"Lord Mito," Namikaze Minato began, taking a steadying breath. "There's something I've always wondered... If you don't mind me asking, how did you survive after the Tailed Beast was removed?"
He asked the question with genuine concern.
The Great Toad Sage's visions of the "original future" had shown Uzumaki Mito dying after the Nine Tails was taken from her.
Then, the Nine Tails would be sealed into Kushina, making her the second Jinchuriki to hold it.
"That?" Uzumaki Mito replied, not trying to avoid the topic. "It's not really a secret."
She explained, "Back then, Nawaki didn't want me to die... He started trying to figure out a way to prevent it."
Nawaki had been heartbroken when he learned his grandmother would be separated from the Nine Tails.
A shadow of sadness flickered in Uzumaki Mito's eyes as she spoke of her deceased grandson.
"What could a child possibly come up with? I thought he was joking at the time. But then..."
Later, Nawaki had suggested she try using the Strength of a Hundred Seal while releasing the Nine Tails.
The Nine Tails had been brought into her body using the Adamantine Sealing Chains, a secret technique of the Uzumaki Clan.
Releasing it would be almost the reverse of that process, letting the Nine Tails out.
In the Ninja World, it was common knowledge that a Jinchuriki would die if their Tailed Beast was extracted.
It was an unshakeable rule.
"But I, who was using the Strength of a Hundred Seal at the time... I survived," Uzumaki Mito stated.
The diamond-shaped mark on her forehead was clearly visible.
In some other worlds, he thought, she might not have known the Strength of a Hundred Seal. But in this world, the one Sarutobi Ryo was in, she knew it.
"I see..." Namikaze Minato nodded slowly, understanding dawning on his face.
The Strength of a Hundred Seal was a powerful, forbidden technique, achieved by mastering the Yin Seal and Creation Rebirth, both S-rank Ninjutsu.
At first, the Yin Seal would only cover the face and head.
But with training, it could slowly spread to the neck, upper body, arms... and eventually, the lower limbs and feet.
A Yin Seal that could cover the whole body was called the Strength of a Hundred Seal!
Any part of the body covered by the seal would be constantly nourished by a massive amount of Chakra, allowing for continuous regeneration.
Uzumaki Mito had released the Nine Tails, losing her life force, but she had regained it because of the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
So, it was a trade, he mused. But the Uzumaki clan's bloodline probably played a part, too.
When Kushina was born, she was chosen to be the next Jinchuriki because of her unique Chakra.
And Uzumaki Mito... was the daughter of Uzumaki Ashina, the head of the Uzumaki Clan, a true Uzumaki princess!
Her bloodline was purer, her life force stronger.
The combination of these factors had ultimately allowed her to survive and maintain her youthful appearance.
She looked like a young woman.
Having activated his "second playthrough memories," Namikaze Minato analyzed all of this in his mind.
So, then the question is...
How did Senpai Nawaki, who had already died, come up with this plan?
He shouldn't have been able to think of it at all.
A face flashed in Namikaze Minato's mind.
"Young Master Ryo... did you do this?" he wondered.
Uzumaki Mito spoke, "Minato."
"Yes," Namikaze Minato replied, snapping to attention.
"You must become the Hokage." Her words were firm.
Uzumaki Mito gazed at the blonde boy before her.
He and Kushina were a perfect match, a golden couple.
Namikaze Minato had to become Hokage, even if it was only for Kushina's sake.
Because... a Jinchuriki needed to be loved. Only then could they truly suppress the Nine Tails.
Just like the love between herself and Hashirama back then.
"Lord Mito, I don't understand something," Namikaze Minato admitted, looking up at the stunning woman.
He accepted Uzumaki Mito's instructions, but something still puzzled him.
"Why do you support me, and not... Young Master Ryo?"
Senju Nawaki, Namikaze Minato, Sarutobi Ryo... they had been a three-person team.
All three were outstanding talents, rare geniuses.
After Nawaki's death, Uzumaki Mito should have supported Sarutobi Ryo.
But instead... Uzumaki Mito had immediately started guiding Namikaze Minato.
This choice confused him.
After all, he hadn't even saved the kidnapped Kushina at that time, let alone fallen in love with her.
"..."
Uzumaki Mito fell silent.
Kushina watched her expression. She thought Lord Mito might scold Minato, and she was ready to defend him.
But Lord Mito's reaction surprised her.
"After Nawaki died, I've always thought of you as another grandson," Uzumaki Mito said, her tone sounding quite old.
It was strange to hear such an old voice coming from such a young face.
Namikaze Minato listened quietly, without interrupting.
"And more importantly... Sarutobi Ryo, that child, didn't catch my eye..."
Uzumaki Mito's words were ambiguous, but Namikaze Minato understood with a jolt.
If he didn't have his second playthrough memories, he wouldn't have understood the hidden meaning.
"Lord Mito... has a special ability that other Uzumaki Clan members don't have. It's said to be an ability passed down through generations of Uzumaki Clan Heads..."
Its name was... "Malice Perception"!
That's right, Malice Perception, not the ability of a perfect Jinchuriki.
Namikaze Minato knew the truth.
Konoha's policy was to seal away the Nine Tails.
Neither Lord Mito nor Kushina had ever used the power of the Nine Tails.
Since they hadn't used the Nine Tails' power, they couldn't be perfect Jinchuriki.
So, this was Lord Mito's unique ability of Malice Perception.
Although a perfect Nine Tails Jinchuriki also possesses this ability.
In other words, Lord Mito sensed malice... or even evil, in Young Master Ryo's heart?
Namikaze Minato's mind raced, and all the memories he had of Sarutobi Ryo flashed through his mind.
From his gloomy coldness as a child, to his sternness during his time at the Ninja Academy, to his later arrogance after becoming a Ninja, and now his gradually open attempts to test and even resist the Higher-ups...
Could it be...
Namikaze Minato also remembered a report he had read at the Hokage Building.
The fact that Young Master Ryo had summoned Katsuyu.
"Young Master Ryo, did he also receive an "omen" from a Sage?"
Namikaze Minato wondered if Sarutobi Ryo had also received a prediction of the future from the Sages of the sacred lands.
However, this still needed to be confirmed.
"Lord Mito, I have another question," he said. "Does Katsuyu Sage have the ability to predict the future?"
The Great Toad Sage had the ability to predict the future because of his excessively large Chakra.
Namikaze Minato wondered if Katsuyu Sage had the same ability.
"Possibly," Uzumaki Mito answered.
Her answer made Namikaze Minato silent.
"Of the Ninja who have been to Shikkotsu Forest and seen the main body of Katsuyu Sage, only Hashirama survived."
So it was only a possibility.
After all, the length of Katsuyu Sage's main body was unfathomable.
The Chakra gathered by such a huge body might even exceed that of the Great Toad Sage.
However, having excessively large Chakra didn't necessarily mean one had the ability to predict the future.
Therefore, she could only speculate about this matter.
"Why are you asking this?" Uzumaki Mito asked, puzzled.
"Didn't you already have the heritage of Mount Myōboku?" she wondered.
"It's like this..." Namikaze Minato explained, calming himself and telling her about Sarutobi Ryo summoning Katsuyu.
This time, it was Uzumaki Mito's turn to fall silent.
After a moment, she said, "Don't worry about it, let him be..."
After all, even Hashirama back then couldn't control the main body of Katsuyu Sage.
The existence of Katsuyu Sage's main body was completely different from the divided bodies.
When too many consciousnesses gathered, forming a huge whole, it would be like a god overlooking all living beings.
Majestic and aloof.
"So no matter how much Sarutobi Ryo struggles, he can only use a part of Katsuyu's divided bodies... he won't amount to much..."
Having gained Uzumaki Mito's approval, almost being appointed as Kushina's husband... that is, the Fourth Hokage.
Namikaze Minato felt relieved.
"Lord Mito, please rest assured," he said. "I will work hard to become the Fourth Hokage!"