A few days passed in a flash.
Thanks to the daring breakout led by Hatake Sakumo—the sharp blade of Konoha—he managed to bring the surviving Uzumaki, Uzumaki Kushina, safely back to the village.
As for the other fleeing members of the Uzumaki Clan, there was little Sakumo could do. He could only pray that those scattered across the lands might find their own way to Konoha and seek refuge.
Konoha officially issued letters of condemnation to both Kumogakure and Kirigakure, and bolstered its border defenses with more stationed shinobi.
Though both Kumogakure and Kirigakure avoided direct confrontation, all evidence pointed squarely to the two great shinobi villages.
Not to mention, the Uzumaki Clan had long served as Konoha's frontline against Kirigakure—an essential coastal defense.
To suggest that Kirigakure had no designs on the Land of Whirlpools would be absurd.
"Sigh… Is the peace that's lasted so long in the shinobi world finally unraveling again?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples as he listened to Sakumo's mission report, a troubled sigh slipping out.
He couldn't shake the feeling that some unseen hand was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Why else would the Land of Whirlpools be invaded by two great villages at once, without warning?
And there was still the matter of the Iron Country incident. Uchiha Kagami had yet to send back any further updates. If they continued to dig, they might not find anything useful at all.
Massaging his brow, Hiruzen turned to Sakumo and said quietly,
"You've done well, Sakumo. Take the next few days to rest."
"You flatter me, Lord Hokage. Failing to save more of the Uzumaki was my shortcoming."
Even as he stepped out of the Hokage's office, Hatake Sakumo couldn't shake the guilt weighing on his heart.
He could still see those brave Uzumaki handing Kushina over to him and then rushing off to hold off the enemy, buying him time. But because of his higher-priority mission, he couldn't stay and fight alongside them.
Mission or comrades.
Had he chosen to help the others and abandoned the little girl in front of him, it would have been unforgivable.
Safely escorting Uzumaki Kushina back to Konoha was both his mission and his responsibility.
But even as he fulfilled one duty, his heart remained heavy with the lives he couldn't save.
In the end, he chose to bring Kushina back first, then double back to help.
But by the time he returned to the battlefield, all that was left... were cold, lifeless bodies.
"If only I had mastered that technique back then... I could've brought more of them home."
He drew his familiar White Fang short blade in silence.
The difference between jōnin and Kage-level could often be a single instant—a breakthrough, a decision.
"Next time... I won't leave anyone behind."
With that belief burned into his heart, Hatake Sakumo returned to Konoha and finally broke through his own limits—elevating the Hatake Sword Style to the level of the so-called "shadow."
...
Senju Clan Grounds
Uzumaki Mito looked at the young girl standing alone before her, eyes filled with kindness, pity... and a fury she kept buried deep inside.
She couldn't lie to herself—what happened to the Uzumaki Clan devastated her.
No one could stay indifferent after seeing their entire clan wiped out in cold blood.
Especially not when the Land of Whirlpools had been governed jointly by the shinobi village and the country itself.
The village was the nation. And the people of that nation—all of them—were Uzumaki.
Those with the potential to become shinobi were trained as such. Those without could still live peacefully, build families, thrive.
And now, that once-fiery land had been reduced to ashes.
It was her homeland. Her people.
No one here could possibly carry more grief than Uzumaki Mito.
But she knew the one who needed comfort right now wasn't herself—it was the little girl who had lost everything: her home, her people, her future.
"Kushina... From now on, you'll live with Grandma," Mito said gently, placing a hand on the child's head. "With me here, no one will bully you."
"Not just me—your big sister Tsunade and your brother Nawaki will protect you too."
Tsunade and Nawaki, who had been standing awkwardly nearby, rushed to add their own reassurances.
"Kushina, live well in Konoha. Something like this will never happen again."
"I'll train hard too, so I can protect you!"
"...Hnnn...!"
At last, Kushina couldn't hold it in any longer. She threw herself into Mito's arms and began to sob uncontrollably.
Mito, who had once stood beside Hashirama Senju during the founding days of Konoha, still bore a striking beauty, her face untouched by age thanks to the Yin Seal on her forehead.
"Go to the Ninja Academy, Kushina. You'll make new friends there—find warmth, connection, and maybe even... love."
Mito couldn't help but think of the two children Nawaki often mentioned.
Though she'd never met them herself, from Nawaki's stories, it was clear they were both exceptional in character and talent.
They were also the disciples of Jiraiya and Orochimaru—and just happened to be Kushina's age.
That made the decision easy: she would send Kushina to the Academy to meet them.
She couldn't let this little girl live out her days in the company of an old relic like herself. Some things could only be learned from peers—friendship, bonds... even love.
Still, that wasn't enough.
Mito silently placed her hand over her abdomen.
If someone with a Byakugan had been present, they would've seen a complex and intricate sealing formula etched across her stomach.
The Nine-Tails...
After I'm gone, please don't make life harder for Kushina. Don't burden her more than she already is.
"You dare command me, old woman?!"
"Heh. So you do sense my time is running short, don't you? But know this—I won't let you, or the girl outside, use my power so easily."
"You're noisy," Mito replied, her tone calm and weary. "This old woman doesn't have the patience for your tantrums today."
With that, the imaginary space of the seal flared to life—golden chakra chains erupted from all sides, binding the strongest of the tailed beasts tighter than ever.
"True, I'm old," Mito said quietly, "but I can still keep you in check for a few more years."
Her voice echoed through the void of the seal, as her consciousness withdrew, leaving only the Nine-Tails' furious roar behind.
The mighty Kyūbi, brought to heel by a single elderly woman—few would believe it, but this was Uzumaki Mito.
The woman worthy of being the wife of Hashirama Senju.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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