Dinner was quiet.
No outsiders.
Just family.
Mito Uzumaki looked at Kazuki seriously.
"Kazuki… don't take risks like that again."
"If something happens, notify Grandma Mito immediately."
"As long as I'm alive, no one will bully you."
Kushina nodded firmly beside her.
Kazuki smiled softly.
"I'll be fine."
Kushina glared at him.
"Call her Grandma Mito."
"…Alright. Grandma Mito."
Mito's expression softened instantly.
Good boy.
The Senju Question
Kazuki had been holding this question in for a while.
"…Grandma Mito. Did the Senju Clan really disappear?"
Mito's eyes grew distant.
"The Senju didn't collapse overnight."
"After Hashirama and Tobirama… no one inherited Wood Release."
"The bloodline thinned."
"Many married out. Many took different surnames."
"The clan scattered."
Kazuki lowered his gaze.
"So the Senju just… faded."
Mito nodded slowly.
"We reached the peak."
"And after the peak… comes the fall."
War accelerated it.
The Senju always fought at the front.
Konoha survived.
The Senju paid the price.
Her grandson, Nawaki…
If he had lived—
He would've been Kazuki's age.
Mito inhaled quietly.
"Still… there are Senju descendants."
"And Uzumaki blood remains as well."
Then she looked meaningfully at Kushina.
"I just don't know when Kushina will leave this old woman."
"Grandma!" Kushina flushed. "I'll stay with you forever!"
Mito chuckled.
"Nonsense. Girls grow up."
"They marry."
"That's the way of the world."
Right, Kazuki?"
Kazuki smiled.
"She's right."
Kushina's face turned bright red.
Mito was practically matchmaking at this point.
But she wasn't subtle about it.
If Senju and Uzumaki blood united again—
The legacy would continue.
And maybe—
Kazuki would mature faster if he had something to protect.
The Village Changes
From the next day onward, Konoha felt different.
ANBU patrols increased.
Masked shinobi on rooftops.
Investigations were underway.
Root was being audited.
Danzo was under scrutiny.
The village leadership had fractures now.
And everyone felt it.
Sealing Training
In the courtyard, Mito was teaching Kushina advanced Uzumaki sealing techniques.
Among them—
Yin Seal.
Kazuki listened quietly nearby.
Every explanation Mito gave—
Matched perfectly with the system knowledge already embedded in his mind.
But hers was even more detailed.
Human experience added nuance.
Kushina trained all day.
Finally—
A faint dot appeared on her forehead.
Barely visible.
Mito smiled proudly.
"Excellent, Kushina. Your control is exceptional."
"Even Tsunade didn't learn this quickly."
Kushina beamed.
Then she looked at Kazuki—
And froze.
A perfectly formed diamond mark was visible on his forehead.
Clear.
Stable.
Fully structured.
"…Kazuki?"
Mito stared.
"When did you learn Yin Seal?"
Kazuki scratched his head.
"I… kind of understood it while watching."
Silence.
Then—
"Genius," Mito whispered.
"You awakened Wood Release… and you have Tobirama-level analytical talent?"
Kushina looked at him like he had hung the moon.
He was strong.
But he was also brilliant.
That was dangerous.
And attractive.
Very attractive.
Next Lesson
Mito exhaled.
"At this rate… I'll move ahead."
"I'll teach you the Uzumaki Secret Technique."
"The Four Symbols Seal."
"A high-level sealing method used to suppress powerful entities."
Kazuki felt slightly guilty.
He had learned Yin Seal from the system.
Now he had to pretend again.
Then—
The system appeared.
System Prompt
[Choose:]
Option 1: Study seriously.Reward: A-Rank Sealing Technique — Four Symbols Seal.
Option 2: Go sleep.Reward: A-Rank Ninjutsu — Telescope Technique.
Option 3: Refuse instruction.Reward:A-Rank Four Symbols SealS-Rank Reaper Death Seal
Kazuki's eyes narrowed.
Reaper Death Seal.
The ultimate Uzumaki sacrifice technique.
The one Minato would one day use.
A god-tier sealing method.
But deadly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.