"Nagato and those little guys have been restless lately. It seems they want to find a teacher who can teach them skills..."
Aloe White Zetsu brought up another matter.
"They want to learn skills? It is indeed time for them to learn..."
Uchiha Madara murmured to himself.
Nagato would inevitably interact with the outside world. This was something he couldn't avoid. Moreover, he had to learn skills. If he couldn't even master chakra, how would he perform the Rinne Rebirth Technique to revive Madara later?
Right now, Uchiha Ryun and Nagato were about the same age. One had already earned a fearsome reputation, while the other was still engaged in petty theft...
Uchiha Madara's ideal plan was for both of them to fall into darkness and eventually unite to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan to revive the Ten-Tails.
If one was too strong and the other too weak, such a pairing wouldn't last.
Although he believed Nagato, with the power of the Rinnegan, would rise sooner or later, he feared that his growth might be too slow, leading to too many variables.
"Let them search for now... If they truly can't find a decent teacher to guide them, I'll step in then..."
At this point, Uchiha Madara was still capable of moving. If no one could teach Nagato, he would take responsibility as a last resort.
He wasn't yet so old that he couldn't walk, but he simply didn't want to appear before the outside world in such a decrepit state.
Even many years later, when he was toothless and frail, he would still be capable of teaching Uchiha Obito.
Konoha Village.
When the frontline victory report reached Konoha, the entire village erupted in celebration. Every villager cheered for the village's ultimate triumph.
The names of the Sannin and Uchiha Ryun were once again pushed to the forefront of public discussion.
The news of the four working together to defeat the "Demigod" and capture him quickly spread throughout the Land of Fire and even radiated across the entire ninja world.
The four Konoha heroes had secured the final victory in this battle, not only allowing Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others to stand tall but also greatly boosting the confidence of everyone in Konoha.
The village's leadership could now focus entirely on confronting another of the Five Great Nations—the Land of Wind!
When Uchiha Asuka heard the victory report and her son's name broadcasted through the Konoha radio, she burst into tears of joy. The worries in her heart vanished completely with the end of the war.
Her son had become a hero on par with the "Sannin." Now, wherever she went, she was met with warmth and respect.
The Yunkā Flower Shop had to close temporarily because business was too overwhelming, and the customers were too enthusiastic...
"Auntie, Ryun has become a Konoha hero. Please forgive him... He'll be back soon..."
At Ryun's home, Kushina obediently massaged Asuka's shoulders, her demeanor extremely attentive.
The war in the Land of Rain was about to end. The boy she loved most—and who loved her most—would soon return!
And he would come back with victory and glory.
The thought of seeing him again soon made Kushina giddy with excitement. She couldn't wait to receive her beloved Ryun's affection.
"What does being a Konoha hero have to do with anything? Does being a hero give him the right to deceive his parents? Nana, stop defending him. I won't forgive that little rascal!"
Though Asuka claimed she wouldn't forgive him, anyone could see how happy she was right now...
No one was prouder of her son's achievements than her. No one was happier about his return than her.
"Auntie, if you don't forgive him and refuse to let the Konoha hero come home, if he throws a tantrum at the doorstep, people will gossip about you..." Kushina teased.
"Who dares gossip? I'll tear their mouths, break their legs, or kick them out of the house—at the very least, one of those three things will happen. That unfilial brat is just too infuriating!"
Asuka clenched her fists to emphasize her determination.
Seeing Asuka's reaction, Kushina could only smile helplessly while secretly thinking:
A Konoha hero couldn't be crippled, and his mouth couldn't be torn—how else would he kiss her?
As for being kicked out of the house? That was somewhat acceptable... Ryun had plenty of money. He could just rent a place nearby, and their shameless semi-cohabitation life could begin! It would even help them avoid Asuka's watchful eyes...
Kushina couldn't help but giggle at the thought.
"Nana, what are you laughing about? Why did you suddenly snort like a pig? You think he deserves it too, right?" Asuka hadn't yet realized that someone had already betrayed her in their heart...
"Ah! N-no, nothing! I just think he's so pitiful..." Kushina quickly forced a smile.
"Pitiful? How is he pitiful? I haven't even beaten him yet, and you're already pitying him... Why don't you pity me? I'm the one who was completely fooled!"
Asuka rolled her eyes.
This girl had clearly been brainwashed by her son and was no longer on the same side as her...
"Isn't having his legs broken, mouth torn, or being kicked out pitiful? Even one of those would be tragic..." Kushina said with a smile.
"But he hasn't been punished yet! After he returns and I discipline him, then you can pity him..."
"0.0"
Time passed quickly. Ten days had gone by since the final battle between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain.
The post-war negotiations between Konoha and Amegakure, as well as between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain, had concluded. The Konoha shinobi had also received orders to return to the village.
"Where's Jiraiya? We're about to head back, but I haven't seen him these past two days." Ryun asked Orochimaru and Tsunade curiously.
"That guy plans to stay in the Land of Rain temporarily to handle some leftover issues for Konoha," Tsunade replied casually.
Ryun raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking of a possibility.
"He took a liking to three war orphans (Nagato, Yahiko, Konan) and decided to stay in the Land of Rain to take care of them..."
Despite the presence of other shinobi nearby, Orochimaru lowered his voice to answer his disciple's question.
'As expected... Uchiha Madara really is fearless...'
Ryun couldn't help but admire Uchiha Madara's boldness. Despite Ryun's recent attempts to target the Rinnegan, Madara still dared to let Nagato roam freely and even allowed him to openly interact with the Sannin.
Perhaps Madara had never taken the "Sannin" seriously—or rather, he had never regarded anyone other than Hashirama Senju as a threat...
Faced with this situation, Ryun couldn't think of a countermeasure.
Now, Nagato was openly under Jiraiya's protection and secretly guarded by the White Zetsu. Ryun could no longer stop his rise!
Ryun's current strength was no match for Uchiha Madara. Whether in open conflict or covert schemes, he was still far from qualified. Even if he knew many things, what could he do?
Change required power. Changing the course of the ninja world required extraordinary power—and Ryun was still too young...
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