"Mm!" Uchiha Yi sat in his usual spot, accepted a bottle of sparkling water from Kushina Uzumaki, and took a delighted sip, savoring the relaxed atmosphere of the courtyard.
Then his gaze sharpened. He stared at Mito Uzumaki in disbelief. He could clearly sense that her life force had fallen since half a year ago—by at least a fifth. Nothing like this had happened before. Even the Nine-Tails' Chakra seemed to be leaking out.
Clearly, the Nine-Tails had not been behaving lately. As Mito grew older, its restless nature was stirring.
Yi was about to speak when Mito stopped him with a look. He understood that she did not want the others to know.
He swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and sighed inwardly. Even now, Grandma Mito did not want anyone to worry about her.
He knew that now her life force had begun to decline so noticeably, her aging would continue. He had no idea how much longer she could hold on.
Mito would not wait until she was at death's door to transfer the Nine-Tails. She would do it when she was close to losing control of it, and once the Nine-Tails was gone, she would die.
The thought filled Yi with sorrow. For years, this elderly woman had cared for him like a grandson. No one had helped him more as he grew up than Mito.
Then another thought struck him. If he could leave Mito with some of the Nine-Tails Chakra, could she live a few more years?
As long as Mito was alive, the schemers in Konoha would not dare raise their heads.
Even with Mito nearing the end of her life, none of them, Shimura Danzō included, dared cause trouble.
It was not a question of strength. Mito was the