Uzumaki Miyuki had come to Sora's home to inform him that Lady Mito requested his presence at the Uzumaki mansion.
Sora told Miyuki that he would go immediately.
Miyuki stretched her arms and said, "Since I've delivered the message, I'll head back and rest."
Sora looked surprised. "You're not coming along?"
Miyuki smiled. "Why would I? Lady Mito only asked me to inform you to come, not to join you."
Her eyes showed a hint of knowing. "Besides, I think Lord Hokage visited Lady Mito, and now she's calling for you. It must be about the Jinchūriki situation."
She shrugged casually. "It's your business anyway. I just need to wait for the outcome."
Sora looked directly into Miyuki's eyes. "Thank you."
Miyuki pursed her lips, smiling. "This isn't like you, and I'm just keeping my promise. Anyway, I've been tired all day, so I won't bother you anymore."
She waved to Sora and departed.
After watching Miyuki leave, Sora made his way toward the Uzumaki mansion.
Upon arrival, he was ushered in to meet Lady Mito. The elderly Uzumaki matriarch seemed frail, and Sora could almost sense the aura of mortality surrounding her.
Uzumaki Mito's aged voice broke the silence: "Sora, you've succeeded after all."
Sora couldn't quite decipher her tone. Was it disappointment? Resignation?
After a moment of silence, he asked, "So Kushina will not become the Jinchūriki as you'd hoped. Are you disappointed?"
Mito looked at Sora with clouded eyes and smiled gently. "You're still so hostile toward me, Sora. Whether you believe it or not, I feel relief—relief for Kushina, and relief for you."
She continued, her voice steady despite her frailty. "You must have endured great hardships to change Hiruzen's mind. For Kushina's sake, you never gave up. You persevered through difficulty, which proves your devotion and love for her."
Mito's gaze drifted toward a window. "What you said before was partly right. Between Konoha and Kushina, I value Konoha more because it was founded by my husband. Konoha carries Hashirama's dream, and I want to see it flourish."
Her eyes returned to Sora. "However, my feelings for Kushina have never wavered. I view her as my own child and have great expectations for her. I wanted her to become the Jinchūriki not only for Konoha's sake but because I believed she could harness the Nine-Tails' power as her own."
Mito's voice softened. "Sora, some situations require making difficult choices. You will certainly face such dilemmas in the future. Perhaps then you'll understand my position."
Sora met Mito's gaze directly and spoke decisively. "Lady Mito, I may indeed face situations requiring difficult choices, but I will never understand your reasoning."
Surprise flickered in Mito's eyes.
Sora continued, his voice deepening. "When you're forced to make a choice, it means both options hold extreme importance to you. Lady Mito, ask yourself: must the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki candidate be Kushina? Must they be an Uzumaki clan member?"
He leaned forward slightly. "If a Jinchūriki must come from the Uzumaki clan, how do other hidden villages manage to have Jinchūriki when they have no Uzumaki clan members?"
His eyes narrowed. "Lady Mito, you were never at a point where you needed to make a difficult choice. From the beginning, your priority has always been Konoha."
Sora's voice hardened. "You chose your clan members as Jinchūriki because Konoha needed it, not out of necessity for controlling the Tailed Beast."
He continued, "Though I mentioned the Mangekyō Sharingan can control Tailed Beasts, you, Lord Hokage, and Lord Danzo all know that even the Three Tomoe Sharingan is sufficient for this purpose through genjutsu, as Madara Uchiha once demonstrated."
Sora gestured dismissively. "Even if one person alone couldn't manage it, there are numerous Uchiha clan members who have awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan. Working together with their genjutsu, they could certainly control the Tailed Beast and assist the Jinchūriki."
His voice took on an edge. "But the Uchiha clan isn't welcomed in Konoha. They aren't trusted."
Sora met Mito's gaze unflinchingly. "I don't wish to deny your feelings for Kushina, but you and Konoha sought to bind her in the name of those feelings. How can you expect me to understand that?"
Uzumaki Mito fell silent, unable to counter Sora's arguments.
Suddenly, Sora asked, "Lady Mito, I've always wondered: why didn't you take your husband's surname, Senju, after marrying the First Hokage?"
Mito replied evenly, "Because it was a political marriage alliance."
She explained, "Uzumaki Ashina, the leader of Uzushiogakure, formed an alliance with Konoha and signed a friendship treaty with Hashirama."
Her voice softened with memory. "I married Hashirama and became his wife. The village leader requested that I keep the Uzumaki name, and Hashirama agreed."
Sora studied her intently. "And why did Uzumaki Ashina make such a request?"
Mito considered this. "Perhaps he hoped I would always remember my identity as an Uzumaki clan member."
A touch of sarcasm curled Sora's lips. "So, Lady Mito, you understood this—but did you honor it?"
Mito shifted uncomfortably. "What are you implying?"
Sora explained, "I'm referring to the fall of Uzushiogakure. As an Uzumaki clan member, why didn't you go to their aid? Please don't cite Konoha as your reason."
His voice grew colder. "Lord Orochimaru told me why Konoha abandoned Uzushiogakure—there was no benefit. You had already given Konoha the most powerful sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan."
Sora's eyes hardened. "Konoha saw no advantage in sending troops to defend Uzushiogakure, so they stood by and watched it fall."
He leaned forward. "Lady Mito, I ask you: if you truly remembered your identity as an Uzumaki clan member, why didn't you provide support? Even if Konoha chose not to intervene, why didn't you go as an Uzumaki?"
He continued relentlessly, "If you claim it was because you were the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and couldn't leave Konoha, then I have nothing more to say."
His voice dropped to almost a whisper. "In that case, you can't be considered a true member of the Uzumaki clan. You're merely someone who shares a surname with the people of Uzushiogakure—nothing more."
At these words, even the typically composed Uzumaki Mito couldn't help but feel anger rising within her.
Sora, seemingly oblivious to Mito's darkening expression, continued, "And is today's Konoha still following the First Hokage's original vision?"
He pressed on. "I'm sure you've heard about the scandal surrounding Sakumo Hatake, haven't you?"
Sora's gaze intensified. "Considering everything, I must ask: is it Konoha itself that you want to protect, or is it the First Hokage's original vision for the village?"
His final question hung in the air between them. "Don't you think that today's Konoha has long since abandoned the principles upon which the First Hokage founded it?"
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