Tsunade, despite being a bit tipsy, retained her basic logic. She looked at the natural canopy Nawaki had manifested and waited for her younger brother's explanation.
Nawaki proudly introduced his ability to Tsunade all over again, beaming as he waited for his sister's praise. Tsunade was genuinely startled; according to Nawaki's description, the healing capacity of these vines surpassed even her own Katsuyu summons. If this appeared on a battlefield, it could change the tides of war in an instant!
For a moment, tears actually shimmered in the corners of Tsunade's eyes.
My foolish little brother... he's finally made something of himself!
Just then, Minato—who had been looking a bit dejected about the name—suddenly spoke up. "If your vines can transmit life force, they should be able to absorb it too, right?"
The atmosphere instantly sharpened! Everyone's gaze locked onto Nawaki. It was true; if one can give life force, taking it away should be just as effortless.
Nawaki himself was stunned. He hadn't considered that angle at all. With Minato's reminder, his brain finally "clicked." He clapped his hands and said with shock, "Wait, am I actually a carry (Main DPS)?"
The group could only roll their eyes at him.
But they all recognized his newfound power. Ren produced a laboratory mouse and handed it to Nawaki, instructing him to use the vines to devour its life force.
Nawaki complied. A vine snaked out and coiled around the mouse. With a thought, he commanded the wood to drain the creature. The once-lively mouse shriveled at a visible speed, turning into a husk before eventually crumbling into ash that scattered in the wind.
"It turned to ash?" Ren's eyelid twitched violently. Even he was shocked by this move!
Draining the life force of a biological entity instantly... in the original series, that was a power reserved for the God Tree. And now, this "goofy" Nawaki possessed it?
I suspected it before, but now I'm certain. Nawaki's Wood Style is extremely orthodox. Like Hashirama's, it stems directly from the power of the God Tree. It was just Jiraiya's "pollution" that made his initial awakening so ghoulish!
Tsunade was equally shaken. To say the "Healer" aspect was strategic was an understatement; this soul-draining ability alone could allow Konoha to suppress every other nation, making them the undisputed superpower once again!
Her expression turned solemn. "Nawaki, clear this up and come with me to see the Hokage!"
Nawaki was overjoyed. After being a ninja for so long, he finally felt truly valued! In a flash, the canopy withered away, and Nawaki used his wood style to tidy the courtyard before happily departing with Tsunade.
The remaining group looked at each other. Hikari grumbled, "Everything has to be reported to the Hokage. Can't the Hokage just pay attention to Konoha's movements himself? If something happens, shouldn't he be able to just sense it?"
Ren couldn't help but think of the Seventh Hokage, Naruto. He used countless Shadow Clones to monitor everything in Konoha, helping everyone at once. Of course, he was so busy helping the village that he neglected his own family, leading to Boruto's rebellion and resentment toward the office.
However, the "Pineapple-head" (Boruto) Ren had encountered recently didn't seem to hate the Hokage that much. It seemed that because of Ren's influence, the future had already shifted significantly. The only good news this gave Ren was confirmation that there were no parallel worlds here—there was only one timeline, and it was the one he was currently shaping.
After Nawaki left, Minato and Kushina lingered. Minato asked, "Ren, are you going to do any missions? I'm planning to take some B-rank missions to earn some money."
"B-rank..." Ren searched his memory for the difficulty level. Mostly escorting clients and fighting bandits. Even if they met rogue ninjas, they'd be weak Genin; you'd rarely see a Chunin. The pay was lackluster—nowhere near the dividends Ren made every month.
Ren declined without a second thought. Minato looked helpless; despite being a four-man cell, it felt like he was always the only one actually going on missions. It was boring, even if he didn't have to split the rewards.
After seeing the couple out, Ren turned his gaze to Mikoto, who was still sitting on the grass. "Are you not leaving yet?"
"Is that an eviction notice?" Mikoto asked with a steady smile.
"Not exactly." Ren turned to head inside, assuming she wanted some girl-talk with Hikari, when Mikoto spoke again.
"Ren... have you ever researched the Uchiha bloodline?"
The sudden question made Ren pause. Why is she asking this now? Did she find something out?
Despite his confusion, Ren's mind was steady. He turned back with an unruffled expression. "The Uchiha bloodline? I'm very interested. Why? Is Mikoto-chan offering to provide some... assistance?"
Looking at him, Mikoto actually felt the urge to activate her Sharingan just to interrogate—or rather, observe—him up close. She sighed and decided to be direct. "Ren, the day I met Kushina, I was knocked out from behind. Do you have any leads on that?"
"No idea. I spend every day in the lab; I rarely go out. How would I know about something like that?" Ren shrugged. He would never admit to clubbing Mikoto, especially not to her face!
Mikoto stared into his dark eyes for several minutes before sighing in defeat. "Fine. Perhaps I really am overthinking it." She rose, her long legs carrying her toward the exit.
Despite her words, she was now 100% certain it was Ren. She just had no evidence to prove it.
Once Mikoto was gone, Hikari nudged Ren with her elbow and whispered, "It really was you, wasn't it?"
Ren shook his head firmly. "I would never do something so lawless!"
Hikari rolled her eyes. She knew Ren too well; if it really wasn't him, he'd be teasing Mikoto mercilessly and offering to help her find the "culprit." His "righteous" act was a dead giveaway.
"So, what's your Mangekyou ability?" Hikari asked suddenly.
Ren sighed, realizing he couldn't hide it from her. Hikari pressed on, "Come on, tell me! Honestly, keeping it from me for so long!"