Yōkō removed his mask in front of Tsunade, revealing his face, still covered by a mask.
This was a form of showing sincerity.
Yōkō said: "Princess Tsunade, you must have some suspicions. My identity is rather special.
Now that I hold greater power and can control the intelligence around me, my security concerns have lessened. I no longer need to tread as carefully as on thin ice as I did before."
Yōkō began his fabrication:
"To be frank, Princess Tsunade, my mother was from the Senju clan.
The circumstances of my birth were very secretive, tied to my mother's resentment towards my father. Very few people know about it.
Clan Head Rinoki, your father, found me. He wanted me to enter the Anbu and become the Senju clan's spy within its ranks.
Only Clan Head Rinoki knew of this matter."
Senju Rinoki's corpse was likely skeletal by now. With no living witness, Yōkō could fabricate freely.
I need to find an opportunity to steal Senju Rinoki's bones to avoid the risk of exposure through the Impure World Reincarnation.
He felt a bit sorry for Senju Rinoki, but he had no other choice.
Tsunade nodded; it matched her suspicions. She had previously suspected that Fox was a Senju spy.
Yōkō said: "On the night of the Nine-Tails transfer seal, I secretly intervened to help the clan and Princess Kushina. Unfortunately, my abilities were limited at the time, and I couldn't do much."
"No." Tsunade said. "Kushina said that without you providing her with chakra twice, she wouldn't have been able to endure it. You did a lot, and you did very well."
Tsunade suddenly felt a deep nostalgia for her father.
Her father's arrangements before his death were finally bearing fruit, continuing to protect the family.
"It's a pity," Yōkō said, "I've gone undercover all the way to becoming the Deputy Anbu Commander, but Clan Head Rinoki can't see it anymore.
Princess Tsunade, in the Root laboratory, they captured a total of 10 people with Senju bloodline.
Nine of them died, but one survived and, like me, mastered Wood Release.
I will look after him in secret. His codename is Tenzō.
One day, I hope both he and I can return to the clan."
Tsunade's expression darkened.
The Senju clan was exceptionally weak, having suffered several great calamities.
But everyone was still persevering, still striving.
Tsunade took out a scroll and tossed it to Fox.
"Fox, this is my grandfather's Wood Release ninjutsu scroll. Take it and study it well."
Yōkō caught the scroll and said, "I will live up to the renowned power of Lord Hashirama's Wood Release."
After putting his mask back on, Yōkō's figure vanished.
He decided not to tell Tsunade about the Uzumaki remnants yet, fearing she might act impulsively.
He would tell her when the time came for the final confrontation with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.
Arriving behind the Hokage Rock, Yōkō excitedly opened the scroll.
I fooled her! I fooled her! Tsunade hadn't doubted him.
Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!
This was the first technique Yōkō saw!
The Wood Dragon Technique, one of the core Wood Release ninjutsu!
The Wood Dragon could absorb the opponent's chakra, using it as nourishment for its own growth.
It could sustain itself through battle. Unless one could exceed its absorption limit, the Wood Dragon would only grow stronger the longer the fight lasted.
Yōkō couldn't wait to learn the Wood Dragon Technique.
It was difficult to practice within Konoha; the Wood Dragon was too massive and easily seen by others.
Using the Ephemeral Technique, Yōkō left Konoha.
The village's barrier couldn't detect the Ephemeral Technique, and his position as Deputy Anbu Commander meant he no longer had to worry about the village's surveillance.
He was the head of surveillance now. Aside from Root, no one could monitor him.
Traveling to a remote area far from the village, Yōkō began practicing the Wood Dragon Technique.
After two hours of practice, Yōkō could finally maintain one Wood Dragon.
The dragon was about two meters thick and over thirty meters long.
The Wood Dragon had four claws; its hind claws gripped the ground, allowing it to launch itself forward like a coiled snake.
The more chakra he invested, the more resilient the Wood Dragon's body became.
Aside from dealing with large enemies, the chakra absorption ability was incredibly useful.
He suddenly wondered if he could miniaturize the Wood Dragon Technique to use against ordinary enemies.
Yōkō let Iron Vines droop from his hand, attempting to combine the principles of the Wood Dragon Technique with the Iron Vines.
The wooden vines were Yōkō's innate Wood Release ability.
He could use the wooden vines without hand seals, requiring only chakra.
The vines were extremely flexible, like long snakes, moving as he willed.
Multiple vines twisted together were as tough as steel wire.
Yōkō tried to integrate the chakra flow method of the Wood Dragon Technique with the Iron Vines.
If the Iron Vines could absorb chakra like the Wood Dragon Technique, it would be tantamount to a miniaturized version.
After experimenting for an hour, it seemed promising but would require long-term training.
He could train with the Iron Vines anytime, unlike the Wood Dragon Technique, which required finding an open area outside the village.
The scroll Tsunade gave him also contained techniques like Wood Clone, Wood Release: Wooden Arhat Technique, and Wood Release: Several Hands Technique.
At the end of the scroll, there was a note, surprisingly an annotation by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
"Aniki Hashirama went to the Fire Temple, listened to some Buddhist scriptures, and suddenly mastered the Wood Human Technique, Top Transformation: Buddha, and True Several Thousand Hands.
But, that fool Hashirama doesn't know how to describe these techniques. He only knows how to use them.
Some shinobi grow and fight purely on instinct. These gifted monsters are despair-inducing.
The secret to Top Transformation: Buddha and True Several Thousand Hands is hidden within the Fire Temple."
Yōkō closed the scroll.
The Wood Human Technique could catch a Tailed Beast Ball. 'Top Transformation: Buddha' and 'True Several Thousand Hands' clearly had connections to Buddhist scriptures.
It seemed he needed to find an opportunity to visit the Fire Temple.
When Yōkō returned to the izakaya, he found Kyōi was not there.
He suddenly remembered—hadn't Kyōi already been admitted to the Konoha Hospital maternity ward?
He hurried to the hospital and found Kyōi.
She was lying on the hospital bed, stroking her highly protruding belly, gazing out the window at the pitch-black night sky.
Kyōi sensed someone had appeared beside her. Turning her head, she saw it was Kōji!
She suddenly relaxed. She wasn't alone in this Konoha village...
Yōkō said: "I'm sorry, Kyōi. I've been on missions outside the village recently. From now on, I won't leave the village again. I'll stay by your side."
"Good. That's wonderful."
In the following days, aside from straightening out the management of the Anbu, Yōkō spent his time accompanying Kyōi, waiting for the new life to arrive.
——
Within the Konoha Root base.
Orochimaru had cold sweat beading on his forehead.
For a cold-blooded creature, sweating was a rare occurrence.
On the experimental table lay the corpses of four shinobi from the Shimura clan.
All four had both Water and Earth chakra natures; one even had three natures: Wind, Water, and Earth.
"There's no mistake... This is the same dosage I gave Fox..."
Across from him, Danzo's face was livid.
He had thought Orochimaru's Wood Release experiment was very mature. Hadn't the child Tenzō and Fox both succeeded?
He brought four promising clansmen, but they quickly died during the injections.
Danzo removed his eyepatch, revealing a Sharingan, and continued to remove his clothes.
"I can't wait any longer, Orochimaru. Adjust the dosage lower and inject me."
Orochimaru glanced at Danzo's Sharingan and asked, "Lord Danzo, the risk of transplanting Hashirama Cells is very high."
Based on Fox's condition after the injection, Orochimaru had thought the dosage could be higher, never expecting to kill four tonight.
Danzo said: "It doesn't matter. What I want isn't necessarily Wood Release—Fox already has it. What I want is the vitality of Hashirama's cells.
I am already over forty. I need to maintain my physical peak for a sufficiently long time."
What Danzo didn't say was that Uchiha Kagami had once told him that the Uchiha clan possessed a stone tablet. Combining the power of the Uchiha and Senju clans would yield a marvelous result.
He had already mastered the Uchiha's power熟练. The Sharingan constantly consumed his chakra; by supplementing it with the Senju's power, he could utilize the Sharingan better.
Orochimaru said: "What a pity. Fox said the dosage could be increased."
Danzo insisted: "Do as I say."
Orochimaru said: "I can do it your way. But what about my Scroll of Seals?"
Danzo frowned, then formed hand seals.
A large scroll appeared on the experimental table.
Orochimaru hurriedly opened the scroll and confirmed it was indeed the Scroll of Seals.
With just a glance, the names of forbidden techniques from ancient times—Impure World Reincarnation, Eight Branches Technique, and others—were revealed one by one.
The Warring States period was better. One could experiment without any taboos back then.
After working hard for Danzo for years, I've finally obtained the chance to see the Scroll of Seals.
Many forbidden techniques, lost due to their extreme difficulty, were sealed within the Scroll of Seals.
After securing the Scroll of Seals, Orochimaru said: "Let's begin, Lord Danzo."
——
Several days later, Yōkō witnessed the birth of his child.
It was a boy with somewhat dark skin. Yōkō named him Yozora.
Yōkō carefully held the child, subtly probing his bloodline. His expression instantly changed.
His first child, Koishi Yakata, possessed the Uzumaki bloodline. But this child...
Had the Uchiha bloodline!
The eye areas were distinctly different.
Oh no, the Uchiha bloodline has been passed down.
How was he going to explain this?
Kyōi definitely did not have Uchiha blood; she was from Iwagakure.
Himself?
His current identity, Yōkō, was planned to infiltrate the Senju clan to obtain their advanced legacies like Senjutsu and Top Transformation: Buddha.
How could the identity 'Yōkō' possibly have Uchiha blood?
Would the Uchiha clan investigate?
Would the village suspect him?
Could he, as the Deputy Anbu Commander, protect Yozora?
Uchiha Kane, Uchiha Tōka, Uchiha Mahiru... Especially Uchiha Mahiru, who had already awakened the Mangekyō under Uchiha Madara's stimulation. That man needs to be eliminated soon.
Yōkō looked toward the Hokage Building.
At this hour, the workaholic Yellow Dog was surely in the basement of the Hokage Building, right?
Yellow Dog, little Yellow, I wonder if you've heard of 'publish or perish'?
Either you get promoted, or I send you away.
In short, Deputy Commander isn't enough. The Head Anbu Commander position must be mine.
And the Uchiha clan... he needed to guard against them too.
It seemed no matter who became Head Anbu Commander, they ended up targeting the Uchiha.
Yōkō looked down and kissed the child, Yozora.
Let this child have a carefree childhood first. It will be at least ten years before he awakens his eyes.
Within ten years, I must pave the way and resolve these troubles.
No matter how many rulers Konoha had, the one constant was that the Uchiha were the ones getting beaten. Everyone else got their moment to shine, but the Uchiha were always the ones taking the hits.
Yōkō took Kyōi and the child and left the hospital.
Passing by the Ninja Academy, Kyōi, holding the child, stopped.
Yōkō, carrying all their luggage, followed Kyōi's gaze and saw that today happened to be the new student enrollment day at the Ninja Academy.
Yōkō's first glance fell on Hatake Sakumo and his son.
Kakashi was enrolling.
The difference was, Hatake Sakumo was followed by Namikaze Minato.
Namikaze Minato had a sunny smile and was giving Kakashi some advice.
Hatake Sakumo was training Namikaze Minato as his disciple. Namikaze Minato and Kakashi were destined to be master and student; this plotline hadn't changed.
The only one missing was Jiraiya.
"Kōji, will our child come here to study in the future?"
"Of course, our child will definitely enter the Konoha Ninja Academy. Kyōi, you are my lover. You are a person of Konoha."
***
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