The next day, five o'clock in the morning.
The sky wasn't bright yet when an unexpected visitor arrived at the Sunagakure's delegation's residence.
"So, what brings you here?"
Looking at the blonde woman sitting across from him, Ryuji couldn't help but yawn.
Last night, busy creating Yomatsuya, he didn't sleep until after three. Now this woman rushed over at five in the morning. He was extremely tired.
However, given her special status, her hasty visit must involve something important. So he forced himself to overcome his drowsiness to receive this Konoha's princess.
"I've heard about your deeds after leaving Konoha."
Tsunade looked intently at the boy before her, not at all swayed by his bishonen manga protagonist-like purity and handsomeness.
"Huh?" Ryuji's expression became surprised. "You're not telling me you were so captivated by my legendary tales that you came specifically for my autograph, are you?"
"Stop being full of yourself, brat!"
Tsunade's temple twitched slightly. Her fist clenched tightly, trembling slightly as she suppressed the urge to punch someone.
"That's true, a legendary Sannin couldn't possibly be that kind of person, could she?"
As he spoke, Ryuji, unable to resist his sleepiness, yawned again.
Tsunade couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
In her perception, Ryuji was a profit-driven, ruthless, decisive, and merciless bastard, no different from Konoha's higher-ups.
But in her mind, such people were rigid and conservative.
Yet Ryuji acted so casually before her, an important figure representing Konoha, as if he didn't care at all about Sunagakure's image.
"Out with it, what exactly is the matter?"
Seeing Tsunade staring at him blankly without speaking for a while, Ryuji also showed some impatience.
Tsunade didn't mind the boy's tone because she was here asking for a favor.
"I..."
Just as Tsunade was about to state her purpose, the door slid open.
Aka, dressed in a maid outfit, entered carrying a tea set.
"Master, this is a refreshing tea."
Aka placed the teapot and cups from the tray between the two, filled the cups, then bowed respectfully to them before withdrawing.
Only after the figure with the wine-red shoulder-length hair disappeared from view did Tsunade, who had been gaping, snap back to reality.
She turned her head, urgently asking, "Who was that!?"
"Aka, my maid."
Ryuji replied casually, then picked up his teacup, blew on it gently, and took a small sip.
Immediately,
A light tea fragrance lingered in his mind, refreshing his weary spirit considerably. He couldn't help but praise, "Aka's tea ceremony skills are still superb. The amount of tea leaves is just right, the water temperature perfect. You should try some too."
"Oh, oh, oh..."
Tsunade responded mechanically, her body subconsciously picking up the teacup and bringing it to her lips.
But her mind was still somewhat dazed.
Two and a half months ago, as the director of Konoha Hospital, she attended a Konoha's high-level meeting.
At that meeting, she read an intelligence report regarding the war situation between Sunagakure and Amegakure.
Within that report, she saw the news that the 'Demigod', Hanzo of the Salamander, who had once defeated her, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru one against three and bestowed upon them the title 'Sannin', had died on the battlefield.
And the one who killed him was a Sunagakure's Shinobi named 'Aka'.
This Shinobi was previously unknown. In all of Konoha's Shinobi mission archives, there was no information about encountering this 'Aka'.
But through inquiries, they still learned of Aka's appearance and her previous actions in Sunagakure's purge of former higher-ups.
Therefore, when Aka entered with the tea, Tsunade recognized her.
'But, but, but...'
'Wasn't Aka the master who killed Hanzo?'
'Wasn't she Sunagakure's ace card, whose past information was erased and kept secret until now?'
'Why was she wearing a maid dress, serving tea?'
Tsunade had treated many Daimyo and nobles, visited many luxurious mansions, and seen many maids.
She could naturally tell that this Aka wasn't putting on an act just for her benefit.
Her walking posture, her tea-serving movements, the spacing of her steps, her etiquette towards guest and master... All of it conformed perfectly to maid standards, almost too textbook.
Moreover, her actions were extremely natural, more elegant and natural than even the head maid at the Land of Fire's daimyo's residence. This was definitely not something achievable through temporary acting.
She truly was a maid.
But the question returned.
'Wasn't she the ace who killed Hanzo and was kept hidden by Sunagakure until now?'
'Why was she also such a skilled maid?'
'Gin, Kuro, Aka... Similarly named after colors, was there some connection between them?'
'And why did her gaze feel so familiar?'
'Weren't we meeting for the first time?'
Tsunade's mind pondered these questions while her body subconsciously drank some tea, mechanically set the cup down, and then stared blankly.
Her thoughts in disarray, she had already forgotten the purpose of her visit.
"Hey, what exactly did you come to see me about?"
The impatient voice pulled her thoughts back to reality. Tsunade looked up at the boy before her, feeling him increasingly inscrutable.
Although she didn't understand why Aka was a maid, someone capable of being served as master by such a formidable individual surely was no ordinary person.
No,
The fact that this guy was no ordinary person was something the entire Shinobi World now knew.
But Tsunade's assessment of him as no ordinary person was an additional layer on top of the existing perception in the Shinobi World.
Meaning, he was even more formidable than imagined.
However...
'Only someone this formidable could possibly achieve such things, right?' Tsunade felt more confident about the purpose of her visit.
Gathering herself, she wore a slight smile. "I heard that on the battlefield between Sunagakure and Amegakure, you resurrected the deceased Third Kazekage."
"Oh, is that what this is about?" Ryuji sighed helplessly. "Others might believe it, but as the strongest Medical-nin in the Shinobi World, why would you think the dead could be resurrected?"
"But you did it."
Before Ryuji could refute, Tsunade continued, "Don't try to fob me off with nonsense like 'he wasn't dead, I merely treated his injuries'. Konoha has its own intelligence. The Third Kazekage died a full week before you arrived on the battlefield."
'As expected, it couldn't be completely hidden.'
Ryuji inwardly lamented, but on the surface, he feigned impatience. "I've stated many times already, I only treated Third Kazekage-sama's injuries. I did not resurrect him. The news of Kazekage-sama's death spread at the time was a strategic move to make the enemy underestimate us."
"We have our own intelligence."
"Believe what you will. If that's what this is about, then please leave. I cannot help you."
Ryuji stood up, preparing to leave.
But Tsunade swiftly moved to block his path.
Seeing the woman standing closely in front of him, Ryuji frowned, about to get angry.
But Tsunade immediately dropped to her knees in a deep bow before him. "I'm not foolishly trying to obtain the technique of resurrecting the dead from you. I just want to ask for your help in resurrecting two people."
Hearing this, Ryuji suppressed his anger.
The people Tsunade wanted to resurrect were undoubtedly her first love and her younger brother, no need to guess.
He felt sympathy for Tsunade's plight and admired her dedication and character, but he genuinely lacked the ability to resurrect people.
Even if he mastered the Golden Fairy's reincarnation technique in the future, the souls of Kato Dan and Nawaki had already departed for the Pure Land. He couldn't perform artificial reincarnation.
Moreover, Tsunade wanted resurrection in their original forms, not reincarnation. That was even more impossible.
Ryuji looked down at the woman prostrating herself before him, took a deep breath, and tucked away the bit of sympathy in his heart. Coldly, he stated, "Begging me is useless. What cannot be done, cannot be done."
After speaking, he stepped around Tsunade and left directly.
Only after the sound of the door opening and closing faded did Tsunade lift her head. Her golden eyes were filled with sorrow and disappointment, tears streaming uncontrollably.
"Does a technique to resurrect the dead truly not exist in this world?"
As a Medical-nin, she was originally the most certain of this.
Because a person is composed not only of a body but also a soul.
And Medical Ninjutsu is Yang Release, only affecting the body. No matter how powerful, it can only heal or alter the body, having no effect on the soul whatsoever.
She originally had no thoughts of resurrecting Dan and Nawaki. Even Orochimaru's claims of researching a Ninjutsu to resurrect the dead and grant eternal life didn't sway her.
But when a real-life miracle occurred, she couldn't help but develop the desire to resurrect her loved ones and first love.
Only to be denied by the person involved.
She didn't know if he was unwilling to help or truly incapable, but this profit-driven individual refused outright without even discussing terms.
That indicated that even if resurrecting the dead was possible, he absolutely would not help.
At the very least, she couldn't afford the price.
"Finally regaining hope, only to face despair once more." Tsunade slumped onto the tatami floor. Gazing at the brightening outside through the paper sliding door, she felt only darkness in her life.
…
After leaving Tsunade, Ryuji initially intended to go back to sleep.
But his mood was affected. After returning, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. So he got up and entered the laboratory.
This time, it was for the Sage Body experiment.
Or rather, to create Sage Bodies for Gin and himself.
Although he obtained a potent toxin from Kana that inhibited plant growth without affecting the human body, the precise dosage still needed testing.
Otherwise,
Too little wouldn't suppress the issue of White Zetsu's cells absorbing vast life force and turning plant-like. Too much would directly kill the White Zetsu's cells.
Ryuji first used formulas to calculate an approximate ratio, then used the process of elimination to experiment step by step.
By the time the sun reached its zenith, he had finally calculated the most suitable ratio.
Holding the Sage cells that successfully fused with ordinary human cells, a trace of relief appeared on Ryuji's face.
"Let's create Gin's Sage Body first."
Gin's Sage Body had been delayed for too long. Ryuji didn't plan to postpone it further.
He retrieved cells from Gin's original body, fused them with White Zetsu's cells, cultivating characteristics that could adapt to Sage cells.
Then he fused the new Gin's cells with Sage cells, cultivating Sage cells that were a perfect 100% match for Gin's soul, and then created a body from them.
The final step was adjusting the body's appearance and strength.
With the 3D Printer, adjusting appearance and physical strength arbitrarily was no problem.
But the human body's structure is intricate. Even a tiny difference can cause a decline in bodily functions.
Making arbitrary adjustments would only create a deformed body, so scientific adjustment was necessary.
"The human body can't compare to a unified construct; replicating a hundred times normal muscle density is impossible. However, we can create an innate great strength based on Tsunade's physical characteristics. But a woman's physical advantage lies in flexibility. Creating innate great strength might affect bodily flexibility... How should we choose?"
Ryuji pinched his chin, falling into deep thought, ultimately finding it difficult to decide.
"Better to ask Gin herself."