Yuzuru, You Have No Talent for This

"Why won't you let me in? I want to see Hokage-sama!"

"Not today."

"Then when can I?"

"I don't know. I'll convey your wishes, but until then, you can only wait patiently for Hokage-sama to summon you."

Looking at the Anbu ninja before her, whose tone carried not the slightest emotion, Kushina Uzumaki clenched her fists.

After giving the Hokage Building one last furious glare, she turned and left.

Walking through the streets of Konoha, Kushina Uzumaki felt her heart fill with hostility.

Yuzuru had been right. That Old Man Hiruzen Sarutobi had really taken action.

From now on, she would never be able to see Mikoto or Yuzuru again.

"Damn it! Why even take away this little bit of freedom? What Will of Fire, what bonds... it's all bullshit!"

Fuming, Kushina Uzumaki returned to the Senju Compound.

Her last shred of hope had been crushed. She was utterly disappointed in this boring village.

She only hoped Yuzuru's plan would go smoothly. She did not want to stay in this cage for even one more second.

"Kushina, you seem to be in a bad mood."

Mito Uzumaki, who had been basking in the sun in the courtyard, reached out and pulled Kushina Uzumaki in front of her. "Did something happen?"

"Grandma Mito, I..."

Seeing Kushina Uzumaki hesitate, Mito Uzumaki slowly rose and led her into the room.

"Kushina, speak freely. No one will be able to hear our conversation."

At that, Kushina Uzumaki sat on her knees beside Mito Uzumaki.

If there was anyone she could still trust now, it was only Mito Uzumaki, who had cared for her ever since she was young.

"Grandma Mito, if one day I leave Konoha, would you blame me?"

Mito Uzumaki froze for a moment. "Kushina, why would you suddenly say that?"

"It's nothing. Just a passing thought."

At that, Mito Uzumaki stroked Kushina Uzumaki's long hair and said softly, "Kushina, there's a scroll by the head of the bed. Bring it here."

"Okay."

Mito Uzumaki placed the scroll in Kushina Uzumaki's hands and said gently, "This scroll contains every Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan. I'm entrusting it to you from now on."

Kushina Uzumaki opened her mouth in shock, finding it hard to believe. "Grandma Mito, why are you suddenly giving me something this important?"

Mito Uzumaki smiled. "I originally intended to give it to you after I died, but I was afraid that one day I'd wake up and you'd suddenly be gone. So I decided to give it to you early."

"Grandma Mito, you don't blame me?" Kushina Uzumaki asked quietly.

"Silly child, how could I blame you?" Mito Uzumaki said with a smile, shaking her head. "Since you've already made your decision, I absolutely won't interfere."

"I've personally experienced just how difficult the circumstances of a Jinchuriki can be."

"Of course, the path you've chosen may not be much easier than becoming a Jinchuriki."

"No matter where you go, the village will not give you up easily."

"It's okay. I'll be careful." After saying that, Kushina Uzumaki asked in confusion, "Grandma Mito, since your life hasn't been happy, why have you kept enduring it?"

"With your status and strength, even the Hokage probably wouldn't dare do anything to you, would he?"

At that, Mito Uzumaki sighed. "Although Hashirama has been dead for many years, as his wife, I want to carry on his ideals."

"For the sake of the village, I can't act solely according to my own preferences. After all these years, I can say I've done right by Hashirama."

"It's just..."

A nostalgic look appeared on Mito Uzumaki's face. Only after a long while did she say, "I've let down those clansmen in the Land of Whirlpools."

"Kushina, I'm sorry I only said this after you made your decision. I hope you won't blame me."

If Kushina Uzumaki had not chosen to leave Konoha herself, Mito Uzumaki might have kept those words buried in her heart for the rest of her life.

Looking at this elderly woman nearing the end of her life, Kushina Uzumaki's nose stung as she said in a deep voice, "Grandma Mito, I don't blame you."

"That's good." Mito Uzumaki smiled and took Kushina Uzumaki's hand.

Even someone with such vigorous life force now had dry, wrinkled skin.

She gently stroked the back of Kushina Uzumaki's fair, tender hand and asked curiously, "Kushina, can you tell me how you came to make this decision?"

After hearing Mito Uzumaki's question, Kushina Uzumaki rested her cheek on one hand, and the moon from that night appeared in her mind.

A smile unconsciously touched her lips as she said softly, "Because I met a hero..."

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Such a petty trick."

Uchiha Fugaku snorted coldly and split the several-meter-wide blazing fireball before him in two with a single slash.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Claw Red!"

Dozens of flame-covered shuriken scattered like phoenix flowers filling the sky. After colliding with one another, they shot toward Uchiha Fugaku from every possible blind spot.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Uchiha Fugaku swiftly formed hand seals, then used his longsword to knock down every shuriken before him.

As for those coming from his blind spots behind him, he left them all to his Shadow Clone.

The sharp longswords clashed, then instantly parted.

The three-tomoe Sharingan of Uchiha Yuzuru and Uchiha Fugaku spun wildly.

Their figures flashed continuously across the field, their speed reaching the absolute limit.

Every strike targeted the other's vital points, yet every strike was evaded with dazzling grace.

"Yuzuru, this time, I'll definitely defeat you!"

Uchiha Fugaku declared confidently.

They had agreed not to use their Dojutsu Power, so he was confident he could defeat his opponent.

Yuzuru said nothing, responding only with even fiercer swordsmanship.

After a while, Uchiha Fugaku's expression darkened as he looked at the blade resting against his neck.

He had lost.

Even without using dojutsu, he was still no match for Uchiha Yuzuru.

Looking at Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Yuzuru slowly sheathed his sword.

"Though I don't know what you were expecting, this is reality."

Even without using dojutsu, the dynamic vision of the Mangekyō Sharingan was not something an ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan could compare to.

What was more, thanks to the system's rewards, he had no weaknesses in any aspect.

To defeat a Kage-level expert without a single weakness, there was no way other than overwhelming him with sheer strength.

Uchiha Fugaku clearly did not possess such strength.

Seeing how nonchalant Uchiha Yuzuru looked, Uchiha Fugaku could only sigh. "I lost."

"You seem quite disappointed?"

"What else would I be?"

They were both praised as geniuses, and he was even several years older than Uchiha Yuzuru, yet he had now been thoroughly outclassed by him...

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku's expression, Uchiha Yuzuru consoled him. "There's no need to feel inferior for losing to me. Just as a butterfly is destined never to cross the sea, a firefly need not compete with the bright moon."

Hearing Uchiha Yuzuru's words, Uchiha Fugaku clenched his fists. "Are you mocking me?"

"No, I'm comforting you."

"Then don't do that anymore. You have no talent for it."

The usually composed Uchiha Fugaku felt as though he was about to grind his teeth to dust.

So annoying. Why couldn't someone this detestable be himself?

But that was fine. He had material for tonight's dreams now.

Just as Uchiha Fugaku's thoughts wandered, Uchiha Yakumi and Uchiha Inabi rushed in.

"Lord Yuzuru, Lord Fugaku, our people have clashed with the Anbu. Should you go take a look?"