Even though Tsunade had spoken to her, Mito seemed only slightly better, and Arata still couldn't put his worries to rest. After all, she had once harbored the thought of ending her life. Even if she wasn't showing it now, that kind of despair was likely buried deep within her heart.
Once Tsunade finally calmed down, she unexpectedly fell asleep right in Arata's arms.
Thinking about it, she had been exhausted these past few days because of everything that happened.
After Arata carried her back to her room and tucked her in, he quietly left the house.
---
In the high tower outside Konoha, Uzumaki Mito was—as always—monitoring the village. But unlike her usual lazy, tranquil demeanor, she now stared into the crystal ball with complete concentration.
No trace of weariness could be seen on her face, yet every small movement carried a subtle, chilling coldness.
The attendants responsible for taking care of her, however, sensed none of this.
Inside the crystal ball in Mito's hands, a dark scene shimmered faintly—an area so dim that barely any light reached it.
Through a few thin strands of illumination, she could make out what looked like… an office.
It was hard to imagine such a place existed inside Konoha.
This was, in truth, the future headquarters of Root. For now, it served as Danzō's office.
Danzō was currently in the middle of a heated discussion with Hiruzen.
And it was only conversations between these two that could make Uzumaki Mito focus so intently.
In the projected image, the Third Hokage spoke first.
"Was it you or not? At a time like this, you dare to provoke Arata?"
Danzō immediately flew into a rage.
"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I didn't do a damn thing! That brat is just unlucky—what, that's my fault too?"
Ordinarily, if Danzō had done something, he would openly admit it in front of Hiruzen. But at this critical juncture—right before a war—if trouble arose because of this incident, everything he'd planned so far would crumble.
The Third Hokage's expression darkened.
"All we can do now is pray Arata keeps his composure. Otherwise, if we end up fighting him internally at a time like this, Konoha will be doomed."
Both of them—and the other clans of Konoha—were suppressing their ambitions for now. They intended to completely reshuffle the village's power structure, and to accomplish this, they had stirred up all five great nations into launching a war.
Four of the other Five Great Nations had joined in, and even the recently famed Amegakure was entangled in it.
In a war of this scale, if Konoha couldn't unite against the outside world first, it could very well be annihilated.
Watching the scene unfold in the crystal ball, Mito said nothing. She merely let out a cold, mirthless smile.
Just then, the door opened. A tall figure walked in.
At 185 centimeters, few in Konoha could match his height. Combined with his perfectly sculpted physique and powerful musculature, he was the type of man who would make any woman's eyes light up the moment he entered a room.
And most striking of all—his face. Handsome yet strong, it embodied the perfect blend of masculine charm and sharp beauty.
Even with his drastically changed appearance, Mito instantly recognized him. It was Arata Itsuki, who had been in seclusion for two full months.
Looking at him, Uzumaki Mito smiled gently and murmured:
"You're here…"
Arata's heart tightened at the sight of that smile—it was too forced, too brittle, painfully fake.
He immediately sensed the change in her—an icy coldness she did not have before, as though her body had lost its warmth entirely.
Just that alone was enough for him to know she had not walked out from the pain of Nawaki's death at all.
Arata nodded, then silently walked to her side. Staring at the crystal ball, he asked lightly:
"Was it them?"
Seeing Arata immediately bring up political matters, Mito's expression dimmed even further. Her hands even trembled slightly.
But she still answered:
"It wasn't them. At the very least, they won't dare make a move right now."
Arata had already guessed as much. He hadn't asked to learn their intentions.
He asked to confirm hers.
He nodded. Then, in the next instant, his expression hardened into something fierce.
A layer of jet-black Armament Haki enveloped his fist.
And with a single blow, he smashed the crystal ball to pieces—shattering it into glittering dust.
Uzumaki Mito jolted in shock. She shot to her feet and shouted:
"What are you doing!? That crystal ball was my only means of monitoring Konoha!"
Arata looked at her with overwhelming dominance.
"You don't need to do any of this anymore. Just live as an ordinary woman—live as the happiest woman in this world. The darkness of Konoha… will be borne by me."
Mito froze completely. In the blink of an eye, her eyes were already wet.
She had given her entire life to this village. Her husband was dead. Her son and daughter-in-law were dead. The Senju clan was all but wiped out. Even her only grandson had died. And still—she had been thinking only of restoring Konoha.
But none of this was ever hers to bear. She was not the Hokage. She should have lived as a normal woman—married someone she loved, raised a few mischievous children, and lived the quiet, ordinary life she deserved…
All this time, her identity had morally chained her, preventing her from even considering what she truly wanted. She simply did what others expected.
Marrying a man she had never even met. Helping him build a shinobi village. Guarding a village that had never truly belonged to her—even after he died.
No one had ever told her she didn't have to do all of this.
And no one—not a single person—had ever shattered her façade so blatantly… until Arata.
Her defenses crushed, Uzumaki Mito slowly sat back onto the sofa, lowering her head. She made no sound. Only the soft patter of tears dripping onto the floor echoed in the room as the wooden boards gradually darkened.
Arata didn't say anything more. He simply waited silently.
She had carried far too many burdens for far too long. Now, Arata finally had the strength to take them from her.
With power surpassing even shadow-level shinobi… and now with his greatly enhanced Mind Net, he could monitor the whole of Konoha himself. Mito no longer needed to shoulder this darkness.
And perhaps only by cutting her ties with Konoha's shadows could she finally walk out of her grief.
Besides… this might even help Arata earn Uzumaki Mito's full trust sooner. Otherwise, who knew when he would be Hokage?