Hiruzen unhurriedly opened the letter. After finishing it, he smiled to himself.
"Kushina really is an overly considerate child…" the Hokage murmured softly.
The letter said that she had chosen a house close to Minato's place. Koharu had already sent people to help furnish it and take care of the renovations.
The ANBU assigned to protect her were also doing well.
When she occasionally ran into them, they would give a slight nod in greeting. She had originally worried that such surveillance-style protection might affect her daily life, but now she only felt warmth and understanding for the difficulties of ANBU work.
She expressed deep thanks to Hokage-grandfather, and deep thanks to Konohagakure, her new home. After learning of Konoha's strike against Kumogakure, she felt that someone had stood up for her, filling her heart with a sense of security.
At the end, she wrote some everyday, homely chatter about her conversations with Uzumaki Mito, mentioning that Mito had been somewhat surprised…
The writing was very immature— even her verbal tics had made their way onto the page.
Yet between the lines there was nothing but pure sincerity and joy, and as Hiruzen read it, his own spirits lightened a little.
Emotions, after all, were something that naturally spread from one person to another…
'This is a good time to pay a visit to Uzumaki Mito.'
That thought crossed Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind. He instructed the ANBU, "Ask Mito-sama whether it would be convenient for me to visit, and also confirm the condition of that Wood Release child."
The ANBU accepted the order.
Moments later, they reported back. Upon learning that Uzumaki Mito was also willing to see him, Hiruzen prepared to set out at once.
Hiruzen had always held Uzumaki Mito in wholehearted reverence, yet he had also deliberately avoided meeting her…
There were many reasons for this.
First, managing the village was exhausting. Second, there was the matter of Uzushiogakure. Third, the overlap between the identity of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki and Uzumaki Mito's own status made the atmosphere extremely delicate…
Given her standing, unless Konohagakure reached a moment of life or death, as long as Hiruzen still wanted to preserve even a little dignity, he would not send Uzumaki Mito to the battlefield.
But the problem was that the Nine-Tails was, in very real terms, a strategic weapon…
If he went to visit too often, it would inevitably give off a feeling of "seeming to ask after her well-being, but actually asking after her death."
This was not overthinking it— in the past, the village truly had wanted a Nine-Tails' jinchūriki who could take the field as a last line of support…
But now, things were different.
Rather than assume that the next jinchūriki would be able to control the Nine-Tails' power, it was better to obtain Uzumaki Mito's recognition and support in a solid, straightforward way. That would be of tremendous benefit to Hiruzen in pushing reforms and establishing his authority…
What was more, it could be seen from Tobirama's notes:
Uzumaki Mito not only had deep mastery of advanced Fūinjutsu, she was also widely learned and knowledgeable, fully aware of many secret techniques throughout the shinobi world—truly a living, walking compendium.
Of course, it would be impossible to have Uzumaki Mito work overtime and grind away at tasks like Hiruko or Orochimaru…
But having a master who could point out the direction and provide ideas was already an enormous gain.
'I have to let this elder know my remorse,' the Hokage thought to himself.
He tidied his appearance, then had the ANBU find several thorny branches and bound them straight across his back.
The gaze behind the ANBU mask was filled with surprise, but Hiruzen did not care in the slightest.
This, too, was part of the plan.
...
Mito's residence.
Slowly pushing open the ancient, unadorned gates, Hiruzen gave the place a brief look.
The entire compound carried a strong vestige of the Warring States era.
The walls, serving as decoration, were adorned with the crests of the Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan.
Uzumaki Mito, seated in the place of honor, saw Hiruzen bearing thorny branches on his back, and a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.
What was Hiruzen scheming this time?
Hiruzen strode forward without hesitation and bowed deeply to the ground.
"Mito-sama, this monkey has failed in the duties of Hokage. I ask that you punish me!"
Mito slowly rose to her feet and examined Hiruzen.
The Mind's Eye of the Kagura quietly activated.
Within Mito's perception, Hiruzen's chakra was vigorous and forceful, and the emotions in his heart were wholly sincere…
Ordinarily, the Mind's Eye of the Kagura did not possess the ability to perceive a person's emotions.
But as a jinchūriki, Mito could integrate the Nine-Tails' ability to sense malice into it…
After a moment, Mito walked slowly to Hiruzen's side, let out a long sigh, and reached out to help him up.
"Monkey, these past years haven't been easy for you either…"
"As for Uzushiogakure, my heart is of course pained—but it cannot all be blamed on you, the Hokage."
Hiruzen rose briskly to his feet. How could he let an elderly woman truly bend down to support him?
"Mito-sama…"
"Come inside. Don't keep those thorny branches on your back—at your age! You are the Hokage now…" Mito removed the thorny branches from Hiruzen's back and gestured for him to go inside and sit.
Hiruzen obediently took a seat in the guest position.
A sense of emotion welled up in his heart.
In his memories, Mito had more often appeared as someone closer to middle age.
Now, she clearly bore the countenance of an elderly woman.
"When one grows old, being alone is very lonely…" Mito said, having noticed the look on Hiruzen's face. She shook her head gently.
"If I were to disperse this seal, I could go see Hashirama sooner, and also cause the village a bit less trouble."
Perhaps it was because she had seen Hiruzen's sincere attitude today, or perhaps because the matter of the Nine-Tails could no longer be avoided.
Mito spoke very frankly.
The Yin Seal was not a technique that consumed chakra to maintain one's appearance.
On the contrary, it constructed a new chakra circulation, using it to nourish the cells…
To actively disperse the Yin Seal, in a certain sense, could even be regarded as a form of chronic suicide!
"Mito-sama!"
Hiruzen took a deep breath, his eyes and tone extremely earnest.
"I came today to tell you this—compared to the Nine-Tails, you are Konoha's truly priceless treasure!"
Mito smiled lightly, about to say something, but Hiruzen interrupted her.
The Hokage brought his hands together, both to signal that he wished Mito to let him finish, and as he spoke in a crisp, forceful voice, each word ringing with conviction: "This is absolutely not empty courtesy—it is the consensus of the entire village!"
"You devoted your entire life to the village. If we cannot allow you to enjoy your later years in peace, and instead still require you to burn away your last bones and blood for the village, or even end your life early…"
"Then I, as Hokage, the Will of Fire, and even all of Konoha, would be shamed by it!"
Mito stared at Hiruzen.
She had not expected that Monkey—who had always been conflicted over this matter, avoiding it, even afraid to face it—would display such resolve.
Had he truly stopped caring about the Nine-Tails?
For the sake of her, an old woman like this…
"The matter of Uzushiogakure has always weighed heavily on my heart," Hiruzen said solemnly.
"No matter what, the Uzumaki clan is Konoha's eternal ally. With this having happened, I, as Hokage, must bear full responsibility."
"I assure you, I will spare no effort to search for members of the Uzumaki clan. As long as they are willing to come to Konoha, the village will become a warm new home for the Uzumaki."
"I believe that within a few generations, a new Uzumaki clan will take root and flourish in Konoha!"
Mito's expression was finally moved.
Within the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, Hiruzen's emotions were as firm as stone.
And this was indeed Hiruzen's true thinking.
In his previous life, the principle he followed was simple: acknowledge mistakes and correct them, even if it meant making amends after the damage was done.
Moreover, making amends to the Uzumaki clan would not only rectify past wrongs, but also serve as a powerful demonstration of sincerity—strengthening the Will of Fire while securing Uzumaki Mito's firm support.
And if the Uzumaki clan were rebuilt, that would naturally be an excellent outcome for a Hokage so closely bound to the village.
A matter with threefold benefit—Hiruzen's resolve was unshakable.
"Hiruzen, I have seen your heart."
"What happened before is in the past. From now on, just do things properly. I support you."
Mito smiled gently. "But even if I continue to trouble you all, when one grows old, being alone is the hardest thing of all."
"I cannot demand that you come to see me all the time. A person may grow old, but pride still remains."
Hiruzen fell silent, yet inwardly he smiled faintly.
He had anticipated this step…
When people grow old, it is not only companionship they need—the feeling of being needed is just as real.
And this was especially true for a kunoichi like Uzumaki Mito.
"Mito-sama, this monkey truly does have one matter to ask of you…" Hiruzen said as he rose.
"Ask of me?" Mito chuckled and shook her head. Though aged, every gesture still carried traces of the bearing of the strongest kunoichi of the Warring States era.
"Don't comfort me, Monkey."
"At my age, what can I still do—aside from sealing this fox?"
Hiruzen swiftly formed hand seals.
Sensing the Hokage's summons, the ANBU moved quietly into the residence. They placed the swaddled infant they carried into Hiruzen's arms, then withdrew in silence.
Mito's eyes suddenly lit up.
From this child, she sensed Hashirama's aura!
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