The situation was extremely tense; Senju Rinoki's face was livid. His complexion hadn't been normal for some time now.
Arriving behind Battalion Commander Yellow Dog, Yōkō awaited orders.
Danzo, standing in front of Yellow Dog, said:
"The Senju clan must hand over the Uzumaki Sealing Secret Techniques, and the Anbu will perform the Nine-Tails sealing.
Senju Rinoki, the Senju clan's strength is greatly diminished, far from what it was during Lord Tobirama's time as clan head.
If there is any mishap with the Nine-Tails seal, half the village will be buried along with your ambition!"
Senju Rinoki suddenly looked pained, let out a long breath, and then continued speaking:
"Isn't the reason my Senju clan's strength has weakened precisely because we have sacrificed too much for the village?
My father died, my uncles died, my brother died, and now my son has died.
Which one of them did not die for the village?
The Nine-Tails seal is the foundation of the Senju clan. Only we, the Senju, possess powerful sealing techniques, and only my niece Kushina can withstand the Nine-Tails' chakra.
The Nine-Tails sealing must be completed by us, the Senju clan! On this matter, I will absolutely not compromise."
Yōkō listened with great interest. It seemed neither side would compromise.
As long as they possessed the Nine-Tails, the Senju clan remained Konoha's greatest shinobi clan.
Even if the Senju clan suffered countless casualties and was weakened to the extreme, they were still the village's most important shinobi clan.
If they backed down now and handed the Nine-Tails seal over to the Anbu, the Anbu could use the pretext of maintaining the Nine-Tails seal to take away custody of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke: "Do not argue here. This is not the place for arguments."
Danzo remained expressionless, while Senju Rinoki gritted his teeth.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Senju Rinoki's stubborn, almost ferocious expression. His eyes changed several times before he finally said:
"Constantly arguing like this is no solution. Teacher Mito's mind is becoming increasingly unclear.
However, the Nine-Tails transfer sealing absolutely cannot be performed within the village. If an accident occurs, half the village would be buried because of it.
Clan Head Rinoki, you first draft a plan. Begin preparations for the Nine-Tails transfer sealing."
Senju Rinoki's eyes lit up. Was the village finally compromising and yielding?
Danzo turned his head to look at Hiruzen, not understanding why he wasn't following the previous plan to continue pressuring Senju Rinoki.
"Good! Lord Hokage, I will devise a perfect sealing plan!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, his expression full of worry:
"Clan Head Rinoki, I understand your position.
But does the Senju clan truly have the capability to complete the Nine-Tails seal? How much strength are you willing to commit?
Danzo said the Senju clan's strength has declined; this is an indisputable fact.
I want you to present a feasible plan to ensure the Nine-Tails sealing proceeds without issue, not just verbally emphasize your stance."
Senju Rinoki declared earnestly:
"Lord Hokage, the Senju clan has always researched how to unite the strength of more people.
Indeed, the number of Kage-level shinobi and elite shinobi in the Senju clan has declined greatly, but we never rely solely on individuals; we prefer to depend on unity.
The Senju clan possesses a Combined Sealing Technique that can gather the power of every Senju clansman.
When the time comes, I will arrange for all Senju clan shinobi, regardless of gender or age, to complete the seal together!"
Yōkō, hearing snippets from afar, was inwardly horrified.
Was Senju Rinoki going to stake the Senju clan's entire fortune on the Nine-Tails seal?
Could the Nine-Tails transfer sealing be the night of the Senju clan's extermination?
Yōkō's mind trembled. No, he absolutely could not let the Senju clan be wiped out like in the original story.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo walked towards the Hokage Building.
The area ahead and behind them was empty, cleared by the Anbu.
Danzo asked: "Have you made up your mind?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and said:
"The Second Shinobi World War has only lasted a little over two years, and Konoha has lost too many people.
In two years, Konoha lost a quarter of its shinobi.
Due to the deaths of relatives, more and more people in the village are dissatisfied with me.
I cannot take risks, cannot allow accidents. I must firmly control the Nine-Tails.
Danzo, execute your plan. Go to the front lines and find Orochimaru."
Danzo nodded, and Body Flickered away.
The next morning after the shift change, Yōkō followed Battalion Commander Yellow Dog back to the Anbu base.
Battalion Commander Yellow Dog issued an order requiring all squadron and squad leaders to research Combined Sealing Techniques, investigate records of such techniques, and gather intelligence.
The Anbu at this time were not proficient in sealing techniques, and Root shinobi did not have the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal either.
Yōkō, however, had mastered a few sealing techniques: the Self-Cursing Body Binding Seal and the Contract Seal.
The Self-Cursing Body Binding Seal came from the system, and the Contract Seal came from the scroll Uzumaki Yuka gave him.
He pretended to discuss Combined Sealing Techniques with the squad leaders, having no intention of contributing the techniques he knew.
Days passed, and the Nine-Tails' chakra grew increasingly Irritable.
The time came to the 12th of the second month. The Senju clan was finally about to begin the Nine-Tails sealing.
Under the night sky, within the Senju compound, lights were extinguished one by one.
Doors opened one after another as Senju shinobi stepped out of their homes.
Husbands and wives, fathers and sons, brothers, sisters.
As long as they were shinobi, as long as they had graduated from the Shinobi Academy, each one donned robes bearing the Senju clan emblem.
Unlike standard shinobi flak jackets, the Senju clan's robes were like those of nobility – wide robes with large sleeves, Sleeves Fluttering in the wind.
This was a shinobi clan filled with a sense of honor, with a heritage spanning over a thousand years.
Pride was written on the face of every Senju clansman.
Once the Nine-Tails transfer sealing was completed, the Senju clan, centered around Uzumaki Kushina, would continue to prosper for decades.
Back then, Clan Head Hashirama left the Nine-Tails to Konoha, to the Senju clan, because he believed only the Senju and Uzumaki clans could control the Nine-Tails.
Who would have thought the Senju clan would now be in decline, forced to rely on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to slowly recover their strength.
Now, at the Senju clan's worst moment, with the hope of the entire clan, Young Clan Head Nawaki, sacrificed at the front, it was also the moment for the Senju clan to rebound from the bottom.
Uzumaki Kushina would become the Senju clan's next Kage-level shinobi.
Yōkō stood on a rooftop outside the Senju compound, taking one last look at the now-empty grounds.
Inside the compound, only children who hadn't yet graduated from the Shinobi Academy remained.
These children carried Swaddling Clothes on their backs, containing infants even younger than themselves.
At the compound entrance, there were also disabled elderly people looking on with hopeful anticipation.
From what Yōkō knew, aside from a few key individuals like Tsunade at the front lines, the remaining Senju shinobi had all returned.
Deep within the compound, Uzumaki Mito moved sluggishly, needing to rest for several seconds after each step, slowly climbing into a carriage with the help of others.
Uzumaki Kushina also boarded the carriage.
This time, it wasn't a disguise like the Ushiga Mountain battle; it was the real transfer sealing.
The carriage wheels slowly began to roll, carrying the old and young Uzumaki kunoichi outward.
Surrounding the carriage were eight Senju clan elites.
Tonight might be the tragedy of the Senju clan, their final swan song.
(End of Chapter)