Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

Senju Edda Snow asked curiously, "What can we do?"

"Keep it a secret for now," Tsunade replied. "I'll tell you once everyone is gathered."

The Living Room

The members of the Senju family sat neatly in their chairs, all looking at Tsunade with curiosity.

"Sister, just tell us already! The suspense is killing me!" Nawaki was the most impatient of them all.

"Yes, Sister Tsunade, please tell us quickly," Kushina added eagerly.

If anyone wanted Uzumaki Mito to survive the most, it was undoubtedly Uzumaki Kushina. Since arriving in Konoha alone, she had been told she would succeed Mito Uzumaki as the next Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. Then, she received the devastating news of Uzushiogakure's destruction. Now, Uzumaki Mito was her last remaining family member.

Although the Senju family had always treated her as one of their own, she couldn't shake the feeling of being an outsider. After all, her last name was Uzumaki, not Senju.

"Alright, everyone, calm down. Let Tsunade speak," Uzumaki Mito interjected.

Unlike the others, Mito wasn't particularly interested in this newfound method. She had already lived a long life, and her only concern now was her family.

Seeing that Mito had spoken, Senju Sousuke also urged, "Alright, Tsunade, everyone is here now. You can tell us."

Tsunade took a deep breath before explaining the method Uchiha Chiba had told her.

Senju Sousuke's expression turned serious. "Is this method really reliable? What if it fails and all our efforts are wasted?"

Tsunade understood his skepticism—she had felt the same way when she first heard about it. However, she trusted Chiba; she didn't believe he would lie about something this important.

"Whether it works or not, I believe it's worth trying. If it succeeds, it could change the fate of Jinchūriki forever," Tsunade argued. She glanced between Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Kushina before continuing. "If this method is proven effective, Jinchūriki can be replaced whenever necessary. The only cost would be a single tail from the tailed beast."

Inside the Sealed Space

Although Uzumaki Mito was well into her seventies, she couldn't help but marvel at how audacious the younger generation had become. Fortunately, her sealing techniques were powerful enough that the Nine-Tails remained unaware of what was happening outside.

Otherwise, if the Nine-Tails knew what Tsunade had planned, it would likely resist with everything it had.

In the vast, water-filled space of the seal, Uzumaki Mito gazed at the Nine-Tails, who stood behind the iron bars. Her expression was filled with pity.

Sensing her presence, the Nine-Tails growled, its massive claws gripping the bars. "Old woman, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Mito replied calmly. "I just came to see you. After all, we won't be seeing each other for a while."

The Nine-Tails let out a booming laugh. "Hah! So, you're finally going to die, huh? Good. Once you're gone, I'll take good care of Konoha."

As a tailed beast, the Nine-Tails knew that a Jinchūriki's death meant its own release.

"You will leave my body, yes," Mito said, her voice laced with something almost akin to amusement. "But things may not turn out the way you expect."

The Nine-Tails' eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You'll understand soon enough." Mito chose not to reveal Tsunade's plan to the beast. It would be too cruel.

Back in the Real World

After hearing Tsunade's analysis, Senju Sousuke agreed that it was worth testing. If the method worked, Uzumaki Mito's life could be saved. And in the future, if Uzumaki Kushina no longer wished to be a Jinchūriki, they could find a suitable replacement, allowing her to live a normal life.

"I understand. I will meet with Hiruzen tomorrow to discuss the feasibility of this method," Senju Sousuke decided.

He then turned to Nawaki. "Nawaki, since you and Chiba are teammates, be sure to express our gratitude to him tomorrow."

"When you return from your mission, invite Chiba to our home. We will all thank him together."

Nawaki pounded his chest confidently. "Don't worry, Dad! Even if you hadn't told me, I would've done it anyway."

Satisfied, Senju Sousuke nodded. "Alright, now that we have a plan, let's all get some rest."

The Next Day

Chiba checked his ninja gear before heading out.

"Special kunai, soldier pills… looks like I have everything."

When he arrived at Konoha's main gate, he realized he was the last one there, which made him a little embarrassed.

"Nawaki, Orochimaru-sensei, sorry for being late," Chiba apologized.

Orochimaru simply waved his hand. "Haha, it's fine. We're still on schedule. I just arrived early."

What happened next caught Chiba completely off guard. Nawaki bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle. "Chiba, thank you."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Just how much had Uchiha Chiba helped his disciple for Nawaki to bow like this?

"It's nothing," Chiba said, brushing it off. "This is something I should do. I have great respect for Mito-sama."

Compared to Tsunade's dramatic show of gratitude, Nawaki's reaction was much more restrained.

Mito-sama? Could it be…?

Orochimaru's mind began connecting the dots. Based on Nawaki's behavior, Chiba's words, and what he had heard from Hiruzen Sarutobi, he quickly formed a hypothesis.

Still, he wanted confirmation.

"Chiba-kun, do you know a way to keep a Jinchūriki alive after the tailed beast is extracted?"

Chiba blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He glanced at Nawaki, who subtly shook his head, indicating he hadn't told Orochimaru anything yet.

Chiba sighed internally. As expected of Orochimaru—his intelligence was frightening.

There was no point in hiding it now.

"Yes," Chiba admitted. "I do know a way."

Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Can you explain it in detail?"

Realizing that the entire Konoha leadership would learn about this soon enough, Chiba saw no harm in revealing the information now.

So, he repeated the same explanation he had given Tsunade the night before.