"Uh, I mean, what's there to lose by trying?"
Tōshirō's eagerness to help was partly due to his admiration for the Miko's actions, and partly because he coveted her body.
A unique creature like the Miko, if there was an opportunity, he naturally wanted to study her thoroughly.
Perhaps it could even become a chance for him to level up in the future.
First, by helping her eliminate Mōryō, he would establish a bond, and then he could naturally proceed to study the Miko's body.
Tōshirō looked at Orochimaru with expectation.
It was great to have a research-oriented friend...
Suiren pondered, as if deep in thought.
Sometimes, in such situations, you have to actively push. Tōshirō eagerly and proactively said, "If you don't say anything, I'll take that as your tacit approval..."
Suiren looked at the forehead protector on Tōshirō's head, as if recalling something, and said, "You're Leaf ninjas, aren't you?"
A sudden remark, Tōshirō didn't understand why, and responded, "Yes, why?"
"In the past, Leaf once helped a Miko seal Mōryō."
Upon hearing this, Tōshirō and the others were all stunned: "Who was it?"
Suiren replied: "Hashirama Senju."
"That's truly interesting..." Orochimaru let out a raspy laugh, looking at Tsunade: "Wouldn't you say so?"
"Grandfather..."
Tsunade lowered her head, murmuring softly.
Suiren talked about it: "This was before I was born..."
Connecting it to a certain protagonist later on, Tōshirō easily stated: "Perhaps our appearance here is also part of fate, who knows."
Each time Mōryō revives, its power becomes stronger than before, and sometimes the Miko has to rely on the strength of others.
Perhaps connecting to this relationship, Suiren agreed to Tōshirō's kind offer: "Perhaps. Then I'll trouble you..."
She had already foreseen Tōshirō's death. Although it felt a bit unfair to the young man in front of her, in a way, at least she didn't have to worry about him dying at Mōryō's hands.
"No, no, you're too polite. I'm helping you, partly because your deeds are worthy of respect, and partly because I'm seeking remuneration."
Tōshirō smiled broadly, looking at the lavish decorations around him, thinking that the Land of Demons seemed quite wealthy.
"Tōshirō, how can you say such rude things..."
Tsunade's mouth twitched, maintaining the utmost restraint; her boyfriend's behavior was truly infuriating.
She felt that the successive Miko sacrificing themselves, sealing Mōryō without seeking reward, was such a noble and great deed.
How could this Tōshirō guy even dare to mention money? It was too vulgar.
"Why are you glaring at me? I'm just telling the truth."
Tōshirō said, pretending to be wronged: "I'm the future Uchiha clan head. To ensure a good life for my clan members, I naturally have to start accumulating some assets now."
Tsunade exposed him: "Don't use the Uchiha clan as a shield. I think you're just greedy for money."
"..."
Tsunade waved her hand grandly: "Lady Suiren, you don't need to pay attention to this guy. We don't seek any reward for this mission."
Tōshirō: ...
This spendthrift woman...
Suiren had a smile on her face: "It's fine, seeking remuneration is human nature. The shrine has accumulated a lot of wealth. You can take whatever you want."
All this money was from the local people, who regularly offered it to her each year out of gratitude for her outstanding contributions.
In reality, she did nothing; she just sat in the shrine every day, meditating, practicing sealing techniques, and so on...
Little did they know, it was precisely her inaction that was much better than the oppressive behavior of other feudal lords.
"The boss is generous!"
Tōshirō's eyes sparkled as he flattered her: "Oh, oh, as expected of Lady Miko! As long as I'm here, Mōryō won't be able to touch a single hair on you."
Tsunade gave him a sidelong glance, telling him to shut up, then turned to Suiren and said somewhat awkwardly, "This doesn't feel right..."
"I've never touched this money, and I'm not interested in it," Suiren shook her head, speaking indifferently.
Upon hearing her words, everyone couldn't help but marvel; she truly was a woman of fresh and refined taste.
Tōshirō's cheeks puffed out, his lips tightly sealed, as if he was trying hard to suppress a laugh.
Suiren saw Tōshirō's expression and looked directly at him: "Did what I say amuse you?"
"Nothing..."
Tōshirō casually brushed it off. Looking at Suiren's bulging belly, he changed the subject: "Speaking of which, since the Miko possesses the power to seal Mōryō, uh, why doesn't she have more children..."
"Hey, Tōshirō..."
Tsunade placed her hand on Tōshirō's head, stopping him from being so rude, partly to give him an out.
Suiren didn't pay too much attention to Tōshirō's rude behavior; in her eyes, it was simply frankness. Her smile was calm and gentle: "The Miko's birth method is different from ordinary humans; only one is born in a lifetime."
"Does that mean no male is needed?"
It wasn't Tōshirō who said this, but Orochimaru, who was beside them.
Mito nodded, acknowledging it.
"That's truly incredible," Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils showed an interested expression.
Tōshirō looked at Suiren in surprise.
He distinctly remembered Shion telling Naruto to "lend me your power" back then.
Was it not that kind of power? If it's asexual reproduction, wouldn't that make them like paramecium? Tōshirō really wanted to blurt that out.
...
A few days later.
Night.
The bright moon hung in the sky, casting a pure moonlight.
Shrine, second floor.
Tōshirō crossed his arms, leaning on the railing, looking down at the Land of Demons soldiers patrolling below, bored, and let out a yawn.
"Hey, you're on a mission right now, so focus!"
Tsunade delivered a chop to his head, scolding him.
Tōshirō woke up, all drowsiness gone: "That hurt, you know."
Tsunade snorted: "It's supposed to hurt."
Suiren was in the room behind them, in labor. It was a critical moment, and there was no room for carelessness.
Mōryō's soul and body were sealed separately.
The soul was in a shrine in the Land of Fire, and the body was in a shrine in the neighboring Land of Swamps.
Tōshirō and Tsunade were protecting Suiren, who was giving birth, while Orochimaru and Jiraiya were sent to guard the shrine where Mōryō's soul was sealed tonight.
Due to his absolute confidence in his own strength, Tōshirō acted very nonchalantly during this mission: "You don't understand. I was being lackadaisical on purpose, to expose a weakness and lure the enemy in."
Tsunade grumbled, "I think you're clearly just making excuses."
"Believe what you want."
Tōshirō spread his hands. With nothing to do, he looked up at the night sky. The moon tonight was bright and clear. Recalling something, he put away his nonchalant attitude and smiled faintly: "The moonlight tonight is truly beautiful."
Tsunade was puzzled, thinking he was talking nonsense: "Don't give me that irrelevant talk."
Tōshirō pouted, feeling bored: "How unromantic. I thought you'd at least blush a little when you heard me say that."
Tsunade looked confused: "What does you saying the moon is beautiful have to do with me blushing?"
"Do you know? When a man tells a woman that the moonlight tonight is beautiful, it's actually a confession."
Tsunade was startled: "A confession?"
Tōshirō smiled and explained: "It's pretty much like 'I love you.'"
Tsunade tilted her head, looking like she was having a hard time understanding.
"Talking to a brick wall," Tōshirō sighed: "Ah, truly a summer insect cannot speak of ice."
"Summer insect?" Tsunade murmured, then flared up in anger: "Hey, are you calling me an insect?!"
"As the saying goes, 'brainless.'"
A vein throbbed on Tsunade's forehead: "You won't be touching my chest anymore."
Tōshirō went along with it gracefully: "But I think clumsy girls are cute."
"Oh, you dare call me clumsy..." Tsunade puffed out her cheeks, looking like an angry baby: "You're the clumsy one, okay?"
At that moment, a white slug with a blue stripe on its back, perched on Tsunade's shoulder, spoke in a soft, squishy voice: "Lady Tsunade and Lord Tōshirō truly enjoy flirting."
It was Tsunade's summon, named Katsuyu, only one character different from her species, the蛞蝓 (slug). It possessed the ability to create clones, each clone being a part of its body, and they had telepathic abilities with each other.
It was because of this ability that Tsunade summoned Katsuyu's clones.
One was perched on her, and another Katsuyu was in the room behind them, ready to deal with any sudden situations.
Tsunade retorted: "We're not flirting at all!"
"Yes, yes..."
While saying this, Katsuyu was thinking something else entirely.
Since he was idle anyway, the bored Tōshirō poked fun at Katsuyu: "Speaking of which, Katsuyu, you're female, right?"
Slugs are asexual creatures, but in this world, it was a different matter.
"What's wrong?"
Katsuyu's voice was soft, but she felt that Tōshirō's gaze was ill-intentioned.
"Katsuyu, have any of your kind ever confessed to you?"
"Idiot, why are you asking that?"
Tsunade scolded him verbally, but the expression on her face betrayed her thoughts, revealing a gossipy look.
Katsuyu looked at Tōshirō strangely: "Lord Tōshirō, why are you asking this?"
The mischievous Tōshirō said with interest: "Just assume I'm being nosy."
Katsuyu didn't answer directly: "For a creature like me, even if I wanted to find one, there wouldn't be any of my kind."
As one of the Three Great Sage Regions, Katsuyu's situation was quite different from the other two; typically, a Sage Region would have many offspring besides the main one.
"Oh, really? Want me to set you up with someone?" Tōshirō asked with a mischievous grin.
(End of Chapter)
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