Little Fox

Mito Uzumaki was feeling exhausted.

That kid Chiyu was far too shrewd.

He had clearly realized that she had seen through his disguise, and his attitude had completely changed, yet his words remained flawlessly guarded.

Mito Uzumaki said helplessly, "Chiyu, can't we have an open and honest talk? No third person will ever know about our conversation today. Since you harbor hostility toward me because of Kushina, you can tell me what you think. Right now, I am merely Kushina's elder—and yours as well."

Chiyu tilted his head slightly and looked calmly at Mito Uzumaki. "Lady Mito, even as Kushina's elder, you never asked whether she was willing to become a Jinchuriki. So does what I think even matter? No matter what I think, Kushina will still replace you and become Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, won't she? So... does it mean anything?"

Mito Uzumaki's gaze flickered.

Just as Chiyu had said, Kushina Uzumaki becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was nearly an established fact.

Whether it was Chiyu's thoughts or Kushina Uzumaki's thoughts, neither had any meaning.

But...

Mito Uzumaki looked at Chiyu with burning eyes and said seriously, "It does matter, because what you think matters to Kushina."

Chiyu stared into Mito Uzumaki's eyes in silence for a long while before finally saying, "I hope Kushina can always be happy."

Chiyu's answer was already obvious.

Becoming a Jinchuriki meant a lifetime of pain and loneliness.

Mito Uzumaki had it relatively well. She was the First Hokage's wife and possessed powerful Sealing Jutsu, so the Nine-Tails had almost never gone out of control.

But the Jinchuriki of the other ninja villages lived very difficult lives.

Jinchuriki had to fight the tailed beasts inside them for control of their bodies, and the process was extremely painful.

Moreover, if a Jinchuriki's immense power went out of control, innocent people would die. This only made people increasingly fearful of—and disgusted by—Jinchuriki.

The most painful part was having the tailed beast extracted.

A Jinchuriki and a tailed beast shared the same life and death. If the tailed beast was pulled from the body, the Jinchuriki would undoubtedly die.

The feeling of having a tailed beast extracted was excruciating, a pain capable of tearing one's soul apart.

By saying that he hoped Kushina Uzumaki could always be happy, Chiyu was effectively telling Mito Uzumaki that he disagreed.

Mito Uzumaki sighed. "But... becoming a Jinchuriki is Kushina's destiny..."

An unprovoked irritation rose in Chiyu's heart. "It's only because Kushina is weak and has no choice that this was forced upon her and given the pleasant-sounding name of destiny so she would accept it. I think Lady Mito understands better than I do that destiny is nothing more than something imposed on Kushina. Please don't lecture me about destiny."

Mito Uzumaki stared at Chiyu and asked, "Since you hope Kushina can always be happy, are you going to change this outcome?"

Chiyu lowered his head slightly again. "I'm just an ordinary Konoha ninja. These aren't matters I should be considering. Lord Hokage and the others will naturally make the proper arrangements."

Mito Uzumaki's head was beginning to ache.

There he went again. Couldn't they just have a proper conversation?

Mito Uzumaki also knew there was no point in continuing.

And Chiyu would not lower his guard around her.

She already knew the reason why.

The reason was Kushina Uzumaki.

As long as Kushina Uzumaki became the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Chiyu would never open his heart to her.

Likewise, he would not open his heart to Konoha.

He might even... become hostile toward Konoha.

Mito Uzumaki asked Chiyu one final question. "Chiyu, is Konoha... important?"

Instead, Chiyu threw the question back at Mito Uzumaki. "Lady Mito, is Kushina important?"

Mito Uzumaki's expression turned somewhat melancholy.

Was Kushina Uzumaki important to her?

Of course she was.

But compared with Konoha?

Konoha was more important.

That was Mito Uzumaki's answer, and Chiyu's answer was equally clear.

Chiyu had something more important than Konoha.

Perhaps, in Chiyu's heart, Konoha was not important at all.

Because in Chiyu's eyes, Kushina Uzumaki was not important to Mito Uzumaki either.

Mito Uzumaki seemed a little weary, and her voice grew softer. "Chiyu, I care deeply for Kushina. Whether you believe it or not, I sincerely hope that the two of you can live well in Konoha."

Chiyu bowed. "Lady Mito, of course I believe that you care deeply for Kushina. After all, you are Kushina's only family. And please rest assured, Lady Mito, I'm living very well in Konoha. I have always been grateful to Konoha."

Mito Uzumaki was truly tired now. She waved her hand. "That's good, then. Go on. While you were away, Kushina looked forward to you coming to see her every day. I won't take up any more of your time together."

Chiyu turned and left the room.

After Mito Uzumaki watched Chiyu close the door behind him, she let out a long breath.

Chiyu was clearly just a child, yet the way he spoke was no different from some old foxes.

Other than when she had said that becoming a Jinchuriki was Kushina's destiny, causing his emotions to fluctuate noticeably, his words had otherwise been flawless, without a single opening to exploit.

"What a little fox."

Mito Uzumaki smiled. It was a smile born of being angered by Chiyu, but also one of approval.

Not far outside the room, Chiyu saw Kushina Uzumaki crouching on the ground, staring at something.

Chiyu walked over and crouched beside Kushina Uzumaki, asking with a smile, "What are you looking at? You seem so absorbed."

Kushina Uzumaki pointed at the floor beneath them. A little wildflower was growing from a crack between the floorboards. "Look, Chiyu! A flower can actually grow in a place like this. I think it's much prettier than other flowers!"

Looking at the flower growing through the crack in the floorboards, Chiyu's eyes flickered. "Yeah, it really is amazing. It has such strong vitality. How could a flower that blooms in an environment like this not be beautiful?"

While Chiyu was sighing over it, Kushina Uzumaki had already climbed onto his back. Pointing excitedly outside the residence, she said, "But this isn't the time for admiring flowers! Time waits for no one, so hurry up and let's go!"

Chiyu smiled as he lifted Kushina Uzumaki onto his back and tightened his hold around her legs. "All right! Let's go. You've always treated me to meals before, but today I got my first mission payment. I'll treat you to something delicious!"

Normally, when Genin carried out missions with their team leader, part of the mission reward had to be given to the teacher.

But Orochimaru had not taken any of Chiyu's reward, letting him keep all of it.

The reward for this C-rank mission was a full sixty thousand ryo, all of which went into Chiyu's pocket.

Kushina Uzumaki, on Chiyu's back, raised her little fist. "Then I'm definitely going to eat as much as I can!"

"No problem!"

With Kushina Uzumaki on his back, Chiyu left Mito Uzumaki's residence with cheerful steps.