Uzumaki Kushina heard Uzumaki Mito say that she knew where Sora was.

  Uzumaki Kushina hurriedly asked, "Grandma Mito, where is Sora?"

  "In the Ninja Hospital. It seems he was injured during training and has been in a a for several days. You —"

  Before Uzumaki Mito could finish speaking, Uzumaki Kushina dashed out of the room impatiently.

  "Grandma Mito, I'll be back soon!" she called out.

  Uzumaki Mito watched her leave with a loving smile.

  Yesterday, Sarutobi Hiruzen came to visit Uzumaki Mito to ask about Uzumaki Kushina's situation. During the versation, Uzumaki Mito inquired about Sora.

  When she learhat Sora was injured during training and had been atose in the Ninja Hospital for several days, she was taken aback.

  What kind of training could push someoo su extreme that it hem in a a for days?

  However, Uzumaki Mito noticed something curious about Sarutobi Hiruzen's demeanour.

  Previously, he spoke of Sora with indifference, but yesterday, his attitude seemed to shift. It felt like he was beginning to pay closer attention to Sora.

  Though she wasn't sure what had caused this ge, Uzumaki Mito sidered it a good thing.

  As for Uzumaki Kushina, Uzumaki Mito felt a sense of guilt.

  Uzumaki Kushina had e to Konoha for the sole purpose of being the new ails Jinchūriki. The responsibility of carrying the burden of the ails had brought her to the vilge.

  Regarding Sora, Uzumaki Mito also felt a pang ret.

  Sora carried half the bloodline of the Senju , yet as the wife of the former head of the Senju , Uzumaki Mito had been uo protect him.

  Uzumaki Mito was also aware of why Sarutobi Hiruzen had arranged for Uzumaki Kushina to trao Sora's css.

  That css included a genius ninja: Namikaze Minato.

  Namikaze Minato, a civilian ninja with no ties, was rumoured to have caught the attention of Jiraiya, one of Sarutobi Hiruzen's disciples. It was said that Jiraiya inteo take Namikaze Minato as a disciple upon his graduation.

  Sarutobi Hiruzen had once shared his pn with Uzumaki Mito, expining that he wanted Uzumaki Kushina to develop bonds in Konoha, to feel ected to the vilge, and to identify as part of it.

  Namikaze Minato was the person Sarutobi Hiruzen had chosen to serve as a link for Uzumaki Kushina—a bridge to deepen her sense of belonging to Konoha.

  As a civilian ninja unaffiliated with any amikaze Minato was sidered ral and firmly aligned with the Hokage fa.

  This strategy ehat no ninja would develop ulterior motives regarding the ails Jinchūriki.

  Uzumaki Mito had no reason to oppose Sarutobi Hiruzen's pn nor the means to stop it.

  Because Sarutobi Hiruzen is the Hokage and she is merely the wife of the First Hokage, Uzumaki Mito knew her influence was limited.

  But pared to Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Mito felt more optimistic about Sora.

  The reason was simple: Sora was a desdant of the Senju , and as a member of the Uzumaki d an elder, she naturally felt a closer e to him.

  If Sarutobi Hiruzen showed i in Sora and Uzumaki Kushina and Sora could bond, there would likely be less resistance.

  Sora, unreized by the Uchiha d unaffiliated with any other Konoha ninja , presented an opportunity. Uzumaki Mito's eyes gleamed with determination.

  Her time was drawing to a close, but at the very least, she hoped to see Uzumaki Kushina grow up. If Uzumaki Kushina and Sora could truly ect, Uzumaki Mito was willing to help them.

  Uzumaki Kushina ran toward the Ninja Hospital, her heart pounding with excitement.

  Not knowing which ward Sora was in, she asked a busy mediinja.

  The inquiry went surprisingly smoothly, though the attitude of the mediinja irked Uzumaki Kushina.

  "Ah, that boy is in the innermost ward down the front corridor," the mediinja replied with a tone and expression full of disdain.

  Uzumaki Kushina ched her fists but held back her anger as she walked toward the ward.

  She opehe door and stepped inside.

  Sora y motionless on the hospital bed, his hands a ed in bahe bedside table was bare—no flowers, no fruit, not even a gss of water. Only the steady beeping of the medical equipment filled the silence.

  Uzumaki Kushina's heart sank at the sight.

  F a smile, she said, "I'm here to see you, Sora."

  Naturally, the unscious Sora did not respond.

  Determined, Uzumaki Kushina ran out of the ward, heading straight for a flower shop to buy a bouquet.

  Although Sora was unscious, his mind was clear, though he had no trol over his body.

  The strain of simuting the full sword form of Thunder Breath and maniputing the properties of lightning chakra had pushed his body to its limits, leaving him in unimaginable pain. Every muscle and a as if it were on fire.

  Yet the power of the full sword form of Thunder Breath gave him a straisfaaking the agony feel almost bearable.

  At just nine years old, with such limited chakra, Sora had been able to wield araordinary teique. The thought of how strong he could bee as an adult fueled his determination.

  Sora had regained scioushe previous day. He spent the time repying the sensation of using Thunder Breath in his mind, yearning to train again.

  But he hadn't expected Uzumaki Kushina to visit him. The surprise was overwhelming.

  He barely knew her—they had only ied on css, and he had deed her offer of friendship. Why would she e to see him? It was baffling.

  Just as Sora was about to focus on his training thoughts, the door to his ward opened again.

  Uzumaki Kushiered, carrying a bouquet of lilies. She found a vase, carefully arrahe flowers, and then sat down beside the bed.

  Looking at his sleeping face, she began to speak softly.

  "I didn't know what kind of flowers to buy for a patient," she fessed. "I told the flower shop owhat my friend was injured during ninja training, and I wa something he gested lilies. They symbolize blessings, purity, and good luck. Pretty fitting, right?"

  She hesitated for a moment before tinuing.

  "Grandma Mito said that if I want to be friends with you, I might be hated by others, but I've made up my mind. I want to be friends with you, Sora, because you were the only one who didn't ugh at me. You even helped me when that boy grabbed my hair."

  Her voice softened. "Grandma Mito said you're a victim of flict between two ninja s. I don't uand that, but I do know that a good friend doesn't abandon someone because of what others think."

  Then, with renewed resolve, she announced, "I'll do my best to make you my friend! You just wait!"

  Hearing her heartfelt words, Sora suddenly felt his heart race. A warmth spread through him, something he hadn't felt in the five long years he had spent in Konoha.