The situation was extremely tense. Senju Rinmu's face was ashen. Lately, he hadn't had a normal expression for some time.
Yoru stood behind Captain Yellow Dog, waiting for orders.
Danzo spoke in front of Yellow Dog:
"The Senju clan must hand over the Uzumaki sealing techniques, and the Anbu will perform the sealing of the Nine-Tails.
Rinmu of the Senju, your clan's strength is far weaker than before, nowhere near what it was under Teacher Hashirama's leadership.
If the Nine-Tails' seal falters, half the village will die because of your ambition!"
Rinmu suddenly looked pained, letting out a long breath before continuing:
"Our clan's weakening is precisely because we've sacrificed too much for the village. My father died, my uncle died, my brother died, and now my son has also died. Which one of them did not die for the village?
The Nine-Tails' seal is the foundation of the Senju clan. Only our clan possesses powerful sealing techniques, and only my niece, Kushina Uzumaki, can endure the Nine-Tails' chakra. The Nine-Tails' seal must be completed by the Senju clan! On this matter, I will never compromise."
Yoru listened intently. It seemed that neither side would yield.
As long as the Nine-Tails existed, the Senju clan remained the strongest ninja clan in Konoha.
Even if the Senju suffered massive casualties and were weakened to the extreme, they were still the village's most important clan.
If they backed down and handed over the Nine-Tails' sealing to the Anbu, the Anbu could use the pretext of maintaining the seal to take custody of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke: "Stop arguing here. This is not the place for disputes."
Danzo remained expressionless, while Rinmu gritted his teeth.
Sarutobi studied Rinmu's stubborn and even ferocious expression. His gaze shifted several times before he finally said:
"Endless arguing isn't a solution. Lady Mito's mind is growing increasingly unclear. However, the Nine-Tails' transfer seal cannot be conducted inside the village. If there's an accident, half the village will die. Rinmu, formulate a plan and begin preparations for the Nine-Tails' transfer sealing."
Rinmu's eyes lit up. Did the village finally compromise?
Danzo glanced at Sarutobi, puzzled why he wasn't continuing to pressure Rinmu as originally planned.
"Very well! Hokage-sama, I will create a perfect sealing plan!"
Sarutobi nodded, worry etched on his face:
"Rinmu, I understand your position. Does the Senju clan truly have the ability to complete the Nine-Tails' seal? How much power are you willing to commit?
Danzo says the Senju clan's strength has declined—that is an indisputable fact.
I hope you will propose a feasible plan to ensure the Nine-Tails' seal succeeds, rather than merely asserting your position."
Rinmu said resolutely:
"Hokage-sama, the Senju clan has always researched how to unite more people's strength. It's true that the number of Jonin-level and elite ninjas in the Senju clan has greatly decreased, but we do not rely on individuals—we rely on unity.
The Senju have a combined sealing technique, capable of gathering the power of every clan member. When the time comes, I will deploy all Senju ninjas, young and old, male and female, to complete the seal together!"
Yoru overheard bits and pieces, his mind in shock.
Rinmu was willing to risk the entire Senju clan to seal the Nine-Tails?
Was the Nine-Tails' transfer seal potentially the Senju clan's night of annihilation?
Yoru's heart trembled. No, he could not allow the Senju to be wiped out like in the original story.
Sarutobi and Danzo walked toward the Hokage building.
No one was in front or behind them; the Anbu had cleared the area.
Danzo asked, "Are you determined?"
Sarutobi nodded:
"The Second Ninja World War lasted just over two years, and Konoha lost too many people. In two years, a quarter of Konoha's ninjas died.
Because of the deaths of their relatives, many in the village grew increasingly resentful toward me. I cannot take risks. There must be no accidents. The Nine-Tails must be firmly controlled.
Danzo, execute your plan and go to the front lines to find Orochimaru."
Danzo nodded and vanished instantly.
The next morning, after the shift change, Yoru followed Captain Yellow Dog back to the Anbu base.
Captain Yellow Dog issued an order requiring all squad leaders to study the combined sealing technique, investigate its history, and gather intelligence.
At this time, the Anbu were not skilled in sealing techniques, and Root ninjas did not possess the Cursed Seal of the Tongue.
Yoru, however, knew a few seals: the Self-Cursing Seal and the Contract Seal.
The Self-Cursing Seal came from the system; the Contract Seal came from a scroll given by Uzumaki Yuka.
He pretended to discuss the combined sealing technique with the squad leader, so as not to reveal the seals he actually knew.
Days passed, and the Nine-Tails' chakra grew increasingly violent.
On the 12th of the second month, the Senju clan was finally set to begin the Nine-Tails' sealing.
Under the night sky, lights went out one by one in the Senju territory. Doors opened, and Senju ninjas emerged from their homes. Husbands and wives, fathers and sons, brothers and sisters.
Any ninja who had graduated from the academy wore robes bearing the Senju clan emblem. Unlike standard ninja vests, the Senju robes were aristocratic: wide sleeves, flowing hems, majestic.
This was a clan full of honor, with a heritage spanning thousands of years. Every Senju's face radiated pride.
Once the Nine-Tails' transfer seal was completed, the clan surrounding Kushina Uzumaki could continue to prosper for decades.
Years ago, Clan Leader Hashirama left the Nine-Tails to Konoha, to the Senju, because he believed only the Senju and Uzumaki clans could control the Nine-Tails.
Now, with the Senju weakened, they could only slowly regain strength through the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
This was the Senju clan at its lowest point. The hope of the entire clan—Shinju, the young clan leader, had fallen on the front lines—had now become the moment for the Senju to rebound.
Kushina Uzumaki would become the next Jonin-level ninja of the Senju clan.
Yoru stood on a rooftop outside the Senju territory, taking one last look at the empty clan grounds.
Inside, only children who hadn't yet graduated from the ninja academy remained. Some children carried infants in their slings.
At the clan gates, a few elderly disabled members looked on expectantly.
As far as Yoru knew, aside from a few key Senju on the frontlines like Tsunade, the rest had returned.
Deep inside the clan territory, Uzumaki Mito moved slowly, needing to rest every few steps, supported by others as she climbed into a carriage.
Uzumaki Kushina also boarded the carriage.
This time, unlike the previous Battle of Mt Ushi, this was the true transfer of the seal.
The wheels slowly rolled, carrying the two Uzumaki ninjas, elder and young, outward.
Eight elite Senju guarded the carriage.
Tonight might very well be the Senju clan's tragedy—their final elegy.