Mito Uzumaki had guessed.
She guessed that Qianyu might have found a lead on a surviving orphan of the Uzumaki clan. That he wanted to find that orphan to replace Kushina Uzumaki as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Mito did not agree immediately.
She also guessed why Qianyu had come to her. He hoped she would stand on his side in the future.
Because Qianyu knew. Even if he found an Uzumaki orphan, convincing Konoha to give up on Kushina would be an immense struggle.
And… truthfully, even if he found a replacement, she couldn't endorse making that girl the jinchūriki either.
All the sealing techniques she had taught Kushina so far were all specifically for handling the Nine-Tails.
Kushina had worked so hard to master them. To have someone else take her place now would render all that effort worthless.
And without those sealing skills, the risk of the jinchūriki losing control would skyrocket.
A jinchūriki gone berserk was a catastrophe. A natural disaster for the village. Countless would die.
Mito fell silent, her expression conflicted. A chill settled in Qianyu's heart.
All these years, Mito had been good to Kushina. Qianyu had thought… he'd believed that Mito saw Kushina as her own child. That once he found a way to spare Kushina this fate, Mito would support him.
He was wrong.
Compared to Konoha, Kushina meant nothing.
Qianyu's expression cooled. "Lady Mito, my apologies for disturbing you so late. Let's forget I mentioned that matter. However, I have another request. This one won't put you in a difficult position."
The ice in Qianyu's voice was unmistakable. So was the hostility thickening the air between them. Mito sighed inwardly.
She gave a slight nod.
Qianyu made his request. "Starting tomorrow, I want Kushina to live with me."
Mito stared at him, shocked. "You want to take her away from me?"
"No," he denied curtly, shaking his head. "Kushina is lively. I worry she might disturb your rest. And she isn't your child, Lady Mito. Merely a clansmember. She has already imposed on your hospitality for years. Any further would be improper."
He met her gaze, his own unwavering. "I will take care of Kushina from now on. You need not trouble yourself further. I give you my word. I will protect her. As long as I live, no harm will come to her."
Mito's smile was bitter. "In your eyes, Qianyu, are Kushina and I merely clansmen? All these years, I have truly seen her as my own."
"Yet that does not change the fact she is not your daughter. Your only child is Lady Tsunade. Kushina was brought to Konoha for one purpose: to be a jinchūriki vessel. And you cared for her to mold her into that vessel."
He paused, letting the words hang. "You simply developed… feelings for the vessel along the way."
The words were sharp. Deliberately so.
The wrinkles on Mito's aged face seemed to deepen.
"Qianyu," she said, her voice heavy. "However you view me, however you interpret my actions, my feelings for Kushina are real. You are not me. You cannot dismiss the years of care I have given her."
She leaned forward, conviction hardening her tone. "And becoming the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki may not be a curse for Kushina! With the Uzumaki physique and her sealing arts, I believe she can master the Nine-Tails! Its power can become her strength!"
Qianyu watched her, his expression unreadable.
The thought had crossed his mind. Making the Nine-Tails Kushina's weapon.
But it was impossible.
The system had been clear. Major future events were fixed.
The Child of Prophecy would be born.
And the Nine-Tails, the child's greatest power, would be obtained by him.
That made any path where Kushina remained the jinchūriki incredibly dangerous.
That was why Qianyu was so desperate to stop it.
"I am not dismissing your feelings, Lady Mito," Qianyu said, his voice quieter but no less firm. "You have been a good elder. Kushina is who she is today thanks in large part to you."
He inclined his head slightly. "You have done enough for her. It's time to rest. Leave the rest to me. I will care for her. So, please. Grant my request."
Mito rubbed her temples, weariness etching her features. "Why, Qianyu? Why are you so determined to stop this? Kushina is the best candidate. For Konoha, it is the optimal choice."
Qianyu's voice was flat, devoid of warmth. "Everyone believes Kushina is the perfect candidate. Even you, whom she sees as her only family. But has anyone ever asked her? Who would want a bomb, one that could go off at any moment, sealed inside their own body?"
Mito faltered. She had no rebuttal.
"Just as you said, Lady Mito," Qianyu concluded, turning to leave. "Kushina has grown up. Some things she cannot decide. But others, she can. I will come for her tomorrow."
He gave a shallow bow and walked out without looking back.
Outside, under the night sky, Qianyu's brow was furrowed, his expression dark.
Mito's support would have been a powerful asset. If he found Karin's mother, a simple declaration from Mito—"She is more suitable than Kushina"—would have been enough to shift Konoha's focus.
As for sealing techniques? Even after Mito's passing, Kushina, already a master, could teach her.
The thought of Mito claiming her feelings were genuine made Qianyu sneer inwardly.
In the end, Konoha's interests came first in Mito Uzumaki's heart. Even above her own clansmen.
He knew how the Uzumaki clan, Konoha's steadfast allies, had vanished. Orochimaru had told him the story.
The Uzumaki contributed immensely to Konoha's peace and foundation. They helped shape the Will of Fire, lived by it, passed it on.
But other nations and clans feared their sealing arts. They attacked Uzushiogakure, obliterating it. Survivors scattered, hiding their names across the world.
And Konoha? When Uzushiogakure begged for aid, Konoha watched. Did nothing.
The land was destroyed. Not a single shinobi was sent.
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