Looking at the sorrowful Kushina, Uzumaki Mito let out a soft sigh.
"Don't be sad, Kushina. This was all predetermined, something beyond human power to change. These past few days, I've been dreaming of Hashirama every night. It's time for me to reunite with him. You should be happy for me."
Kushina nodded, tears welling in her eyes.
At that moment, Uzumaki Mito called out to Sarutobi Hiruzen:
"It's time to begin, Hiruzen."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and summoned his Summoning Beast, Enma.
Enma appeared as a giant ape, whose strength even surpassed Hanzo's salamander.
More importantly, Enma could transform into a staff. In the original story, it had even managed to repel the Nine-Tails.
Perhaps due to prior communication, Enma didn't say much after appearing, instead staring warily in Uzumaki Mito's direction.
Danzo also summoned his Summoning Beast, a giant baku.
Hayato Ren thought for a moment but decided not to summon Charmander.
Perhaps only after Charmander evolved into Charizard would it be useful in a battle of this level.
"Kushina, Ren, both of you should step back a bit. It wouldn't be good if something unexpected happened," Uzumaki Mito said with a gentle smile.
Kushina opened her mouth as if to say something, but no words came out.
Hayato Ren silently took Kushina's hand and led her to stand behind Tsunade.
At that moment, Uzumaki Mito suddenly pressed her hand against her stomach, and a circle of obscure, intricate symbols appeared in the air.
Simultaneously, a surge of red Chakra began to violently emerge from the symbols.
In no time, the red Chakra coalesced into an enormous nine-tailed fox.
"Uchiha Madara! Hashirama Senju! You all deserve to die!"
The moment it appeared, the Nine-Tails let out a tremendous roar. Clearly, it still harbored deep resentment about being enslaved.
Its first words weren't directed at its Jinchuriki Uzumaki Mito, but at Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju.
After the Nine-Tails appeared, the atmosphere instantly grew tense. Enma immediately transformed into a staff, which Sarutobi Hiruzen gripped tightly.
Although Uchiha Madara could control the Nine-Tails with a single glance, and Hashirama Senju could restrain it as easily as holding a chick, as one of the strongest Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails' power was undeniable.
At this point, Uzumaki Mito suddenly spoke.
"Nine-Tails, after all these years, you should let go of your hatred. Both Hashirama and Uchiha Madara have passed away."
Hearing this, the Nine-Tails burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha, those two damned bastards are finally dead. Since they're gone, I'll turn this place into ruins. None of you humans are any good."
Seeing that the Nine-Tails had no intention of reconciliation, Uzumaki Mito shook her head. Then, countless thick golden chains suddenly extended from her body.
No sooner had the Nine-Tails regained its freedom than it found itself tightly bound once again.
At that moment, Uzumaki Mito suddenly looked in Kushina's direction and shouted.
"Kushina, now!"
Though Kushina's body trembled with fear, she still bravely stepped forward.
Under Uzumaki Mito's Sealing Technique, the Nine-Tails' chakra surged wildly into Kushina's body.
The Nine-Tails could only let out an unwilling roar.
"Damn humans, I will return!"
Then it was sealed inside Kushina's body.
Witnessing this scene, Hayato Ren couldn't help but marvel at Uzumaki Mito's power.
He knew that ordinary Jinchuriki would die immediately after having their Tailed Beast extracted.
And Uzumaki Mito's body appeared frail and aged.
Yet under such circumstances, she could still seal the Nine-Tails directly using her Sealing Technique.
Even setting aside her identity as a Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Mito was undoubtedly among the strongest of Kage-level shinobi. Was this the caliber of shinobi from the Warring States Period?
After completing the sealing, Uzumaki Mito suddenly coughed up a large amount of blood, and her entire aura instantly weakened.
Seeing this, Kushina and Tsunade immediately rushed to Uzumaki Mito's side, with Hayato Ren following close behind the two women.
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his body away, as if unable to bear witnessing the scene.
Shimura Danzo, however, stared intently at Kushina's back with an ambitious expression. To him, the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki was a power that must be controlled.
Uzumaki Mito held Tsunade's hand with her left and grasped Kushina's with her right, speaking weakly:
"I'm going to reunite with Hashirama. There's nothing to grieve about. Kushina, don't fear the Nine-Tails. That fellow is actually quite lonely inside. You need to reach out to it. I believe you can do it."
Then, Uzumaki Mito turned her gaze to Tsunade.
"Tsunade, you've always made me proud. I just wish you would drink less and gamble less. Now there will be no one to keep you in check. Ah, it's a pity I never got to see you and Nawaki start families."
Hearing this, Tsunade could no longer contain her emotions, and large teardrops continuously streamed down her face.
Finally, Uzumaki Mito turned her attention to Hayato Ren.
"Hayato, I leave Kushina in your care. Treat her well. Don't let me down."
Hayato Ren nodded firmly.
After one last look around, Uzumaki Mito slowly closed her eyes and her head tilted to the side.
...
Uzumaki Mito's funeral was held that same day. In this world, there was no custom of exhuming bodies for joint burials, so her grave was placed beside Hashirama Senju's.
At the funeral, both Tsunade and Nawaki wept uncontrollably. Jiraiya seemed to want to approach and comfort Tsunade, but after hesitating for a while, he chose to remain where he stood.
Watching Tsunade's back, Orochimaru suddenly remarked with emotion.
"Human life is indeed too fragile."
Kushina buried herself in Hayato Ren's embrace, soaking his entire shirt with her tears.
The deceased had passed on, but the living must continue with their lives.
However, with Uzumaki Mito's passing, the atmosphere in the Shinobi World suddenly grew tense.
Because Konoha had now lost its greatest weapon—the Nine-Tails.
Kushina, who had just become a Jinchuriki, clearly couldn't harness the Nine-Tails' power.
Moreover, apart from Konoha, the economic development of other ninja villages had clearly stagnated or even regressed.
After all, the Land of Fire, where Konoha was located, occupied the most fertile land in the entire world and had the most developed economy.