The Mizukage Is Strong But Overly Cautious

In the dimly lit, top-secret basement beneath Mizuki Ryosuke's residence, the countdown to the crucial moment he had spoken of was nearly over. Mizuki Liuhua and Mizuki Lian could do nothing but endure the agonizing wait, trapped in uncertainty about their future.

For both women, time crawled unbearably slow.

As a mother, Mizuki Liuhua did her best to maintain composure, gently comforting her daughter. But in truth, her own heart was consumed by fear and turmoil. She could not afford to reveal her distress, as Lian's emotional state was already fragile enough.

They had been waiting in silence for what felt like an eternity when, at last…

A faint noise echoed through the underground tunnel.

The heavy door creaked open, and a tall, lean figure stepped into the basement. His clothes were stained with dried blood and dust, his posture slightly weary from exhaustion. Yet, despite the fatigue evident in his body, his eyes—sharp and piercing like morning stars—still burned with unwavering determination.

At the sound of footsteps, Mizuki Lian stirred. Her red-rimmed eyes, dulled by sleepless nights, widened in disbelief the moment they landed on him.

"Ryosuke…"

She didn't hesitate. Without a second thought, she rushed forward, her delicate form crashing into him with a force fueled by desperation.

In an instant, her trembling arms wrapped around his torso, and Ryosuke instinctively held her close, feeling the frantic beating of her heart against his chest.

He felt something cold seep into his clothes—her silent tears.

His voice dropped to a whisper as he gently pressed his lips near her ear.

"Sister Lian… I'm back."

A simple phrase, yet it carried the weight of a thousand emotions.

On the other side of the room, Mizuki Liuhua observed the scene with a complicated expression. A flicker of envy flashed in her eyes as she watched her daughter cling to Ryosuke, unburdening the pain of longing that had been suffocating her heart.

However, Liuhua was experienced enough to understand that now was not the time to let her own emotions surface.

She knew that her husband—Mizuki Taki, the Third Mizukage—would not have had the same luxury as Ryosuke to rush home, even if the battle had ended. His position had always demanded sacrifice.

So, as much as her heart ached, she suppressed her emotions, choosing to wait.

Finally, as the moment of reunion settled, Lian pulled away slightly, as if suddenly remembering something.

"Ryosuke… Father—how is he?"

The anxious question left her lips, her eyes now filled with a flickering hope that he would give her reassurance.

Mizuki Liuhua also turned her full attention to Ryosuke, awaiting an answer.

But Ryosuke did not respond immediately. Instead, he took a slow, deep breath and exhaled before speaking.

"…Ma'am. Sister Lian." His voice was steady but carried an unusual weight. "The situation outside has mostly stabilized. We should sit down and talk first."

A vague response.

Both mother and daughter stiffened.

Liuhua, usually calm and composed, felt a chill creep into her chest. She had seen enough battles to recognize what it meant when someone avoided answering directly.

However, since Ryosuke had spoken, they refrained from pressing further and followed him out of the underground chamber.

The three of them gathered in the traditional-style living room, seated around a low wooden table.

Mizuki Liuhua's face was pale, her hands slightly trembling as they rested in her lap. Her mind had already begun preparing for the worst.

Lian, on the other hand, could not bear the suffocating silence. Her anxiety surged, and she finally blurted out the question again.

"Ryosuke… What happened?"

Mizuki Ryosuke's lips parted, but for a moment, he hesitated.

Then, with quiet finality, he answered.

"…Uncle Taki—Mizukage-sama—he… fought to the death."

The words crashed into the room like a sudden thunderclap.

Liuhua's breath hitched. For a second, she simply stared at Ryosuke, her mind rejecting the reality of what she had just heard. But then, as the full meaning of his words took hold, her body went limp.

Before she could process the pain, darkness consumed her, and she collapsed.

Mizuki Lian's reaction was no less devastating.

She staggered back as though she had been struck, her knees giving way as she fell into Ryosuke's arms. Her body shook violently, and then—overwhelmed by grief—she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

In one night, two women had lost the man they loved the most.

One had lost a father.

The other had lost a husband.

Lian wept until exhaustion took over, and soon, her unconscious form rested against Ryosuke.

Sighing quietly, Ryosuke carried them both—first Lian, then Liuhua—placing them gently in separate bedrooms to rest.

Once Mizuki Liuhua was settled, Ryosuke lingered in her room.

His gaze softened slightly as he looked at the grieving widow before him. The strong, dignified woman now looked so fragile—her usually elegant features weighed down with sorrow and exhaustion.

Without hesitation, he stepped closer and reached out.

His fingertips brushed against her wrist as he channeled medical chakra into her body. A warm, green glow illuminated the dim room as Healing Jutsu worked to soothe her physical distress.

Ryosuke knew that in the world of shinobi, the law of survival was absolute.

Women—unless they were powerful kunoichi—often existed as extensions of the men in their lives. And even someone as esteemed as Mizuki Liuhua, once revered as the Mizukage's wife, would now be left vulnerable in the treacherous political landscape of Kirigakure.

Mizuki Taki had held many enemies.

And now that he was gone, those enemies might seek to exploit the people he left behind.

Ryosuke worried that in a moment of despair, Mizuki Liuhua might take her own life.

So, for Lian's sake, and for the future of the Mizuki family, he resolved to stay by her side until she had at least recovered from the initial shock.

But soon, exhaustion claimed him as well. The relentless battles had taken their toll, and before he realized it, sleep overtook him.

Somewhere within the depths of his consciousness…

Ryosuke found himself being pulled into a familiar void.

When he opened his eyes, he stood once more in his mindscape—the shared spiritual domain where he could communicate with his newly sealed tailed beast.

This time, Three Tails had fully awakened.

A massive, turtle-like form loomed in the center of the space. Its thick, armored shell was covered in jagged spikes, and three long tails draped behind it like heavy chains.

A single, giant, scarlet eye glowed from within the shadows of its shell, staring at him with an unreadable expression.

Four ethereal chains wrapped tightly around its powerful limbs, though compared to its sheer size, they seemed almost insignificant—like strings holding back a mountain.

Three Tails did not struggle. Nor did it speak immediately.

Instead, it simply watched him.

Ryosuke understood that while all nine tailed beasts were fundamentally the same type of entity, each had its own unique personality and way of thinking.

To truly master the power of a tailed beast, one had to forge a partnership—not a battle for dominance.

So, after a moment of contemplation, Ryosuke made a bold decision.

He raised a single hand.

A pulse of energy vibrated through the space.

And then—crack!

The chains shattered.

With that, Ryosuke unilaterally weakened the seal, granting Three Tails far more freedom than it should have had.

For the first time, Three Tails stirred.

The great beast lifted its head slightly, its glowing eye narrowing as it studied him with newfound interest.

"…Why?"

Its deep, echoing voice rumbled through the space.

"Why would you break the seal, human?"

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