Uzumaki Mito Passes, Second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is Born

April 1.

The Ninja Academy began a new school year, and Gojo Yoru's class advanced to the fifth grade.

From this day onward, Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina stopped attending class in person, sending only Shadow Clones to handle the school.

Gojo Yoru was done pretending.

The signal from the oversized scroll meant that his actions had been noticed by Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uzumaki Mito.

Using Shadow Clones to take exams for himself and Uzumaki Kushina had certainly been seen by Sarutobi Hiruzen as well.

Gojo Yoru had no reason to hide anymore.

And he had a perfect excuse to take Uzumaki Kushina along on his "truancy."

That was teaching Uzumaki Kushina ninjutsu, expanding her arsenal, and raising her strength.

Gojo Yoru no longer even concealed the Rasengan.

Since those big shots had decided to invest in him, he had to show them a high return.

When Sarutobi Hiruzen saw Gojo Yoru perform a ninjutsu without hand seals, his resolve to nurture him only grew stronger.

Such talent in ninjutsu, such talent in Body Flicker, and that hair color and face... In Gojo Yoru, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to see an echo of Tobirama-sensei.

If it was Gojo Yoru, he might actually be able to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique—something no one in Konoha had mastered since Tobirama-sensei.

Once Gojo Yoru mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, Konoha would gain another layer of security. Even if Uzumaki Kushina lost control, he could transfer her out of Konoha's Central Street before she underwent tailed beast transformation.

But before teaching Gojo Yoru the Flying Thunder God Technique, Sarutobi Hiruzen had to brand him, to ensure he was "one of us."

Otherwise, an out-of-control Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and a Flying Thunder God Technique user—the thought alone was terrifying.

The days of training spent in a world for two with Gojo Yoru completely healed Uzumaki Kushina's heart.

The girl who once feared sleep, often waking from nightmares reliving the massacre of her clan, had gradually stopped jolting awake from her dreams since the beginning of this year.

Instead, she often showed sweet smiles while sound asleep, clearly having pleasant dreams.

Her changes were all noticed by Uzumaki Mito, filling the old woman with immense relief.

She had originally planned to take Uzumaki Kushina on a trip, to teach this clansman and "junior" a lesson.

Now, it seemed there was no need.

May 10.

A piece of grievous news suddenly spread throughout Konoha, and quickly reached the entire shinobi world, causing countless people to breathe a sigh of relief.

That news was the passing of the First Hokage's wife.

In the eyes of ordinary people, it was simply the First Hokage's wife dying of old age—one less representative figure from the Warring States Period.

But in the eyes of those who knew Uzumaki Mito was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, it was the defusing of a time bomb.

Especially for the countries that had destroyed the Land of Whirlpools—they could finally rest easy.

They had dared to attack the Land of Whirlpools because they knew Uzumaki Mito was already old, and that any move she made would be her last battle.

After destroying the Land of Whirlpools, they feared Uzumaki Mito might choose to fight them to the death, randomly picking a hidden village to "self-destruct."

Fortunately, the old woman chose the latter between hatred and Konoha's future.

Uzumaki Mito's death meant Konoha had successfully transferred the Nine-Tails.

Thus, various factions began mobilizing their intelligence networks, trying to send spies into Konoha to uncover the identity of the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt some sadness at Uzumaki Mito's passing, but more than that, he too breathed a sigh of relief.

It wasn't just that a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders—it was also that the aging jinchuriki had already lost her ability to suppress the tailed beast.

Jinchuriki from other villages, once they grew old, either transferred the tailed beast early or moved their residence into a barrier.

Only Uzumaki Mito could stay in Konoha's Central Street without anyone daring to object.

Now that Uzumaki Mito was gone, Sarutobi Hiruzen officially stood at the peak of power.

The first thing Sarutobi Hiruzen did with his sole authority was to fully activate the barrier that had been set up since the day Uzumaki Kushina entered Konoha.

An invisible barrier enveloped the entire Konoha Central Street.

From now on, Uzumaki Kushina's range of activity was also restricted to Konoha's Central Street.

The Anbu assigned to monitor and protect Uzumaki Kushina increased from one to two.

"Yoru, Mito-sama is gone. I don't have a single clansman left. Waaah..."

Just after the grand funeral ended, Uzumaki Kushina found Gojo Yoru and threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly.

"People come into this world, and there will always be a day they leave. What we have to do is live happily in that process, leaving no regrets." Gojo Yoru embraced Uzumaki Kushina, speaking mature words that didn't match his age. "I believe Mito-sama left with a smile."

"You... how do you know?"

Uzumaki Kushina forgot to cry for a moment, staring blankly at Gojo Yoru.

"Because Mito-sama had no regrets left." Gojo Yoru said softly. "She witnessed her granddaughter become a full-fledged ninja, her grandson become a formal genin, and you, the clansman who inherited her mantle. Her later years were already complete."

"So... this is why Lady Mito chose to transfer the Nine-Tails after her birthday?" Uzumaki Kushina murmured, still too young to understand these things.

Gojo Yoru asked with a worried expression, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

Uzumaki Kushina shook her head, placing her hand on her abdomen, and said, "Before she left, Lady Mito sealed her final chakra inside me to restrain the Nine-Tails. This chakra should last for a few years."

If Gojo Yoru could enter the mental space where Uzumaki Kushina communicated with the Nine-Tails, he would see that the Nine-Tails was not locked in an iron cage, but rather pinned to a wall by a massive black iron spike, its entire body wrapped in chains.

If it weren't nailed to a wall but embedded in a stone sphere, the Nine-Tails would look just like the Firework Head Monk from the movies.

"I see."

Gojo Yoru was slightly enlightened; several doubts from the Original Work now made sense.

In the Original Work, Uzumaki Kushina must have become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki first, and only then was captured by the Cloud Ninja.

If Uzumaki Mito were still alive, Sarutobi Hiruzen would never have dared to scheme against Uzumaki Kushina, let alone gamble with the only Nine-Tails vessel.

Those two Cloud Ninja wouldn't even have been able to sneak into Hashirama's mansion before being detected by Uzumaki Mito, who possessed the Good Evil Perception.

But a twelve-year-old Uzumaki Kushina couldn't even handle two Cloud Ninja—how could she have the power to suppress a complete Nine-Tails?

Now, hearing Uzumaki Kushina's words, Gojo Yoru finally understood.

It turned out that Uzumaki Mito had sacrificed herself early to buy Uzumaki Kushina a few years of growth time.

"Then in the years ahead, we'll have to work twice as hard." Gojo Yoru patted Uzumaki Kushina's head and smiled.

"Mm!"

Uzumaki Kushina nodded firmly, her gaze resolute.

Not just for herself, but for Gojo Yoru, Lady Mito, and this village she was gradually growing to love—she would never allow that monster to seize control of her body.