With several pops, summoning smoke filled the air.
The Ninja Cats from Sora-ku that had a contract with Ryou were all summoned.
Candy, a greyish-white short-haired cat, was dressed in Ninja Cat attire with a large summoning scroll on her back and a lollipop in her mouth.
Fortune, a black, white, and orange calico cat, loved money and was decked out in gold and silver. He wore a thick gold chain around his neck and held a cigar in his mouth, looking like a real mobster cat.
Snowy, a tabby cat, had a scar on his face. He had a fierce and restless personality, jumping all over the place the moment he appeared, unable to stay still for a second.
Ryou had once adopted a large group of cats, but in the end, only five were able to succeed and refine Chakra, including Fish Ball, who was currently attending to Madara's sleep.
Once Ryou had summoned them all, his High-Cloud Quintet was finally gathered.
Ryou knelt on the ground, somewhat breaking down: "Why is it you pieces of trash? Where's my giant snake? Where's the giant snake?"
"..."
Tsunade and Katsuyu watched with some confusion, but they had figured out a few things. Ryou had previously snatched Orochimaru's summoning scroll and signed a summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave.
But now, the contract had been forcibly terminated.
Tsunade was now certain that Orochimaru wasn't dead.
Orochimaru's other abilities might be subject to debate, but his survival skills were definitely top-tier.
Tsunade laughed loudly: "Ryou, you brought this on yourself."
The four cats surrounded Ryou.
Creatures like cats recognize scents; even though Ryou had turned back into his eighteen-year-old self, they still remembered his smell.
Snowy bared his sharp claws and roared, "Ryou, who are you calling trash? Believe it or not, I'll tear you in half with one claw!"
Fortune looked at the simple house in Kusagakure with disdain: "Idiot Ryou, you've defected and ended up in such a miserable state. Don't tell anyone you're my master from now on; I can't afford to lose face like that."
Candy licked her lollipop and was the first to notice Ryou's change. She said happily, "Ryou, your technique was a success! Now you won't be troubled by that hereditary disease anymore."
Fried Rice waved his spatula: "Ryou, send me back quickly. I still have to cook for Nekomata-sama."
Ryou's head throbbed from the noise, and he roared, "Enough! All of you shut up! Whoever says another word, I'll douse them with Water Release!"
Immediately, all the cats began to tremble with fear and fell silent.
Tsunade sneered coldly: "Ryou, did you really think you could just sign your name on a summoning scroll from the Three Great Sage Regions? You need to be acknowledged by the successors of the Three Great Sage Regions; otherwise, you can't establish a connection with them."
Ryou beat his chest in frustration: "If I had known, I would have kept Orochimaru's summoning scroll too."
Tsunade shook her head: "The summoning scrolls of the Sage Regions have protective measures. Even if you kept it, Orochimaru would have summoned it back."
"Damn that Orochimaru!"
With the contract to Ryūchi Cave broken, Ryou couldn't even enter the door, let alone practice Senjutsu.
Ryou turned his gaze toward Tsunade, his eyes deep and filled with an indescribable coldness.
Tsunade felt a bit afraid: "Ryou, what are you planning to do?"
Ryou took a step closer and said, "Tsunade, to tell you the truth, I wanted Orochimaru's summoning scroll because I wanted to practice the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave."
"Now that my Sage affinity with Ryūchi Cave is severed, I can only consider your Shikkotsu Forest."
Ryou kowtowed directly to the Katsuyu in front of Tsunade: "Slug Sage, I've heard that your Shikkotsu Forest hasn't produced a Sage in a long time."
"I have a Sage affinity. If you don't mind, please teach me Senjutsu!"
The Slug Sage refused without even thinking: "No, I will not teach Senjutsu to an evil Uchiha."
"Besides, members of the Uchiha Clan are born with a Yin-attribute constitution, which is not suitable for practicing Senjutsu."
The Uchiha Clan was indeed not suited for practicing Senjutsu; in the original story, no Uchiha had ever mastered it.
They could only rely on special techniques to use Sage power, such as Sasuke's Cursed Seal or Madara absorbing Hashirama's Senjutsu Chakra to generate Sage Markings on his chest.
Practicing Senjutsu depended on one's affinity with nature, which is talent in Yang Release.
In this regard, only the successive Asura reincarnations were most suitable, like Hashirama and Uzumaki Naruto!
However, Ryou was no longer a pure-blooded Uchiha. He had used the Chimera Technique to integrate White Zetsu cells into himself; one could say he was more of a Senju than the Senju Clan themselves.
Currently, Ryou's attainments in Yang Release were stronger than Tsunade's, and the effects of his Medical Ninjutsu also surpassed hers.
Ryou pleaded with the Slug Sage: "Slug Sage, feel the back of my head; this is a Spiritual Root!"
"I definitely have a Sage affinity. As long as you teach me Senjutsu, I promise to carry forward and glorify the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest."
"I want to practice Senjutsu so badly!"
Katsuyu still refused: "No, your actions are only suited for Ryūchi Cave."
Ryou grew angry: "Fried Rice, catch this slug for me and toss it in the pan to fry it!"
Ryou's Ninja Cats grabbed Katsuyu.
Snowy stuck out his tongue and licked Katsuyu, appearing as if he wanted to eat her.
Fried Rice set up a pot and heated the oil until it smoked, seemingly ready to deep-fry Katsuyu.
Ryou threatened Katsuyu: "Katsuyu, if you don't pass your Senjutsu to me today, I'll have you stir-fried."
Katsuyu showed no sign of fear: "This is just a clone. If you want to eat it, go ahead!"
"Oh! You think I can't handle you?"
Ryou rolled up his sleeves, but Fortune quickly stopped him.
"Ryou-nii, let me handle this. Let me be the one to talk to her."
Fortune walked up to Katsuyu, lit a cigar, and blew a puff of smoke at the little slug: "Your accent makes it sound like you're a big deal. Who do you roll with?"
"..."
Katsuyu remained silent, not taking a calico cat like Fortune seriously at all.
Fortune threatened Katsuyu: "Little girl, do you know my reputation on the streets? Last week, a mouse in Sora-ku didn't pay me protection money, so I wiped out his whole family."
"..."
Katsuyu still didn't say a word.
Fortune extended his cat claws and said viciously, "I'm really not joking with you. I've eaten mice raw—the bloody, straight-up raw kind."
"Get lost!"
Ryou pushed Fortune aside and held Katsuyu up in front of Tsunade.
"If you don't hand over the Senjutsu today, I will ravish Tsunade right in front of you!"
Tsunade was furious: "Ryou, you bastard!"
Katsuyu still didn't speak.
Ryou snapped: "Hold her down! Hold Tsunade down for me, see if I don't desecrate her!"
Snowy and the other cats jumped onto the bed, some pinning her hands and others grabbing her legs.
Ryou began to take off his clothes.
Katsuyu finally yielded: "Wait! Don't hurt Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade shouted to Katsuyu: "Katsuyu, no! Don't pass the Senjutsu to him!"
Candy immediately took out a wad of paper and stuffed it into Tsunade's mouth.
"Mmph! Mmph—"
Tsunade could only glare at Ryou with eyes full of rage.
Ryou laughed, standing with his hands on his hips as he looked at Katsuyu: "It's good that you've softened. Now, pass the Senjutsu to me!"
Katsuyu shook her head: "No, I cannot pass the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest to you."
Ryou clutched his head, feeling as if it were about to explode: "Katsuyu, do you really think I'm joking with you?"
"You guys, strip Tsunade's clothes off!"
The Ninja Cats began to strip Tsunade's clothes.
Katsuyu jumped up and stood in front of Tsunade, saying, "I won't teach you the Senjutsu of Shikkotsu Forest, but I can tell you the location of Ryūchi Cave."
"When the time comes, I will personally recommend you to Ryūchi Cave to undergo the White Snake Trial and practice Senjutsu."
Katsuyu's original body was the Slug Sage, who, along with the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage, were known as the Three Great Sages of the Ninja World.
Katsuyu naturally knew the location of Ryūchi Cave. With her personal introduction, the White Snake Sage would surely give her face and grant Ryou a chance at the trial.
Ryou rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. Katsuyu felt he was a naturally evil Uchiha brat, so only the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave wouldn't be picky about such things.
Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest were both Righteous Sects, so Ryou's Senjutsu path would ultimately have to lead back to a Demonic Sect like Ryūchi Cave.
"Fine. I'll go out and finish Madara's mission first. We'll talk about the Ryūchi Cave trial after I return."
Although Ryou wanted to learn Senjutsu as soon as possible, with Madara watching him, he couldn't afford to be hasty.
"I'm starving. Fried Rice, go cook something."
"Sure thing, Master!"