Ryoma never expected that living like a salted fish would cause so many misunderstandings.
Still, seeing how much Uzumaki Mito cared for him—going so far as to invite Shizune to check on his condition—warmed his heart.
This old lady really did treat him like her own grandchild.
"Let me see…"
Shizune stepped up to Ryoma, gently taking his hands to examine them.
"Uh…"
Ryoma instinctively took a couple of steps back.
"Ryoma-kun, don't move if you're injured! Let me check your body…"
Before he could react, Shizune caught him, and Ryoma shut his eyes.
"Well… since Shizune-chan insists on checking my body, I'll leave it to you."
"Pfft!"
Shizune gave him a sharp glare, her expression saying, this brat is making it sound like I'm doing something indecent.
Kushina covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Hmph, serves you right for saying that!"
Shizune pinched the soft flesh at Ryoma's waist, a spot that hurt even a trained shinobi.
It was a move she'd used before on unruly patients who tried to tease her.
However, this time, her fingers stopped mid-twist.
So hard…
Ahem—such a solid body.
She quickly regained her composure and began her medical examination.
"Very healthy… not a scratch on him. And such a huge chakra reserve…"
As a medical-nin, Shizune knew anatomy well, and the results surprised her.
At his age, this chakra amount rivals that of a jōnin!
After a thorough check, she turned to Uzumaki Mito.
"Mito-sama, his body's in excellent condition—no sign of injury at all. Maybe I just can't detect it… If possible, how about letting my teacher examine him?"
Ryoma, listening from the side, felt his eyelid twitch.
First Shizune checks my body, and now they want Tsunade to look me over?
Uzumaki Mito's expression brightened. "Tsunade-hime is coming back?"
She hadn't seen her granddaughter in years.
Partly to keep Tsunade safe, and partly because Tsunade herself had no wish to return to Konoha—a place full of painful memories.
"I don't know," Shizune admitted. "Or… Ryoma could come to see the teacher instead?"
Uzumaki Mito shook her head firmly. "Not for now. Things haven't been stable lately—Kushina was just kidnapped recently, and Ryoma, as the last bloodline of the Senju clan, must be protected."
Shizune understood and nodded. "Alright, Mito-sama. I'll head back and report to the teacher."
"Be careful on the road," Mito said.
Outside the Uzumaki residence, a child had been playing with ants all day, keeping an eye on the courtyard.
Ryoma never left.
After a while, Kushina stepped out.
The child plucked a branch, causing tiny shoots to sprout into a few words: Kushina out.
He tossed the branch into a nearby alley.
Later, Kushina returned with Shizune.
Another branch: Kushina + Shizune back.
Not long after, Shizune left alone.
A third branch flew into the alley.
At Root Headquarters, Danzo received the reports from the child.
"Ryoma hasn't gone out? Wasn't Kushina supposed to take him to visit Minato and Hatake Sakumo?"
"Shizune went in… could Ryoma be injured?"
Danzo turned to the other person in the room—Orochimaru.
Orochimaru licked his lips lazily. "No. My teacher arrived last night. What's wrong?"
"Shizune's visit could mean Ryoma's hurt," Danzo said flatly. "Possibly from rescuing Kushina."
Orochimaru shrugged. "Maybe. Where are you setting up my new lab?"
"Here in Konoha," Danzo replied without hesitation. He clearly wanted more from Orochimaru.
The sannin didn't object. "Fine. I heard one of the survivors from that experiment five years ago is still alive. The one called Yamato, right?"
Danzo nodded, producing two small wooden branches. "Look—see the words on these? This is Wood Release."
Orochimaru's eyes lit up with predatory interest. "Perfect. I'll start experimenting on him first."
"When you capture Ryoma, send him to me," Danzo said, his gaze fixed on Orochimaru.
"Whether it's Yamato or Ryoma, they'll be transferred to your care—but you are not to 'experiment' recklessly this time. The last trials were shut down because you took things too far."
Orochimaru's eyes glinted with a predatory light. He smiled thinly. "I only want a little of their blood. That won't kill them."
With that, Orochimaru turned and left, his coat swaying behind him.
A bunch of fools… they think they're negotiating terms, but they've already been played.
Two days passed.
The children stationed by Root to watch the Uzumaki residence had been rotated out.
Yamato had been transferred elsewhere.
The Root operatives hidden in the area continued to wait for Ryoma to appear.
But in all that time—not even a glimpse of him.
"Don't tell me Ryoma's planning to stay indoors for a whole month?"
"This is a waste of time."
Even Danzo, sitting in Root Headquarters, was growing impatient.
"Wait one more day. If Ryoma hasn't shown himself by three o'clock tomorrow morning, withdraw."
Danzo couldn't fathom why the boy was such a recluse, but he knew this much: if the Root's Ten Elite kept sitting here, the rest of the organization's work would grind to a halt.
That brat is far too cautious.
Inside his room, Ryoma studied the fusion progress—it had reached 20%.
He opened his status panel:
Name: Ryoma
Strength: Elite Jōnin
Rank: Jōnin
Character Card: SSS-Rank — Senju Hashirama (Fusion: 20.09%)
Kekkei Genkai: God-tier Wood Release (from character card)
Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God Technique Lv3, Impure World Reincarnation Lv3, Chidori Lv3, Multiple Shadow Clone Technique Lv3
Thirty times the normal fusion speed… truly impressive.
Even while living like a salted fish, his ninjutsu had improved.
Now all four had reached Level 3—basic mastery.
With a 20% fusion rate, even Orochimaru might not be able to harm him.
He finally had the ability to protect himself.
And with that…
Ryoma decided his short salted fish phase was over.
It was time to move.