"My appearance isn't what you expected? Young man, what did you think I'd look like?" asked Uzumaki Mito.
"I don't really know much about you," Uchiha Yuan replied. "Everything I heard came from the Third Hokage and Senior Kushina. Based on their descriptions, you should be a calm and dignified woman." As he spoke, Yuan deliberately revealed that he was a shinobi from Konoha.
After listening, Mito looked him over and asked, "You're from Konoha? Which clan?"
Yuan turned and revealed the Uchiha clan crest.
"Uchiha? Who's the current Hokage?"
"It's Senior Kushina's husband, Namikaze Minato."
"So your Uchiha clan has aligned with Minato. No wonder—he's a commoner without a strong background. If he wanted to stabilize his position as Hokage, he had to make alliances. Otherwise… never mind, it's not something a dead person like me should worry about.
Young Uchiha, why did you use Edo Tensei to resurrect me?"
"Kushina-senpai is pregnant."
"You're worried the Nine-Tails will break free and want me to help guard against it? Has Konoha declined so far it now fears even the Nine-Tails?" Mito frowned.
"It's related to that, yes. But the Hokage himself isn't afraid. Between him and me, we could subdue the Nine-Tails." As he finished speaking, Uchiha Yuan activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Mito nodded as she saw the complex hexagram pattern in his pupils. "Mangekyō Sharingan and Minato's space-time ninjutsu… that's enough to deal with the Nine-Tails. In that case, why use Edo Tensei to bring me back?"
"For your knowledge. I want to study sealing techniques. With Kushina-senpai's permission, the Hokage taught me some of the Uzumaki clan's fūinjutsu. I put in a lot of effort just to learn the Four Symbols Seal.
I don't have much talent for sealing, so I'm looking for a shortcut." Yuan's words were half-truths.
"This kind of thing has a shortcut?"
"Of course." With that, Yuan took out the Rat Talisman. "Lady Mito, this is a special ninja tool passed down since the era of the Sage of Six Paths. It can copy one's jutsu and usage experience. With it, I can quickly master your fūinjutsu."
Mito went silent for a moment, then asked, "Edo Tensei is a forbidden technique, isn't it? Did you do this behind Minato and Kushina's backs?"
"Yes, they don't know."
"Why do you want to learn sealing?"
"To ensure Kushina-senpai's safe delivery. Lady Mito, you can probably sense that your current body is made of the First Hokage's cells—"
"Those things underground, right?"
Yuan was caught off guard. "You can sense them?"
"I have Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Kagura), of course I can. Are those enemies of the village?"
"Yes. Apparently, they're connected to Uchiha Madara."
At the mention of Madara, Mito frowned.
Yuan seized the moment and told her about the current situation in the shinobi world—blaming everything on Madara.
"Tobirama once preserved Madara's body for study, but it mysteriously vanished. Hashirama and I thought the Uchiha clan retrieved it for burial. But now it seems Madara had left something behind even then," Mito said.
"Exactly. Lady Mito, our Uchiha ancestors created two genjutsu: Izanagi and Izanami. These techniques can—"
"I see. Izanagi explains Madara's resurrection. But how has he lived until now?"
"I don't know."
"To be honest, even if I teach you fūinjutsu, it won't help if you're facing Madara. His power is beyond anything you can handle."
Yuan pretended to look unconvinced.
Mito sighed. "You're a true genius. You're not even twenty and have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Geniuses always have their pride.
But not all Mangekyō are equal. You're still far weaker than Madara. If he truly lives and wants to destroy Konoha, the only way to stop him is to revive Hashirama with Edo Tensei.
You've never seen Madara's power, so your underestimation is natural. Just don't let it cost you your life. That's all I'll say. Now give me your ninja tool."
Yuan handed her the Rat Talisman.
"How does this work?" she asked, examining the item.
"Just place it on your forehead."
Mito nodded and pressed it to her head.
This time, Yuan clearly felt it—the Rat Talisman now contained a copy of Uzumaki Mito's soul.
"That's it. Thank you, Lady Mito."
"No need. Is there anything else you need from me?"
Yuan shook his head.
"Then I'll return to the village for a while."
Just as Yuan was about to stop her, the Edo Tensei was released on its own. As Mito's soul began to dissipate, she formed hand seals.
Yuan recognized the seal—it was the S-rank technique Spirit Transformation (Reika no Jutsu).
In the next second, her soul soared into the sky, flying directly toward Konoha.
Yuan quickly followed.
Mito's soul circled the village once and then entered Minato and Kushina's home. She saw Kushina sleeping peacefully with her pregnant belly.
Mito smiled and entered Kushina's body.
In her dreams, Kushina's expression softened and turned to a smile.
After saying goodbye, Mito's soul exited Kushina's body and ascended to the Hokage Rock.
"Kushina's all grown up," Mito said sentimentally.
"Lady Mito, wandering so openly in the village like this isn't exactly… ideal," Yuan said helplessly.
"Aren't you a member of the Uchiha? The Police Force is under your clan—can't you even manage this small matter?"
"The Police Force isn't Uchiha-only anymore."
Mito was surprised, then smiled. "As I thought—you're completely different from Madara. I just confirmed it through Kushina: you truly stand with Minato.
If Madara really is still alive, you've got trouble ahead. Remember my words: if you can't handle him, resurrect Hashirama with Edo Tensei."
With that, Mito's soul vanished.
(To Be Continued...)