Before long, Fried Rice prepared a lavish dinner table, balancing the lightness of Japanese cuisine with abundance.
There was salt-grilled sea bream, sukiyaki, Chikuzenni... it was full of color, aroma, and flavor, making one's appetite soar just by looking at it.
Ryou devoured the delicacies made by Fried Rice in large gulps. Watching Ryou's eating manner, the cats felt he was different from before.
The old Ryou wouldn't eat with such abandon. Being young is great! You can eat whatever you want.
Candy, nibbling on a fish, said to Ryou, "Ryou, Cat Granny said you defected from Konoha?"
Ryou flashed his forehead protector, drawing their attention to the scratch on it. "See this? I'm now a Konoha rogue ninja, a cold-blooded killer."
Snowy bared his sharp fangs. "Hmph! I've long found those Konoha Ninjas eyesores. They target the Uchiha at every turn. Defecting is for the best."
Cats like Snowy and Candy were Ninja Cats of the Uchiha, and their sense of belonging to the Uchiha was stronger than to Konoha. Naturally, they were well aware of the Konoha high-level's marginalization of the Uchiha.
Fortune said somewhat steadily, "Idiot Ryou, this is where you're wrong. Becoming a rogue ninja means making an enemy of the greatest Ninja village in the Ninja World. When you're out on the streets, more friends always make for an easier path."
"I think I'll arrange a meeting with the Third Hokage another day. With me mediating, I hope the Third Hokage can look at my face and let your matter pass like a fart."
Ryou stuffed a piece of tempura into Fortune's mouth. "Just eat!"
"Hmph!"
Tsunade let out a huff from the bed. The food from Fried Rice was so fragrant that Tsunade had long been unable to resist.
But she held onto the bottom line of a Konoha Ninja, never bowing her head to the naturally evil Uchiha.
Ryou looked at Tsunade. "What are you huffing for? Come and eat!"
Tsunade's entire body was bound by vines; how could she come over? Besides, she didn't want to eat the enemy's sugar-coated bullets.
Snowy looked at Tsunade, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. "Ryou, why are you keeping her? She's the princess of the Senju Clan, the sworn enemy of the Uchiha Clan."
"In my opinion, we should kill her to sacrifice to the flag. A rogue ninja should act like a rogue ninja."
"Snowy, shut up!"
Ryou snorted.
Fried Rice was kind-hearted. Seeing that Tsunade and Katsuyu had nothing to eat, he specially prepared a portion for them.
Because Tsunade's body was bound by vines, Fried Rice personally fed her.
Tsunade looked at the cute Fried Rice, then at Ryou's starved-ghost appearance.
How could the difference between a human and a cat be so large?
After the meal.
Fortune massaged Ryou's shoulders, while Snowy lay in Ryou's arms, looking somewhat resigned to being petted.
Ryou sprawled out.
Looking at Tsunade on the bed and then at the 'flowers and birds' around him, he truly felt that this was what life should be like.
Unfortunately... he was currently under Madara's control.
When would he be able to be the boss himself?
A fortune teller once said he would be draped in a white robe. Ryou thought that meant the Hokage's robe, but he hoped it wasn't a shroud!
Candy looked at the massive Gedo Statue outside the window and asked in confusion, "Ryou, what is that thing? It's a bit scary!"
The cats and Tsunade also looked over. Seeing the Gedo Statue, which was like a towering giant, they were all shocked.
Ryou stroked Snowy's head and said, "That! That is Old Demon Madara's Gedo Statue. Legend has it that it's a divine tool used by the Sage of Six Paths to create the world."
With Tsunade eavesdropping nearby, Ryou naturally didn't dare to tell them everything.
Even so, the information he revealed was enough to shock everyone.
"The Sage of Six Paths?!"
Tsunade looked at the Gedo Statue outside. Previously, the three Sannin and the Summoned Beasts of the Three Great Sage Regions combined couldn't harm this Yama-like giant in the slightest.
So this was the Sage of Six Paths's weapon! That's not surprising then. Anything related to the Sage of Six Paths has a significant background.
The cats gasped. Fortune noticed the name Madara that Ryou mentioned. "Idiot Ryou, Idiot Ryou, who is Old Demon Madara?"
Ryou replied, "Uchiha Madara!"
"Nani?!"
"The Ancestor isn't dead yet?"
"Impossible. The Ancestor was clearly killed by the First Hokage at the Valley of the End. That's what Cat Granny said."
The Ninja Cats of the Sora-ku aren't completely independent like the summoning sacred lands of Mount Myōboku or Shikkotsu Forest. Cat Granny is a human, an old woman who specifically manages the Uchiha Clan's Ninja Cats.
These Ninja Cats are all subordinates of the Uchiha Clan and regard Madara as their Ancestor. They hold the great figures of the Uchiha Clan in high respect.
In a short while, Ryou told his Ninja Cats the specific situation after his defection.
Only then did the Ninja Cats understand that it was essentially Ryou who had revived Madara.
Fortune jumped onto the table and laughed loudly, "Idiot Ryou, we've struck it rich. This time we've really struck it rich!"
"The First Hokage passed away long ago. In today's Ninja World, who can still be a match for the Ancestor?"
"Our Uchiha... is going to rule the Ninja World!"
Tsunade remained silent. Fortune was right; in a world without Hashirama, no one could stop Madara!
Could it be that the Ninja World is about to fall into Madara's demonic hands?
Ryou had no joy in his heart. If Fortune and the others knew about Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan, they would definitely make a fuss.
Madara's goal was to rule the Ninja World, yes, but he wouldn't establish an Uchiha dynasty.
What he wanted to build was a utopia, a utopia without conflict.
Such a person is indeed a saint, but if they take the wrong path, they become Thanos.
Fortune's wish to join Madara and divide the Ninja World was destined to fail. He'd just be hung up to dream his daydreams!
Candy remained calm and looked at Ryou. "Ryou, what is Uchiha Madara's objective?"
Ryou glanced at Tsunade. Currently, Madara had only revealed the Eye of the Moon Plan to Ryou and Obito; others didn't know Madara's ultimate goal.
If others knew Madara planned to collect the Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails, they might be driven to kill the Tailed Beasts directly. While it wouldn't stop him, it could greatly delay Madara's plan.
Ryou saw no need to reveal Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan. He said, "Madara's goal—well, he feels that the Ninja World established by the First Hokage is a failure."
"So he wants to reshape the Ninja World!"
Fortune was overjoyed. "Great, reshaping is good! Come on, let's go kowtow to the Ancestor right now. Later, we'll establish a Land of Cats, and I'll be the Daimyo."
Fortune was busy trying to join Madara. These cats no longer had the heart to return to Sora-ku and mingle with the Uchiha Clan's Ninja Cats.
Everyone wanted to invest early while Madara didn't have many talents around him; it would be too late to get a position later.
The Uchiha Clan had once betrayed Madara, so Madara didn't care about the Uchiha people at all, but the Ninja Cats of Sora-ku had never betrayed him.
The Ninja Cats still held Madara in great reverence.
Fortune, Candy, and Snowy all went to show their filial piety to Madara. Only Fried Rice was still feeding Tsunade.
Ryou walked up. "Fried Rice, let me feed her. You go make your best dish and send it to Old Dem, ahem—Ancestor Madara!"
"Understood, Master!"
Ryou stood up and let Fried Rice go cook for Madara.
Madara had been hiding underground for so many years, relying on the Gedo Statue for his daily nutrition. He probably hadn't tasted delicious food in a long time.