Longevity Is a Curse for You, Isn't It?

Mito Uzumaki said, "The Yin Seal places extremely high demands on its user. It requires exceptionally precise chakra control to accumulate chakra in daily life, compress it, and store it within the diamond-shaped mark on the forehead."

"By continuously releasing the stored chakra in small amounts and making minute adjustments, the Yin Seal can preserve one's youth and keep the body functioning at its peak for a long time..."

Mito paused before adding, "However, this Sealing Jutsu was originally created based on the physical constitution of female shinobi. Even if male shinobi understand how it works, they will find it difficult to use."

Toji naturally knew of the Yin Seal. The mark between Mito Uzumaki's brows was proof enough.

As the only secret technique in the Shinobi World capable of storing chakra, its value went without saying.

Toji had desired it for a long time.

With the boost from the Earth Grudge Fear, he already possessed a constitution that was nearly immortal, but his chakra reserves had always held him back.

With the Yin Seal, that weakness could be greatly compensated for.

As for the restriction that male shinobi could not use it...

The Yin Seal was fundamentally part of the medical sealing system. Tsunade had later used it to develop the Strength of a Hundred Technique. And Toji's greatest talent was precisely deconstructing and reconstructing Medical Ninjutsu.

Male shinobi could not use it?

Then he would modify it until they could.

Toji put on an expression of both gratitude and confusion. "So male shinobi can't use it, then..."

"Ahem, it's not for you to use yourself."

Hashirama spoke from the side. "I originally wanted Mito to teach you techniques like the Four Symbols Seal, but she thought you might need the Yin Seal more."

"A long-lived constitution... for you, Toji, it should count as a curse too, shouldn't it?"

No.

I'm doing just fine.

Toji silently replied in his heart, while also understanding Hashirama and Mito's intentions.

He looked at Mito's face. There was nothing improper in his gaze; he had merely noticed that the corners of her eyes bore wrinkles similar to Hashirama's, traces left behind by time.

Logically speaking, someone who had mastered the Yin Seal should not have aged so quickly.

But why had she grown old?

If Toji still could not figure that out, then he was an idiot—

Even if Hashirama was the God of Shinobi and possessed an invincible, self-healing Sage Body, he still could not stop the erosion of time.

And Mito, who possessed the Yin Seal, had a far longer lifespan than Hashirama. So she had willingly abandoned the Yin Seal's youth-preserving effect, retaining only its most basic chakra storage function.

She had chosen to grow old alongside Hashirama, to walk with him toward the end of life.

Toji's gaze flickered as he sighed inwardly.

But sorry, he was allergic to romance. All he could think was that Mito cared for Hashirama no less than Madara did.

Noticing Toji's gaze, Mito slowly said, "Not only you, but even your future descendants will be troubled by the curse of longevity. That is why I am passing the Yin Seal on to you..."

"If you encounter a woman you truly love in the future, pass this technique on to her."

"Then she will be able to walk with you until the very end."

As if possessed, Toji asked, "Including an Uchiha?"

"Including them."

It was Hashirama Senju who answered, his tone frank. "You may use the Yin Seal however you wish. Whether you give it to your future wife or your disciples, I trust that you won't use it to harm the village."

"..."

Watching Mito willingly give up longevity for Hashirama, Toji did not feel particularly moved.

But Hashirama Senju had directly handed both the right to use and the ownership of the Yin Seal to him. Toji really could not hold back a smile.

Konoha, and even the entire Shinobi World, had an unwritten rule: powerful secret techniques were strictly forbidden from being passed on without permission.

It was easy enough to understand.

Ninjutsu was an art of killing. If it spread widely and fell into enemy hands, it could be turned around and used to kill its creators. So even inheritances between masters and disciples had to be treated with the utmost caution.

Owning the Yin Seal meant Toji could teach it to anyone he wanted.

As for the Five Elements Seal Mito had previously taught him, although she had not said so outright, the default understanding was that only he could use it.

What an amazing boss~

"Toji, thank you, Lord Hashirama, Lady Mito."

Toji spoke from the bottom of his heart.

The Yin Seal was meant for him!

Combined with the Earth Grudge Parasite, the Yin Seal would produce astonishing results.

"No need to thank us." Hashirama waved a hand. "Over the past two years, Mito and I have seen everything you've done. You've worked far too hard. Aside from New Year's, you've barely had any rest all year. You're even more exhausted than I am as Hokage..."

"Sometimes, you should think more about your own happiness too."

"This is what Konoha owes you, and what you deserve."

Toji had thought Hashirama merely loved gossip and nagging people to get married.

He had not expected him to actually come up with something worthwhile.

Once he was done being serious, Hashirama immediately became boisterous again. "Hahaha! A Senju gift won't be outdone by Madara's clan!"

"Madara, Madara, Madara! All you ever think about is Madara!"

Mito viciously punched Hashirama, then instructed, "Toji, since you're here, stay and eat with us. Afterward, I'll give you the Yin Seal scroll."

"Yes."

The first two days of the New Year passed just like that.

By the third day, the village's other shinobi clans had also sent invitations.

The Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho, and other clans all wanted to invite him to their clan grounds as a guest.

During a grand festival like the New Year, who would not want to desperately invite the village's living saint into their home and treat him like a sign of good fortune?

But Toji declined every single invitation.

That was simply the kind of person he was. Once he knew there was a mountain of treasure before him, he did not want to wait even a moment longer. He only wanted to start digging into it immediately.

To him, the Yin Seal was precisely such a mountain of treasure.

The Yin Seal, the Impure World Reincarnation, the Earth Grudge Parasite...

Toji's time was once again shattered into fragments by these studies.

Only when he was exhausted to the extreme would he go to Ichiraku Ramen to relax for a while.

On the final day of the New Year holiday.

While eating at Ichiraku Ramen, Toji unexpectedly caught sight of his eldest disciple, Matsumoto Kazuka, walking down the street with two girls around her age, an apple in her hand.

Toji was somewhat surprised. He had not expected the reclusive Matsumoto Kazuka to make friends.

A young shinobi scholar should focus on studying.

Friendship? Bonds? How could she possibly sleep at night?

Toji withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to eat his ramen.

Matsumoto Kazuka, who was passing by, did not notice her teacher sitting inside Ichiraku Ramen.

After the group reached a secluded park, Kazuka finally spoke to her two "friends."

"Kotone, can I see your forehead?"

Kotone Hyuga immediately looked troubled and weakly said, "I... can I refuse? My forehead is ugly."

"Aren't we friends? I won't laugh at you." Matsumoto Kazuka smiled, her voice carrying a faint, almost imperceptible hint of temptation as she whispered beside her ear. "I'm just a little curious. Since we're friends, it's fine to let us see it, right?"

"All right."

Kotone Hyuga removed her headscarf, revealing her forehead and the Caged Bird Curse Mark upon it.

"So this is the Curse Mark."

Matsumoto Kazuka stared at the pale green mark, her eyes gradually becoming unfocused as she murmured inwardly.

"This is what Teacher has always craved..."

She took the first step.