Hearing Arata's compliment, Uzumaki Mito let out a soft laugh.
After all—no woman dislikes being praised for her beauty, especially someone who was born naturally stunning like her.
Otherwise she never would have created the Yin Seal in the first place—
a jutsu every woman would dream of mastering, capable of preserving youth indefinitely.
"You really are a smooth talker," she teased. "Funny—when you were chasing after Tsunade, you weren't nearly this slick."
Then Mito walked over to a nearby sofa, sat down gracefully, and her expression shifted to seriousness.
"All right—enough joking. Since you're willing to shoulder the responsibility, I will help you become Hokage."
Arata straightened up as well and sat beside her.
Mito continued:
"If my prediction is correct, after this upcoming war, Konoha will enter a state of complete decline. Most clan elites will die on the battlefield—nine out of ten young talents will be gone. Every clan will face a shortage of successors. And that," she tapped the armrest lightly, "is when the era of civilian shinobi will begin."
"Whether for preserving their lineage or maintaining influence, the clans will have no choice but to recruit outsiders—taking them in by marriage, adoption, or other means. As long as someone has the talent, the clans will welcome them."
Arata nodded.
This aligned perfectly with his own deductions. Clan marriages were rigid and exclusive now, but decades later, most clans openly married into civilian lines.
Some even accepted civilian sons-in-law—unthinkable in the current era.
"I have long known that the next Hokage would inevitably come from the civilians," Mito said. "I've been searching for the right candidate. At first, I considered you. Your determination and talent are sufficient—but your bloodline was too ordinary. So I dismissed the idea."
That part Arata understood.
No matter how hard he trained back then, his talent was limited.
"But last year," Mito continued, "I found another promising candidate. If not for your recent astonishing performance, I would never have allowed Tsunade to marry you."
Arata's curiosity was piqued.
"So who was it that caught your eye?"
"Minato Namikaze," Mito replied. "He's only 4 years old right now. But since losing his parents, he's grown remarkably independent. He works hard, trains hard, and he's kind and good at making friends. His future potential is immeasurable."
Arata couldn't help but admire her insight.
Her understanding of Konoha's future was sharper than even many transmigrators'.
After all—
the Fourth Hokage was Minato Namikaze.
"If he were merely a normal civilian child," Mito continued, "I would never have chosen him, no matter how diligent he was. Civilian blood sets a limit on talent. But after some investigation, I discovered something surprising—his father was a branch member of the Senju clan, and his mother possessed Uzumaki blood."
Arata finally understood a long-standing mystery from the manga.
How could a "civilian" like Minato be so terrifyingly strong?
He wasn't purely civilian at all.
His bloodline contained both top-tier clans—Senju and Uzumaki.
That also explained why he was drawn to Kushina's red hair.
It was likely tied to the memory of his mother.
Mito continued:
"But that's all in the past. From now on, I will help you become Hokage. You've shown unprecedented potential. I trust my own judgment. As for Minato…" Her tone softened. "The next Jinchūriki I had prepared for him—you will adopt instead."
Arata already had a guess, though he feigned uncertainty.
"The next Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
Mito smiled.
"That's right. I've already identified a girl from the Uzumaki clan—my younger sister's descendant. Her bloodline is pure enough to withstand the Nine-Tails' power. If you adopt her early, you can build a bond ahead of time. In the future, the Jinchūriki will become one of your strongest political assets."
Arata inwardly confirmed—
Uzumaki Kushina.
But one thing puzzled him.
"You look nothing like an old woman. And your strength is still terrifying. Why not oversee Konoha yourself? Why prepare a successor Jinchūriki so early?"
Mito's expression darkened.
She shook her head with quiet exhaustion.
"I have lived long enough. I've seen too many schemes, betrayals, and deaths. All that remains in me is weariness… As for taking control of Konoha myself?" She gave a faint, bitter smile. "Don't forget—I am an Uzumaki. Even if I became Hokage through raw power, no one would obey me. Because at the end of the day—I am not a child of this land."