Sealing the Nine-Tails

Uzumaki Mito took Kushina's hand and walked into the formula.

Senju Genma stood some distance away. After sensing that no one else was nearby, he activated his Sharingan and watched the two of them.

If anything went wrong, he would intervene at once.

Uzumaki Mito gently stroked her belly. Red chakra slowly covered her body, then peeled away from her.

On the empty ground, a red beast swung its nine enormous tails and roared, making the earth tremble.

But its roar was quickly cut short. Golden chains tightened around it, pinning its suppressed body to the ground.

Seeing the Nine-Tails subdued, Uzumaki Mito immediately shouted, "Kushina, get ready!"

"Yes!" Kushina answered loudly. Several golden chains emerged from her back, reaching to pull the Nine-Tails into her body.

"Did I grow so weak because I became too attached to the beauty of this world? I should have performed the sealing ritual sooner!" Uzumaki Mito said through gritted teeth, frowning.

The Nine-Tails was resisting their seal, trying to break free of the chains.

They had expected that.

What shocked her most was that she could barely suppress the Nine-Tails. It had already snapped several of the golden chains.

Senju Genma frowned.

He had thought this would go off without a hitch, but trouble had still found them!

He immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleporting beside Uzumaki Kushina and shielding her and Mito behind him.

"Sage Art: Myojinmon!"

Fifteen massive torii gates descended from the sky, pinning the Nine-Tails by its neck, waist, limbs, and nine enormous tails.

"Nine-Tails, your power is too great. I'm sorry! I can't just stand by and do nothing!"

At Senju Genma's words, the savage Nine-Tails froze, then calmed a little.

That sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?

And that familiar jutsu...

Something's wrong!

Very wrong!!

"Sage Art: Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"

"Kakuan Entering Society with Bliss-Bringing Hands!"

Senju Genma shouted twice. A fifty-meter wooden figure rose beneath him, and a character for "seat" appeared on its right hand as it pressed down on the Nine-Tails' head.

The Nine-Tails' eyes widened.

On that day, the Nine-Tails finally remembered the fear of being dominated by that man, and the humiliation of being locked away in a cage.

It remembered an afternoon decades ago. It had been a happy fox, sunbathing and singing in the forest, when a handsome man with long black hair and red eyes suddenly took control of it!

And that wasn't the end of it. He had made it fight a terrifying being named Senju Hashirama, and in the end, it had been beaten unconscious.

That Senju Hashirama guy had said the same thing you just did.

What a miserable life!

What did I ever do to anyone?

Is this how you treat an honest fox?

"Kurama, we can talk about this later!"

The Nine-Tails was stunned and confused. It didn't understand how Senju Genma knew its name.

"Kid, just who are—"

As Kakuan Entering Society with Bliss-Bringing Hands took effect, the Nine-Tails lost consciousness and fell asleep before it could finish speaking.

"Genma, thank goodness you were here!" Uzumaki Mito's weary voice came from behind him.

"Kushina, get ready for the final step!"

After speaking, Uzumaki Mito and Kushina worked together to seal the sleeping Nine-Tails inside her.

"Four Symbols Seal!"

Uzumaki Mito lifted Kushina's clothes and saw a formula on her belly made up of interlocking hearts.

But she had no time to think about it. She pressed her hand against Kushina's belly and performed the Four Symbols Seal.

When it was done, Uzumaki Mito's strength gave out, and she swayed unsteadily.

She had extracted the Nine-Tails, yet she had survived this long only because the Uzumaki Clan had a special constitution and extraordinary vitality.

An ordinary person would have died before they could seal a Tailed Beast extracted from their body into someone else.

Senju Genma knew Uzumaki Mito's condition, and hurried forward to support her.

"Genma, that strange formula just now. Don't you have anything to say about it?" Even as she faced the end of her life, Uzumaki Mito was still concerned about the two of them.

Senju Genma rubbed his nose, looking embarrassed. "It's just a Flying Thunder God Formula, to protect Kushina."

"Is that so? Then that's good..." Uzumaki Mito smiled with relief. Lying in Senju Genma's arms, the light gradually faded from her eyes.

Senju Genma felt Uzumaki Mito pass away, but he didn't cry. Instead, he lifted her in his arms, his face expressionless.

Death was no big deal.

He just couldn't understand why his eyes hurt on behalf of his heart.

Senju Genma carried Uzumaki Mito out of the forest.

Uzumaki Kushina followed silently behind him, tears trickling from the corners of her eyes.

Seeing Senju Genma and Kushina safe and sound, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.

He hadn't wanted anything to happen to them. He simply understood that another important person from his past had left his life.

"Genma, is it done?"

Senju Genma nodded. "It's done!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Uzumaki Mito's body and pressed his lips together. "Lady Mito's remains... I can have the village give her a grand burial."

"No need. I'll take her back to the clan grounds. Lady Mito would surely want to be with her people again." Senju Genma shook his head firmly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded to show that he understood.

That night, escorted by the Anbu and Senju Jonin, Senju Genma and Kushina returned to the Senju Clan Grounds with Uzumaki Mito's remains.

The clan members soon learned of Uzumaki Mito's death, and one after another, they wept uncontrollably.

In the nearly forty years since Konoha was founded, the two clan heads, Hashirama and Tobirama, had passed away one after another.

Uzumaki Mito had been the one holding the family together all this time.

With Senju Genma bringing back Uzumaki Mito's body, the Senju Clan was suddenly left without a leader.

In that situation, he naturally became the new clan head.

No one connected Uzumaki Mito's death to Senju Genma, even though six Jonin had seen him enter the forest with her.

Senju Genma and Uzumaki Mito had been close, and the clan members had all seen it. There was no chance that Senju Genma had killed her for the clan head's seat.

Uzumaki Mito was already old, and her health had been declining day by day. It was only natural that she might suddenly pass away.

Besides, Senju Genma was handsome, kind-natured, and, most importantly, strong enough to lead. He was the obvious choice for clan head.

After becoming clan head, Senju Genma moved into the Clan Head Residence with Kushina, Mikoto, and Konan, along with Mito's body.

He wasn't ready to lay Uzumaki Mito to rest so soon. Instead, he called in several medical ninja to preserve her body for the time being.

The clan elders felt this was somewhat improper, but they raised no objections. Some were even deeply moved.

Clan Head Genma was still just a child, after all. It was understandable that he couldn't bear to part with someone so dear to him.

The clan head truly lived up to his title, Senju of Love!