"We're here, we're here, stop shouting already!"
Eight White Zetsu suddenly emerged from the ground.
"Huh?" Mikoto Uchiha stared at the white figures in shock. "Where did these white creatures come from? Why didn't I notice them at all?"
Their sudden appearance felt incredibly strange to her.
"Zetsu, hurry up and help! My Main Body's power has finally activated. Quickly stabilize this weak energy before it disappears!" After speaking, Isamu rapidly formed hand seals.
Instantly, green light radiated from his hands as he pressed them against the abdomen of the body lying on the stone platform.
The eight White Zetsu also released green light, continuously channeling energy into the Main Body. Together, everyone worked to stabilize that faint energy fluctuation and prevent it from vanishing.
The group maintained their full effort for ten straight minutes before the weak energy finally stabilized completely.
At that moment, the Ten-Tails slumbering within Isamu's body slowly opened its eyes.
Boom!
A terrifying wave of energy erupted instantly.
An overwhelming aura burst out from the body lying on the stone platform. The White Zetsu, Senba, and the others were all forced back five steps by the pressure alone.
The Ten-Tails immediately began greedily devouring the surrounding Natural Energy.
'What terrifying power…'
Cold sweat formed on Senba's forehead as he stared at the floating body in shock.
'So this is Father's true strength… it's unbelievable!'
Meanwhile, Isamu watched his Main Body slowly rise into the air as Natural Energy continuously poured into it from all directions.
A long-lost smile finally appeared on his face.
With the Ten-Tails' terrifying recovery ability, it would only take around two years for the Main Body to fully recover. After so many years of effort, he had finally seen real results.
"Mikoto, help Senba back upstairs so he can rest. I'll stay here and keep watch," Isamu said after noticing Senba's trembling legs and sweat-covered face.
"Alright, Uncle Isamu." Mikoto immediately supported Senba as they slowly left the basement.
"This is incredible, Isamu!" White Zetsu said excitedly. "At this rate, he'll definitely wake up within the next few days. After so many years of hard work, we finally succeeded!"
Hearing this, Isamu quietly looked at the Main Body floating in midair.
The smile on his face gradually faded.
To be honest, he was happy the Main Body could recover. As White Zetsu said, even if full strength hadn't returned yet, simply waking up would no longer be a problem.
But…
He actually didn't want the Main Body to awaken right now.
Because the moment the Main Body awakened, he would disappear.
After living in Konoha for so many years, he had slowly developed his own independent consciousness. Truthfully, he had already grown accustomed to life with Senba.
For the Main Body to truly awaken, this consciousness would eventually need to merge back into it.
But Isamu didn't want to disappear yet.
At the same time, however, he understood clearly that without a real body, his strength had limits. He could not truly protect Senba.
Only the Main Body's unrivaled power could protect the things he cherished.
Deep down, Isamu still wanted to accompany Senba a little longer—as his "father."
"Isamu? Isamu? What's wrong?" White Zetsu asked after noticing him standing there silently.
"Oh, it's nothing." Isamu snapped back to reality. "I don't plan on waking the Main Body immediately. Let him recover completely first."
The White Zetsu didn't notice anything strange about the way Isamu referred to the body now. He had unconsciously changed from saying "myself" to "him."
His mindset was already beginning to shift.
"Oh, I see. That works too. Waking up at full strength is definitely better," White Zetsu replied casually, not thinking much about it.
Three days later, Isamu left two White Zetsu behind to guard the Main Body while he accompanied Senba on a mission.
For these final two years, he intended to stay by Senba's side as much as possible.
As the major Ninja Villages of the world began moving behind the scenes, the Ninjas of Konoha also became increasingly busy—gathering intelligence, transporting supplies, and reinforcing border defenses.
Everyone was overwhelmed with work.
"Father, is it really necessary for you to come along?" Senba asked helplessly while walking beside the convoy. "The Village didn't even assign you this mission. Doing unpaid work really doesn't sound like something you'd do."
"Stop babbling nonsense." Isamu rolled his eyes at him. "I already got permission from the Third Hokage to escort strategic supplies to the border. Even the Hokage approved it, so why are you complaining? What, are you unhappy that I came along?"
"No, no, no! Father, don't misunderstand!" Senba immediately waved his hands frantically. "I'm just not used to you suddenly being this hardworking. Having a super expert like you around is great. As long as you're here, who would be blind enough to attack us?"
"Heh, at least you know how to talk." Isamu looked quite pleased by the flattery. "You should be secretly celebrating that I came."
"Yes, yes, yes. I'm so happy I could laugh in my sleep," Senba replied with a bitter smile.
His old man's personality really was strange.
In the past, flattery would usually earn him a scolding. But now Isamu actually looked like he enjoyed hearing it.
What a weird old man.
The other Genin escorting the supply convoy looked completely dumbfounded.
Normally, Uchiha Senba always acted serious and reliable, yet in front of this young-looking Ninja, he behaved like a complete sycophant.
It was truly a rare sight.
Because Isamu was using a White Zetsu body and a transformed appearance, his looks had remained frozen at the age he was when he first returned to Konoha in his twenties.
Outwardly, he only looked a few years older than Senba.
The two looked somewhat alike as well, so many people assumed they were brothers rather than father and son.
Aside from some veteran Ninjas, almost nobody knew Isamu was actually Senba's father.
Sitting atop the supply carriage, Isamu quietly glanced at Senba before looking toward the distant scenery.
For the first time in many years, he felt genuinely relaxed.
The Main Body's issue had finally been resolved.
From now on, there was nothing else forcing him to constantly worry.
Being able to stay beside Senba, watch him grow stronger, and accompany him on missions…
He had to admit—
It truly felt wonderful.
The convoy moved slowly toward the border of the Land of Lightning, stopping occasionally along the way.
These strategic supplies were specifically intended for the Konoha forces defending against the Hidden Cloud.
The commander stationed at the border was none other than one of the Legendary Sannin—
Orochimaru.
As the military strength of the Land of Lightning was second only to the Land of Fire, ordinary commanders simply could not suppress them.
Because of that, Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally sent his prized disciple, Orochimaru, to oversee the defense as commander-in-chief.
At this point in time, Orochimaru had already begun conducting some inhumane secret experiments.
Fortunately for him, Danzo was still secretly covering everything up, preventing Hiruzen Sarutobi from discovering the truth.