"To Lady Mito!"
"Thank you for everything you've done for Konoha."
As a member of Konoha, Kawaki couldn't say he held the Third Hokage in high regard. In fact, he seemed honest, but was just a conspiracy theorist lacking in resolve.
However, he had the utmost respect for the ageless goddess before him, who had willingly become a Jinchūriki for the village. Despite the pain she'd endured, she still loved the village founded by her husband and had dedicated her life to it.
"It's just a small contribution. This is Hashirama's legacy," Mito Uzumaki said, a nostalgic look on her face. She clinked glasses with Kawaki, covered her face with her long sleeve, and downed the wine in one gulp.
"Now it's your young people's turn."
"I heard a great war is coming. I wonder how many of our Konoha ninjas will end up buried far from home."
"No matter the era, war is inevitable. This is something Hashirama didn't want to see."
As a Jinchūriki, Mito could only sigh. She wouldn't go to battle unless it was absolutely necessary. She was like a nuclear bomb for Konoha Village.
Tsunade refilled her Grandma's cup.
"Since the war is about to start, I proposed adding Medical Ninjas to the mission squads, but Master Sarutobi didn't approve it," she said, disappointment in her voice.
"The Third Hokage has his own plans. I think your proposal will be approved sooner or later," Kawaki comforted her. In the end, due to various reasons, the proposal was still not approved after being reconsidered. This reform was not implemented until Tsunade herself became the Hokage.
"You mean well, but currently, medical technology is underdeveloped and the number of Medical Ninjas is scarce. Having a ninja who only knows medical jutsu would only affect the mission squad's combat ability," Mito, being shrewd with age, pointed out the major flaw in this reform.
Hearing this, Tsunade fell into deep thought. She was still too young and didn't think things through comprehensively. Compared to the Third Hokage, she was like a newborn baby.
The Third Hokage took advantage of her proposal to test the reactions of different factions and then put it on hold. He didn't lose anything and got the info he wanted. Tsunade would need more experience to do something like that.
"We can train more if there aren't enough. There'll come a day when it'll happen."
"With good wine in front of us, why worry about these things?"
Seeing Tsunade looking unhappy, Kawaki comforted her again. He raised his glass and clinked it with Tsunade's, then downed the wine in one go.
"Thank you, Kawaki-kun."
Tsunade forced a smile and also picked up her glass and finished the wine.
After that, they didn't talk about these heavy topics anymore.
Kawaki used his modern knowledge to make the grandmother and granddaughter laugh. The atmosphere gradually became more harmonious.
Nawaki and Kushina were already full. They were chattering around the eight - sided Han sword.
Accidentally, they knocked over a cup on the table, which annoyed Mito.
She stood up, picked up the eight - sided Han sword, drew it out half an inch, and it was clearly a fine sword.
"Kawaki-kun, it must be inconvenient to carry a sword around all the time."
"I'll give you a little something today."
Saying that, she walked over to Kawaki with a smile on her face.
"Stretch out your right hand."
Kawaki didn't know what Mito was up to, so he obediently stretched out his right hand.
Mito Uzumaki was seen holding the sword and forming a hand seal with one hand. A powerful surge of chakra gathered, followed by a strange fluctuation.
"Seal."
After finishing the hand seal, she pressed the sword onto Kawaki's palm. Another strange fluctuation occurred, and the eight - sided Han sword vanished into his palm.
A large Chinese character "Sword" appeared on Kawaki's palm.
What an amazing Sealing Technique! She truly is an outstanding member of the Uzumaki Clan.
"You can release your assigned sword by stimulating the seal with your chakra."
Mito Uzumaki thought of it as a trivial matter. As everyone knows, for the convenience of ninjas, their weapons are generally sealed inside the summoning scroll.
At least Kawaki had never seen a weapon sealed on the body surface. Even someone as powerful as Orochimaru only stored the Sword of Kusanagi inside his body.
He couldn't wait to give it a try. With chakra stimulation.
In an instant, the eight - sided Han sword appeared in his hand.
This... This is the power of space. Kawaki could feel it.
"Lady Mito, your Sealing Technique must be unrivaled in the world."
Kawaki gave her a timely pat on the back. The application of space power was beyond the reach of ordinary ninjas.
"It's nothing to mention. I was just inspired by Tobirama."
Mito Uzumaki was past the age of showing her emotions easily. She calmly returned to her seat and sat down.
"I owe my Strength of a Hundred Technique to Grandma's help."
Tsunade scoffed at Kawaki's compliment. 'What an inexperienced guy!' she thought.
Following the example, Kawaki made the eight - sided Han sword disappear again when he let go, just like performing a magic trick.
"Thank you so much, Lady Mito, for your generous gift."
At this moment, Mito Uzumaki was distracted, with a blank look in her eyes, and didn't respond when Kawaki spoke.
She was immersed in the sealed world inside her body.
There was a huge cage, and water was dripping on the ground, making a "tick - tock" sound.
Inside the cage, a huge fox figure was opening its mouth in the shadow, speaking in human language.
"Mito, this man's aura gives me a very dangerous feeling."
Its scarlet eyes stared out of the cage, as if it was going to devour someone.
"An aura that scares you, Nine - Tailed Fox?"
Mito Uzumaki was dissatisfied with being dragged into this by the Nine - Tailed Fox. She stood far away from the cage and didn't want to get close.
Her evaluation of Kawaki went up another notch. As a ninja, one's own strength was the foundation of survival.
"Ridiculous! It's just a bit of a threat. Who have I ever been afraid of?"
The Nine - Tailed Fox's pride and malevolence wouldn't allow it to show weakness.
"So, you're not afraid of those eyes either?"
Mito Uzumaki's words deeply hurt the Nine - Tailed Fox's pride. It let out a deafening roar inside the cage.
"They're just toys."
After saying that, Mito Uzumaki left on her own and returned to her physical body.
"It's just a minor skill. There's no need to thank me."
"I'll have to trouble you to take good care of Tsunade in the future."
She had heard what Kawaki said. Finally, she responded. Because of what the Nine - Tailed Fox said, she believed this man's strength could assist Tsunade.
When war came, even with Tsunade's strength, she was afraid that something unexpected might happen.
"Grandma~"
Tsunade let out a coquettish sound, dissatisfied with her grandma's words. Did she really need someone else to take care of her with her own strength?
Seeing Tsunade in this rare, gentle and feminine posture, Kawaki felt his heart burn with passion. In that instant, he even made a decision on what to name their future child.
"Of course, I'll do my best."
Kawaki smiled with a handsome grin and readily agreed.
The banquet came to an end then. The three of them didn't drink a lot; they weren't even a bit tipsy.
They bid farewell to Mito Uzumaki.
Tsunade and Nawaki accompanied Kushina and Kawaki to the door.
"Come to my place for a drink when you're free."
Kawaki naturally said this to Tsunade, as Nawaki was still young.
"Sure."
Tsunade didn't decline and readily agreed.
"I want to go too."
Kushina was an energetic girl. Having been cooped up at school for too long, she wanted to join in the fun.
"Sure, why not?"
Since Kawaki was familiar with Naruto's mother, he reached out and stroked her red hair.
"So beautiful. It's a pity mine is silver."
He teased the young girl until her face was almost blushing.
"Aniki, see you tomorrow."
Nawaki covertly winked, hoping his big brother would understand.