Midway through the banquet, the crowd that had come to toast Senju Mori gradually dispersed. It was then that Uzumaki Chizawa, holding a wine glass, approached with a smile.
"Big Brother Mori."
He said softly, gently clinking his glass against Senju Mori's, producing a crisp sound.
"Seeing you and Mio stand together, I suddenly feel that all the hardships we endured before were worth it. This is the perfect ending we envisioned back then."
His gaze swept over his sister, who was conversing softly with the female guests not far away, his tone gentle and sincere, yet with an undeniable firmness.
"No matter what the future holds, Big Brother Mori, I will always stand by your side."
As the two were conversing, an Anbu appeared beside Senju Mori and reported in a low voice.
"Hokage-sama, Lady Mito has something extremely important to discuss and hopes you can come privately."
"Alright, I understand."
Senju Mori's expression immediately became serious, knowing that Uzumaki Mito would never disturb him at this time unless it was something of utmost importance.
He briefly instructed Uzumaki Chizawa beside him, then followed the Anbu, passing through the noisy banquet and entering the quiet corridor deep within the shrine.
In a serene room filled with the faint scent of sandalwood, Uzumaki Mito was waiting, seated on a meditation cushion. Seeing Senju Mori arrive, a gentle smile immediately appeared on her face.
"Mori, you're here."
She gestured for Senju Mori to sit opposite her, her gaze like that of a proud elder looking at a brilliant junior, filled with satisfaction and a touch of nostalgia.
"Seeing you truly inherit Hashirama's will, I am genuinely relieved. Hashirama and Tobirama have both passed away, and I am growing old. Konoha's future will be forged by you all."
"You speak too highly, Lady Mito. Without the foundation laid by you and the previous Hokage, there would be no Konoha today."
Towards this elder, Senju Mori maintained a respectful attitude, which had not changed despite becoming Hokage.
"I have something to give you."
Beside Uzumaki Mito was a large scroll with blue and white patterns on both ends, and the large characters "Slug" written in the middle.
Senju Mori's eyes narrowed, and he quickly asked:
"Lady Mito, could this be...?"
"That's right."
Uzumaki Mito showed a reminiscent expression, smiling as she introduced it:
"This is a contract scroll left by Hashirama, which allows one to sign a summoning contract with Shikkotsu Forest, one of the Three Great Sage Regions."
"I originally intended to give you some family Sealing Jutsu scrolls as a wedding gift for you and that child Mio, but after thinking about it carefully, it would be better for Mio herself to teach you those Sealing Jutsu."
"I don't have much else here. This scroll, perhaps, is the most meaningful gift I can give you right now."
As she spoke, Uzumaki Mito's expression gradually became solemn, and her tone lowered a few octaves:
"Mori, there's something I must warn you about."
"Do you know? The Nine-Tailed sealed within my body has an extraordinary sensitivity to the malice in the world. When I use Tailed Beast Chakra, I can temporarily borrow this ability."
"And during today's ceremony, I vaguely sensed an extremely strong malice."
She paused, a flicker of doubt in her eyes:
"Later, when I used Kagura Mind's Eye for a more detailed perception, that malice seemed to vanish without a trace, and I couldn't find its true source at all."
"Malice..."
Senju Mori repeated softly, his expression also becoming more solemn. However, regarding an enemy that even Kagura Mind's Eye couldn't perceive, he already had some suspicions in his heart.
"You are now Konoha's Hokage, the pillar of the entire Village. As Mio's husband, you are the pillar of this new family."
Mito's gaze sharpened.
"You must prioritize your safety and never repeat Tobirama's mistake by suffering an accident someday."
"Slugs are not only powerful summoned beasts but also the key to cultivating Sage Mode, just like Hashirama once did..."
"Once you successfully learn Sage Mode, it will bring about a complete transformation."
"Besides comprehensively enhancing your various abilities, it can also grant you extremely powerful sensory abilities. You should know that Hashirama's sensory abilities were even stronger than mine back then."
"Thank you, Lady Mito."
Senju Mori bowed slightly, then stepped forward to take the large summoning scroll.
When he laid the scroll flat and slowly unrolled it, names written in blood immediately came into view. The last name so far was prominently "Senju Hashirama."
It wasn't Senju Mori's first time signing a summoning contract. He immediately pricked his finger, wrote his name in blood on it, and pressed five crimson fingerprints.
"I am not Shikkotsu Forest's contractor; I merely kept this scroll on Hashirama's behalf. Now I am entrusting it to you."
"The Slug living in Shikkotsu Forest is named 'Katsuyu.' She's a very easy-going individual, but don't offend her casually. You can refer to her as 'Sage Katsuyu.'"