Chapter 592: Chapter 592: Final Arrangements

Uchiha Clan District.

"Retsufū, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is critically ill. Our opportunity has arrived!"

After learning that Uzumaki Mito did not have much time left, Black Zetsu immediately went to find his pawn, Uchiha Retsufū.

Members of the Uchiha clan were the easiest to deceive.

Compared to Madara, the Retsufū before him was far easier to manipulate.

With only a little persuasion, he could make the other party believe that the "Eye of the Moon" plan could resurrect his dead wife and younger brother.

The room lights were off. In the darkness, Uchiha Retsufū slowly opened his scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan.

"What do you need me to do?"

As long as his dead wife and brother could be revived, what did it matter if he had to pay some price?

He had waited far too long for this day.

Now that the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was dying, it would not be long before she passed away. At that time, both the Nine-Tails and the Three-Tails would become ownerless beings.

The "Eye of the Moon" plan...

"You only need to find the exiled Three-Tails and use your Mangekyō ability to control it. You don’t need to handle the rest."

The reason Black Zetsu was willing to spend time deceiving Uchiha Retsufū was simply to obtain a convenient tool during his spare time.

As for letting him carry out the "Eye of the Moon" plan, that was completely unrealistic.

To Black Zetsu, the true pawn was Uchiha Madara!

Only Uchiha Madara could rescue his mother, who was sealed on the moon.

"That simple?" Uchiha Retsufū asked in surprise, instinctively glancing at Black Zetsu, who blended perfectly into the darkness.

Controlling a Tailed Beast was effortless for him, but was that truly the only reason this being sought him out?

He couldn’t help but question the intention behind it.

Seeing his confusion, Black Zetsu patiently explained,

"For now, that is your only task. The ’Eye of the Moon’ plan is not easy to accomplish. It requires extensive preparation to succeed."

To revive his mother, timing, location, and opportunity were all indispensable.

If it were truly that simple, his mother would have descended upon the ninja world long ago.

There would have been no need to scheme for a thousand years.

"Fine. I understand." Uchiha Retsufū stared coldly at Black Zetsu. "You’d better not be deceiving me. Otherwise, I’ll make sure you can neither live... nor die!"

Reviving his wife and brother had been his greatest obsession for years.

But if Black Zetsu was using the "Eye of the Moon" plan to deceive him—he would never spare this pitch-black creature.

Facing Uchiha Retsufū’s threat, Black Zetsu felt only disdain internally, though he forced a faint smile onto his face.

"Of course. The ’Eye of the Moon’ is our shared plan. Why would I deceive you?"

"It had better be!" Uchiha Retsufū snorted coldly.

Black Zetsu left the Uchiha compound and secretly arrived at Senju Tobirama’s residence.

Seeing Renya lying on the rooftop watching the moon, he muttered to himself,

"The cook is getting lazier and lazier. Still, that’s good — at least he won’t interfere with my plans like before."

He had always valued this cook he had purchased at great expense.

Even Black Zetsu found Renya’s cooking delicious, let alone Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, who had been sealed on the moon for a thousand years without tasting any food.

Once Mother descended upon the ninja world, she would surely love the dishes prepared by the cook!

Black Zetsu looked up at the full moon in the night sky, excitement flashing in his eyes.

Mother, I will rescue you soon!

...

...

Ever since Senju Hashirama visited that day, Uzumaki Mito’s condition had worsened rapidly.

She could still walk one day, yet was bedridden the next.

Senju Tobirama stopped his experiments and returned home, occasionally bringing Renya next door to visit his sister-in-law.

Finally, several months later, Uzumaki Mito could no longer hold on.

Senju Hashirama Residence.

"Grandma!"

Tsunade and Nawaki looked at their pale grandmother lying in bed, tears streaming uncontrollably from their eyes.

They clearly realized that her end was approaching.

Which meant they would never have a grandmother again.

"Cough... Tsunade, Nawaki, don’t cry. Come here and let Grandma look at you once more."

Uzumaki Mito smiled and beckoned them closer.

Tsunade and Nawaki could no longer restrain themselves and collapsed beside the bed, sobbing quietly.

Uzumaki Mito said nothing, gently patting their backs, a trace of reluctance flashing through her eyes.

If possible, she wished she could remain by her grandchildren’s side forever. Her only regret was not seeing them build families of their own.

But this world had no "if."

Regret would always remain regret.

"Renya, didn’t you say you wanted to return the Nine-Tails to the wild?"

After a long silence, Uzumaki Mito spoke softly.

"Now is the best time. Undo the seal before I die."

When a Jinchūriki dies, the Tailed Beast inside temporarily loses consciousness and only reappears after some time.

Since Renya wanted to grant the Nine-Tails freedom, doing so while she was still alive was naturally more convenient.

Inside the sealing space.

Upon hearing Uzumaki Mito’s words, the Nine-Tails nearly jumped up in excitement.

Hahaha! At last, I will regain freedom!

Ever since the evil Senju Hashirama sealed it away under some excuse, it had remained trapped in this cramped sealing space, never leaving again.

Only heaven knew how much resentment it had harbored toward Hashirama all these years.

But considering Hashirama’s overwhelming strength — and Renya voluntarily offering it freedom — it decided not to hold a grudge.

Looking at it this way, the Nine-Tails was quite magnanimous.

The Nine-Tails paced restlessly within the sealing space, wishing it could leave immediately and run freely through the forests of the ninja world like before.

"Hmph, Uchiha brat — I acknowledge you."

...

Supported by Senju Hashirama, Uzumaki Mito walked with everyone to an open area of the village.

"Let’s do it here."

As she spoke, she formed hand seals and released the seal.

With the seal undone, massive amounts of Nine-Tails chakra overflowed from her body — but soon the leakage stopped.

Inside the sealing space, the Nine-Tails voluntarily restrained its own chakra.

In its view, Uzumaki Mito did not have long to live anyway. There was no need to rush. It could simply emerge when the woman finally breathed her last.

"Thank you, Nine-Tails."

Uzumaki Mito froze briefly before smiling.

She had expected the Nine-Tails to immediately break free, yet that was not what happened.

Inside the sealing space, the Nine-Tails lay on the ground with its eyes closed, offering no response.

"Hashirama, take good care of yourself after I’m gone. If there’s no one to cook at home... you can go find Renya at mealtimes."

Uzumaki Mito began arranging her final affairs.

Tsunade and Nawaki had already grown up and no longer required her worry.

The only one she could not stop worrying about was her husband. She feared that without her, Hashirama would fail to take care of himself.

"I understand. From now on, when it’s time to eat, I’ll go to Renya’s place." Senju Hashirama said with reddened eyes. "When Tsunade and Nawaki come home, I’ll bring them along too."

Renya: "..."

Hashirama, that really isn’t necessary, right?

Aunt Mito didn’t mean for you to come freeload meals at my place every single time, did she?!