Uchiha Makoto's seemingly casual question struck Uzumaki Mito straight in the heart.
Weren't we just having a pleasant conversation?
I even gifted you a priceless secret technique as a wedding present.
So why had Makoto suddenly launched such a vicious attack—using such a ruthless method?
What was Tobirama's favorite saying again?
As expected of an innately troublesome Uchiha brat…!
Uzumaki Mito fell silent.
The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
She was thinking about how to answer Makoto's question.
Those few short seconds felt unbearably long. Mito desperately wanted to answer firmly:
"Yes—Hashirama loves me with his whole heart!"
But ideals were beautiful.
Reality was cruel.
Mito knew her own warmth and cold all too well. She could lie to others—but not to herself. Deep down, she knew that her husband, Hashirama Senju, already had someone else in his heart.
At times, she even found herself imagining—
If that bastard Uchiha Madara were a woman…
Would Hashirama truly cheat on her? Would he abandon his dignity, their marriage, even the bond between the Uzumaki and Senju clans—just to cast her aside?
The answer to that hypothetical was devastating.
Would Hashirama do it?
…Or wouldn't he?
Mito didn't dare continue that line of thought. In the end, she could only console herself with one thing—
At least Madara is a man.
Her thoughts returned to the present.
Faced with such a question, whether for Konoha's dignity or her own, she could not possibly deny it.
So Uzumaki Mito forced a strained smile and replied,
"Of course."
"Oh—then that's truly wonderful," Makoto said warmly.
"I really envy the bond you share as husband and wife."
Though his words were polite, Makoto could clearly see the strain and bitterness beneath her smile.
He didn't believe her answer for a second.
This was merely a woman's tragic stubbornness.
Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara—sworn enemies and kindred spirits—had been torn apart in youth by clan hatred and their fathers' generation. As adults, having become clan leaders, they were forced once again into conflict.
Now, after breaking through countless obstacles, they had finally reconciled—reuniting, mending what was broken.
What a perfect protagonist romance this would have been.
If only one of them were a woman…
The shinobi world might have avoided countless tragedies.
Unfortunately, they were both men.
And that did nothing to change the fact that Uzumaki Mito had been left sitting on the cold bench.
Hashirama and Madara were clearly in a rare "honeymoon phase" right now. If not for Tobirama—the innately suspicious Senju meddling in between—Madara might not have left Konoha so decisively, eventually embarking on the path toward the Eye of the Moon Plan.
In short—
Uzumaki Mito's days at home were probably miserable.
(Especially in terms of married life.)
"Mito-sama," Makoto continued gently, pressing further,
"could you tell me how you usually get along with Lord Hashirama? I'd really like to learn from your experience as a couple. Opportunities like this are rare."
This wasn't mere sadism on Makoto's part.
He had an idea.
Recalling his earlier plans, he realized that Uzumaki Mito was the perfect representative of early female awakening within Konoha.
She was powerful, highly respected, once a renowned kunoichi—and yet neglected at home, resentful like an abandoned wife.
If he could awaken Uzumaki Mito's sense of independence as a woman—
It would ignite like a raging fire.
Most importantly, with Mito acting as a shield, Makoto's carefully planned cultural infiltration—spanning years or even decades—could enter Konoha far more smoothly and openly.
Even Tobirama wouldn't be able to suppress it outright.
Not only because of Mito's identity—
But because ideals like female independence were not monsters.
In the current shinobi world, once female ninja married and had children, they usually gave up their careers and returned home—devoting themselves to supporting husbands and raising children.
Uzumaki Kushina.
Uchiha Mikoto.
Hyūga Hinata.
Temari.
Almost all followed this path.
Only a few exceptions existed.
Like Tsunade.
She never married—the man she loved died in war, the man who loved her was a lecherous simp she despised—and so she lived freely, enjoying a comfortable single life.
There was nothing inherently wrong with that tradition—it was a personal choice.
But the reality was that this custom severely reduced the number of active shinobi and combat personnel.
Training a qualified ninja—male or female—was extremely expensive. Weapons, training grounds, medicine, supplies.
When a female ninja retired after marriage, that investment went straight to zero.
How was that acceptable?
Makoto would never tolerate such a loss.
These outdated conventions needed to be thrown into the trash.
A new era required new thinking.
If you had benefited from his investment, you had to repay it—with interest.
Makoto wasn't worried about resistance in Amegakure. The ninja academy had already solved that problem. Graduates trained there would march into battle the moment he gave the order.
Amegakure's future shinobi would be fully professionalized.
One day loyal to the Light Shadow—
A lifetime loyal to the Light Shadow.
But Konoha…
He could only influence it indirectly.
If Uzumaki Mito raised the banner of female independence—calling on women to break free from traditional constraints and devote themselves fully to their careers—
Even if it defied tradition, many kunoichi would respond, returning to the front lines.
Tobirama would have no choice but to swallow it.
More active kunoichi meant more mission-capable ninja—strengthening Konoha overall.
It was a tangible benefit being shoved directly into his mouth.
And this was only the first step.
You don't start by dropping the ultimate move.
Once upon a time, "women hold up half the sky" wasn't just a slogan—it was reality.
In Amegakure, for example, female textile workers worked tirelessly, cherishing these hard-earned, stable jobs—some even working while caring for children.
As for why things later deteriorated?
Because bad actors always exist. Guiding people toward goodness is difficult; teaching them to exploit shortcuts is easy.
For now, take the essence and discard the dregs.
Let Konoha taste the benefits first.
Then—when the time was right—
Detonate it.
Of course, the impact here would be weaker than what Makoto once experienced. After all, a ninja village was a military organization—and the next Hokage would likely be Tobirama, who would not hesitate to send destabilizing elements straight to the battlefield as cannon fodder.
Makoto's thoughts churned with ulterior motives, yet his gaze remained sincere as he continued asking Mito about marital wisdom.
Mito swallowed hard.
She'd been cornered again.
If she truly understood the secrets of marital harmony, she would have had Hashirama wrapped around her finger long ago. Forget Madara—he wouldn't even get occasional visits.
Seeing Makoto's earnest, eager expression, Mito's mind raced.
Her husband had already been stolen by that damned Uchiha.
No—
Already stolen.
Hashirama hadn't even bothered informing her before leaving on missions with Madara.
"I… let me think," she began hurriedly.
"First, I take care of the household every day. I prepare meals and wait at home for Hashirama. No matter how busy he is, he always comes home to eat with me. And at night, we…"
Mito reacted quickly. Since she had no real answers, she simply described the ideal image of marital harmony she longed for.
Makoto had no way to verify it anyway.
"I've learned so much," Makoto said seriously.
Then—suddenly—the conversation veered wildly off course.
"Mito-sama, do you spend your days solely on household chores?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"Is there a problem with that?"
She found nothing strange about it. All the women around her lived this way—ninja in youth, homemaker after marriage.
That was simply how things were.
"The problem," Makoto said firmly,
"is enormous."
"That mindset belongs to the Warring States era. In the age of ninja villages, outstanding, capable kunoichi should break free from domestic constraints and devote themselves to their careers—spending their lives making irreplaceable contributions to their village."
His voice rang with conviction.
Something stirred within Uzumaki Mito.
Her days had been painfully dull—filled with trivial chores that did nothing to ease her loneliness.
"Break tradition."
"Find your true self."
"Forcing exceptional kunoichi into domestic cages the moment they marry is a crime."
"They should pursue greater goals—discover their own worth, build their own achievements, and ultimately strengthen their village!"
Makoto began preaching scripture.
Bowl after bowl of warm, nourishing "soup" poured into Mito's heart like a spring flowing into parched land.
Her eyes brightened. Her blood burned.
She saw a path forward.
Was this life truly what she wanted?
She had married Hashirama for her clan's future. She'd managed the household tirelessly, borne children—
And what had she received in return?
Did Hashirama love her?
Did he even see her efforts?
…No.
She couldn't lie to herself anymore.
One enlightening conversation is worth ten years of books.
Mito felt Makoto's words strike every painful truth. Her future had looked painfully predictable—until now.
She finally understood.
She had been bound by outdated traditions.
A true kunoichi should shatter those chains and pursue independence.
She was a once-genius Uzumaki kunoichi—
Not Hashirama Senju's accessory.
"That was… wonderful," Mito said, cheeks flushed.
She was fired up. She didn't want to keep living a tedious, empty life.
Defying convention, breaking free—and Hashirama's cold neglect—all fused into a rebellious, forbidden thrill.
"Mito-sama truly is an exceptional kunoichi," Makoto praised warmly.
"To grasp this so quickly—this proves that the new era has arrived. The old customs deserve the trash heap. With women like you, the future of kunoichi is limitless!"
Makoto lavished praise without restraint.
Even he hadn't expected it to be this easy.
Neglected women are terrifying…
"Ah… you flatter me," Mito said sincerely.
"I truly must thank you, Light Shadow-sama. Without your words today, I fear my future…"
For the first time, Uzumaki Mito addressed him wholeheartedly as Light Shadow-sama.
Without Makoto, she might have sunk forever into lonely stagnation.
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