A resurrection technique—that was something the entire shinobi world would covet.
Whether for oneself or for someone else, the value of such a jutsu was beyond words.
So when Ren revealed the "harvest" he had obtained this time, everyone present fell silent.
They stared at him in disbelief.
The news was simply too shocking.
"Don't look at me like that. I've already checked the technique. There's nothing wrong with it."
Ren spread his hands, though his gaze drifted toward Kakashi in a rather strange way.
Truthfully, he had never understood why, in the original timeline, Kakashi had seen this technique and apparently never thought of finding a way to obtain it.
Naruto and the others weren't exactly reliable when it came to this sort of thing, but what about Kakashi?
Couldn't that guy see how valuable this jutsu was?
So why had he looked just as dumbfounded back then?
And it wasn't only him. Even Tsunade had been slow to react.
She had let One's Own Life Reincarnation slip away for nothing.
With a bit of maneuvering, they could have gotten it.
Whether by using emotional leverage to force Gaara into cooperating, or by demanding compensation in exchange for this rescue mission—either would have been perfectly reasonable.
And if that still failed, they could have simply brought up Sunagakure's invasion of Konoha three years ago and demanded repayment.
Ren refused to believe Sunagakure could have held out under that pressure.
And yet the matter had ended there.
No follow-up.
No further mention.
The technique had simply vanished from the story.
"Still, this jutsu seems to be in an experimental stage," Ren continued. "Judging from the principles behind it, it most likely works as a one life for one life exchange."
He glanced at the scroll in his hand before continuing calmly.
"It can use chakra to connect with the soul of the deceased. But the flaws are obvious too. It requires the target's body to still exist."
"And the closer the death occurred to the present, the better the effect should be."
He paused.
"Of course, that's not absolute. Maybe later we can verify the details through further experimentation."
Ren handed the scroll directly to Tsunade.
Tsunade stared blankly at it for a moment, seemingly unsure what to say.
"What exactly is this technique?" Jiraiya asked from the side, swallowing hard. His voice was full of disbelief.
Ren didn't hide anything.
"When Kakashi and the others went to search for Gaara, I paid a little visit to Sunagakure. I'd received related intelligence before this."
He smiled lightly.
"And just as expected, I found it. This was invented by Chiyo, and apparently she had no intention of making it public."
Ren shrugged.
"I thought it had great value, so I brought it back with me. We can count it as compensation for our support this time."
"But... aren't they our allies?" Guy muttered in disbelief.
Unfortunately for him, Kakashi and Jiraiya both looked like men who had already gotten used to Ren operating this way.
"They are allies," Ren answered, glancing at Guy. He knew exactly what kind of person Guy was, so he wasn't annoyed. "But that doesn't mean we work for free."
"And this technique would benefit all of us."
He spoke with perfect calm.
"Besides, they already owe us an absurd amount. Don't make a big issue out of this. Just compensate them appropriately somewhere else later."
A faint smile crossed his lips.
"And in terms of research capability, no matter how you look at it, we're stronger than they are."
Then he added with genuine surprise,
"Though Chiyo really is someone we've all underestimated."
Ren truly felt Chiyo was one of the most underestimated masters in the shinobi world.
Under Sunagakure's terrible conditions, she had never possessed the resources needed for proper research.
And yet, fueled only by her obsession with resurrecting her son and daughter-in-law, she had still created a resurrection technique like One's Own Life Reincarnation.
That was astonishing.
Konoha, on the other hand, had resources, people, funding, facilities—
And now Chiyo had already laid the foundation.
Naturally, Konoha could complete the rest.
"But... if it's one life for one life," Guy scratched his head and asked curiously, "how are we supposed to test something like that?"
Before he could finish, Kakashi quietly jabbed him in the side with an elbow, signaling him to shut up.
Jiraiya had also opened his mouth slightly, but then stopped himself.
After all, they all knew Konoha still had death row prisoners.
When the time came, all it would take was a genjutsu.
What happened next wouldn't be up to the subjects at all.
"You really do know how to hand people problems."
Tsunade frowned deeply.
Ever since hearing about the technique, she had remained unusually quiet.
Only now did she finally let out a sigh.
"I just hope this technique doesn't end up bringing trouble."
"Don't worry, Sensei."
Ren smiled and shook his head.
"This technique may end up bringing us a huge surprise."
"What exactly happened in that battle?"
In the Land of Rain, Nagato, speaking through Pain, stared at Obito Uchiha. His voice was low and cold.
Unfortunately, Obito himself seemed just as silent.
Because the truth was—
He really didn't know what had happened.
Orochimaru hadn't told him a single thing.
"I don't know either," Obito finally said after a while, shaking his head. "But I think all the problems have already been resolved."
That answer only brought a trace of ridicule to Pain's face.
"Resolved?"
Pain asked coldly.
"Were the problems truly resolved... or do you simply not know what happened yourself?"
That question instantly darkened Obito's expression beneath his mask.
It felt as if his thoughts had been stabbed right through.
Resolved?
Maybe.
This mission had technically succeeded.
After all, Ren himself had shown up, yet they still managed to extract a large amount of the One-Tail's chakra right under his nose.
Even better, Sasori and Kakuzu had both escaped alive.
That could count as a victory.
But did Obito know what had actually happened?
Of course not.
He knew nothing.
What exactly had Orochimaru done?
Who had he summoned?
How had the battle gone?
He had no idea.
Even Black Zetsu had stopped reporting regularly to him. Now that thing only showed up when it wanted something.
What Black Zetsu had been doing.
What Orochimaru had been doing.
He knew almost nothing about either.
And more importantly—
Obito suddenly realized something else.
His mentality had begun to change.
The fact that escaping alive from Ren's hands was now being counted as a "victory"—
How was that any different from rats surviving in a sewer?
The moment he noticed this shift in his own thinking, the face beneath his mask twisted.
That was not a change he wanted to see in himself.
For a moment, the entire room fell into silence.
Only the endless sound of rain outside filled the air.
"Forget it," Pain finally said after a long pause. "Let's count this as a victory."
His voice remained flat.
"But the current situation seems to be drifting away from the plan."
Then his eyes narrowed.
"And what about the rest of the tailed beast chakra?"
"We're still missing the Three-Tails, Six-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Nine-Tails."
"One is in Kirigakure. One is in Uzushiogakure."
"One is in Takigakure."
"And one is in Konoha."
"Without their chakra, the Gedo Statue will be very difficult to fill."
"I know."
Obito took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, pushing thoughts of Orochimaru and Black Zetsu aside.
Maybe he had never trusted them that much to begin with.
Maybe they had only cooperated out of necessity.
But now that unease in him was clearly growing.
"I know how to get the Nine-Tails' chakra. Even without the jinchūriki, we have another target."
He spoke more steadily now.
"There's a temple in the Land of Fire. There's a kid there with Nine-Tails chakra inside him. He's grown pretty well. We can use him."
"As for the Seven-Tails and Three-Tails, I'll have Itachi Uchiha, Biwa Jūzō, Hiruko, and Shennong move."
"They should be able to handle those."
"And for the last one... I'll send Orochimaru to get it."
The task was heavy, and they were short on manpower.
Even so, Obito arranged the operation fairly smoothly.
This time, though, he had a private goal of his own.
He intended to watch Orochimaru very carefully.
The Five-Tails was in Kirigakure. Once movement started there, it would inevitably affect the whole village.
And that might very well draw Ren there.
That would make it much easier for Obito to observe Orochimaru's actions.
At the same time, the other capture operations could proceed more smoothly elsewhere.
His expectations had already dropped lower and lower.
At this point, all he wanted was chakra.
And above all—
He had to figure out what Orochimaru was doing behind his back.
That kind of thing irritated him immensely.
"Very well," Nagato said with a satisfied nod after hearing the plan. "I'll find an appropriate time to pass the orders along."
Though he too didn't know what Orochimaru had been doing, he had already sensed that the black thing and Obito seemed to be developing cracks in their relationship.
That was useful.
Because it meant he could gather more intelligence from in between them.
After all—
He was now standing on the side of the Sage's Body.
When the time comes, I'll pass this information to Konan. And Konan can send it on to Konoha.
Nagato thought that silently to himself.
Then, just as quickly, his expression turned a little odd.
Though... Konan and Ren...
Haven't they gotten a little too close?
"You really do love giving me impossible problems."
In Konoha, silver moonlight spilled across the earth.
After dinner, Tsunade and Ren walked side by side down a quiet street.
The night breeze stirred Tsunade's golden hair. She lifted a hand to brush it back, but before long she let out a low complaint.
"One's Own Life Reincarnation is indeed a very valuable thing. But have you considered the ethical implications it brings? The effect it could have on the village? On shinobi?"
Her voice was quiet, but heavy.
"Life and death are part of the natural order. Once you use a jutsu to interfere with that, it becomes very easy for terrible consequences to follow."
Then she shot him a sideways glance.
"You..."
Tsunade truly felt conflicted about the appearance of this technique.
She fully understood its value.
And she understood equally well just how much trouble it could bring afterward.
There were some things she simply couldn't say in front of everyone else.
That was why she had dragged Ren out alone to talk.
"Sensei, I understand."
Ren walked beside her at an easy pace, feeling the coolness of the wind against his skin as he smiled.
"That's why something like this has to be kept under strict control."
He looked at her with a grin.
"But I trust that Sensei will definitely be able to handle it."
"So in other words, you're planning to dump all of this trouble on me?"
Tsunade looked instantly dissatisfied.
Ren only smiled and said nothing.
Because in truth, he was already thinking about something else entirely.
Could this technique, when combined with Impure World Reincarnation, turn someone already fully defined as a "dead person" into a true, complete living human once more?
This was not pure fantasy.
After all, there really was someone in his memory who had completed the transition from "dead" to "alive" through Edo Tensei.
That person was none other than the great swagger king himself—
Madara Uchiha.
Of course, the technique used in that case had been special.
That was Samsara of Heavenly Life.
But resurrection arts still shared common theoretical foundations and internal workings.
Ren couldn't yet say for certain what One's Own Life Reincarnation could truly accomplish.
But he could absolutely wait and study the experimental results.
Maybe, somewhere in those results, he would find the key piece he needed.
Still—
This wasn't something he could say aloud right now.
There were too many complications involved.
And if such a technique really succeeded, it would be hard to say what kind of unnecessary chaos it might bring to Konoha—or to the entire shinobi world.
Ren might have shoved the burden onto Tsunade, but he had no intention of actually setting her up to suffer.
Besides, in his own plans, the people he would ideally choose as future test targets were:
Sakumo Hatake.
And Minato Namikaze.
Minato would be more troublesome, but not impossible.
Still, those matters would have to wait until his own strength rose further.
"After all, you're my teacher," Ren said with a smile, stepping in front of Tsunade. "Helping your disciple shoulder some pressure is only natural, isn't it?"
"You little…"
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Don't call me your teacher. I don't have a disciple like you."
"Alright, then stop thinking about all this for now."
Ren didn't mind in the slightest. He casually rested one hand on her shoulder and asked,
"It's rare for us to come out like this. Why not relax a bit? I heard the Land of Hot Water is holding a lantern festival. Want to go take a look?"
Then he added casually,
"Of course, if you don't feel like it, we can head back. I can use Flying Thunder God, so it won't take long."
"The Land of Hot Water…"
Tsunade thought for a moment before nodding.
"Let's go."
Then she added with a sigh,
"If there's a lantern festival, then find a boat. I'm going to drink properly tonight."
She shot him a look.
"You really do spend every day causing me trouble…"
The trouble Ren brought her was indeed a bit excessive.
Whether in government matters—
Or in life.
Looking at the young man beside her, Tsunade sighed inwardly.
Her teacher hadn't only been pressuring her alone.
Some of the former Senju members who had already drifted away from the clan had also begun pressuring her.
No matter what the relationship between the Senju and the Uchiha had been—
They were still two separate houses.
And naturally, everyone wanted to see their own side continue.
With a shift in space, Ren brought Tsunade to the Land of Hot Water.
The whole country was brilliantly lit and lively.
He found a decent boatman and rented a small but elegant boat.
Lanterns drifted all along the river. Crowds lined the shore, making wishes.
The stars and the silver moon reflected on the lake's surface.
Red lanterns floated with the current.
The scenery was breathtaking.
On the boat, Ren refused the boatman's offer to board, so he simply had a wood clone handle the oar at the back.
Ripples spread out in circles beneath the paddles, making the reflection of the round moon tremble on the water.
Meanwhile, Ren himself sat with Tsunade inside the covered section of the boat.
Tsunade poured sake, glanced at him, and pushed a cup toward him.
"Drink."
Then she added,
"You're well past the age for it."
"Sensei... I quit drinking."
Ren looked a little troubled.
That answer only earned him a glare.
Of all the excuses he could have used—
He chose that?
Quit drinking?
Had he ever cared about the three forbidden shinobi vices in the first place?
"Enough nonsense."
Tsunade shot him a look.
Her hair stirred lightly beside her ears in the night breeze. She brushed it back again, then lifted her gaze toward the moon outside the boat.
The full moon hung in the sky, unchanged.
And yet she couldn't help sighing.
"Honestly... how did I end up taking in a disciple like you?"
Her voice turned faintly self-mocking.
"Maybe I should never have taken you as one at all."
"How come?"
Ren glanced at the cup but didn't touch it. Instead, he looked at Tsunade curiously.
He had heard that kind of thing from her many times.
"You... your talent is simply too high."
Tsunade raised her cup and took a light sip.
Her hair shifted in the wind as she thought for a while before continuing.
"That should be a good thing. Talent like that can become the foundation of an entire clan's rise."
"Just like my great-grandfather."
She stared at the moonlight on the water.
"Before he appeared, the Senju clan still dominated the shinobi world, yes—but more often than not, they did so by relying on alliances with many great clans to confront the Uchiha threat."
"But after my grandfather appeared, even if he still acted in much the same way, the reality had already changed."
Her voice softened.
"Because my great-grandfather could already stand against the Uchiha by himself."
"He was the one protecting everyone."
At that, Tsunade lowered her cup.
Ren's reflection appeared faintly in her eyes.
"And you... you seem to have stepped onto that same path."
She looked at him steadily.
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
"Of course."
Ren nodded.
He remembered that incident vividly.
Naturally, he hadn't forgotten Tsunade's memorable 'big, big, big' reaction at the time.
Though in Ren's mind, that phrase called up a rather different image.
"How could I forget? At the time, my teacher was being chased around by casino thugs, yet somehow managed to restrain herself from punching them."
He grinned.
"Though the unluckiest part was running into the Fourth Raikage. That was just troublesome…"
"That man probably thinks you're even more troublesome than he is."
Tsunade couldn't help smiling.
She kept gazing at the moon.
"When I was little, I wanted to be like my two grandfathers."
"The clan placed enormous expectations on me. They all hoped I would grow into something great."
Her expression dimmed.
"But war took them away. And I... I never really reached the expectations they had for me."
She let out a slow breath.
"I wanted to be like my second grandfather, able to use Flying Thunder God to move across the battlefield."
"I wanted to be like my great-grandfather too, wielding Wood Release that could crush everything in its path."
She gave a quiet laugh.
"And not just me. Which member of the Senju didn't want that?"
"But reality is reality."
"It's probably impossible for anyone now to truly reach the heights those two reached."
Then she looked directly at him.
"But you were different."
"That day, you shocked me more than I can put into words."
"And it was because of you that I chose to return to Konoha."
The legacy of the Senju had always weighed heavily.
Especially because the clan had produced Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
Who wouldn't yearn to reach their level?
And for Hashirama's direct descendants, that yearning was even stronger.
But some things simply could not be achieved through desire alone.
Tobirama had left no descendants.
And as for Hashirama's line…
Outside of Tsunade herself, who could even be remembered?
"I honestly never expected things to turn out like this either."
Ren sighed and shook his head.
Because the truth was—
He wasn't really a Senju at all.
"Back then, I was just an orphan."
He smiled helplessly.
"Who could have known things would become what they are now?"
"Yes… fate is strange."
Tsunade blinked, then let out another faint sigh.
"Some things are just that mysterious."
"Maybe it really is destiny."
Her eyes remained fixed on the moon.
"I once heard some of the things you said to other people. At first I never thought much about them. I figured you were just fooling them."
"But now that I think about it… some of your words really do make sense."
"Oh?"
Ren looked at her with curiosity.
"Like what?"
"For example... the more people obsess over perfection, the harder it is to obtain what they truly want."
Seeing the puzzled look in Ren's eyes, Tsunade poured herself another cup and drained it in one swallow.
Then she spoke softly.
"Because what the wind carries is always the sound of things people could never obtain."
She gave a bitter little laugh.
"The Senju clan…"
"Weren't we the same?"
"Weren't we all forever reaching for something we could never quite grasp?"
"..."
Ren felt a little awkward.
He had mostly thrown lines like that around because they sounded profound.
He never expected Tsunade to remember them.
That left him faintly embarrassed.
"But perhaps," Tsunade continued softly, "it was precisely because you never chased after those things that you came this far."
After saying that, she looked toward the moon reflected in the lake, a trace of melancholy in her eyes.
"The Senju kept seeking and seeking, and so never found the answer."
"The village was much the same."
"I've read enough reports to know the Uchiha were no different."
She let out a quiet breath.
"Maybe this was always fate."
"Everything has already changed, Sensei."
Ren fell silent for a moment, then gently pushed his untouched cup toward her.
He poured her another and continued,
"You've already obtained that power now, haven't you?"
His tone was calm.
"So hasn't everything already begun to change?"
"Maybe."
Tsunade drank the cup in one gulp and lifted her face toward the moon again.
Over these past three years, Ren had truly done many things using the Tenseigan.
Hikari was one example.
Tsunade herself was another.
Though at present, the two of them had only gained stronger Wood Release and eyes that had evolved into a permanent higher state. Beyond that, there hadn't been too many immediate changes.
But those changes were enough.
As long as Ren kept growing stronger, and as long as he came to understand the powers of higher lifeforms more deeply—
Then none of those old limitations would remain problems forever.
"But..." Tsunade said, her voice growing softer as the sake made her cheeks flush, "you've always walked ahead of everyone else."
She took another drink.
"You have no idea how much pressure that puts on other people."
"Uh…"
Ren found himself oddly at a loss.
Was his fast growth really a source of stress for others too?
In truth, he had always felt that if he had focused on only one skill tree, his progress would have been even faster.
But he had aimed for something greater.
That was why he had turned himself into a fully rounded monster instead.
From Ren's own perspective, his progress had actually been a bit slow.
At least compared with Naruto—who went from rookie genin to savior of the world in just three years—Ren felt much slower.
And yet…
From Tsunade's point of view, he had somehow become a pressure machine.
"Don't deny it," Tsunade said, taking another sip. "No one can compare to your progress. And there are probably very few people in all of Konoha who can compare to your contributions, either."
The flush on her face deepened as she shifted her posture. The movement made the soft white curve of her chest rise and fall.
"I've watched your growth with my own eyes."
"The old man once said you would become the Fourth Hokage's successor."
Then she smiled faintly.
"But very soon, he changed his mind and thought you were the Second Hokage's successor instead."
Her gaze softened.
"And then, once Obito Uchiha forced your Wood Release to awaken, your rise became unstoppable."
"At first, you were seen as the successor to my second grandfather."
"Then gradually, you became the successor to the First."
"And now…"
Tsunade looked at him with complicated eyes.
"You alone may already embody everything both the First and Second Hokage once were."
"And perhaps you've already surpassed them."
Her voice dropped.
"All the descendants of the Senju—whether or not they still carry the Senju name—would be proud of you."
"Not just them."
"Everyone in Konoha is proud of you."
"Because you don't only represent the Senju anymore."
"You represent Konoha itself."
Hearing that, a smile slowly rose to Ren's lips.
Even if those words were true—
Who didn't enjoy being praised?
"If I'm that great," Ren asked with a slight tilt of his head, pouring more sake for her, "then why are you saying you shouldn't have accepted me as your disciple?"
He watched her with curiosity.
"Is it because the disciple surpassing the teacher doesn't feel so good?"
"Or is it…"
"Hmph."
Tsunade downed another cup in one go.
Then, instead of answering directly, she simply stood up and came over to sit right beside him.
Her silky hair moved in the wind, brushing lightly against his cheek. That faint, elegant fragrance drifted into his nose.
Even for someone as experienced as Ren, his heart skipped a beat.
Tsunade turned her head toward him, then raised the bottle and drank deeply from it.
Only after finishing an entire bottle did she speak in a low voice, her cheeks flushed.
"It's not that."
"I said it already—your growth is too fast. So fast that it leaves people speechless."
She looked directly at him.
"Right now, you are the most perfect Senju clansman alive."
"And your descendants…"
Her voice grew quieter.
"They've become the key."
"That's what everyone is hoping for."
"Do you understand?"
"…"
Ren froze for a second.
Then he couldn't help feeling both amused and helpless.
He remembered saying almost the exact same thing to Yugao once.
That line had led to the extremely "wonderful" life he was living now.
Though Hikari occasionally showed up to "interfere" thanks to that absurd competitive streak of hers—which neither he nor Yugao could do anything about—at least things had worked out rather well overall.
He had long since thrown those words to the back of his mind.
He hadn't expected Tsunade to dig them back up like this.
"Come to think of it," Tsunade muttered, opening another bottle and taking a heavy drink straight from it, swaying slightly now, "you're good-looking. Strong. Capable."
Then she stared at him.
"Your only real flaw is that you're a lecher."
"And yet, even with how lecherous you are…"
She narrowed her eyes.
"How come you still don't have a child?"
"..."
Ren more or less understood what was troubling her.
But that particular question still gave him a headache.
And honestly, the absence of children wasn't really his fault.
At this point, he was starting to wonder whether some kind of biological barrier had formed between him and ordinary humans.
Otherwise, after all this time—
How was there still no sign at all?
Ren remained silent.
Tsunade raised the bottle and drank again.
The moonlight was quiet.
The lake was still.
Only the soft night breeze and the sound of Tsunade drinking remained.
"And it's not just you…"
After a long while, Tsunade leaned the side of her face against Ren's shoulder. One hand lifted, setting the bottle aside.
She kept staring at the sky.
Only after thinking for a long time did she speak again.
"Your growth has made things harder for me too."
"We're both Senju."
"And we both possess Wood Release…"
Her voice turned irritated.
"I don't even know which bastard first came up with the idea that the Senju clan needed a pure bloodline to continue."
"A continuation that truly belongs to the Senju… to Konoha… one that inherits the purest form of that power…"
A trace of anger colored her words.
"That kind of nonsense has really been driving me crazy. Do you know that?"
Her speech had become slightly uneven now, and Ren could clearly hear the frustration buried inside it.
He admitted that while he always called her "Sensei," he had never truly seen Tsunade purely as a teacher.
After all, as a transmigrator, the people he admired were not limited to just warriors and heroes.
But now, sitting on this broad quiet lake, feeling Tsunade's confusion and bitterness—
Ren's heart unexpectedly calmed down.
He found that he couldn't summon any improper thoughts at all.
"Sensei, don't overthink it."
Ren spoke gently, taking her slender hand into his. Her skin was smooth and slightly cool, and the touch was honestly pleasant.
"Some things are better left to happen naturally."
His voice remained low.
"I actually realized some of this a long time ago."
"And I noticed the way your attitude was changing too."
He looked ahead quietly.
"But didn't you already make your choice?"
"You chose to let things happen naturally."
Then, after a pause, he added,
"Don't worry. The Third Hokage probably won't be around much longer anyway. He won't be able to nag you forever."
"...You little brat."
Tsunade almost laughed despite herself.
The alcohol had brought her into a haze, and after venting all the frustration in her heart, she felt a strange impulse slowly rising inside her.
Ren's words had disrupted her train of thought—
But that phrase, let things happen naturally, had always been what she truly wanted.
So maybe…
Maybe she should just resolve all of this nonsense tonight.
With that thought, Tsunade bit her lower lip lightly.
Then, in one abrupt motion, she shoved Ren backward onto the floor of the boat's covered cabin.
The small boat rocked on the river.
The lanterns and the laughter from the banks around them hid everything else.
"Sensei, what are you doing…"
Ren was stunned for a moment. Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked at Tsunade as she wrapped her arms around his neck—
And instantly understood.
"Uh... Sensei, compose yourself. This isn't something to joke about…"
"Who's joking with you?"
By now, the words had already been said, and the thoughts in her heart had taken over.
Tsunade looked down at him seriously.
"You're a lecher anyway. Why are you pretending to be shy now?"
Her cheeks were flushed as she continued,
"Uchiha Hikari is from hundreds of years ago. She's been starved for so long, and that didn't stop you from worrying?"
"…"
Feeling the weight pressing against him, seeing that beautiful face so close, with soft strands of hair falling across her cheek, Ren's expression turned complicated.
"Sensei... Hikari was sealed away the whole time…"
"What's that supposed to mean? That I'm actually old?"
"No, no, of course not, I just—"
"Shut up."
Tsunade pressed her lips together.
Then she lowered her head and kissed him.
The kiss was inexperienced—
But not hesitant.
Ren's eyes widened.
He really hadn't expected Tsunade to actually go through with it.
For some reason, that made him think of Konan too, which only made the situation feel even stranger.
How was it that, at times like these, these kunoichi were even more decisive than he was?
Still—
Things had already reached this point.
And Ren was hardly about to back down now.
Besides…
Tonight, the moon was especially bright.
The boat rocked gently on the water, ripples spreading outward in circles.
Amid the laughter from the riverside, faint rustling sounds rose inside the boat.
Ren's wood clone at the stern rolled its eyes, then formed a hand seal.
Layer after layer of Wood Release rose around the cabin, sealing off the interior completely.
Not long after, a startled cry sounded from inside—
Then the night swallowed everything else.
The little boat continued rocking softly.
Lanterns reflected in the river.
And above, the full moon hung rich and brilliant in the sky.
"Finally back!"
At the moon passage in the Land of Fire, Kabuto had just returned from crossing the tunnel and immediately stretched with a tired face.
Then he looked back at the fading pillar of light behind him, a smile spreading across his face.
Being back in the shinobi world really did feel different from the moon.
The moon was wonderful.
Everything there was peaceful.
There was no war. No smoke of battle. No need to deal with endless schemes and deception.
It was the perfect place to rest.
Konoha had even begun construction and renovation work inside the moon's interior. In the future, they might move even more people there.
But for Kabuto, the moon was simply too calm.
Even if he still had plenty of work up there, he preferred the shinobi world.
Because Director, Ren, and everyone from the orphanage are all here.
Kabuto smiled warmly.
He was deeply satisfied with his current life.
And deeply excited by it.
Everything Ren had once promised him had now become reality.
He could personally allocate funding to the orphanage.
He could help more people.
And now he held more authority in his hands as well.
He was capable of far more than before.
And precisely because of that—
He no longer wanted to stop.
I still have to do more. Only then can we create a better future!
Kabuto raised his head toward the sky.
The sun was bright and glaring, forcing his eyes to narrow.
Only by helping Ren bring the entire shinobi world into order can I rest at ease later.
So the moon isn't for me yet.
Only here can I do more. Only here can I become more useful.
Three years had brought Kabuto enormous change.
He had grown taller, older—
And much stronger.
Ren had arranged for Jiraiya to teach him Sage Mode, and the result had been absurd.
Kabuto's speed in mastering Sage Mode had been downright terrifying.
After just one week, Jiraiya had practically fled.
The sight of Kabuto learning had actually made him feel inadequate.
And in the years since, Kabuto had continuously refined and deepened his mastery over Sage Mode.
That was the foundation of his confidence.
And the reason he believed he could accomplish far more.
"Thank you for your hard work, everyone. I'll be going first."
"Yes, Vice Minister!"
Kabuto greeted the Root shinobi guarding the passage as he turned to leave.
The moon passages were naturally under Root control.
Some were guarded by ANBU, others by Root.
After all, the moon was now effectively part of Konoha itself.
ANBU had to be involved too.
There just weren't enough of them, which was why Root had been brought in as support.
Kabuto nodded slightly and had just started walking when he suddenly felt a pulse of chakra behind him.
He turned—
And saw Ren appear there.
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
Kabuto looked surprised, then grinned.
"Don't tell me you knew I was coming back, so you came to welcome me?"
"You really think that highly of yourself?"
Ren steadied himself after arriving and couldn't help smiling too.
"Welcome back. I really didn't expect to run into you here."
"What do you mean? Running into me should be a good thing."
Kabuto tilted his head, then looked Ren over more carefully.
But very soon, his expression turned odd.
Because Ren's complexion didn't look quite right.
He looked a little pale.
And somehow, a little tired.
That made Kabuto frown.
"Hey, what happened to you? Feeling unwell?"
"…"
Ren touched his own face, then shook his head.
"Don't talk nonsense. What kind of nonsense are you imagining all day?"
Still, he continued quickly,
"Though it's good that you're back. The shinobi world isn't exactly peaceful right now."
"Oh?"
Kabuto immediately straightened.
He had been on the moon this whole time, so naturally he didn't know much about what was happening down below.
But to him, that wasn't necessarily bad news.
After all—
He wanted there to be things to do.
"So Akatsuki has started moving again. And Madara Uchiha has appeared too?"
After just a few brief words with Ren, Kabuto quickly understood the current situation.
Akatsuki had stayed quiet for three years.
Now they were moving again.
That could only mean one thing—
They were ready.
And what came next would likely be even more action.
"That's right."
Ren patted Kabuto on the shoulder and spoke with unusual seriousness.
"So for a while, a lot is probably going to happen."
"I need you and Shisui to keep things under control while I'm gone."
"And also—start arranging things so that Sasuke goes after Itachi for revenge. You're good at that kind of setup."
"At the same time, I want intelligence on Akatsuki, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure. I need their movements immediately, understood?"
"…Do you ever ask me to do anything that isn't some kind of scheming?"
Kabuto almost rolled his eyes.
For a moment, he even wondered whether coming back from the moon had been a mistake.
But in the end, he only sighed.
"Fine. I understand. I'll handle it."
Then he narrowed his eyes.
"But why are you going to the moon? Did something happen?"
"Uh… don't worry about that."
Ren pressed his lips together, then shook his head.
"In any case, it's a good thing."
"It shouldn't take too long."
"And once I'm back…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"There won't be any more problems."
This trip to the moon was for one purpose only—
To complete his Bloodline Snare.
He had prepared for this for far too long.
And now, after gaining such an incredible reward from Madara Uchiha, if he didn't use it properly, he'd only be letting himself down.
As for how long the process would take, Ren wasn't entirely sure.
But he doubted it would take too much time.
This was not the Konoha from his memories anymore.
The village was overflowing with powerful people.
As long as the Fourth Great Ninja War didn't erupt during his absence, nothing serious would happen.
"Alright, alright. I get it."
Kabuto spread his hands.
After escorting Ren to the passage entrance, he suddenly leaned in with a grin and said quietly,
"Going up there is good too. You should rest your body properly."
Then his smile turned downright wicked.
"With that many women, you need time to recover somehow."
"Go to hell, you bastard!"
Ren's expression sharpened, and he punched at him without hesitation.
But Kabuto moved like a rabbit.
In an instant he was gone without a trace, leaving Ren shaking his head.
First, I'll deal with the Bloodline Snare.
After I come back... then I'll deal with you.
Ren stepped into the passage.
As chakra surged around him, his entire body vanished into white light in an instant.
And as that white light swallowed him—
His thoughts stirred as well.
Especially the memories of everything that had happened not long ago.
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