Kushina slowly raised her head, confusion covering her face. In the Senju Clan, she had felt a warmth she had not experienced in a long time, but Elder Shui Ling, who had once taught her back in the clan, now seemed to have exposed Grandma Mito's "true colors."
She was lost. Had all that kindness toward her secretly come with a price tag?
But Grandma Mito's kindness did not seem fake, and neither did Elder Shui Ling's concern and worry for her.
Who should she believe?
"Sigh... Kushina, I did have some other intentions toward you, but my feelings for you have never changed. If you don't want to become a Jinchūriki, I won't force you," Mito Uzumaki finally said.
Takahashi Yū snorted coldly. "True, but once you're dead, she won't have a choice, will she?"
You wouldn't force her. You're Konoha's retired sovereign, after all. But once Kushina develops bonds with Konoha, you can take the moral high ground and leave her no choice but to become a Jinchūriki.
Outside the wall, the Third Hokage became even less inclined to enter. If he showed himself now, it would be even harder to bring about the situation Takahashi Yū had described.
"What business is this of yours?! Takahashi Yū, shut your damn mouth!" Tsunade could not order the Uzumaki around, but Takahashi Yū was just like her: the Uzumaki's internal affairs had nothing to do with him either. Besides, she was Mito Uzumaki's granddaughter. If they insisted on discussing connections, she had more right to speak than Takahashi Yū.
"Can't I speak up when I see an injustice? Besides, I brought them back. I'm responsible for their safety."
Takahashi Yū planted both hands on his hips and spoke with disdain.
"What do you mean? Would we actually attack them? Takahashi Yū, you're part of Konoha too!" Tsunade's face was furious. Her grandmother was so old, yet people kept making things difficult for her. Ever since Takahashi Yū had brought back those Uzumaki clanspeople, she had been unhappy.
"Stop right there. My Hot Springs Street reached an agreement with the First. We pay taxes, and Konoha provides protection. In the end, I even helped Konoha fight a war. What, do I owe you?"
Takahashi Yū raised a hand to stop Tsunade from speaking further.
Sure, we're in Konoha, but that doesn't mean we can only stay in Konoha. The Third's confiscation of orphans' property had already disgusted Takahashi Yū enough, never mind the other ways the villagers were exploited.
After the First, that idealist, died, Konoha had slowly begun to change for the worse. The First had wanted the shinobi clans to integrate with the common people, without distinctions between them, but that had only extended to the Senju Clan. Most other shinobi clans put their own interests first, while those willing to integrate into Konoha were almost gone.
It would have been fine if members of the Senju Clan had continued becoming Hokage. After all, their numbers were now falling sharply too. But instead, it was a few shinobi clans led by the Sarutobi that occupied the highest positions.
Apart from Danzo, which of them could harm their own clan's interests?
So the First's policies had ground to a halt after his death. In the Shinobi World, ordinary people's lives were still worth less than dogs'.
Konoha's residents had a slightly higher standing, but even they could not compare to ninja animals.
Those ninja who still had moral limits were better and would try to avoid harming civilians, but most ninja would not care about the lives of weeds by the roadside.
Yet the Shinobi World bowed and scraped before nobles. Nobles had no chakra either; they were ordinary people too. This world was just that twisted.
"Hot Springs Street joined Konoha to buy peace with money. Now I've even gone out to fight a war. How else do you want to squeeze us?" Takahashi Yū continued.
"Besides, all I did was bring Konoha's allies back. What? Was that wrong? Should I not have brought them back? Or do you already have enough people? Is having more a bad thing?"
Takahashi Yū refused to let up when he was in the right, and Konoha really had betrayed its allies. It deserved to be condemned.
"Let's hear what the person concerned has to say, shall we, old woman?"
"You!" Hearing Takahashi Yū call Mito an old woman only added fuel to Tsunade's anger. She had wanted to step forward and keep arguing with him, but Mito caught her hand.
"Let Kushina speak. Whatever decision she makes is her own choice," Mito Uzumaki said, propping up her upper body.
That wasn't how it went in the original, Takahashi Yū grumbled inwardly. Still, he calmed down and quietly watched Kushina, who stood surrounded by everyone.
Outside the wall, the Third clenched his fists too. A Jinchūriki from the Uzumaki Clan was the best option. If Kushina refused, Konoha would have to put enormous effort into merely finding a suitable person.
Kushina timidly looked around and spoke hesitantly:
"Can I... have some time to think?" After hearing Shui Ling's words, Kushina actually did not want to become a Jinchūriki for Konoha. But looking into Mito Uzumaki's eyes, she could not bring herself to say so. After all, this was a grandmother who had treated her very well.
Uzumaki Shui Ling closed her eyes, and Takahashi Yū shook his head. It seemed those bonds had already begun to form, and Kushina's personality had been used against her. That made sense. Without that sort of personality, she would never have been selected as a Jinchūriki candidate.
Mito Uzumaki silently sighed with relief as well. Bound by the Adamantine Sealing Chains, the Nine-Tails thrashed desperately. Old woman, your heart is just as ugly!
Along with her delight, Tsunade also gained an understanding of Konoha's dark side. She was no youngster like Kushina. Now, instead, she could no longer muster her anger.
Outside the wall, the Third swung his right hand hard. In his view, things were mostly settled, and there was no need to worry too much. According to an ANBU report, there was a yellow-haired kid at the Ninja Academy who was close to Kushina. He had heard the boy was quite talented. It seemed he could arrange something.
The Third began walking toward the Hokage Building, his steps light, as though he had never been there.
Uzumaki Shui Ling kept her eyes closed, her heart full of confusion. Had she not made it sound serious enough? Why would Kushina still serve this treacherous Konoha?
Gently releasing Kushina's hand, Shui Ling opened her eyes and said very calmly, "Kushina, my offer still stands. Take your time thinking it over. You can come to me whenever you want. Come live with me."
Kushina shook her head slowly but firmly.
Uzumaki Shui Ling gave a long sigh and headed for the gate. Takahashi Yū also walked out with Mizuki. Shui Ling looked more like someone in her seventies or eighties now, her back hunched as she walked toward Hot Springs Street without a word.
Mizuki hurried two steps forward to support this relative who might be the most senior member of the Uzumaki Clan.
Behind them, Takahashi Yū walked with his hands behind his head, feeling somewhat indignant too.
Sigh. True enough, your own clanspeople still have to serve the scum who betrayed your clan. How fucking pathetic.
Seeing that Shui Ling's mood was about to affect Mizuki as well, Takahashi Yū drawled a remark.
"Respect other people's fates, and let go of the urge to save them."
Uzumaki Shui Ling still kept her head lowered, making Takahashi Yū wonder whether she had even heard him. Since she would not take it in, there was nothing he could do. She would have to work through this herself. Perhaps the old woman Shui Ling was now full of anger at Kushina's lack of resolve.
Just as Takahashi Yū was about to stroll home with the two of them, he suddenly felt a faint throbbing in his forehead.
His [Murderous Intent Fluctuation] was frantically warning him!
Something had happened to a Wave Seed! Which one was it?!
Just as Takahashi Yū was about to examine it closely, a sharp twinge in his forehead interrupted him. Immediately afterward, a red fluctuation suddenly erupted behind him, but it vanished in an instant, like an illusion.
But that was already enough.
Takahashi Yū had also sensed the seed's condition.
A candle flickering in the wind!
Takahashi Yū instantly flew into a rage! The killing aura around him surged like floodwater through opened gates as he unleashed his murderous intent in full!
Silken red killing aura rapidly spread over the entire block, as though trying to push aside the clouds in the sky. Terrified by Takahashi Yū's aura, the villagers immediately collapsed to the ground, trembling in fear as they looked at him.
Even though he kept it away from street level, ordinary people could not withstand even the spillover.
The two Uzumaki ahead stopped and looked gravely at Takahashi Yū. They too had sensed the fluctuation from the other direction just now. It had not felt like a battle, but more like a notification!
"Mizuki, old woman, go notify the neighbors on Hot Springs Street. Have them wait for me at the Farm!"
Takahashi Yū had never imagined that some fool would actually attack the Undying Squad inside the village! To be safe, he would have the neighbors gather first. If it really came to an all-out fight, they would simply leave!
Fools who could not be deterred even by his slaughter through Sunagakure and his severe wounding of the Tsuchikage were truly infuriating.
Sparks of red fluctuation erupted across Konoha as well, rapidly converging on the seed that was about to go out.
All of Konoha instantly fell into chaos. Red fluctuations filled the air overhead, and countless ninja leaped onto rooftops, trying to figure out what had happened, while some headed toward the Hokage Building.
Takahashi Yū kicked off the ground fiercely, destroying half the street as he shot toward the place his killing aura pointed to.
This time, one or two deaths would not be enough to end it. Instead of dying on the battlefield defending their home and country, someone lay at death's door in the very village they protected. Takahashi Yū would not let something like this end easily!
Before you continue