Hiruzen Sarutobi opened the letter at an unhurried pace. After reading it through, a knowing smile curved his lips.
"Kushina really is an overly sensible child…"
In the letter, she wrote that she had chosen a house near Minato's place. Koharu Utatane had already sent people to help furnish it and take care of the renovations.
The Anbu assigned to protect her were kind as well.
Whenever their eyes met, they would give her a small nod. She had once worried that surveillance-style protection would make life uncomfortable. Now, she only felt warmth and understood how hard the Anbu worked.
She thanked Hokage-grandpa. She thanked Konoha for becoming her new home. After hearing about Konoha's strike against Kumogakure, she felt safe knowing someone had stood up for her.
At the end, she wrote casually about chatting with Mito Uzumaki, mentioning that Mito had seemed a little surprised…
The handwriting was immature. Even her little verbal quirks had slipped onto the page.
Yet between the lines was nothing but pure sincerity and joy. It lightened Hiruzen's mood just reading it.
Emotions were contagious.
"This is a good time to visit Mito Uzumaki."
The thought crossed his mind. He turned to the Anbu and said, "Ask Mito-sama if she is willing to receive me. Also confirm the condition of that Wood Style child."
The Anbu accepted the order.
Not long after, they returned with word that Mito Uzumaki was willing to see him. Hiruzen prepared to depart at once.
In the past, he had always held deep respect for her, yet deliberately avoided meeting her.
There were many reasons.
Managing the village left him exhausted. The incident of the Hidden Eddy Village weighed heavily on him. And the fact that Mito Uzumaki was also the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails made every visit feel delicate.
Given her identity, unless Konoha stood at the brink of annihilation, if Hiruzen wished to keep even a shred of dignity, he would never send her onto a battlefield.
Yet the Nine-Tails was undeniably a strategic weapon.
Visiting too often could easily be misread as offering greetings while secretly checking how close she was to death.
It wasn't paranoia. The village had once truly hoped for a Jinchuriki capable of fighting on the front lines.
But things were different now.
Rather than gamble on whether a new Jinchuriki could control the Nine-Tails, it was far better to earn Mito Uzumaki's recognition and support. That would greatly aid Hiruzen in pushing reforms and strengthening his authority.
And from Tobirama Senju's notes, it was clear that Mito Uzumaki was not only a master of profound sealing techniques, but also deeply knowledgeable about many hidden arts of the shinobi world. She was a living archive.
He could never ask her to work tirelessly like Hiruko or Orochimaru.
But having a master who could point the way and provide insight was already an immense gain.
"I need to let her see my remorse."
After straightening his appearance, Hiruzen instructed the Anbu to fetch several thorn branches. He bound them across his back without hesitation.
Behind their masks, the Anbu were visibly startled.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not care.
This, too, was part of the plan.
Mito's residence.
Hiruzen slowly pushed open the ancient wooden gate and glanced around.
The entire estate carried the strong atmosphere of the Warring States era.
The walls were adorned with the crests of the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan.
Seated at the head position, Mito Uzumaki saw Hiruzen enter with thorns strapped to his back. A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes.
What was this monkey up to now?
Hiruzen strode forward and bowed deeply, like a tiger descending a mountain.
"Mito-sama, this monkey has failed in his duties as Hokage. I beg you to punish me!"
Mito Uzumaki rose slowly and studied him.
The Mind's Eye of the Kagura activated quietly.
In her perception, Hiruzen's chakra burned strong and vigorous. The emotions at his core were sincere.
Ordinarily, the Mind's Eye of the Kagura could not sense emotions.
But as a Jinchuriki, she could weave the Nine-Tails' Negative Emotion Sensing into it.
After a moment, she walked to his side and let out a long sigh, reaching to help him up.
"Monkey, these years haven't been easy for you."
"The Hidden Eddy Village still pains me. But I cannot place all the blame on you."
Hiruzen rose quickly. How could he let an elderly woman truly bend to help him?
"Mito-sama…"
"Come inside. Stop carrying those thorns. At your age… and you're the Hokage now." She removed the thorn branches from his back and gestured for him to sit.
He obediently took the guest seat.
A faint sigh escaped him.
In his memory, Mito Uzumaki had always seemed closer to middle age.
Now, she truly looked old.
"When people grow old, being alone is the hardest part."
Noticing his expression, Mito shook her head.
"If I release this seal, I could go see Hashirama sooner. And the village would have one less burden."
Perhaps it was his sincerity today. Perhaps the matter of the Nine-Tails could no longer be avoided.
Her words were direct.
The Yin Seal was not a technique that consumed chakra to preserve beauty.
On the contrary, it established a new chakra cycle to nourish the body's cells.
To actively disperse the Yin Seal was, in a sense, slow suicide.
"Mito-sama!"
Hiruzen drew in a deep breath. His gaze was steady, his tone resolute.
"Compared to the Nine-Tails, you are Konoha's true priceless treasure."
She smiled faintly, about to speak, but he pressed his palms together to ask for a moment.
"This is not empty flattery. It is the consensus of the entire village."
"You devoted your life to Konoha. If we cannot let you enjoy your later years in peace, if we demand that you burn your final bones and blood for the village, even to the point of shortening your life…"
"Then I, as Hokage, the Will of Fire, and Konoha itself would be disgraced."
Mito Uzumaki looked at him in silence.
The monkey who once avoided this subject, who hesitated and wavered, now spoke with unwavering conviction.
Was he truly no longer concerned about the Nine-Tails?
For the sake of an old woman like her?
"The Hidden Eddy Village has weighed on my heart like a stone."
Hiruzen's voice grew heavy.
"No matter what, the Uzumaki Clan will always be Konoha's ally. For what happened, I take full responsibility as Hokage."
"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to search for surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan. Those willing to come to Konoha will find it a warm new home."
"I believe that within a few generations, a new Uzumaki Clan will take root here."
At last, her expression shifted.
Through the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, his emotions felt like solid stone.
And they were genuine.
In his previous life, he had lived by one principle: admit mistakes and make amends.
Restoring the Uzumaki Clan would correct past wrongs, strengthen the Will of Fire in a way akin to honoring a fallen steed to inspire others, and secure Mito Uzumaki's steadfast support.
If the Uzumaki Clan were rebuilt, it would only benefit a Hokage who stood fully aligned with the village.
Three gains in one move.
Hiruzen's resolve was firm.
"Your heart, I can see it."
"The past is the past. Do well from here on. I support you."
Mito smiled gently.
"But even if I remain to trouble you longer, growing old alone is difficult."
"I cannot demand that you visit me often. I may be old, but I still have my pride."
Hiruzen fell silent.
Inside, however, he smiled faintly.
He had anticipated this.
The elderly did not only need companionship. They needed to feel needed.
Especially a shinobi like Mito Uzumaki.
"Mito-sama, this monkey truly does have a request."
He rose to his feet.
"A request?" She laughed softly, shaking her head. Though aged, her movements still carried the grace of the strongest female shinobi of the Warring States era.
"Stop trying to comfort me, Monkey."
"At this point, other than sealing this fox, what can I do?"
Hiruzen formed hand seals.
Sensing the Hokage's summons, an Anbu entered quietly, carrying a swaddled infant. He placed the child into Hiruzen's arms and withdrew without a word.
Mito Uzumaki's eyes suddenly shone.
From the child, she felt Hashirama's presence.