Kushina looked out over the village lights and spoke softly.
"Kazuki… you know what? My dream used to be becoming the first female Hokage."
Kazuki chuckled lightly.
"You've said that so many times I could recite it in my sleep."
She puffed her cheeks, then smiled bitterly.
"I know now that dreams like that require real strength. And I… I don't think I have enough."
Kazuki looked at her calmly.
"What are you smiling at?" she demanded.
"If it's a dream," he said, "why give up so easily?"
She blinked.
"The first female Hokage?" He shrugged. "I think you could do it."
In the future, she would become the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
With that power—and her will—
Why couldn't she stand at the top?
Kushina rolled her eyes.
"And what about you?"
"Me?" Kazuki leaned back. "I was planning to live like a salted fish."
He paused.
"…But lately, I've started thinking it wouldn't be so bad to protect Konoha."
That thought wasn't entirely his.
Ever since fusing with Hashirama's power, he could feel fragments of that will stirring inside him.
Protect the village.
Sacrifice for peace.
But Kazuki wasn't Hashirama.
"The village is too small," he continued quietly.
Kushina tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
"Protecting Konoha isn't bad. But it's small-scale love."
She snorted. "Small-scale love? Then what's 'great love'?"
Kazuki looked up at the moon.
"Unifying the shinobi world."
She froze.
"World peace."
He continued calmly.
"Konoha has the Will of Fire. Other villages have their own 'wills'—Lightning, Wind, Earth, Water."
"Everyone believes their will is right. That's why wars never end."
"If the entire world followed a single will… would there still be war?"
Kushina stared at him for a long moment.
Then she smacked his shoulder lightly.
"That kind of talk would get you in serious trouble inside the village. Don't say that to anyone else, got it?"
Kazuki smiled.
"Relax. I'm not stupid."
An hour later.
"It's late," Kushina said softly. "We should go back."
Kazuki stood and clapped the dust from his hands.
"Hold on."
Before she could react—
He wrapped an arm around her and stepped off the Hokage Rock.
"Ah—!"
Kushina instinctively clung to him.
Mid-fall, Kazuki flicked a marked kunai downward.
The Flying Thunder God seal activated.
Space twisted.
In an instant—
They reappeared beside the village wall.
Kushina blinked in shock.
"We… teleported?"
Kazuki exhaled slowly.
The chakra cost was heavy.
No wonder it was classified as a forbidden-level technique.
He'd need to train to reduce the consumption.
"Was that a ninjutsu?" Kushina asked excitedly.
He smiled.
"Don't tell anyone."
She nodded obediently.
At the Village Gate
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Biwako Sarutobi, and Mito Uzumaki had been waiting for over an hour.
Mito's expression was calm.
Too calm.
"Hiruzen," she said evenly, "what exactly is going on?"
Even as Hokage, Hiruzen straightened respectfully before her.
"Old Lady Mito… it was my oversight. But Kazuki doesn't appear malicious. Perhaps he simply—"
"It's past midnight," Mito interrupted coolly. "What kind of 'playing around' happens at this hour?"
Hiruzen inwardly cursed.
Everyone knew Mito had lost her son and cherished both Tsunade and Kushina deeply.
If something happened—
He'd never hear the end of it.
"I will locate them immediately," Hiruzen said quickly.
At that moment—
"Grandma Mito!"
Kushina rushed forward and threw herself into Mito's arms.
"Kushina!" Mito held her tightly. "Are you hurt?"
Kushina shook her head.
"I'm sorry… I didn't know you were waiting."
"It's fine," Mito said gently. "Where did you go?"
Kushina pointed toward Hokage Rock.
"We went there."
Mito's gaze shifted.
Then to Kazuki.
Under the moonlight, something about him felt familiar.
A presence.
A resonance.
"Young man," she said slowly, "your name?"
"Kazuki, ma'am."
He bowed respectfully.
Mito studied him carefully.
"I hear you used Wood Release."
"Yes."
He raised a hand.
Small green saplings sprouted instantly from the earth.
Everyone's eyes widened.
Hiruzen inhaled sharply.
"Kazuki… when did you—?"
Kazuki shrugged.
"During the rescue. I was gravely injured by a Kumogakure jōnin. Then something… awakened."
"A Kekkei Genkai awakening?" Hiruzen murmured.
Mito stepped forward.
She closed her eyes briefly.
Then nodded.
"It carries the true aura of the Senju. Not artificial. Not imitation."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"The bloodline of the Senju has not vanished…"
She looked at Kazuki with moist eyes.
"If I were to meet Hashirama now, I could face him without shame."
Biwako gently comforted her.
"This is good fortune for the Senju—and for Konoha."
Hiruzen nodded.
"Yes. Konoha has gained a remarkable talent."
Mito smiled softly.
Looking at Kazuki and Kushina standing side by side—
For a fleeting moment—
She saw Hashirama and herself in their younger days.
Perhaps…
She should guide this properly.
"Come," Mito said kindly. "Let's go home."