At this point in time, Kushina Uzumaki was still quite young—just a few years junior to Uchiha Mikoto—and in the midst of her formative, energetic years.
Had she been older or more discerning, perhaps Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision to seal the Nine-Tails into her might not have gone so smoothly. As it stood, she had been chosen largely for her powerful chakra and Uzumaki lineage, not out of her consent.
Now, upon hearing that Byakuya had been able to subdue her during one of her unstable moments as a Jinchūriki, Kushina looked at him with a mix of awe and curiosity.
"Kushina," Byakuya said calmly, "you can stay here, in the Uchiha compound. As long as you're with us, I promise the Nine-Tails will never hurt you."
He added, "And you'll be free to live how you like. No more isolation."
"Really!? I can do whatever I want!? Even Hokage-sama will be okay with that?" Kushina asked, eyes shining with hope.
At her age, Kushina detested being kept still or hidden away. The constant suppression of her freedom, combined with the burden of housing the Nine-Tails, weighed heavily on her spirit. That was precisely why she had snuck out of her secluded training valley in the first place.
"Of course," Byakuya replied with assurance. "As for the Hokage—leave him to me."
Whether Hiruzen approved or not didn't matter. If he tried to reclaim Kushina, Byakuya would be more than willing to respond with force.
"Yay! Then I'll stay here with you all!" Kushina beamed.
Kushina didn't know the deeper tension between the Uchiha and the Konoha leadership. After all, she wasn't originally from the village—she had been brought in from Uzushiogakure, and Hiruzen had kept her heavily isolated to prevent anyone from getting too close.
She had few bonds in Konoha… which made this decision easy for her.
"Perfect," Byakuya nodded. "From now on, you're one of us."
He turned to Mikoto, who had just arrived.
"Mikoto, this is Kushina. Treat her as one of our own."
Mikoto smiled gently. "Welcome, Kushina."
"Mikoto-sister, you're so pretty!" Kushina exclaimed, eyes sparkling.
"And you're full of spirit, Kushina. I'm sure we'll get along," Mikoto replied warmly.
"Mikoto-sister, let's go shopping! I haven't been out in forever!"
Kushina's enthusiasm bubbled over as she grabbed Mikoto's hand.
Mikoto glanced back at Byakuya. "Is it alright, Lord Byakuya?"
"Go ahead," he replied with a nod.
With excitement, Kushina pulled Mikoto along. Byakuya followed them calmly, keeping a protective distance.
They soon reached the commercial district within the Uchiha compound. Uchiha guards patrolled diligently, and many of them stopped to whisper as they saw the red-haired girl.
"Hey, isn't that the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
"Yeah, I heard she destroyed part of the outskirts during the last rampage…"
"But look—Lord Byakuya's with her."
"True. And with the Mangekyō Sharingan, he can control the Nine-Tails, right?"
"Exactly. Uchiha Madara once did it. This power is in our bloodline!"
"She might not be a threat. She might be a blessing."
"Imagine Lord Byakuya standing atop the Nine-Tails—who could oppose the Uchiha clan then?"
With their confidence in Byakuya's power, the fear in their eyes gave way to interest—even admiration.
Kushina, for once, didn't feel the usual stares of fear and suspicion. Instead, there was warmth… respect.
This—this was new.
Since arriving in Konoha and becoming a Jinchūriki, Kushina had endured countless wary glances. Even as a child, she could tell people didn't trust her. But now, amidst the Uchiha, those cold eyes were gone.
"So this is the Uchiha clan, huh? They're… amazing," she thought, smiling to herself.
Just then, a surprised voice called out.
"Kushina? What are you doing here!?"
Seeing that the remnants of the Senju clan had finally found some peace, Senju Tsuyoshi felt a rare sense of relief. He had already begun living a quiet, retired life—spending his days drinking tea, strolling through the village, and watching the world change around him.
But today, he didn't expect to see Uzumaki Kushina in town.
Kushina? His eyes narrowed slightly. Isn't she the current Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails?
Given Sarutobi Hiruzen's cautious and manipulative nature—especially after the trauma of the Nine-Tails being used by Madara Uchiha in the past—there was no way the Third Hokage would allow Kushina to freely roam the village unescorted, let alone go shopping in broad daylight.
Just then, Kushina noticed him and cheerfully called out,
"Grandpa Tsuyoshi, you're here too? I'm part of the Uchiha clan now!"
"You… joined the Uchiha clan?" Senju Tsuyoshi was momentarily stunned. His gaze drifted to the man standing calmly beside her—Uchiha Byakuya.
In that moment, everything clicked into place.
So that's it… Uchiha Byakuya. What a bold and strategic move.
Tsuyoshi had heard rumors of Byakuya's Mangekyō Sharingan and its extraordinary abilities. If Byakuya had truly gained Kushina's trust—or worse, her loyalty—then the Uchiha clan had effectively gained direct access to the Nine-Tails' power. With the Sharingan's ability to control tailed beasts, this was more than just symbolic. It was a decisive shift in power.
He let out a slow, weathered sigh.
"The Uchiha really were blessed… to have someone like you emerge from their bloodline," he muttered. "If only the Senju had such a figure to carry on our legacy..."
He looked at Byakuya, then at Kushina—so spirited, so unaware of the deeper political tremors she had triggered.
Once, the Senju had stood proudly beside the Uchiha as co-founders of Konoha. But now, his clan was a shadow of its former self. The last of the main line had all but vanished from power.
Tsuyoshi no longer held hope for glory or revival. The best he could wish for now was that the name "Senju" would continue to be remembered… even if only as a footnote in Konoha's history.
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