The End of an Era

"Tsunade… or Nawaki… is one of them already dead?"

Kushina's heart trembled. To protect Mito's sealing focus, the village and clan had blocked much of the information from her.

But she had guessed.

Mito Uzumaki read her expression and knew she was right.

"Was it Tsunade, or Nawaki? It doesn't matter. Tell me. I'm dying anyway."

"It was cousin Nawaki, Great Aunt Mito."

Mito nodded and looked at her daughter-in-law—Linmu's wife—whose face was soaked in tears.

"Don't mourn. Not for me, not for anyone. Grief won't help.

The village was Hashirama's dream. The road he paved is long and bitter. I could only walk part of it.

But you're still here. You must carry on. Protect his dream. Honor all the sacrifices made."

Behind Mito, the golden chakra chains suddenly surged forward, lunging toward the semi-materialized Nine-Tails.

All nine tails were visible now, swirling in a ghostly, translucent form above them.

The adamantine chains pierced through each of the nine tails, then coiled through the air, shooting toward Kushina.

Mito's immense chakra suppressed the beast—it hadn't broken loose, hadn't fully formed, still hovering between reality and chakra vapor.

She stepped toward Kushina and guided her hands with her own. Together, they wove seals.

From Kushina's back burst a new set of chakra chains, linking directly to Mito's.

The Nine-Tails' tails, bound to those chains, were drawn slowly into Kushina's body.

"Mito Uzumaki! Even now—you won't let me go?!"

The fox's howl tore through the valley.

More and more of the Nine-Tails' chakra poured from Mito as the seal unraveled. The beast's form grew more solid by the second.

Senju Linmu shouted:

"The Nine-Tails is resisting! Senju Clan, initiate the Joint Sealing!"

Over 900 Senju shinobi wove hand signs at once, slamming their palms into the sprawling sealing scrolls on the ground.

In an instant, ink-like markings spread—similar to the Curse Seal of Self-Harm.

Chains of chakra script shot from the scrolls and latched onto the Nine-Tails' limbs and joints.

The Joint Sealing Technique locked the beast in place.

Yako was shaken. The Senju's sealing method—this many shinobi uniting their power—it can restrain the Nine-Tails… incredible.

Under the pressure of this massive ritual, more and more of the Nine-Tails was sealed into Kushina—tail by tail.

Its hind legs followed.

Everything was progressing smoothly—until Yako saw several figures approaching fast.

Danzo. And two of his aides.

More importantly—Danzo's right eye was wrapped in bandages.

Yako suddenly remembered the corpse of that young boy from the Shimura clan—his eyes gouged out, the sockets sewn shut.

Danzo's absence… he went to Orochimaru to have an eye transplanted, didn't he?

Danzo moved behind Hiruzen, using the Hokage's white robe and hat as cover.

None of the Senju noticed. But from the side, Yako could see him clearly.

Danzo raised his hand, touching the bandaged right eye. The seal inscriptions lit up—it was a masking seal, designed to block detection.

He lifted the bandage briefly under cover of the Hokage's hat… and looked at the Nine-Tails.

His old teammate, Kagami Uchiha, had once vowed to rid the village of the Nine-Tails' threat.

To Kagami, the Nine-Tails was a sword hanging over Konoha's throat.

The Sharingan reflected the soul. Kagami's deepest wish became his Mangekyō's ability: Disguised Susanoo.

Tobirama's notes had praised that jutsu—second only to Wood Release in controlling the Nine-Tails.

That kind of power couldn't be left in Uchiha hands.

Danzo had possessed Kagami's Sharingan for years—but never dared use it.

Now, with Orochimaru's help, he was ready.

At that moment, the Nine-Tails, still bound, suddenly froze. Its eyes slowly drifted… toward the distant statue of Madara at the Valley of the End.

A powerful ocular jutsu stirred in its mind.

It was as if the past returned.

The Battle of the Valley.

Madara controlling it with Genjutsu, wrapping it in the ethereal armor of Disguised Susanoo, clashing against Hashirama atop his wooden Buddha.

The Nine-Tails had been bound by chakra chains and Senju jutsu—but now, another chakra surged through it.

A ghostly armor formed—a phantom Disguised Susanoo cloaking its body.

Linmu screamed in horror: "No! That's the Uchiha's Susanoo! Where is it coming from?!"

He scanned the perimeter. There were only ANBU.

The Disguised Susanoo vanished in seconds—but that was enough.

The chains broke.

The seals shattered.

The Nine-Tails broke free.

Without hesitation, it opened its mouth, beginning to form a Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Stop it!!"

All the Senju pumped their chakra into the seal, trying to restrain the beast.

But the Tailed Beast Bomb swelled larger and larger.

Mito raised her head. Her old, cloudy eyes burned clear.

She scanned the area.

A thick cloud of white smoke billowed into the night sky—it was Enma, the Monkey King, summoned by Hiruzen.

The Hokage had already cast off his robe and hat. With the adamant staff in hand, he was smashing through the woods like he was fighting an invisible monster.

"FIND WHO BROKE THE SEAL!" he roared.

ANBU scattered into the trees.

Yako muttered inwardly: Your acting is immaculate.

Danzo's right there behind you, in that smoke.

Mito spoke.

"I'll hold the Nine-Tails. But the rest of the sealing… it's up to you now."

From her back, two golden chains shot out again, locking around the Nine-Tails' neck and skull, forcibly wrenching its head aside.

The beast thrashed, chains clanging violently.

Blood spilled from Mito's lips.

With a final cry, she twisted the Nine-Tails' head—just in time.

The Tailed Beast Bomb launched—not downward—but into the sky, arcing far into the distance.

It didn't strike the Senju ranks.

Everyone exhaled.

But the effort tore the last two chains from Mito's back.

A chunk of her flesh ripped away with them.

Blood gushed out. Her back was torn wide open—a gaping, bloody maw.

She coughed out a great spray of blood, collapsed to her knees.

Still kneeling, she forced her hands into a final seal.

"Kushina… I'm going now. Don't be afraid… you'll find someone… who fills your heart…"

Above them, the Nine-Tails' upper body still hovered, writhing.

If not for Disguised Susanoo, the sealing would've succeeded.

But now… Mito fell.

The oldest kunoichi in Konoha. Skin like dry bark. Finally collapsed.

And died.

An era ended.

The last of the founding generation—Mito Uzumaki—died for the village.