After returning home, Tsunade abandoned Kawaki and Ginji and went straight inside without a word.
"What's wrong with her?"
Natsuki was confused since Tsunade had seemed quite cheerful when she left earlier.
Did they have a fight or something?
"Go play with Big Brother for a bit."
Once Ginji was out of earshot, Kawaki slowly explained what had happened.
"Grandma's condition is worsening."
"She summoned us to decide who would become the next Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox."
"She's really upset about it."
Kawaki withheld nothing. He knew his older brother and sister-in-law weren't the types to gossip.
"How could this happen?"
"Mito-sama seemed perfectly healthy."
Sakumo and Natsuki exchanged disbelieving glances.
Mito's age was easy to overlook because of her youthful appearance.
"I don't want to believe it either, but this is the reality."
"Sigh~"
Kawaki let out a long sigh, feeling deeply unsettled.
He'd called her "Grandma" for so long.
"Is there no way to extend her life?"
Sakumo glanced toward the direction of Tsunade's bedroom.
He was clearly asking if Tsunade—the greatest Medical Ninja in the Ninja World—was truly powerless against this.
"It's like a dying lamp—it's already burned out. There's no use trying to relight it."
Kawaki shook his head. Right now, he could understand just how much pain Tsunade was feeling.
Someone who has saved countless lives, yet can do nothing as her own grandmother's life slips away.
But watching helplessly? That was cruelty beyond words.
"Maybe… it's some form of peace for Mito-sama."
Sakumo frowned, his eyes dimming.
"Maybe..."
Kawaki gave a noncommittal response, his mind clearly somewhere else.
Mito, the First Jinchūriki, the Ultimate Weapon, had silently protected Konoha and her husband's dream all these years.
Over the decades, she had experienced the grief of losing loved ones multiple times.
She had watched helplessly as her dearest friends passed away, one after another.
Though later generations gave her some comfort, such a life was never truly joyful.
"Who will be the next Jinchūriki?"
After a short pause, Sakumo couldn't help but ask.
Whether as family or as high-ranking officials of Konoha, he definitely had the right to know.
"Not decided yet."
Kawaki's thoughts returned, his eyes already slightly red.
"What's there to ask? You should go stay with Tsunade right away."
Natsuki shot Sakumo an annoyed look before nudging Kawaki forward.
This was really not the time for questions.
"Yeah, I know."
Kawaki walked toward the bedroom accordingly.
Ginji was already laughing and playing with Kakashi in the corner.
Glancing toward Kakashi and Ginji, Sakumo and Natsuki remained silent for a long time.
Separation... it's always been the world's true rhythm.
"I'm going in."
Kawaki knocked on the door first, but there was no response from inside.
Pressing his ear to the door, he heard faint sobs.
It was the first time he'd ever needed to knock before entering his own room.
Creak~
As he pushed the door open, Kawaki saw Tsunade burying her face in the pillow.
Her entire body was trembling slightly.
"Cry if you need to. I'm here."
Kawaki sat beside her and began gently rubbing Tsunade's back.
He knew that asking Tsunade to stay strong at a time like this was pointless. Emotions needed to be released.
"Waaah~"
Tsunade sat upright, her pillow already soaked by tears.
She reached out, wrapped her arms around Kawaki's neck, and buried her face in his shoulder, crying even harder.
As he heard her sobs, Kawaki's own heartache deepened.
Clutching Tsunade tightly in his arms, his own tears began falling too.
Men rarely cry; it takes real pain to bring them to tears.
After quite some time, Tsunade seemed to have cried until she had no tears left.
She pulled away from Kawaki's embrace, her beautiful eyes now slightly red and swollen.
"Did you know about this all along?"
It wasn't meant as an accusation, but Tsunade had just recalled Kawaki's odd behavior during Mito's push for marriage.
"Yes."
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to make you sad."
Kawaki met Tsunade's gaze and admitted openly.
"Well then, I still found out anyway, right?"
From his tone, it was clear that Tsunade felt more than just a flicker of irritation—how could he have kept something so huge from her?
"Feeling any better?"
Still gently wiping her tears away, Kawaki steered the conversation elsewhere instead of responding.
Tsunade silently shook her head, not wanting to burden Kawaki with worry.
"Get some sleep."
The comforting words hovered on his lips, but he couldn't bring himself to say them.
"I want to spend more time with Grandma recently."
"Can you help me take care of work matters?"
Tsunade made a request that wasn't unreasonable at all.
"Sure."
This time, Kawaki didn't try to dodge or pass off responsibility—he simply said yes.
"Thank you."
Tsunade finally smiled, though those two words carried many layers of meaning.
"There's no need for that between us."
They remained sitting side by side on the bed, talking for what felt like forever.
...
Early the next morning, Mito woke up from her dreams.
A smile still clung to her lips as she dreamed of Hashirama.
She told Hashirama that Tsunade had given birth to a lovely son, and Nawaki had married a beautiful girl.
The Konoha Village she had founded had become even more prosperous and powerful under Tsunade's leadership.
Seeing Hashirama's frustrated expression, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Mito lay there a little longer, reminiscing happily before reluctantly rising from her sheets.
It had been so long since she last saw Hashirama. She missed him dearly.
As usual, after washing up, Mito headed to the dining room.
"Morning, Grandma."
Soon after, Nawaki and the others arrived together.
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Misaki stifled a yawn, still half-asleep.
"Good morning."
Mito smiled warmly, her complexion rosy and radiant, giving no sign of how little time she had left.
Nawaki ate in silence, plotting how to surprise Grandma.
Just as Mito finished eating, he was about to speak—when someone beat him to it.
"Come here, Misaki, Kushina, follow Grandma."
Without giving Nawaki a chance to speak, Mito stood up and walked away.
"Oh, okay."
Misaki and Kushina exchanged glances, both clearly bewildered.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Grandma."
With those words left hanging, Misaki hurried after Mito.
Staring at the empty space where they'd been, Nawaki felt a pang of doubt creep into his thoughts.
Yesterday he called them "Sister" and "Brother-in-law"; today, he uses Misaki and Kushina.
What could be so important that he won't even tell his own beloved grandson?
"Sit down."
Mito sat at the table and gestured to the empty seats beside her.
"What did you call us here for, Grandma?"
Kushina had never been known for her patience and couldn't help but ask the moment she sat down.
"Give me your hands. Clear your minds."
Mito didn't answer; she simply reached out her left and right hands toward Misaki and Kushina.
"All right."
Though they had no idea what Grandma was up to, both placed absolute trust in her.
As all four hands met and clasped together, Misaki and Kushina suddenly felt dizzy and disoriented.
When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves standing in an unfamiliar place.
This place reeked of malicious, violent chakra, making the entire space feel suffocatingly oppressive.
Looking up, they saw a fox bound tightly to a massive stone sphere suspended in the sky.
The fox had nine tails and was utterly immobilized by the enormous stone weight.
There was no doubt—it was the Nine-Tails. This was Mito's internal sealing world.
Even as her life neared its end, the Nine-Tails still had no hope of breaking free.
"So... this is the Nine-Tails?"
Kushina's mouth hung open. She'd always known the fate that awaited her in Konoha.
Had that day finally arrived?
"What terrifying power."
Facing the colossal beast before her, Misaki felt waves of dread.
That overwhelming chakra and enormous body were enough to paralyze anyone with fear.
She couldn't begin to fathom the destruction that monster could unleash if it ever broke free.
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