Triggering a choice

"Mito! We're talking about serious business!" Hatake Ziyan said, exasperated.

"Hahaha! Ahem!" Mito laughed, but her body was too weak, and she broke into a few coughs. "All right, no more jokes. At Tobirama's direction, the Senju Clan dispersed, and now these two grandchildren of mine are the only ones who still bear the Senju name. They're also the ones I can't stop worrying about, especially Nawaki. So, while you're still in Konoha, I'm sorry for the trouble, but I'd like you to teach him. That's all!"

Hatake Ziyan glanced at the little boy beside them. Just as he was debating whether to agree, a voice that had been silent for over a decade suddenly rang out in his mind.

Ding! Congratulations, host. You have triggered a choice.

Option one: agree to Mito Uzumaki's request and teach Senju Nawaki. Reward: Wood Release bloodline limit.

Option two: refuse Mito Uzumaki's request. Reward: eternal Mangekyō Sharingan!

Hatake Ziyan froze. The system was going all out this time. Whether he accepted or refused, the rewards were immense. The best reward he had received before this had come when he was a child, faced with the choice of whether to rescue his gravely injured father. It had given him the Sword God template from Dungeon Fighter Online, granting him the strength to contend with Hashirama and Madara.

Apart from those two occasions, the rewards were usually no more than a ninjutsu or something similar, and choices rarely triggered. He hadn't expected one to appear just a few days after his return, much less one that offered a bloodline limit capable of taking his strength straight to the next level.

"Ziyan, if it's inconvenient, just forget it!" Seeing that Hatake Ziyan hadn't answered for some time, Mito Uzumaki assumed her request had put him in a difficult position and offered him a way out.

Hearing her words, Hatake Ziyan hurriedly said, "How could I possibly refuse a request from you, Mito? Seeing this boy just reminded me of Hashirama, and I got a little distracted. As long as I'm in Konoha, I'll teach him!"

"Good!" Mito Uzumaki replied.

Hatake Ziyan glanced at Mito Uzumaki, then said, "Sister Mito, let's go to Back Mountain. This place isn't suitable. If anything goes wrong, the villagers could get hurt!"

"All right! I'll leave it to you!" Mito Uzumaki said.

Hatake Ziyan nodded and walked behind Mito Uzumaki, taking hold of the chair she was reclining in. He beckoned Kushina over.

Kushina quickly walked to Hatake Ziyan's side.

Holding Mito Uzumaki's chair with one hand and Kushina with the other, Hatake Ziyan told everyone else in the courtyard, "Stay here and wait for me to return!"

"I understand, Grandpa Ziyan!" Tsunade said, holding back her tears.

Once he had her answer, Hatake Ziyan vanished with the two of them, arriving at a spot on Back Mountain that he had prepared a few days earlier.

In the Hokage's office, several Hokage Advisors had gathered and were demanding answers from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Hiruzen, you owe us an explanation! Why have we lost control of the Nine-Tails? That's Konoha's ultimate weapon!" Mitokado Homura shouted at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Exactly! We carefully selected this jinchūriki because she would be the easiest for us to control! You withdrew the Anbu stationed around her, and now you don't even know where she's gone! You need to explain yourself!" Utatane Koharu chimed in.

After speaking, the two looked at Danzo, waiting to see what he would say. But he sat there in silence, his expression grim. The arm Hatake Ziyan had severed had also been reattached.

Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly, "The man who took Lady Mito and Kushina, the next jinchūriki, is called Hatake Ziyan. If you're capable enough, go take them back yourselves! I certainly don't dare provoke him!"

"Hmph!" Danzo merely snorted, offering no opinion.

"Since when did the Hatake Clan dare act so brazenly in Konoha? And what about that Hatake Sakumo? Weren't you planning to ruin him? Why did you stop halfway through? You even helped clear his name!" Utatane Koharu demanded angrily.

Once she finished, Utatane Koharu realized that everyone around her was staring at her as though she were an idiot. Even Mitokado Homura, who had just joined her in condemning Hiruzen Sarutobi, wore the same expression.

Mitokado Homura shook his head slightly, signaling for Utatane Koharu to stop. But she went on as though she hadn't noticed. "Was anything I said wrong? The Hatake Clan is just a minor clan Konoha could easily do without!"

"Koharu! Enough! Stop talking!" Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted, fear showing in his eyes.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, don't think you can snap at me however you please just because you're the Hokage! What I said was simply..." Since becoming a Hokage Advisor, Utatane Koharu had never suffered such humiliation. Rather than being frightened by Hiruzen Sarutobi's reprimand, she openly defied him!

But before Utatane Koharu could finish, someone interrupted her.

"Simply what?"

"The Hokage Advisors are meeting with the Hokage. What business do you have here? How dare you enter the Hokage's office without permission!" Utatane Koharu had now noticed the others' unease, but after so many years in a position of power, she dismissed the newcomer. She was certain he wouldn't dare do anything to her!

"I really don't know how someone with your brains became a Hokage Advisor!"

"Lord Ziyan, please don't hold this against her. She simply hasn't realized who you are yet!" Hiruzen Sarutobi forced himself to explain to the newcomer.

Hatake Ziyan shook his head and said to Hiruzen Sarutobi, "I don't want any unnecessary complications today. Bring me the Scroll of Seals. I'll be sealing the Nine-Tails shortly, and I need to review the Sealing Jutsu!"

In truth, Hatake Ziyan was using sealing the Nine-Tails as an excuse to look at the Wood Release Techniques recorded inside. After all, he would soon have the Wood Release bloodline limit. Not learning any Wood Release Techniques would be a waste.

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately rose. Eager to get Hatake Ziyan to leave before he took issue with Utatane Koharu, he quickly found the Sealing Scroll and handed it over.

"All right. I'll return it first thing tomorrow morning!" With that, Hatake Ziyan left.

Hatake Ziyan arrived at Back Mountain and looked at the two women, who were ready and lying on separate operating tables.

"Mito, are you both ready?" Hatake Ziyan asked once more.

"I'm ready! What about you, Kushina?" Mito asked.

"I... I'm ready too!" Kushina answered nervously.

"Don't worry! It won't hurt! It'll be over very soon!" Hatake Ziyan reassured Kushina.

At Hatake Ziyan's words, Kushina's face instantly flushed bright red!

Mito Uzumaki rolled her eyes at Hatake Ziyan, then said, "All right, enough nonsense. Hurry up and start while I still have the strength!"