Senju Compound...
Just as Uzumaki Jun finished eating noodles, a Konoha Anbu appeared, saying that his ancestor, Uzumaki Mito, wanted to meet him and asked him to go immediately...
Uzumaki Jun was helpless. He had just started his sightseeing trip when someone told him to skip straight to the last stop, hurry up, and leave. It really ruined the mood. Looking at the place where the Senju clan lived, he had to admit...
As one of the two great clans that founded Konoha, this place was huge!
No wonder someone later wanted to take them down. It was probably because their land monopoly was too severe, hindering Konoha's development, which led to their downfall. Moreover...
Having clans with too much influence in the village was also problematic. It threatened the authority of the Hokage and disrupted the village's stability.
"Lord Jun." The guards of the Senju clan seemed to have been notified in advance. They opened the gate and bowed respectfully. "Please come in."
Uzumaki Jun followed the guide toward Uzumaki Mito. As for Uzumaki Kai?
He wasn't brought along, as if intentionally separated...
"It seems this matter is a bit troublesome." Uzumaki Jun rubbed his chin and muttered. "They probably want to discuss the Nine-Tails."
Otherwise, why would they summon him so formally and isolate Uzumaki Kai? It must be something confidential. And since it was Mito who wanted to see him...
Aside from the Nine-Tails, Uzumaki Jun couldn't think of anything else. Could it really just be an ancestor wanting to see her descendant?
Don't joke around. If that were the case, why had Uzumaki Mito never returned to Uzushiogakure even once, instead staying in Konoha to manage Hashirama's affairs?
"We're here." The Anbu jonin said, then immediately left.
As a direct subordinate of the Hokage, he didn't need to show respect to anyone else. Now that he had brought Uzumaki Jun here, his mission was complete.
Uzumaki Jun didn't pay him any mind. Looking at the tightly shut door, he sighed and knocked. He didn't know how Konoha would try to persuade him, but...
As the ruler of Uzushiogakure, there were some things he couldn't agree to.
"Creak!"
The door opened, revealing a woman in her fifties who smiled and said, "Are you Lord Jun?"
"Hello." Uzumaki Jun recognized her as Mito's maid from her red hair and smiled in return.
"Please come in." The maid said. "Lady Mito has been waiting for a long time."
Uzumaki Jun stepped inside. He knew that from this moment on, he represented Uzushiogakure, while Uzumaki Mito represented Konoha. He couldn't disgrace the Uzumaki clan or Uzushiogakure.
Perhaps Uzumaki Mito still cared for the Uzumaki clan in her heart, but when she ignored the clan's crisis and silently allowed Konoha to abandon them...
Uzumaki Jun knew that Uzumaki Mito was no longer part of the Uzumaki clan. To the clan and Uzushiogakure, she was now just a friendly outsider who shared their surname.
"You're here." Uzumaki Mito sat on the bed, smiling at Uzumaki Jun. "The current leader of the Uzumaki clan."
"Hello, Grandmother Mito." Uzumaki Jun also smiled.
"Good, good." Uzumaki Mito's eyes crinkled with joy. "Child, come sit."
Uzumaki Jun walked to the table in front of her and sat down, smiling without any fear despite facing someone known as the strongest in the shinobi world. After all...
He had a system!
"How is... Uzushiogakure now?" Uzumaki Mito hesitated before sighing. "Is everything alright?"
She knew that when she agreed to become a jinchūriki and succeeded, she had dragged the Uzumaki clan into a whirlpool. No one, no village, could resist coveting such power.
But...
She hadn't gone to help Uzushiogakure.
This was her guilt. The Uzumaki clan had never wronged Konoha, but Konoha...
Had wronged the Uzumaki clan.
"Everything is fine." Uzumaki Jun said. "After the war, we began rebuilding. It should recover soon."
"That's good." Uzumaki Mito felt slightly relieved, her guilt lessening a little. Looking at the seven-year-old boy, she couldn't help but marvel...
So young.
The shinobi world had never seen such a young powerhouse. Even Hashirama wasn't this strong at his age.
But...
"Do you... or rather..." Uzumaki Mito stared at Uzumaki Jun seriously. "Does the Uzumaki clan still hate Konoha?"
"..."
Hate? Of course they hated!
Most of the Uzumaki clan wanted to destroy Konoha. But Uzumaki Jun naturally couldn't say that outright. Otherwise, he wouldn't be surprised if someone started plotting against Uzushiogakure the moment he left.
Like...
A certain kindly old man, or a certain scapegoat in the shadows.
So, Uzumaki Jun put on a conflicted expression and sighed inwardly. "Hate isn't the right word. Konoha acted for the sake of peace."
No matter if it was right or wrong, as long as you said it was for peace, it became justified.
"Heh." Uzumaki Mito chuckled and shook her head. She could tell Uzumaki Jun still resented Konoha, but...
He was just a child.
It wasn't serious. As long as it wasn't hatred, time would heal his grievances. Especially for a seven-year-old. Though she didn't know how a child had become Kage-level at this age...
He was still just a child.
"This time, Konoha failed Uzushiogakure." Uzumaki Mito sighed. "But at that time, Konoha couldn't act recklessly."
"Peace..."
"Is hard-won."
"..."
Hearing this, Uzumaki Jun was speechless. So, for the sake of peace, Konoha couldn't act and decided to gift Uzushiogakure to the four great villages as a celebration of the war's end?
How shameless!
But...
Uzumaki Jun didn't say anything, remaining silent. He didn't know how to respond. They had already done it—what could he do now?
"But the Senju clan still sent aid, even if it was few in number." Uzumaki Mito said. "This..."
"Was all I could do."
So...
Uzumaki Jun had guessed that the Senju clan's assistance to Uzushiogakure must have been tacitly approved by someone high up, likely Uzumaki Mito. She must have known the Senju would defy the Hokage's orders to help Uzushiogakure. Though she never openly approved...
She silently allowed it.
Otherwise...
The Senju wouldn't have sent so many jonin to the border just to watch. If they wanted to backstab, they would have sent Root operatives or...
The Hokage's trusted men.
Hearing Uzumaki Mito's explanation, Uzumaki Jun felt slightly better. At least she hadn't completely abandoned the Uzumaki clan.
But...
"Do you know why I called you here?"
Now it was time for the real matter.