Ryou leaned in to eat, but Tsunade pushed his head away forcefully.
Ryou said, "Back then, Madara didn't hesitate to break with your grandfather, abandon the Uchiha Clan, and leave Konoha."
"After hiding underground for nearly half a century, if you go and tell him now that the Eye of the Moon Plan is no good and is just a scam..."
"...do you think he'll kill you?"
"..."
Tsunade slumped dejectedly, her hands no longer trying to stop Ryou.
The Eye of the Moon Plan had become an obsession for Madara; not even those closest to him could persuade him to turn back.
Since reasoning didn't work, then negotiations would be conducted using the Ninjutsu known as 'Truth'.
As the Third Ninja World War was nearing its end, it flared up once more, lighting up the sky!
War—an even greater war—was coming!
Konan turned her head to steal a glance.
"(◯Δ◯∥)."
In her excitement, Konan accidentally healed the giant Salamander in her hands to death. Gripping the dead Salamander, she stared wide-eyed at Tsunade and Ryou.
The older generation... they sure play wild!
"Tsun... ade... I'm really... not joking. Madara... was infuriated by the people of Konoha... He ordered me to marry you tomorrow."
Ryou's voice was a bit muffled.
Tsunade suddenly snapped back to her senses. Looking at the pervert under the desk, she immediately realized how absurd she was being.
Looking back, she saw Konan peeking through her fingers.
I'm doomed!
"(/ω＼)."
Tsunade felt like crying from the breakdown. Her image in front of Konan was completely ruined, and she had even wanted to lure Konan away from Jiraiya's tutelage!
Now, all her plans had gone down the drain.
Tsunade slapped Ryou, then pulled up her pants and left, too ashamed to show her face.
Tsunade slammed the door as she left, her shout still echoing back: "Marry you? In your dreams! I will never marry an evil Uchiha in this lifetime!"
Ryou crawled out from under the desk and shouted at Tsunade's back, "Tsunade, you have to marry me whether you want to or not! This isn't for you to decide!"
Candy sat on the desk eating a lollipop, looking coldly at Ryou. "Truly the most spineless Uchiha, actually kneeling before someone from the Senju Clan."
"How dare you!"
Ryou was furious and reached out to grab Candy, but Candy hopped away, landing where Konan was practicing Medical Ninjutsu.
Candy noticed the Giant Salamander in Konan's hands. "Is this the Giant Salamander specialty of Amegakure?"
Konan nodded. "Yes, Fish Ball caught it."
"After Fish Ball summoned Ibuse, he wanted to eat it, but he couldn't beat it. So, he could only follow Ibuse into the swamp to catch Giant Salamanders."
"Fried Rice and Sister Kiyomi have already started cooking; we'll have Salamander soup tonight."
Candy nodded. It had no interest in such nourishing foods; Candy only liked sweets.
Back in Konoha, it often pestered Ryou to buy it tri-color Dango, and it had even become friends with Anko.
"Konan, come, I'll give you Tenten!"
Ryou walked up to Konan and bowed deeply as if performing a grand ceremony. Scared, Konan turned tail and ran.
She didn't dare accept such a grand gesture.
With Konan gone, Ryou was a bit speechless. "Honestly, what's wrong with letting someone have a little taste? It's not like I'm asking for a piece of their flesh."
Candy was also speechless.
Ryou picked up Candy and headed toward the Hashirama cells research lab.
"Tonight, I shall ascend and become a dragon!"
...
Meanwhile, in far-off Konoha, Orochimaru had also begun the cell fusion surgery for his disciple.
He first studied the cells of Obito that Sakumo had brought back.
While researching the White Zetsu cells within Obito's cells, Orochimaru spoke to Hatake Sakumo. "Sakumo, well? Do you feel any reluctance now that you've seen your former Village?"
Sakumo stood as straight as a sharp blade. He said, "I do feel reluctant. Seeing the hardships Kakashi has endured these past few years, I feel a deep sense of self-reproach."
"I've failed Kakashi, and even more so, my late wife."
While using a microscope to observe the degree of fusion between Obito's cells and the White Zetsu cells, Orochimaru chuckled. "Sakumo, do you regret it?"
Sakumo shook his head. "I don't regret saving my comrade. What I regret is not taking responsibility for it and weakly choosing suicide."
Even though the comrade he saved had also blamed him, he still didn't regret his choice.
He knew that was wrong.
90% of Ninjas would have chosen the mission in that situation.
Sakumo chose his comrade, and so he died.
What Sakumo regretted was that his heart hadn't been firm enough. If you make a mistake, you must admit it; if you're being hit, you must stand tall.
If you're wrong, find a way to make amends, rather than committing suicide to end it all.
That was a form of escapism.
Orochimaru smiled. "The biggest mistake in that whole affair was your suicide. It directly maximized Konoha's losses at the time. My teacher really wanted to commit suicide along with you back then."
How could one describe Konoha's loss?
It was like having a Heart of Africa in your secure container, then finding a red tier item while extracting. The moment you take out the Heart of Africa to put in the red item...
...you get sniped and killed.
That kind of heartache was like having pain-sharing turned on; you could see his agony even through a screen.
The loss was maximized! How could the Third Hokage not want to kill himself at that time?
Sakumo felt a bit awkward. Some things only reveal how impulsive they were in hindsight. This is why one shouldn't make major life decisions at night.
Especially right after finishing Sage Mode.
Hiruko sneered. "Were those ignorant masses not at fault? It was the cold words from their mouths that pushed Konoha's sharpest blade off the cliff."
Orochimaru nodded. "They were indeed at fault. If I had become Hokage, I would have struck hard. These unruly subjects... if you don't show them who's Boss, they'll really try to turn the world upside down."
Sakumo shook his head helplessly.
"(⚆ᗝ⚆)."
Anko had been standing there in shock, like she was being punished. Look at what she had seen!
Kakashi's father, the Ninja who once slashed through enemies the fastest in Konoha—the White Fang.
Hiruko? This person didn't have much of a reputation, but he was heard to be the unlucky fellow killed by Ryou.
How were they resurrected?
As if hearing Anko's inner thoughts, Hiruko turned and gave her a terrifying smile.
Anko's scalp immediately went numb with fear.
Sakumo quickly tried to soothe her. "This child is Mitarashi's, isn't she?"
Orochimaru nodded. "She's the child of my subordinate. I adopted her. Her talent isn't great, but she's much stronger than some trash."
Anko was a bit indignant. "Orochimaru-sensei, I was the top student of my year! Even Hayate from the upper grades couldn't beat me."
Orochimaru smiled and apologized. "Alright, alright, Anko is a genius. But after today, little Anko will be even more of a genius."
Anko was pleasantly surprised. "Orochimaru-sensei, what are you planning to have me do?"
Orochimaru spoke of his past embarrassment. "The surname 'Mitarashi' is truly too embarrassing for me. Every time someone asks for my disciple's name, I'm too ashamed to say it."
"Anko, from now on, your surname shall be Senju!"