Chapter 31

"Besides, Hiruzen Sarutobi values power more than his own life. You think he'd support someone competing for Hokage just because that person was his student's student?"

"Not a chance."

"Besides, the medicine my son studies is completely different from the mainstream system."

"You should have picked up on that from the way he took your pulse just now."

"On top of that, he's never learned any Medical Ninjutsu."

"Those are all skills he's currently lacking."

"Also, both he and I hope that being Tsunade's student and the Third Generation's grandstudent will let him grow up in peace for a few years."

"Anything else you'd like to ask?"

Become Hokage on the strength of being Tsunade's student?

That was a pipe dream.

Neither she nor Xunjing had ever entertained the idea.

Once the Uchiha Clan grew strong enough to overpower the entire Ninja World, people would naturally beg them to take that seat.

"So that's how it is... It seems I misunderstood."

"You're right. Being Tsunade's student really wouldn't help much in competing for Hokage."

"I can agree to that condition. Tsunade, what do you say?"

Uzumaki Mito nodded, then turned to Tsunade with the question.

"No problem."

Tsunade studied Xunjing with interest, then nodded in agreement. "I have no objections."

She muttered inwardly, This little fellow is rather easy on the eyes.

Besides, she was very interested in Xunjing's unusual medical techniques, so she had no reason to refuse.

Well, truthfully, she didn't have much room to refuse anyway.

The decision had never been hers to make.

"Then it's settled."

Uchiha Chisato nodded in satisfaction and tipped her chin slightly toward Xunjing. "Give Mito the Life Potion."

"All right."

Xunjing immediately pulled a vial of Life Potion from inside his clothes and handed it to Uzumaki Mito across from him.

The moment the potion appeared, Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade fixed their eyes on it.

They could feel an intense craving welling up inside their bodies.

The potion was filled with potent yet gentle vitality.

Uzumaki Mito quickly accepted it and examined it carefully with Tsunade for quite some time before sighing in admiration. "This truly is remarkable."

It was hard to imagine that Xunjing, a six-year-old child, had actually made it.

But this wasn't the time to dwell on that. Uzumaki Mito took a deep breath and uncorked the vial.

In an instant, a rich, enticing aura of vitality wafted out.

"Creak..."

The wood in the floor and tabletop actually began sprouting tender shoots.

Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade both gasped.

"Drink it quickly once you've opened it. Leave it too long and it'll lose its effect," Xunjing added from beside them.

"Understood. Thank you."

Coming to her senses, Uzumaki Mito gave Xunjing a slight nod of thanks, tipped her head back, and downed the Life Potion.

The next second, she could clearly feel pure, rich vitality spreading from her stomach throughout her body.

It felt wonderfully soothing, without the slightest harshness, as though she were soaking in a hot spring.

Every cell in her body greedily absorbed the energy.

The aura of death within her rapidly melted away like snow in the heat.

Her vitality surged, and a rosy glow visibly returned to her face.

Even her red hair became more lustrous than before.

Had she not been using the Yin Seal to preserve her appearance, they would have seen a head of white hair turn bright red again, her shriveled skin and muscles fill out, and her whole body regain the vigor of youth.

Meanwhile, inside the sealed space within Uzumaki Mito, the Nine-Tails had been completely cut off from perceiving the outside world during this time and had no idea what was happening.

He only felt Uzumaki Mito's vitality suddenly soar, rising ceaselessly like floodwater pouring through an opened sluice.

Along with it came a massive increase in the sealed space's stability and suppressive power.

In just over ten minutes, the Nine-Tails sensed that the sealed space had returned to its peak condition, just as it had been when he was first imprisoned there.

Uzumaki Mito's vitality had also returned to its strongest state.

"Damn it! Uzumaki Mito, what the hell did you do?!"

"How are you full of life again? Let me out! I don't want to stay here anymore!"

The Nine-Tails began battering the sealed space like a creature gone mad.

If Uzumaki Mito really had recovered completely, who knew how many more years she could last? At least several more decades.

That meant he would be stuck in here for several more fucking decades.

How was he supposed to bear that?

All this time, he had been gritting his teeth and waiting for the moment Uzumaki Mito's lifespan ran out.

Although he knew Konoha would probably find another vessel for him by then.

But what if he could escape in the brief window when the seal weakened?

That was a chance.

He didn't want that chance to vanish just like this.

The absurd part was that all four of his limbs were bound tight by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, leaving him unable to move at all.

All he could do was shout inside.

He really did look rather pitiful, and thoroughly frustrated.

No wonder the Nine-Tails hated Uzumaki Mito and Hashirama Senju with such a vengeance.

Who wouldn't hate them after something like this?

An image of Uzumaki Mito appeared inside the sealed space, a faint smile on her face as she addressed the enormous beast.

"Howling in here won't do you any good! I've made a complete recovery."

"For the next few decades, this old lady will still be keeping you company. Count yourself lucky!"

The Nine-Tails froze for two seconds, then his entire face twisted.

"I... **!"

The next second, the Nine-Tails completely erupted, unleashing a torrent of abuse at Uzumaki Mito, his insults as foul as they could possibly be.

Uzumaki Mito's previously cheerful expression darkened on the spot.

"Enough!"

Several golden chains shot out and wrapped directly around the Nine-Tails' mouth, physically sealing it shut.

The Nine-Tails struggled desperately, but the chains didn't budge.

Only one thought churned through his mind: Devil! You're the real devil!

Only after the Nine-Tails had gone completely quiet did Uzumaki Mito's spiritual form slowly dissipate.

Outside, Uzumaki Mito opened her eyes and stretched her limbs.

She felt indescribably comfortable from head to toe.

She even tried undoing the Yin Seal's appearance-preserving effect, only to find that she looked a little more mature, with no trace of her former aged appearance.

"Excellent. It worked very well. I'm very pleased."

Uzumaki Mito couldn't stop smiling.

When she looked at Xunjing again, her eyes were filled with tenderness, as though she were gazing at a precious treasure.

She began musing inwardly, This little fellow is a real treasure. Perhaps I could have him spend more time with Kushina?

If they really hit it off, wouldn't I be able to get Life Potions and such for free whenever I wanted?

If the age gap between Tsunade and Xunjing hadn't been so large, she would even have considered coaxing Tsunade into winning him over.

Thinking of the Uchiha and Jiri, Uzumaki Mito felt a pang of envy.

They really were enviable.

Meanwhile, Tsunade suddenly felt a chill run down her back. She turned and looked around, but found nothing unusual, leaving her wondering.

Did something just set its sights on me?

At the same time, Kushina, who was out shopping with Mikoto, sneezed several times in succession, looking utterly baffled.

"What the heck? Who's bad-mouthing me behind my back?"

Mikoto asked with some concern, "Kushina, are you all right?"

"Uh... I should be fine. It's probably that girly boy Minato muttering about me behind my back! Hmph, just wait until school tomorrow. I'll show him!"

Kushina raised an eyebrow and huffed through gritted teeth.

Not far away, Minato happened to be passing by and witnessed the whole scene, leaving him speechless.

He really couldn't understand how things had turned out this way.

All he had ever wanted was to be nice to Kushina, yet she took it as ill intent every time.

There was simply no reasoning with her.