw, bloodshot. Tears traced fresh paths down her cheeks.
"Kushina? What happened?" His voice was sharp with a panic he'd never felt before. Seeing Kushina cry… it did something to him. Made his chest feel too tight.
"I… I heard you last night," she managed between hitched breaths. "You and Granny Mito…"
Qianyu froze.
She'd heard?
Mito had the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. Her sensing was legendary. If she'd detected Kushina eavesdropping, she would have stopped it. At least for now.
Which meant… she hadn't detected her.
"You've awakened the Mind's Eye of the Kagura too?"
Kushina gave a small, miserable nod.
The Mind's Eye of the Kagura wasn't just about sensing others. In times of danger, it could hide the user's own chakra—'the power to escape all calamity.'
Last night, after returning to her room, she'd sensed Qianyu heading toward Mito's quarters. She knew Qianyu didn't like the old woman. Was wary of her. So, curious, she'd used her nascent ability. Hid her chakra. Crept close to listen.
What she heard shattered her world.
She didn't fully understand what the Nine-Tails was. Or what a jinchūriki was.
But the meaning was clear. Her coming to the Leaf… it wasn't for the reason they'd given her.
They'd told her, 'The Leaf and the Land of Whirlpools are allies. We are gathering survivors of the Uzumaki clan to live here in safety.'
They'd taken her in. Mito had adopted her. All of it… was to make her a container for a monster.
And Qianyu… Qianyu had been fighting it from the start. Trying to find a way out for her.
Now she understood why he'd always been so cold to the kind, gentle Granny Mito. It was all for her.
"Qianyu… will I become that thing's container?"
He reached out, brushing his thumb across her tear-streaked face. "Kushina. I swear to you. You will never be a jinchūriki. No one will force you to become one. No one."
So help me, if anyone tries… I'll kill them.
He scooped her up from the bed, blanket and all. "Listen to me. You don't need to worry about any of this. I'm here. Everything is on me. Come on. Let's get out of here. This isn't your home. I'm taking you to ours."
Kushina buried her face in the crook of his neck. A soft, wet "Mmm" was her only reply.
She didn't want to stay here another second.
The woman she'd loved, respected, seen as true family… her kindness, her teachings… all of it had an ulterior motive.
She didn't hate Granny Mito. Not exactly. But she had no idea how to face her ever again.
Qianyu carried her out.
After they left, a door slid open. Mito Uzumaki stood in the doorway, her eyes heavy with a guilt that aged her a century. She let out a long, weary sigh that echoed in the empty hall.
…
Qianyu brought Kushina to his assigned apartment.
He'd barely spent a night in the place since getting the key. He opened the door to a cloud of dust and a network of spiderwebs in the corners.
"Well," he said dryly. "Looks like spring cleaning came early."
The walk over, with Qianyu's quiet, steady presence, had steadied her. Kushina's emotions were like a summer storm—fierce, but quick to pass. Looking at the space that would be their home, a spark of determination lit her eyes.
"Then let's clean it together!" she declared, pushing off his shoulder.
For the next two hours, they worked. Dust flew. Cobwebs vanished. When they were done, the small apartment gleamed, smelling of soap and fresh air.
Exhausted, they collapsed together on the newly cleaned sofa. Kushina leaned her head against Qianyu's shoulder.
"Qianyu," she said softly. "Tell me about the Nine-Tails. And jinchūriki."
Qianyu was silent for a long moment. Then he began.
"The Tailed Beasts. There are nine of them. Monsters of pure chakra, with one to nine tails. Their power is… beyond human scale. In the history of this bloody world, their names are synonyms for disaster."
"To control that power, humans seal the beasts inside other humans. Living sacrifices. They call them jinchūriki—the Power of Human Sacrifice."
"The jinchūriki and the beast are bound for life. If the beast dies, the host dies. And it's a constant battle. The beast fights for control. The power can run wild. It's… a dangerous, lonely existence."
Kushina sat up. She turned, her eyes locking onto his face with an intensity that made his breath catch.
Her voice was clear. Certain.
"Qianyu."
"I'll do it. I'll become the jinchūriki."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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