Naruto: Konoha's Traitor

Knowing

Konoha remained indifferent when the Land of Whirlpools—home to the Uzumaki Clan and once a staunch ally of the Hidden Leaf—was annihilated.

Chi Yu once overheard Orochimaru speak bluntly on the matter. Konoha wasn't incapable of offering aid at the time—it simply chose not to.

Supporting Uzushiogakure wasn't in Konoha's best interest. Too many nations and powerful clans had launched a coordinated assault on the Uzumaki. Had Konoha intervened, it would have required dispatching a significant force, risking severe casualties in a war that offered no strategic gain.

After all, the Uzumaki Clan's most powerful sealing techniques—their true legacy—had already been secured.

Lady Mito Uzumaki, the First Hokage's wife, had mastered them. With her allegiance to Konoha, the village had effectively absorbed the clan's secrets.

So the Leaf let the Uzumaki fall.

And now, for the sake of controlling the Nine-Tails, they had summoned yet another Uzumaki—Kushina—from the ashes of her ruined homeland, intending to make her the next jinchūriki.

Chi Yu exhaled deeply. A bitter chuckle escaped him.

He should have realized it sooner. Mito would never agree to help him.

Murmuring to himself, he said, "In the end, it all comes down to me. If I can't find Karin's mother soon… we'll have to leave."

---

The Next Morning

Chi Yu walked straight to Lady Mito's residence, intent on picking up Kushina. Mito did not appear to stop him—that, in itself, was consent enough.

He headed to Kushina's room and knocked.

There was no answer. He frowned and knocked again—still silence.

Worried, Chi Yu pushed the door open.

Kushina was still in bed, her figure hidden beneath the blanket. Relief washed over him—at least she was safe.

He approached quietly and called her name. "Kushina, wake up."

He repeated it gently, but there was no movement. Then he heard it—faint sobbing.

Alarmed, he pulled the blanket back.

Kushina's eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks wet with tears.

It stunned him. Kushina was loud, stubborn, fiery—but crying? He had never seen her like this.

"What happened, Kushina?" he asked, his voice thick with concern.

"I… I heard you talking to Grandma Mito yesterday…" she whispered.

Chi Yu froze.

She had heard that conversation?

But how? Mito possessed the Mind's Eye of Kagura—she would have detected any eavesdropper instantly. Unless…

"You awakened the Mind's Eye too?" he asked.

Kushina nodded faintly.

Like Mito, Kushina had begun to inherit the advanced sensory technique. The Mind's Eye of Kagura not only allowed vast chakra sensing but also enabled one to suppress their own chakra entirely—making them effectively undetectable.

Last night, curious about why Chi Yu had gone to speak with Mito—despite how much he disliked her—Kushina had concealed herself and listened in.

And in that moment, her entire world had shattered.

She didn't yet fully understand what the Nine-Tails was, nor the role of a jinchūriki, but she understood enough.

She had been brought to Konoha not because she was an orphan in need of protection.

Not out of kindness.

Not because Konoha and the Uzumaki were allies.

No.

She was brought here to be a vessel—for a monster.

Even the warm and kind Lady Mito, whom she had seen as a true guardian, had adopted her with this purpose in mind.

And Chi Yu—he had been trying all along to prevent it.

Now, everything made sense. His wariness of Mito. His frustration. His secrecy.

"Chi Yu…" she said, her voice trembling, "Am I really going to become that Nine-Tails' jinchūriki?"

Chi Yu gently wiped the tears from her face. "No," he said firmly. "You won't. I promise you, Kushina—you will never become a jinchūriki. No one will force you."

In his heart, he made a vow:

Anyone who tries… will die.

Without another word, he picked her up in his arms.

"Kushina, you don't need to stay here anymore. This place isn't your home. Come with me—I'll take you somewhere that is."

She buried her face into his chest, and softly murmured, "Mm."

She no longer wanted to stay.

Even Lady Mito, whom she had loved and trusted, had lied to her—raised her for a purpose she hadn't chosen.

Kushina didn't hate her. But she couldn't face her anymore, either.

Chi Yu carried her away.

Unseen, after they left, Mito stood quietly in the hallway, watching the door close. Her expression was tired. Guilty.

She sighed deeply.

---

Chi Yu brought Kushina to his apartment.

The room had barely been lived in. Dust coated the floor; cobwebs hung in the corners.

Chi Yu scratched his head. "Looks like we've got some cleaning to do."

Kushina, still emotionally raw but recovering fast—true to her Uzumaki nature—glanced around and brightened up.

"Then let's clean it together!" she said, full of energy.

Two hours later, the apartment was spotless. They collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted but content.

Kushina leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Chi Yu," she said, "can you tell me more about the Nine-Tails? And about jinchūriki?"

Chi Yu hesitated, then began quietly.

"The Nine-Tails is one of nine tailed beasts—immense living masses of chakra, each with a different number of tails. The Nine-Tails is the strongest of them.

Long ago, the Sage of Six Paths divided the Ten-Tails into nine separate beings. Ever since, the tailed beasts have been fought over like weapons.

To control them, shinobi villages seal them inside human hosts, who are called jinchūriki. These hosts are meant to suppress and harness the tailed beasts' power.

But it's dangerous. The beast can resist the host, try to take over, even kill them. Many jinchūriki live harsh lives—shunned, feared, or used."

Kushina sat up, her face solemn. Her eyes were clear now, but intense.

"Chi Yu," she said quietly, "if it can help protect people… if it can make me strong enough to never be powerless again… then I want to become a jinchūriki."

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