Watching Mito Uzumaki, Uchiha Gen silently nodded and followed her to the pond in the courtyard.
"Have you made up your mind?"
Several little fish swam in the pond. Mito stood beside it, her expression gentle as she spoke.
"Mm. This war should come to an end."
Gen's expression was calm.
"You know that's not what I meant."
Mito gently shook her head at Gen's answer.
"..."
Gen fell silent at her words.
"I see."
Mito smiled faintly and reached out to rest a hand gently on Gen's shoulder.
"He isn't a worthy Hok—"
Gen showed no reaction to the hand on his shoulder and continued speaking. But before he could finish, the surroundings suddenly changed.
A violent aura rushed toward him. Gen looked up. In the darkness, a pair of crimson beastly eyes glared viciously at him.
"Kurama?"
Gen frowned at the beastly eyes before him. The darkness around them receded, revealing a massive fox bound tightly in chains.
"Kurama? Is that his name? I didn't know the Uchiha's archives recorded the Nine-Tails' name. The Nine-Tails—no, I should say Kurama. I never thought I'd learn your name only at the very end."
A gentle voice sounded behind Gen. Mito Uzumaki walked forward softly, her sleeves gathered in her hands, and smiled at the Nine-Tails, who was bound tightly in chains.
She assumed Gen had learned the Nine-Tails' name from the Uchiha archives. After all, as far as she knew, the Uchiha Clan's history was just as ancient as that of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans.
"Why do you know my name?! Your chakra... You're Uchiha... No, this chakra doesn't feel like... Natural Energy? No, that's not it. You..."
Hearing Gen call him by name, Kurama's pupils shrank. He couldn't help demanding an answer.
"Quiet, Kurama. You're too loud."
Mito,