Mito was a perfect Jinchuriki. She could coexist with the Nine-Tails in her body in a relatively peaceful and harmonious state.
Because of this, Kurama was willing to show her respect and now generously supplied her with vast amounts of chakra.
Tsunade was wide-eyed, mouth agape, watching her grandmother cloaked in golden chakra that burned like flames. She had never seen her grandmother use such a mystical power before.
In this Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, Mito's power had skyrocketed, so much so that she could easily overwhelm nearly anything in the shinobi world.
Her sensory abilities had also advanced to a whole new level. This was the source of her confidence when she initially made the decision to quickly end the war on Tobirama's front.
Tsunade nestled obediently in her grandmother's arms, feeling the warmth of the chakra enveloping them.
It gave her a rare sense of peace, the same comforting feeling she only ever experienced when her brother was by her side.
Mito could sense the emotions stirring in Tsunade's heart.
She smiled faintly but thought to herself, 'This Nine-Tails Chakra Mode... best not to use it too often. The perception it gives is too keen.'
Without delay, Mito's team raced through the night toward Uzushiogakure, moving swiftly under the starlit sky.
Meanwhile, Tobirama had no idea what had befallen Arima. All he knew was that Arima had gone to pursue the Gold and Silver Brothers.
Though no word had come back, Tobirama wasn't particularly worried. With Arima's strength, there was no place in the shinobi world he couldn't reach.
Though Koharu and the others felt uneasy, they managed to suppress their anxiety for now.
They could only hope their brother was safe and everything would turn out well.
Thanks to the boost from Kurama's chakra, Mito managed to cover a distance that normally would have taken a week in two days.
Though physically unwearied due to the Nine-Tails' chakra, the group was mentally exhausted from the relentless pace.
But now that they had finally arrived at Uzushiogakure, a collective sigh of relief swept through them. They would soon be able to enjoy a deep, restful sleep.
Yet Mito's nerves remained taut. Her worry over Arima hadn't faded in the slightest.
The sealing technique that had trapped him was more dangerous than even the Reaper Death Seal.
If he couldn't hold out until the end... she might have to watch helplessly as he died.
Tsunade had tried to stay awake the entire journey, but as a child, her body and mind couldn't compare to an adult's resilience.
Near the final half-day stretch, as soon as she let her guard down slightly, she drifted into a deep sleep in her grandmother's arms.
Mito's arrival had already alarmed Ashina, who welcomed her back with the highest formalities and respect.
Years had passed since she last stood in the village. As she took in the familiar sights, Mito felt a strange, dreamlike sense of nostalgia.
Her memories drifted back to the past, this was where she and Hashirama had first met and fallen in love.
After a brief exchange of greetings, Mito requested to head directly to the shrine for an inspection. The group immediately set out together.
When they arrived, Mito sharply sensed traces of Arima's chakra, he had fought here, using the chakra sealed in his Yin Seal.
This was a crucial revelation. Mito knew that Arima could enter Sage Mode, and he would only resort to unleashing his sealed chakra if Sage Mode was inaccessible.
If his opponent had forced him to that point, the situation must have been dire.
She speculated that the enemy must have used some method to suppress the chakra within Arima's body, preventing him from even using Flying Thunder God.
Sealing techniques were among the few reliable methods to counter Arima.
Holding the sleeping Tsunade closer, Mito turned to Ashina and asked, "Ashina, what exactly is this seal?"
Ashina pondered briefly, then replied, "It's a one time use seal, said to be handed down from the Sage of Six Paths himself.
Our ancestors never dared to use it lightly and spent generations studying its secrets. Many of Uzushiogakure's current sealing techniques originated from this seal.
You could say it's the foundation of our village's sealing arts."
He then shook his head.
"Unless a special method is used, it's nearly impossible to activate the seal. Even I would need immense effort and time to unlock it.
But from the looks of it now, someone used it as a trap, luring that young man from your village here. This person likely knows secrets from ancient times."
Mito immediately asked, "Then where's the mask that carried the seal?"
Ashina looked toward the ruins of the shrine, ordered someone to retrieve the mask, and handed it to Mito personally.
Mito examined it carefully. On the surface, it looked ordinary, but she could still sense faint residual sealing energy within it.
'If normal perception can't detect anything strange, what about in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode?' she thought.
She activated the mode again and began scanning the mask inch by inch.
Sure enough, her efforts paid off. She eventually noticed a faint crimson blotch, her instincts told her it wasn't ordinary.
She sniffed it and caught a barely detectable trace of blood. She asked, "Ashina, was this stain here from the beginning?"
Ashina took the mask, puzzled as he stared at the spot. He tried scraping it with a fingernail, but it wouldn't come off, as if it had always been part of the mask.
"It definitely wasn't there before," he said with a frown. "And it looks like human blood. But I can't say what connection it has to your young one."
Ashina then brought out all the other masks for comparison. Only this one bore the strange crimson mark.
Piecing everything together, Mito analyzed.
"According to what you said, once the seal is triggered, it locks down a certain space. Anyone caught inside is doomed.
But from what I learned from Tsunade, Arima is in a sealed state but currently safe. And the only anomaly here is this bizarre bloodstain, which seems tied to him."
All the scattered pieces pointed to one conclusion, something extraordinary had happened.
A warrior of Arima's caliber wouldn't just vanish without a trace, unless he did so intentionally.
Suddenly, Mito thought, 'Arima's sealing techniques were inherited from our Uzumaki clan. He's highly skilled in the art.
If he used a self-sealing jutsu to neutralize the external seal, he might've escaped death. That strange bloodstain... it could be tied to his technique.'
Just then, Tsunade began to stir and woke up. Blinking sleepily, the first thing she saw was her grandmother deep in thought, staring at a grotesque mask.
She held back from interrupting. Though anxious for news of her brother, she knew this wasn't the right moment. So, she simply remained quietly nestled in Mito's arms.
Feeling the movement, Mito looked down to see Tsunade's wide, pleading eyes staring up at her.
That innocent, adorable look melted the tension in Mito's heart. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then asked gently, "You're awake, little one. Hungry?"
Tsunade shook her head but continued to gaze up, eyes speaking volumes. Mito instantly understood what she wanted to ask.
Unable to help herself, Mito chuckled softly and tapped her forehead with a finger.
"You little brat. If you want to ask something, just ask. I'll tell you everything."
Beaming, Tsunade asked at once, "Do we have any more information about Arima-nii?"
Amused, Mito grinned and teased, "There's good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"
With all seriousness, Tsunade said, "The good news, of course. I want to know the best thing about Arima-nii."
Mito adored her clever granddaughter. She kissed her on the forehead and said.
"You little munchkin. The good news is, your brother is definitely connected to this bloodstain on the mask. As for how exactly, I don't know yet. Take a look at it and see if you can help him."
Tsunade took the mask, examining it carefully. She knew she lacked the knowledge to make sense of it, but she had powerful allies. Maybe the Great Slug Sage would know something?
She bit her thumb and rapidly performed the hand seals. Then she slammed her hands onto the mask and called out, "Summoning Jutsu."
A puff of smoke exploded before her and Mito.
From the smoke emerged two figures, one was the summoning beast Katsuyu, and the other was the person they had both been longing to see.
Tsunade was more shocked than delighted. She stared, muttering in disbelief, "Since when did Arima-nii become my summoning beast?"
Mito was both amused and exasperated. What could she say?
In the end, everything seemed to come down to fate. But from the looks of it... these two young ones were bound by more than coincidence.
---------------
Guys do leave some power stones and reviews.
🤞pa treon . com / plotplanner🤞
Remove all the spaces in between and then search.
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to 30 Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.