At this moment—Konoha.
"Grandma Mito!"
Uzumaki Kushina came running in barefoot, sprinting toward her.
"What is it, Kushina?" Uzumaki Mito forced a smile. "Why are you home so late today?"
Kushina threw herself into Mito's arms, her voice full of grievance.
"Today… today, I was caught by Kumo ninja."
"What?!"
Mito's killing intent erupted in an instant. The very air over the Senju compound turned oppressive—before she quickly reeled it back in.
"How did you make it back? Did ANBU rescue you?"
"No… it was my classmate," Kushina said. "He noticed my red hair on the ground, tracked them down, and dealt with those Cloud ninja. He saved me."
When she remembered Minato's profile under the moonlight—especially the way he'd swept in and carried her—Kushina's face flushed and her heart pounded uncontrollably.
Mito took one look at her expression and understood immediately.
"With the Kumo ninja's speed… how did he catch up?"
"Well… because I fought back, they didn't dare fully restrain me. They could only tie me up with a rope and drag me along," Kushina explained. "That's how he managed to catch up."
…
"I understand. As long as you're safe, that's what matters."
Mito patted her head and sent her back to her room. Only after Kushina fell asleep did Mito step out.
"Eight Sign Seal."
Pitch-black curse markings sealed Kushina's room tight.
At the same time, the ANBU stationed within the clan compound sensed it too. Some rushed to report to the Third Hokage. Others went grim—the level of killing intent they'd felt earlier was something they'd never experienced before.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Mito's voice could no longer contain her fury.
Her grandson, Senju's last male, the last legitimate heir of the Senju, the last true Senju… Senju Nawaki—had died on the battlefield not long ago.
But… Nawaki had been covered in multiple layers of protective seals she personally placed on him. What kind of battle could possibly have killed him?
Hiruzen had never come in person, claiming Hokage duties. The explanation sent instead was that Nawaki had stepped on an explosive tag in the chaos of battle…
How could that be possible? A single explosive tag broke through her protective seals? If that were true, then the sealing arts of Uzushiogakure would be worthless.
And then—
Mito pulled out a slip of paper from behind her.
It had been tossed into the Senju compound in secret—on the day the Ame envoy arrived.
That person had slipped past ANBU surveillance, but he couldn't evade her Mind's Eye of the Kagura. Strangely, she'd sensed no malice from him at all.
And that chakra, stagnant, unnatural—proved it wasn't the man's true body. Yet even that "copy's" chakra reserves were terrifying. It was hard to imagine how strong the original must be—and he wasn't even a jinchūriki.
With chakra that monstrous, Mito could think of only one possibility:
A survivor of the Uzumaki clan.
In this era, aside from the Uzumaki, no one should possess chakra reserves on the level of a tailed beast.
He knew I was here. He wanted to warn me of something… Did he do it this way because he feared being discovered?
Only the Uzumaki clan, and a handful of Konoha's top brass—still knew she was alive.
But the Uzumaki were allies of Konoha for generations. Why would he be so cautious?
After he left, she quietly retrieved the note.
What it contained made her blood surge, her vision go red with rage—
It was the truth behind Uzushiogakure's destruction.
The note claimed Konoha hadn't just failed to help… it had taken advantage of the chaos.
Their clan head had sacrificed his life to get survivors out, and his final words were only one sentence:
"Never go to Konoha."
It also warned her that Konoha would not spare the Senju either, and begged her to protect the last Uzumaki princess—
Uzumaki Kushina.
Mito could still sense a faint residue of chakra on the paper. She understood: it belonged to the person who wrote it. And within that chakra, there was no malice—no deception.
She had already wrested control of the Nine-Tails' chakra. In front of her, lies could be exposed.
Which meant everything written there… was true.
But Danzo's explanation back then had been that due to wartime constraints, Konoha's reinforcements arrived too late—by the time they reached Uzushiogakure, the Uzumaki had already been massacred.
At that time she hadn't yet completed her extraction of the Nine-Tails' chakra. She couldn't judge truth from falsehood. Grief had also left her unable to think clearly.
And over the years, every source of information she had was cut off by Hiruzen and the others.
In plain terms—
She'd been kept here under soft house arrest.
But because of Nawaki and Kushina, she'd still clung to hope for Konoha.
She'd naively believed the village Hashirama created… would never disappoint her to this extent.
Nawaki was dead. Kushina was a future jinchūriki—and now Konoha had moved to control her.
Next would be Tsunade.
And in wartime, with Tsunade sent out, anyone could die without raising too many questions.
After steadying her breathing, Mito strode out of the Senju compound.
"Nearly ten years…" she murmured. "Since Tobirama died, this is the first time I've left this place."
"Apologies, my lady."
Several ANBU suddenly appeared in front of her.
"It's wartime. Curfew is in effect. No one is permitted outside at night."
"ANBU…"
The organization Tobirama created—now being used to watch her.
Mito shook her head.
"Do you even remember who I am?"
"…"
The ANBU didn't dare answer. Of course they knew.
The woman before them was Konoha's true authority behind the curtain.
"I'm sorry," one of them said stiffly. "These are the Hokage's orders. Please… don't make this difficult."
"Hokage? Hiruzen Sarutobi…"
Mito let out a cold laugh.
"Don't worry. I'm going to see him."
"Move."
A blade-sharp killing intent burst outward. The ANBU's hearts lurched. They drew their swords and retreated, surrounding her.
"Fine," Mito said calmly. "I didn't plan on solving this with words tonight anyway."
Dozens of golden chains erupted from her back, encircling the area.
"You intend to defy the Hokage's orders?!"
Mito answered with overwhelming chakra—and whipping chains.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Fireballs. Flying blades. Kunai.
She tore them all apart with chains alone.
As ANBU cried out, the chains pierced through them, sealing their chakra in an instant.
Like swatting flies, Mito lashed them aside.
One move.
That was all it took.
Since the Second Hokage's death, everyone in Konoha believed the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi—was the village's strongest shinobi, the "Strongest Hokage."
But Konoha's true strongest…
Was her.
Uzumaki Mito.
Even at the end of her life, she was still at her peak.
"Mito-sama."
Halfway there, Hiruzen and the two advisors arrived, having received the report.
Even from a distance, Hiruzen could feel the killing intent rolling off her.
This shouldn't be happening… Homura thought grimly. Even if she realized we arranged Kushina's incident, this is too much. This isn't her temperament.
"I told you," Hiruzen replied quietly. "The timing is wrong. Nawaki just died—her emotions haven't stabilized."
"Oh? You still remember to call me '-sama'?"
Mito sneered.
"I thought you'd forgotten who I was—just like those ANBU."
"Mito-sama," Hiruzen said, forcing calm into his voice. "Please, settle down. We will give you an explanation about Kushina."
"Looks like you already know why I'm here," Mito said—and cold sweat slid down Hiruzen's face.
The pressure from her chakra…
It was no weaker than Hanzo's had been.
How is this possible? She's over seventy… How can she still possess power like this?!
That thought flashed through Koharu's mind.
And what made it worse—
Mito still wore the appearance of a woman in her twenties.
The jealousy boiling in Koharu surged to its limit.
Mito could sense it clearly. That black hatred and envy was darker than the night itself.
"I didn't come here only for that," Mito said.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, tell me. How did Nawaki really die?"
At those words, the expressions on all three of them stiffened.
Danzo had done it—but they had permitted it. They'd even known before Danzo acted.
"The report my subordinates sent says Senju Nawaki stepped on an explosive tag and died," Hiruzen replied.
"Command on the battlefield was taken over by Danzo's people. If you want details, we can wait until Danzo returns."
Lies.
Mito didn't even need her sensing to know Hiruzen was lying. The falseness in his chakra couldn't deceive her.
But it wasn't outright malice—
Which meant he wasn't the one who struck the blow.
Yet he was absolutely involved.
"Then I'll ask you one more question, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Mito stared him down.
"When Uzushiogakure fell… what did Konoha actually do?"
The three of them clearly hadn't expected her to ask that.
"Mito-sama," Homura said carefully, "that was almost ten years ago. The documents were delivered to you. It's true we failed to protect our ally. That was our fault."
"Protect?" Mito's voice went dead.
"Are you sure you don't mean loot?"
She looked at Homura—and saw the hostility exposed in him.
Her heart turned to ash.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"I want you to tell me, to my face."
Now even Hiruzen's breath grew tight. He had never felt pressure like this from Mito.
All his life, she'd been gentle—kind. He'd never even seen her fight.
Tonight was the first time he'd felt her killing intent.
Even at seventy-plus…
His instincts screamed the truth:
Her strength was above his.
And the worst part?
Every question she asked struck straight at the village's vital organs.
Did she always know… and only held back out of respect for Hashirama and Tobirama? Did tonight finally push her over the edge?
"This matter was handled by Danzo," Hiruzen said again. "If you want to know what happened back then, we can wait until he returns."
That same falseness again.
Mito had never sensed malice or envy from Hiruzen before.
So none of it was "his" doing.
But that falseness proved he knew—and allowed it.
As for Danzo…
Tsunade had said he'd been dispatched to the Kiri front. For him to return would take at least a year. If Konoha wanted to stall, they could stall two.
And Mito…
She had at most two years left.
By the time Danzo returned, she'd already be dead.
He picked a perfect time to disappear.
But she wouldn't let it end there.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"I want a direct answer."
"What did Konoha do back then?!"
Her chakra pressure made everyone's skin crawl. No one would have been surprised if she exploded into violence right there.
Hiruzen swallowed—then finally spoke.
"Konoha did send forces to support Uzushiogakure… but we didn't make it in time."
"I'm sorry, Mito-sama."
Lie.
At last, that stench surfaced in Hiruzen's chakra.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi…"
Mito's eyes lowered, lids half-closed.
"Have you ever truly crossed hands with a real powerhouse from the Warring States Era?"
"Today…"
"I'll see whether you can walk out of here alive."
In that instant, boundless fury erupted from Uzumaki Mito.
Tobirama… you raised your student well.
He severed the Senju legacy and Uzushiogakure's inheritance with his own hands.
Everything she cherished had been destroyed by them.
And now even Kushina was about to be swallowed by the same fate.
"Ninja Art: One Crimson Ray Formation!"
A blazing crimson pillar shot into the sky from Mito's body—then expanded into a circular barrier, trapping Hiruzen and the others inside.
All of Konoha was jolted awake by the beam.
Hiruzen's face changed drastically, as did the ANBU behind him.
"Mito-sama—what are you doing?!"
"Konoha… no longer has anything I cling to."
"Everyone from my era is gone."
"The Senju are Senju in name only."
"Even my homeland, Uzushiogakure, once Konoha's ally is gone."
"Nawaki is dead."
"The only things keeping me alive are Kushina and Tsunade."
"And now… you're about to destroy even that."
"You've already committed too many sins."
"I won't let you continue."
"What do you mean, Mito?!" Koharu shrieked. "What you're doing is treason against Konoha! Even if you were the First Hokage's wife, you won't escape punishment!"
"Enough!" Homura snapped.
Koharu and Homura had been borrowing authority for years—but there were limits.
Even Homura had thought Mito was simply a vessel suppressing the Nine-Tails, not a true combatant.
But now—
"Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"Repent."
A golden chakra cloak surged over Mito's body.
For the second time, that helpless feeling rose in Hiruzen's chest.
That amount of chakra… inside a seventy-year-old?
How could it be real?
"Nine Masked Beasts!"
As she formed seals, nine beasts were summoned.
Each one—
A nine-faced cub.
A forbidden jutsu she had developed after stealing the Nine-Tails' chakra.
"Hiruzen—she's attacking! Kill her!" ANBU rushed forward, while Koharu continued fanning the flames from the side.
There was no time to hesitate now.
A Warring States–era monster.
Old, yes—but her power had barely diminished.
The Uzumaki's vitality.
The Nine-Tails' chakra supply.
And the Strength of a Hundred Seal at her forehead—
She still possessed the might of her prime.
At that moment, two of summoned beasts unfolded a violet magic circle, trapping the charging ANBU.
Another beast seized the moment and sent a pale blade of light sweeping across them.
After a single slash, every ANBU's chakra was ripped away.
They collapsed, powerless.
She really intended to kill him.
Only then did Hiruzen fully grasp the seriousness of what was unfolding.
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