Mito's Resolve

While Kirito was testing the changes in his strength brought about by his increased Intelligence, Mito Uzumaki was at home giving Nawaki a vicious forehead flick.

With Nawaki's scream, he was sent flying, smashing through the wooden wall before crashing heavily into the courtyard wall.

"It hurts!"

Nawaki climbed up from the ground, clutching his head and groaning in pain.

After returning home, he had asked Mito about the Bounty on his head and what Kirito had told him earlier. Not only had he received no comfort, but he had been severely scolded and ultimately beaten as well.

Nawaki was truly miserable.

Still, he did not cry. He merely glared unhappily at the beautiful grandmother in the room, who was giving him a kindly smile, then stuck out his tongue and made a face before turning and running off to complain to his friends.

"Ah, what a foolish child. He has only just learned to crawl, yet he already wants to run."

Mito watched Nawaki's departing figure and let out a long sigh.

Nawaki and Kirito had sparred and trained at the Senju Clan Compound, so their conversation had naturally reached her ears long ago.

Thus, when Nawaki came to ask her about the Bounty, she said nothing and simply rewarded him with a forehead flick.

"Young Master Nawaki is simply too young. Once he grows up, he will surely become more sensible."

Momoka Senju entered carrying a tea tray, then brewed Mito a cup of hot tea and spoke respectfully.

"Momoka, do you think I've spoiled Nawaki too much? Have I made this child so troublesome? What if one day I go to see Hashirama, and no one can keep him in line anymore? What if he makes his own decision to graduate early and go to the battlefield? What then?"

Mito took a sip of tea gloomily, her heart filled with worry.

Momoka did not know how to answer. In the end, she chose silence, and concern appeared on her face as well.

It was the truth. Mito had indeed spoiled Nawaki too much.

In fact, it was not just Mito. The entire Senju Clan doted on Nawaki.

As Hashirama's grandson, Nawaki carried the hopes of the entire Senju Clan and received their profound love.

That love went far beyond mere indulgence.

To ensure that he grew up healthy and happy every day, the whole Senju Clan silently sheltered him from the wind and rain, keeping all malice from the outside world away from him.

However, while this had allowed Nawaki to grow into a healthy, good child with sound values who had inherited the pure Will of Fire, it had also left him extremely immature in terms of mental development.

If Nawaki had merely been a child from an ordinary family, there would have been nothing wrong with that.

Children ought to be innocent and adorable like this.

Growing up too early was not necessarily a good thing.

But Nawaki was not an ordinary child. He was Hashirama Senju's grandson, a man who would one day lead the Senju Clan and continue its glory in Konoha.

With his current immature mindset, Nawaki was clearly not fit to become the leader of the Senju Clan.

If there had been no one to compare him to before, Mito could still use the excuse that children were immature and continue doting on Nawaki. But now, the Uchiha Clan had produced Chizuru Uchiha, who had awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan at the age of six. Compared side by side, the difference between them was like heaven and earth.

It truly proved the saying: you never know what you have until you compare it with something else.

Moreover, Nawaki had a terrifying benchmark right beside him, constantly reminding Mito just how vast the gap was between her grandson and true geniuses.

Mito knew very well that Nawaki's ninja talent was already quite good. At only six years old, he possessed more Chakra than an ordinary Jonin, which was proof enough. In that regard alone, his talent surpassed ninety percent of all ninja. As long as he worked hard, becoming a powerful ninja in the future would not be much of a problem.

But compared with Hashirama, Tobirama, and Tsunade, Nawaki seemed far too ordinary.

Judging from Nawaki's current training, his talent amounted only to being born with an enormous amount of Chakra. He had little talent for learning ninjutsu, his Chakra control was mediocre, and as for Sealing Jutsu, he had no talent at all.

In short, setting aside his status, Nawaki was simply a relatively mediocre Senju, nothing particularly outstanding.

Thus, Mito was deeply worried about Nawaki's future. Especially after Nawaki had actually said today that he wanted to graduate early and go to the battlefield, that worry only continued to grow.

Kirito had not been wrong in what he told Nawaki. Given Nawaki's identity, once he graduated, he would inevitably represent the Senju Clan on the battlefield and kill enemies. He would also become a banner that inspired Konoha's morale.

At that time, Nawaki would become a thorn in the enemy's side.

Those who feared the power of the Senju Clan would never give him the chance to continue growing.

If Nawaki did not possess sufficient strength, then death would be his only path.

Because on the battlefield, others could not be relied upon. If one wanted to survive, one could only ever rely on oneself.

"Momoka, go make the preparations. It is time for Nawaki to grow up quickly."

Seeing Momoka remain silent, Mito thought for a moment before finally making up her mind.

"Isn't it too soon?"

Momoka spoke with some reluctance upon hearing this.

As someone who also doted on Nawaki, she truly did not want this adorable little angel to see the dirty side of the world so soon.

"We cannot delay any longer. Nawaki is different from Tsunade back then. The village will not give him much time to grow, and you know my condition. While I am still here and can still withstand the pressure, we should do it sooner. I do not want to see that idiot down there so soon in the future."

Mito shook her head and forced a smile.

Birth, aging, illness, and death were things humanity could not avoid.

As a top-tier powerhouse, she could clearly feel that her end was approaching. The increasing difficulty she had in suppressing the Nine-Tails within her was the clearest sign.

She could still maintain a youthful appearance only because she was forcing herself to hold on, unwilling to let those with ulterior motives discover her weakness.

In a few more years, she feared she would no longer even be able to maintain her youth.

She had originally wanted to spend the last days of her life watching her grandson grow up happily and enjoying the warmth of family.

But Nawaki was simply too much of a worry.

Nawaki's declaration that he would graduate early, along with Kirito's words, had completely shattered her fantasies.

Momoka noticed a strand of silver in Mito's meticulously groomed hair. A trace of sorrow immediately flashed through her eyes as she respectfully replied, "Yes."

"Also, starting tomorrow, Kirito will receive the same resource allocation as Nawaki. Have everyone else make the necessary preparations."

Before Momoka could leave, Mito continued.

Momoka replied again, "Yes."

After saying that, she used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the room.

After Momoka left, Mito rose and went outside. Looking at a large tree in the courtyard, a nostalgic look flickered in her eyes.

She and her husband, Hashirama, had planted this tree together after she came to Konoha.

By her reckoning, thirty years had already passed.

Over those thirty years, the little sapling of old had grown into a towering tree.

It was now late autumn. Most of the tree's leaves had already withered yellow, and whenever the wind blew, it carried away quite a few of them.

"Hashirama, you big idiot. You said you would protect the village properly, but before long, you went and left on your own, leaving me behind..."

Mito murmured as she watched the leaves falling in the wind.

At the same time, Nawaki, walking through the streets of the Senju Clan Compound with a heart full of worries, came to a stop. He raised his head to look at the gloomy sky overhead as white snowflakes drifted down from above.

Winter was coming.

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