"Night Maple, did you know? My old dream was to be the first female Hokage."
"The first female Hokage, huh? I've heard that so much my ears have calluses."
Kushina said with a wry smile, "Yeah. Now I know that to realize your dream, you have to possess great power. Unfortunately, I don't."
Night Maple looked at Kushina and smiled.
Kushina puffed her cheeks. "What are you laughing at?"
"Since it's a dream, how could you give up so easily?"
"Becoming a female Hokage? I think you can do it."
In the near future, you'll become the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Just think—why couldn't a female Naruto become Hokage?
Hearing this, Kushina rolled her eyes. "And you?"
"Me? I'm just a salted fish… uh, suddenly I feel like guarding Konoha isn't bad either."
Even as Night Maple said he wanted to be a salted fish, another voice rose in his heart—to guard Konoha.
Night Maple could feel it: after fusing the Hashirama Senju character card, he'd been influenced by Hashirama's shinobi way.
The First's creed was that as long as he protected the village, he would not hesitate to sacrifice himself.
Only, Night Maple didn't agree with that creed.
The scope of "the village" was too small.
Night Maple's eyes were on the entire shinobi world—on the whole continent.
"In the end, I think guarding Konoha isn't great love—it's only small love."
Kushina giggled. "That's a weird take. Guarding Konoha is only small love? Then what's great love?"
Night Maple lifted his head to the moon hanging high in the sky. "Great love is, of course, unifying the shinobi world—world peace."
"Look: we in Konoha inherit the Will of Fire; others have the Wills of Water, Lightning, Earth, Wind—people from different villages have their own wills."
"As long as every village and every nation clings to its own will, conflict is inevitable. That's the root cause of the many Shinobi World Wars. If the entire shinobi world had only one will, would there still be fighting?"
Kushina snorted. "Crooked reasoning! Don't go saying things like that around the village, okay?"
An hour later, Kushina looked at Night Maple. "Night Maple, it's too late now. Let's go."
Night Maple clapped his hands and stood up.
Kushina stood up as well.
Night Maple smiled—and simply pushed Kushina off.
"Ah!"
Kushina gasped softly and clung tightly to Night Maple.
In midair, Night Maple flung a kunai inscribed with the Flying Thunder God formula; it stabbed into the village wall below.
"Ah! We're falling…"
No sooner had she said it than Kushina realized she was already at the village wall.
This was Night Maple's first time attempting the Flying Thunder God Technique; the chakra drain was a bit heavy—no wonder it's a forbidden jutsu.
Like the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique—without enough chakra, you can't use it.
Night Maple checked; another reason was that the skill level was too low.
If he leveled it up, the chakra cost should drop a lot.
As for how to level it—he'd have to practice…
With open curiosity, Kushina asked, "Is that a ninjutsu?"
Night Maple smiled. "Don't tell anyone else."
Kushina nodded blankly.
At Konoha's gate, the Third and the others had already been waiting for over an hour.
Uzumaki Mito looked coolly at Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Third Hokage, what is the meaning of this?"
Though Uzumaki Mito had long since stopped managing village affairs, as the First's widow, in terms of seniority she was the Third's teacher's wife.
Before Uzumaki Mito, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't dare put on airs. He hurriedly said, "My lady, it was my oversight. But that boy Night Maple didn't seem ill-intentioned—perhaps he took Kushina somewhere to play?"
In his heart, Sarutobi was cursing Night Maple to death. Who in the village didn't know that in her later years Uzumaki Mito had lost her son, and treasured her granddaughter Tsunade and the successor jinchūriki Kushina most of all?
And now Night Maple had taken Kushina who-knows-where; with Mito here to demand answers, he was done for.
Uzumaki Mito said coldly to Sarutobi Hiruzen, "At this hour, what place could possibly be 'fun'?"
Knowing she was angry, Sarutobi hastily said, "My lady, I will find them at once!"
Suddenly, a girl's voice sounded from behind.
"Granny Mito!"
Uzumaki Mito turned; Kushina had already thrown herself into her arms.
"Kushina, are you alright?"
Kushina shook her head. "Granny Mito, I'm sorry—I didn't know you were waiting here…"
Uzumaki Mito said kindly, "It's fine, Kushina. Where did you two go?"
"We… went there."
Kushina pointed at the Hokage Rock.
Uzumaki Mito looked at the First's face on the rock, then at Night Maple. The young man's bearing was, astonishingly, a bit like her husband, Hashirama Senju.
Am I too old—are my eyes failing me?
"Young man, you are…?"
Night Maple bowed with solemn respect. "Night Maple, paying respects to the First's lady!"
She was the village's most senior kunoichi, and one of its strongest—also the current Nine-Tails' jinchūriki!
Old though she was, even a skinny camel is bigger than a horse.
Uzumaki Mito chuckled. "Good, good. Young man, I hear you can use Wood Release? Would you give this old woman a little demonstration?"
Sensing no malice from her, Night Maple made a light gesture; verdant saplings sprouted from the ground at once.
Everyone's eyes went wide.
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help asking, "Night Maple, when did you…"
Night Maple shrugged. "When I went to rescue Kushina today, I was badly injured by a Cloud-nin and—don't know why—suddenly awakened."
"Awakened a kekkei genkai?"
"Yeah—just happened all of a sudden."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked to Uzumaki Mito.
Uzumaki Mito nodded. "It carries the Senju clan's aura—not an artificial feel. Who'd have thought, Night Maple, that you're of Senju blood—and have awakened a kekkei genkai."
As she spoke, Uzumaki Mito's voice grew a little choked.
"The Senju line hasn't been cut off. Even if I were to die now and descend to the Yellow Springs to see Hashirama, I would have no regrets."
Biwako Sarutobi quickly comforted her. "My lady, don't say that. It's a blessing for the Senju—and for Konoha."
The Third echoed, "Indeed. Our Konoha has gained another promising youth."
A smile blossomed on Uzumaki Mito's face. Looking at Night Maple and Kushina, she seemed to see the young Hashirama and herself.
Perhaps I should bring them home and do a little matchmaking…
With that thought, Uzumaki Mito said kindly, "Night Maple, Kushina—let's go home…"