Chapter 21

By dinnertime, with no outsiders present, Uzumaki Mito spoke kindly, "Haru, don't take risks like that again, alright? Let Grandma Mito know right away next time, understand? As long as I'm here, no one will dare to bully you."

Kushina Uzumaki, sitting beside them, nodded vigorously in agreement.

Haru smiled and replied, "Don't worry, Grandma."

Kushina glared at him. "Call her properly—Grandma Mito!"

"Alright, alright—Grandma Mito," Haru relented.

Uzumaki Mito looked at Haru with affection glowing in her eyes.

Haru had always wondered: were the Senju and Uzumaki clans truly wiped out?

Who was behind their downfall?

After a moment of thought, Uzumaki Mito explained, "Haru, the remaining descendants of the Senju clan weren't especially prominent. The clan never restricted bloodline inheritance, so its members eventually dispersed and founded their own households. They no longer lived together under the Senju name."

Haru frowned, "So the Senju clan just... faded away like that?"

A twinge of pain flashed across Mito's face. She nodded solemnly.

She couldn't help but think of her grandson, Senju Nawaki. If he were still alive, he'd be about the same age as Haru now.

Everything is fate.

The Senju, guided by Hashirama and Tobirama, had once reached the pinnacle.

But after the peak always comes the landslide.

War broke out. As the clan that produced two Hokage, the Senju were expected to fight on the frontlines.

Konoha won the war—but the Senju clan steadily weakened.

More and more of them died. Even Nawaki was drawn out of the village...

Looking back now, it was clear that the senior leadership—Danzo, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane—those who inherited the Will of Fire from the Second Hokage, had made grave errors.

But it was too heavy a topic. Mito changed the mood with a smile.

"Actually, both the Senju and Uzumaki clans still have members who married and settled down elsewhere."

"Young people like novelty. They don't enjoy living with an old lady like me. It's perfectly natural for them to start their own households."

She turned to Kushina and added teasingly, "I wonder when our Kushina will finally leave this old woman's house?"

"Grandma Mito! I will serve you all my life! I'll never leave your side!"

Mito chuckled. "Nonsense. The rain will fall, and a woman will marry—it's the law of nature, Haru."

Kushina's face flushed red in an instant.

Grandma Mito was so mean!

Haru couldn't help laughing at the sight of Kushina's bashful expression. "She's right! It's just the natural order of things."

Mito nodded in satisfaction. "Exactly. When I was a young girl, I followed the clan's mission to the battlefield. That's where I met my husband. We married unexpectedly, and later helped found Konoha together."

"So Haru, there's an old saying: 'Establish a family first, then build a career.'"

As she spoke, Mito pointed thoughtfully at Haru.

If she could match Haru and Kushina, and they had a child—no, two or three children—then the bloodlines of the Senju and Uzumaki clans could continue.

Besides, Haru was too lazy, too lacking in ambition. He didn't have the drive or endurance. Like many young people, he needed to settle down and start a family to truly mature.

Kushina's face turned bright red. She was so shy, she didn't even dare look Haru in the eye.

Mito smiled warmly. "Come now, let's eat."

There was no need to rush things. As long as they spent time together, it would happen naturally.

The next day, something felt different in the air around Konoha Village.

Masked shinobi began appearing on the streets in large numbers. No one knew what they were looking for.

According to Mito, these were ANBU, the covert ops force. They were not related to the mysterious attackers from before, who had come from Root.

This looked like an internal investigation between the ANBU and Root.

At that moment, Haru was sitting in the Uzumaki compound, watching as Mito taught Kushina advanced sealing techniques—the secret arts of the Uzumaki clan.

Among them was the Yin Seal.

As Mito demonstrated, Haru listened closely. It felt just like when his system downloaded knowledge directly into his mind—even better, because this time the explanations were thorough.

After all, teachings from a living master could not be wrong.

Kushina practiced all day, and by the end, had finally made some progress. A faint, barely visible mark appeared on her forehead.

Mito smiled in approval. "Excellent, Kushina. You truly are a sealing prodigy. Even Tsunade didn't learn this fast back in the day."

Kushina looked happily at Haru. Now, she thought, she could finally help him—instead of always waiting to be rescued.

But when she turned to look at him, she froze.

On Haru's forehead was a clear, diamond-shaped seal.

"…What?"

Mito took a slow breath. "Haru, when did you learn the Yin Seal?"

Haru scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, I was watching you demonstrate and… I just sort of felt it. So I gave it a try."

"A genius—an absolute genius!" Mito was amazed. "You've inherited Hashirama's bloodline, and you even have his natural talent for jutsu?"

Kushina stared at Haru, eyes gleaming.

He was strong—far stronger than she'd realized.

He really could achieve his dreams.

Mito sighed. "I thought I wouldn't need to teach you the next seal so soon, but at your rate… I suppose it's time."

"I'll now pass on to you the Uzumaki clan's secret art—the Four Symbols Seal!"

"The Four Symbols Seal is used to bind powerful enemies or demonic forces. It uses the balance of the four symbols to trap and suppress evil."

Haru felt a little embarrassed. The Yin Seal had been taught to him by the system… and now he had to pretend to learn the Four Symbols Seal the same way? He really was bluffing his way through all this.

So this was what being a "genius" meant. It didn't feel earned.

A pang of guilt hit Haru.

Suddenly, the system's voice chimed in:

Ding! Based on the host's current situation, make your choice:

Option 1: Study hard, make daily progress.

Reward: A-rank Sealing Technique – Four-Headed Elephant Seal.

Option 2: Go home and sleep like a salted fish.

Reward: A-rank Ninjutsu – Far-Seeing Glasses Technique.

Option 3: Reject Mito's teaching, become a student of your own path.

Reward: A-rank Seal – Four Symbols Seal, and S-rank Advanced Seal – Ghoul Devour Seal.