Kushina Uzumaki perked up the moment Mito Uzumaki said the name she'd been aching to hear.
"I know where Chi Yu is," Mito said calmly.
Kushina sprang up. "Grandma Mito, where is he?!"
"He's at the Konoha Hospital. They say he was injured during training and has been unconscious for several days. You can—"
But before Mito could finish, Kushina was already out the door, calling over her shoulder, "I'll be right back!"
Mito smiled wistfully at the whirlwind that was her successor.
Yesterday, Hiruzen Sarutobi had stopped by to check on Kushina's integration into village life. During their conversation, Mito had specifically asked about Chi Yu. To her surprise, Hiruzen revealed the boy had pushed himself during training to the point of collapse and had been unconscious ever since.
How far must a child go to end up in that state? Mito knew Chi Yu wasn't just training—he was proving something, to the world and to himself.
What struck her even more was the change in Hiruzen's tone. He had always been lukewarm when it came to Chi Yu. But yesterday? There was a glimmer of recognition—respect, maybe even guilt.
That, Mito thought, might be a good sign.
She owed Kushina more than she could admit. The girl was dragged into Konoha's world to become the Nine-Tails' next host. Mito had brought her here and watched as the weight of a jinchūriki's destiny began to settle on her small shoulders.
And then there was Chi Yu.
Born of a forgotten union—part Senju, part outsider—Chi Yu bore the blood of Hashirama's clan, yet lacked its protection. Mito, as Hashirama's widow, couldn't protect him either, and that failure cut deep.
Hiruzen had his plans, of course. He'd placed Kushina in the same class as Minato Namikaze—a prodigy from humble origins, who caught the eye of Jiraiya. Hiruzen wanted Kushina to form bonds, to tether her heart to Konoha through relationships.
Minato was his chosen link.
As a commoner, Minato wasn't aligned with any clan. His loyalty would default to the Hokage's office, making him the safest choice for a future jinchūriki's confidant—or partner.
Mito couldn't object. She was no longer in power, just a relic of an older Konoha. But in her heart, she favored Chi Yu.
Not because of politics. Because he was alone, like Kushina. And maybe—just maybe—two lonely people could make each other whole.
If Chi Yu gained Hiruzen's trust, then any future bond with Kushina wouldn't face so much resistance.
Chi Yu wasn't part of any faction. The Uchiha clan shunned him, and the Senju were no longer a power. In many ways, he was Konoha's orphan. Just like Kushina.
Mito's eyes steeled. Her time was running short, but she would use what strength she had left to support these two children—if fate allowed them to find each other.
---
Kushina burst into Konoha Hospital, breathless and driven.
She didn't know which room was Chi Yu's, so she flagged down a busy medic-nin.
When she asked where he was, the response left a bitter taste.
"Oh, that little traitor? He's in the room at the end of the hall."
The medic's voice dripped with disdain, and Kushina clenched her fists.
She marched down the hallway, trying to push the venomous words from her mind.
Chi Yu's room was tucked away in the corner—isolated.
She opened the door without knocking.
Chi Yu lay motionless on the bed. Bandages wrapped his limbs. No flowers. No cards. No water. Just the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor keeping lonely time.
Kushina stepped closer, forcing a smile. "I came to visit, Chi Yu."
He didn't stir.
Kushina frowned, then turned and sprinted out. The least she could do was bring him some flowers.
---
Inside his broken body, Chi Yu's mind was awake.
He couldn't move—not yet.
The system had hijacked his body to simulate lightning-style chakra transformations and push the limits of the Breath of Thunder technique. The full-sword form had torn through his nervous system like a typhoon. Every muscle screamed. Every organ throbbed.
But the power—it had been beyond anything he'd known.
He was only nine years old. His chakra reserves were tiny compared to full-grown shinobi. And yet, he had unleashed a force that even adult jōnin would struggle to control.
If this was his starting line, what heights could he reach as a teenager? As an adult?
His thoughts whirred, eager to repeat the experience—perfect it. But then, the door creaked open again.
Kushina returned, clutching a bouquet of white lilies. She found a vase, filled it, and placed the flowers by his bed.
Then she sat down and began to speak softly.
"I didn't know what kind of flowers to get," she admitted. "The flower shop lady said lilies meant blessings, purity, and luck. Sounded nice."
She fiddled with her fingers.
"Grandma Mito told me if I want to be friends with you, I might get hated for it. She said I should be ready for that."
Kushina looked him in the eyes, even if he couldn't see her.
"Well, I am ready."
Her voice cracked with determination.
"You didn't laugh at me when everyone else did. You knocked away that jerk's hand when he pulled my hair. You were the only one who saw me as a person."
She took a deep breath.
"Grandma said you're a sacrifice between two clans. I don't really get all that. But I do know this—real friends don't give up on each other just because it's hard."
She stood up, hands on her hips.
"So I've decided! I'm gonna make you my friend whether you like it or not! Got that? Just wait and see!"
Inside his mind, Chi Yu felt something impossible.
His heart beat harder.
Something warm, something real, something he hadn't felt in five long years—it filled him like a quiet sunrise.