Fish Ball walked up to Nagato, carrying Hanzo's scythe, and reached out a cat paw to grab Nagato's hair.
"Nagato, you're not so tough anymore!"
Ryou looked toward Konan and Tsunade's side and extended his hand. A piece of wood sprouted from where Tsunade and Konan were standing, binding Tsunade instantly.
Konan spread her wings and flew up. She was in her paper form, so the wood couldn't restrain her.
Fish Ball held the scythe against Nagato's neck and threatened, "Konan, surrender now!"
"..."
Konan felt a wave of sadness. She and Nagato had experienced this kind of situation before—the time Yahiko was captured.
Konan slowly deactivated her Dance of the Shikigami.
Even after such a heavy experience, she hadn't learned her lesson.
Because her comrades were everything to her.
Nagato was so angry he wanted to open his mouth and roar, but his Chakra had been completely devoured. His face was somewhat sunken, and he clearly didn't have the energy to keep going.
Fish Ball slapped Nagato's face with a frozen fish and smiled wickedly. "Nagato, later I'll have my master marry Konan too. Then you can be the best man and watch your favorite woman become someone else's wife."
Damn it! Move, move already!
Nagato desperately squeezed every last drop of strength from himself.
Ryou used vines to tie Tsunade up securely and snorted coldly. "Don't want to marry me? Tsunade, you're not marrying me; I'm taking you as a concubine."
"I'm going to humiliate your Senju Clan ruthlessly!"
Tsunade hissed in anger, "Curse you! I'd rather die than marry you."
Candy tied Konan up and brought her over, saying to Ryou, "Konan doesn't know what's good for her either. Marry her as well."
Ryou turned to look at Konan.
Konan said angrily, "Abducting women by force... Uchiha Ryou, you're scum!"
Ryou laughed. "I was never a hero to begin with. Candy's right. Konan, I'll marry you as well in a bit."
"Today is a good day. Might as well marry Kiyomi too!"
"Fish Ball, go see if there are any other beauties in the Hidden Rain Village. Grab them all, and I'll marry them all together."
Fish Ball asked, "Do you want the married ones too?"
Ryou nodded as if it were obvious. "Of course. Set a heart for the young girls, and a destiny for the young wives! Carry on the legacy for the wives, and bring peace to the widows."
Tsunade pointed at Ryou and cursed loudly, "You shameless Uchiha!"
Madara flew down from the sky and barked at Ryou, "What are you dawdling for?"
Ryou quickly explained, "Ancestor, it's like this: Konan isn't being cooperative either, so I thought I'd marry her too!"
six paths black rods emerged from Madara's hand as he chased Ryou to beat him. "Do you really think you're a Daimyo, that you can marry as many as you want!"
Ninjas inherited the Ninja Creed; they were not nobles and had never been corrupted by the ways of the aristocracy.
Ninjas were extremely self-disciplined, not only during missions but also in their daily lives.
For example, the Three Ninja Prohibitions.
Abstain from alcohol: no drinking before the age of 18.
Abstain from lust: Ninjas are forbidden from entering red-light districts and must not be obsessed with women.
Abstain from extravagance: A Ninja's daily life must be simple and frugal, with no pursuit of luxury, money, or material goods.
The more prestigious the name and the larger the Ninja Clan, the stricter their self-discipline.
In the Uchiha Clan, for instance, Fugaku sent Itachi to the battlefield when he was only four years old.
The Uchiha Clan was extremely strict with its members. If anyone dared to violate one of the Three Ninja Prohibitions, they would be hung up and beaten.
It was impossible for an old traditionalist like Madara, who strictly adhered to clan rules, to agree to Ryou marrying several wives.
Ryou was beaten until he howled, crying out for mercy and saying he wouldn't do it again, that he would only marry Tsunade.
After a while, Madara ordered Ryou to set up the wedding venue.
Traditional Uchiha Clan weddings were held at the Naka Shrine, with the marriage ceremony performed before the altar of their ancestor Indra. Every step followed Shinto etiquette strictly.
Since there was no Indra shrine for the Uchiha Clan in the Hidden Rain Village, Ryou used his Wood Release to create one himself.
Since they couldn't find a priest, Fish Ball and Candy were made to act as priests to preside over the Shinto wedding ceremony.
In no time, Ryou had set up the shrine, and the villagers of Amegakure gathered there.
The area around the shrine suddenly became lively.
The Ninja Cat took Tsunade to a specific room in the shrine to get her dressed and ready.
Ryou also had to go to a specific room in the shrine to get dressed.
Soon, Ryou was dressed in a formal black hakama, with the Uchiha Clan's unique fan crest on the back.
The color was primarily black, as flashy or bright colors were rejected.
There were also rules for hair: no long hair, curls, or strange styles. It had to be kept its natural black color and look clean and capable.
Shinto weddings emphasized solemnity and seriousness, much like a funeral.
Ryou couldn't sit still and ignored the Ninja Cat' rules, scurrying all over the shrine.
Dressed in clothes similar to a samurai's, Ryou went around saying "Yoshi, yoshi" to everyone he met.
The Ninjas of Kusagakure found Ryou, and Ryou even saw a familiar face.
"Ryūzetsu!"
Ryūzetsu had pure white long hair, with one side falling naturally to cover half of her face.
She wore a light beige Japanese-style sleeveless robe with deep burgundy piping on the collar and armholes, looking like a girl-next-door.
Ryūzetsu was also pleasantly surprised to see Ryou and walked over, holding the hand of her teacher, Chizu.
"Ryou-sama!"
Ryou was a bit puzzled. "Ryūzetsu, why did you come to Amegakure?"
Amegakure and the Land of Rain were not exactly good places to be.
It might be calm today, but it couldn't stay that way forever.
The Land of Rain would become the battlefield between the Five Great Nations and Madara. There was no telling how badly it would be destroyed.
Ryūzetsu looked at the leader of Kusagakure. "Lord Shirakawa sent me here."
The leader of Kusagakure, the man named Shirakawa, smiled flatteringly beside Ryou. "Ryou-sama, I heard you've worked with Ryūzetsu before. Do you think you could give her some guidance in Ninjutsu?"
The people of Kusagakure had boarded Madara's sinking ship, and they could never get off in this lifetime
Well, if they were on board, they might as well follow Madara; perhaps there would be a way forward.
The problem was that Madara looked down on them and had never valued the strength of Kusagakure.
Ryou was the same; in all of Kusagakure, all he cared about was the defenseless Uzumaki Kiyomi.
They had been punished by being sent to clean toilets for several days.
They were Ninjas, and elite Ninjas at that. How could they be made to do such lowly work?
Shirakawa heard that Ryūzetsu had spent time with Ryou, so he brought her out of the "Grass Flower," planning to use her to win Ryou over.
They were simply too desperate to move up in the world!
Ryou pointed at Shirakawa and laughed helplessly. "Look at you, so impatient!"
Shirakawa kept smiling obsequiously, waiting for Ryou's decision.
Ryūzetsu lowered her head, feeling a bit anxious.
Her talent could be considered excellent in a small Ninja village, but it wasn't enough in a great Ninja village, let alone in the Uchiha Clan, where geniuses were common.
Ryou really didn't want to see Ryūzetsu get involved in Madara's affairs.
Kiyomi appeared by Ryou's side, taking his hand and saying, "Ryou, help little Ryūzetsu! She helped me a lot when I was in Kusagakure."
Ryou nodded and patted Ryūzetsu's head. "Alright, Ryūzetsu. Come to me for Ninjutsu training from now on!"
Ryūzetsu was instantly overjoyed. "Yes, Ryou-sama!"
Shirakawa, Mui, Chizu, and the elders of Kusagakure were all delighted.
A person like Madara was not someone they could approach, and although Ryou didn't have strength as great as Madara's, with Wood Release, his future achievements could not be low.
Kusagakure was prepared to serve Ryou.