Soon, a young man with short brown hair rushed into the room and threw himself into Uzumaki Mito's arms.
"Grandma, I'm back! Who's he?"
He quickly noticed Ishigami Hara, casting a curious glance in his direction.
"This is Ishigami Hara, a very talented child. Grandma hopes that the two of you can become friends," Uzumaki Mito said with a smile.
Nawaki's cheerful and outgoing nature was immediately apparent. Upon hearing his grandmother's words, he walked up to Ishigami Hara and extended his hand. "I'm Nawaki, nice to meet you."
"Hello, I'm Ishigami Hara. Please take care of me," he replied, accepting the handshake.
Though Ishigami Hara was reserved by nature, he was not lacking in politeness. His cold demeanor was often mistaken for aloofness, but it wasn't that he didn't know how to interact with others.
"Hey, your hair color is similar to Kushina's! Are you two from the same clan? Then why is your last name Ishigami instead of Uzumaki?" Nawaki asked, clearly intrigued by the resemblance.
Ishigami Hara explained, "The Ishigami clan once had an alliance with the Uzumaki clan. It's possible that the Uzumaki blood in me was awakened by chance."
"I see."
Nawaki grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "Your hair's pretty cool. Looks awesome!"
"Thank you."
Uzumaki Mito then interjected, "Nawaki, I'd like you to stay here for a while and keep me company. Don't go out for now."
"What's going on, Grandma?" Nawaki asked, puzzled.
Uzumaki Kushina stood to the side, looking grim and reluctant, as if she knew what was coming.
"There's something important I need to tell you both," Uzumaki Mito said, her voice growing more serious. "The village plans to transfer the Nine Tails to Kushina. This means Kushina will soon become the next Nine Tails Jinchūriki."
"Ah! So... Grandma, you can finally rest?" Nawaki exclaimed in surprise, misunderstanding the implications at first.
Kushina, her eyes turning red with emotion, quietly added, "When a tailed beast is transferred... the Jinchūriki dies."
The room fell into a heavy silence. The shock on Nawaki's face was palpable as he stared at Kushina in disbelief. "W-what? That can't be true! Are you lying to me?"
Kushina said nothing, confirming his worst fears.
Still smiling gently, Uzumaki Mito waved Nawaki over and beckoned him closer. "Don't worry, Nawaki. Grandma is tired, and I've missed your grandfather dearly. This is truly a good thing for me... I'll finally be able to rest."
"I don't want this!"
Tears welled up in Nawaki's eyes, and he began to sob loudly, overcome with emotion.
Ishigami Hara watched the scene unfold in silence. He found it a little strange and unfamiliar, not knowing how to react in such an intimate family moment.
"How touching," Uchiha Izuna muttered mockingly from within Ishigami Hara's mind.
"Are you envious of this?" Ishigami Hara responded coolly.
"Humph!"
Uchiha Izuna, now somewhat accustomed to Ishigami Hara's occasional jabs, refrained from further argument.
At this moment, Uzumaki Mito turned to Ishigami Hara once again and waved him over.
"Child, consider this place your home. Don't feel constrained. I believe you and Nawaki can become good friends. In the future, please look after him. This is my request to you, as an old woman."
Ishigami Hara bowed slightly, his expression turning serious.
"Please rest assured, I will."
It was clear that Uzumaki Mito's words carried a deeper meaning, hinting at a request that went beyond mere friendship.
Uzumaki Mito intended to pass down knowledge from the Uzumaki clan to Ishigami Hara as a form of compensation. In exchange, the only thing she asked of him was to become Nawaki's friend—or perhaps, his supporter.
Although Uzumaki Mito couldn't predict the future, her hope as a grandmother was simple: to make her grandson's life a little smoother. She saw potential in Ishigami Hara, despite his young age. Having someone with such promise as a friend could only be beneficial for Nawaki.
Ishigami Hara understood this arrangement perfectly and felt no resentment toward it. On the contrary, he was quite satisfied with the opportunity. After all, there can be no gain without sacrifice, and befriending Nawaki could very well prove advantageous.
"So, is there anything you want to learn?" Uzumaki Mito asked, her tone gentle.
Without hesitation, Ishigami Hara glanced at Nawaki and Uzumaki Kushina, then responded, "I'd like to learn more about sealing techniques."
Uzumaki Mito smiled, nodding in approval. "Have you mastered the One-thread Light Formation?"
Ishigami Hara nodded. The One-thread Light Formation was a basic sealing technique taught at the ninja academy, though the instruction there was limited.
"Alright, show me," she said.
Without delay, Ishigami Hara formed the hand seals. His movements were neither rushed nor slow, but deliberate and precise. He crouched down, pressing his palms to the ground.
Buzz!
A dark pattern emerged beneath his hands, spreading outward like a web. It encircled the area beneath the feet of Uzumaki Mito, Nawaki, and Kushina. The three of them felt a faint stagnation in their Chakra flow—a subtle but effective result of the sealing technique.
The One-thread Light Formation was a basic technique designed to lightly restrict Chakra. However, if Ishigami Hara were to channel his full Chakra, the seal's effect would be significantly stronger. But for now, it was a mere demonstration.
Uzumaki Mito nodded, satisfied. "Well done. Your technique is solid, and your execution is precise. Most importantly, the structure of your sealing array is stable. Your foundation is strong."
With the discussion now centered on sealing techniques, both Nawaki and Uzumaki Kushina's attention shifted toward Ishigami Hara. Their previous sorrow seemed to fade.
While Nawaki, lacking expertise in sealing techniques, couldn't fully appreciate what he was seeing, Kushina could. She was talented in the art of sealing and noticed that Ishigami Hara performed the technique with such skill that no noticeable Chakra fluctuation occurred during his formation. That level of control was difficult to achieve.
"Kushina, fetch the scroll for the Two-thread Light Formation," Uzumaki Mito instructed.
Uzumaki Kushina quickly retrieved a small scroll and handed it to her grandmother.
The Two-thread Light Formation was an upgraded version of the One-thread Light Formation, using a more intricate web of Chakra to restrict others. It demanded greater control and precision, represented by the denser network of threads within the seal.
"Child, take a look at the scroll," Uzumaki Mito said. "If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask."
Ishigami Hara didn't hesitate. He accepted the scroll and unrolled it, examining the contents. After just a few moments, he had absorbed the information it contained.
He then made twelve hand seals, crouching down again and pressing his hands to the ground.
"Two-thread Light Formation!"
Buzz!
A more intricate pattern appeared, denser than the One-thread formation. The effect of the seal was immediately stronger, further restricting Chakra flow.
"This..."
Uzumaki Kushina glanced at Ishigami Hara in amazement, while Nawaki's eyes widened in surprise. Even Uzumaki Mito was taken aback.
In just a few minutes, the young boy before her had successfully learned the Two-thread Light Formation. His capacity to quickly grasp and execute such a technique was extraordinary.
Uzumaki Mito's smile deepened, her eyes brimming with pride as she gazed at Ishigami Hara. The joy in her expression was unmistakable.