When evening came and the house grew quiet, with no outsiders around, Uzumaki Mito gently reminded,
"Ryoma, don't take such risks again. Next time, tell Grandma Mito immediately, understand? With me here, no one dares to bully you."
Kushina, sitting nearby, nodded fiercely in agreement.
Ryoma smiled. "It's fine, old lady."
Kushina glared at him. "Call her Grandma Mito."
"Alright, Grandma Mito."
Uzumaki Mito's expression softened with affection as she looked at him.
But in Ryoma's heart, there was a lingering question—had the Senju and Uzumaki clans really been driven to extinction?
Who was behind it all?
Mito's gaze turned thoughtful. "Ryoma, the remaining descendants of the Senju weren't particularly outstanding. Without anyone inheriting the kekkei genkai, the clan eventually scattered, each household living on its own instead of gathering under the Senju name."
Ryoma frowned. "So… the great Senju fell just like that?"
Mito's heart ached as she nodded.
She thought of her grandson, Nawaki. If he hadn't died so young, he would be about the same age as Ryoma now.
Fate could be cruel.
The Senju clan, led by Hashirama and Tobirama, had once stood at the very peak. But after reaching the peak, decline was inevitable.
And then came the wars. As the clan of two Hokage, the Senju were always at the frontlines. Konoha triumphed, but at a cost—the Senju weakened with each victory.
More and more of their people died. Even Nawaki was sent to the battlefield…
Looking back now, it was hard to ignore the role of men like Danzō, Homura, and Koharu—those who inherited Tobirama's so-called "Will of Fire" and twisted it.
The air grew heavy with such talk, so Uzumaki Mito's expression softened again. "Actually, both the Senju and Uzumaki still have surviving branches. Many married into other families."
"Young people like change—they don't want to live under the shadow of an old woman like me. It's natural they'd leave to form their own households."
Turning to Kushina, she teased, "I wonder when our Kushina will leave me too."
"Grandma Mito! I'll serve you all my life—I'll never leave!"
Mito chuckled. "Nonsense. The rain must fall, and women must marry. That's simply the way of heaven and earth, right, Ryoma?"
Kushina's face flushed instantly.
Grandma Mito is terrible!
Ryoma grinned, unable to resist teasing. "The old lady is right. That's just the law of nature."
Mito nodded approvingly. "When I was young, I went to the battlefield on my clan's mission. That's where I met Hashirama. By accident, I became his wife, and later we built Konoha together."
"So remember, Ryoma—first you build a family, then you build your legacy."
Her words carried weight as she studied him.
If she could match Ryoma and Kushina, their children would carry the blood of both Senju and Uzumaki. With two or three children, the legacy could live on.
And perhaps Ryoma, too carefree and lacking drive, would grow steadier once he had a family of his own.
Kushina's cheeks burned scarlet. She lowered her head and dared not look at Ryoma.
Mito smiled kindly. "Come, eat. No need to rush such things. Time will take care of it."
The next day, Konoha felt different.
Masked shinobi filled the streets, their movements tense and watchful.
According to Uzumaki Mito, these were ANBU. Different from the Root operatives that had attacked Ryoma earlier, but still moving on orders.
It seemed the matter of Danzō and Root was being investigated.
Meanwhile, Ryoma remained in the Uzumaki compound, watching Mito guide Kushina through advanced fūinjutsu. Every technique she taught was a secret of the Uzumaki clan.
Among them was the Yin Seal.
As Ryoma listened to Mito's explanations, it felt as though her words filled the gaps even the "system's knowledge" in his head couldn't cover. Human teaching carried a precision no artificial knowledge could match.
Kushina practiced all day, and finally, a faint dot appeared on her forehead—barely visible, but real.
Uzumaki Mito nodded with satisfaction.
"Very good, Kushina. You truly are a genius with ninjutsu. Even Tsunade didn't learn this quickly back in the day."
Kushina's face lit up with joy. If she mastered these techniques, she could finally help Ryoma in the future—rather than always relying on him to rescue her.
But when she turned her head, her expression froze.
On Ryoma's forehead, a faint diamond-shaped mark had appeared, glowing faintly.
"T-That's…"
Mito exhaled softly, her gaze sharpening. "Ryoma… when did you learn the Yin Seal?"
Ryoma scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Ah, I just watched you demonstrate, and I felt something click… so I tried it out."
"Genius. Truly a genius!" Mito's eyes shone with astonishment. "To think you carry Hashirama's bloodline, and yet you also have his talent for ninjutsu?"
Kushina's gaze locked onto Ryoma, her eyes flashing with determination.
She was strong, but Ryoma was stronger.
This was the kind of man who could turn her dreams into reality.
Mito, however, sighed deeply. "I had planned to wait before teaching you the next seal, but with your pace, holding back seems pointless. Very well—next, I will pass on to you one of the Uzumaki clan's greatest secret techniques: the Four Symbols Seal."
"The Four Symbols Seal is used to bind powerful enemies or demons. It weaves the cycle of yin and yang, sealing away even the most dreadful of evils."
Ryoma's face grew stiff. The Yin Seal he had only managed thanks to the system's aid—now she wanted to teach him the Four Symbols Seal? Wouldn't his so-called genius get exposed?
He let out a quiet sigh. His reputation as a prodigy… it hadn't even lasted a day.
Just then, a familiar sound rang in his head:
[Ding! Based on the host's current situation, a choice is presented!]
Option 1: Study diligently, improve daily.
Reward: A-rank Sealing Technique – Four Symbols Seal.
Option 2: Go home and sleep, live as a salted fish.
Reward: A-rank Ninjutsu – Clairvoyance Technique.
Option 3: Decline Uzumaki Mito's teachings and let Kushina take the lead as the student.
Reward: A-rank Sealing Technique – Four Symbols Seal, plus S-rank Sealing Technique – Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
...
TN:
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