Candy swiped at Ryou with a claw, then rushed forward, tearing Kakashi's little yellow book to shreds in no time.
"Candy—"
Ryou was a bit angry.
Candy jumped onto Ryou's shoulder and patted his head with a paw: "Idiot, is this really the time to be reading this?"
"Minato and Danzo are already preparing for tomorrow's meeting between Amegakure and the Akatsuki, and you're still reading dirty books?"
"Look at you, pale face, oily forehead. Look in the mirror, where's your Uchiha spirit?"
Candy said, pulling out a mirror and holding it up to Ryou.
Ryou was not in good condition, like someone who had overindulged, because he was truly exhausted today.
Ryou looked at Candy's mirror and touched his face: "I've been so ravaged by wine and women that I've become this haggard?"
"From today onwards, I quit drinking!"
Ryou clapped his hands together, releasing about ten spore clones to train, preparing for tomorrow's battle.
Fire Release for Fire Release, Chidori for Chidori, Super Strength for Super Strength... As for his main body, Ryou put all his energy into the Fire Release Rasengan, preparing it as his trump card for tomorrow.
Candy nodded in approval.
After training for a while, Ryou asked Candy: "Candy, what's the situation with Old Demon Madara? Is he dead? If he is, we need to hurry back and inherit his legacy."
"No, Nagato's Rinnegan is Old Demon Madara's most important legacy."
The Black Zetsu on Obito's body perked up its ears. These young people, couldn't they plot a little more quietly?
A black line appeared on Candy's forehead: "No, the poison in Madara's body has almost been cleared, and he has already started to act."
Ryou sighed, glanced upwards, and began to mourn for Nagato and the others.
Ryou and Jiraiya were good friends, so he was also their grand-uncle. He wondered if he could save Konan then?
As for Yahiko and Nagato, they'd have to fend for themselves!
"Candy, use my name to call two courtesans from the Crimson Sake House and send them to Yahiko and Nagato. Let them be adults for once!"
"This is their grand-uncle's last gift to them."
Candy was speechless: "Alright!"
With that, Candy transformed into Ryou's appearance and went to the 'chicken shop' to order roast chicken... Kusagakure.
A dark brown giant Gedo Statue sat cross-legged in the center of Kusagakure, like an ancient demon.
Konoha's reconnaissance squad was observing every move of Kusagakure from outside.
They had known Madara's exact location, within Kusagakure, for days.
But they still couldn't infiltrate it.
The Aburame Clan's insects and the Inuzuka Clan's dogs went in but couldn't return.
Konoha's Ninja could only use the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan to spy on Madara's situation.
Madara had been staying at the Gedo Statue's location, seemingly meditating, without any movement.
A Jonin from the Senju Clan asked Hizashi: "How is it? Have you found Lady Tsunade's location?"
Hizashi said: "Lady Tsunade is right next to Uchiha Madara, but her Chakra has been absorbed by Wood Release, so she can't move."
The Senju Jonin, a Ninja named Senju Momotaro, looked at Shikaku and said: "Shikaku, we can't delay any longer, we must rescue Lady Tsunade as soon as possible!"
This squad had many members, including elite Ninja from the Senju Clan, the branch family head of the Hyuga Clan, people from the Inuzuka Clan, and people from the Aburame Clan.
Even the current Ino-Shika-Chō were here, and Nara Shikaku was in charge of commanding them.
On one hand, they were gathering intelligence on Madara; on the other hand, they were looking for an opportunity to rescue Tsunade.
Shikaku decisively rejected Senju Momotaro's impulsiveness: "No, that's Uchiha Madara, the man who defeated all three Sannin. We absolutely cannot act rashly."
Momotaro was furious, but there was nothing he could do.
The person who knows you best is often your enemy. The Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan had fought for over a thousand years, so they naturally knew what the Uchiha's power truly meant.
Madara, his power was that of Indra's reincarnation, no, even stronger than Indra.
Because Madara also had the power of Hashirama, he had already reached the level of the Sage of Six Paths, the progenitor of Ninshu.
After a moment of silence, Shikaku asked Momotaro: "Momotaro, do you know what that giant statue in Kusagakure is?"
Momotaro shook his head: "I don't recognize it. It's probably a very ancient Summoned Beast."
Hizashi said: "Perhaps there are records in the Hyuga Clan. I'll investigate when we get back."
Just as the few of them were speculating about the origin of the Gedo Statue.
The Gedo Statue suddenly stirred. Madara, on its large hand, slowly opened his eyelids, revealing hollow eye sockets.
Like an abyss, devouring all sunlight.
Hizashi, seeing this with his Byakugan, felt his breathing become uneven.
This was Madara, the cold-blooded Asura who emerged from the Warring States Period.
Madara felt the symptoms in his body and stretched: "This troublesome snake venom from the White Snake Sage, I've finally cleaned it out with the help of the Gedo Statue."
"So, next..."
Madara looked towards the Land of Rain, eager to open his eyes and see the colors of this world.
"Zetsu, what's the situation with Nagato?"
White Zetsu revealed its pitcher plant body next to Madara: "Nagato's Rinnegan has been noticed by Konoha. Minato is planning to take Nagato away."
"Fortunately, Ryou stopped him!"
Madara nodded: "That kid knows what's good for him!"
Zetsu continued: "Ryou still has feelings for Konoha. He could have killed Kakashi and the others but didn't kill a single one. He saved a lot of people in the Land of Rain with his Medical Ninjutsu. He still holds hope for this desperate world."
"…"
Madara fell silent, then looked towards Tsunade's location.
Tsunade was tied to a tree, watched by Ryou's three Ninja Cats.
Katsuyu's clone had already been boiled by Fish Ball, so Katsuyu wasn't with Tsunade.
Madara had hypnotized Tsunade with genjutsu before falling asleep, to prevent her from shouting and disturbing him.
"Fish Ball, take Hashirama's granddaughter, and let's go to the Land of Rain."
"Alright, Ancestor!"
Fish Ball, Fortune, and Fried Rice untied Tsunade from the tree, carried her on their backs, and jumped onto the Gedo Statue.
Freed from the Wood Release restraints, Tsunade slowly regained consciousness and immediately saw Madara.
She wanted to move, but her entire body was devoid of Chakra.
Tsunade glared darkly at Madara: "Uchiha Madara, what exactly do you want by capturing me?"
Madara put his hands on his hips and chuckled: "Tsunade, I am fulfilling your and Ryou's destiny."
"Hashirama and I were both rivals and confidants. Hashirama once wanted to arrange a marriage between us to ease the conflict between the Uchiha and Senju."
"But I've always been without a wife or children, and Izuna died young, so I didn't agree to it."
"Ryou is from a branch of my family, so he can be considered my grandson."
"I, Uchiha Madara, will play matchmaker for once and have my grandson marry Hashirama's granddaughter."
"Pah!"
Tsunade didn't appreciate it at all: "You're dreaming. I will never marry an evil Uchiha."
"How dare you!"
Fortune shouted at Tsunade, and Fish Ball directly sprayed Water Release at Tsunade.
Tsunade was instantly drenched.
"Tsunade, it's your good fortune that someone wants you, a nearly forty-year-old woman."
"My master is the most handsome man in the Uchiha Clan, and he's so strong he could 'do' a cow to death. You should be secretly delighted!"
Tsunade was taken advantage of by the two Ninja Cats and screamed in rage, but it was useless.
She was now the powerless Tsunade.
Madara shook his head, just about to leave, when a White Zetsu clones suddenly appeared.
"Lord Madara, the Ninja of Kusagakure wish to pledge allegiance to you."
Madara snorted: "Tell them to get lost, the farther the better!"
What kind of proud person was Madara? He didn't even care about the Uchiha Clan of Konoha; why would he care about Ninja from such a small country?
A dragon doesn't live with snakes, a wolf doesn't eat with dogs, and Android can't sit at an Apple table.
If Madara truly cared about others pledging allegiance, he wouldn't have been alone for so many years.
Ever since the Uchiha Clan didn't leave Konoha with him, Madara... had completely become a lone wolf.
The White Zetsu clones said: "But they brought Lord Madara a gift!"
"A gift? What kind of gift could people from a small Ninja Village bring?"
Madara was disdainful.
"Lord Madara, aren't you interested in people from the Uzumaki Clan?"
"…"
Madara fell silent. He retracted his previous statement.