"Roasted sweet potatoes!"
"Hot, sweet roasted sweet potatoes!"
The night market was ablaze with light, crowds flowing endlessly through the streets. On one side, Ito Sosuke shouted enthusiastically, while Uchiha Madara sat on a small stool beside him.
"Hey, old man… don't just sit there. Customers are coming. If you're too embarrassed to shout, at least help hand out the sweet potatoes."
"Oh… alright."
Madara hurriedly stood up, clumsily pulling two roasted sweet potatoes from the stove, wrapping them, and handing them over to the customer.
The rich aroma drew more and more people in. Soon, Madara fell into a mechanical rhythm—bending, grabbing, wrapping—his movements gradually becoming more practiced.
By the time the busiest hours passed, Ito Sosuke took out the last two sweet potatoes and handed them to Madara.
"No need for your help anymore. I can handle the rest."
…Selling sweet potatoes is actually kind of tiring.
Madara tucked one against his stomach, enjoying the warmth. With his other hand, he peeled it open, revealing the soft, steaming orange flesh. After working for so long, he was starving, and he devoured it in large bites.
Wasn't I supposed to come to Konoha to find Uchiha Ren…? Whatever. These sweet potatoes are amazing.
Madara smacked his lips, only now remembering his original purpose. But since Uchiha Ren wasn't going anywhere—he could afford to enjoy himself first.
From the shadows, a pair of yellow, bean-like eyes stared intently.
Black Zetsu.
Uchiha Madara, you idiot—what the hell are you doing?!
You spent the whole afternoon pulling useless cards!
And now you're selling sweet potatoes at night?!
The Rinnegan! The Rinnegan!!!
Have you forgotten getting beaten down by Senju Hashirama?! The future of the ninja world is waiting on you!
Black Zetsu screamed internally. Even after a thousand years of watching the world from the shadows, his composure was completely shattered.
Right now, he wanted nothing more than to rush out and slap Madara twice—drag him back underground and make him awaken the Rinnegan immediately.
Yes, the descendants of Indra always went a little insane after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan…
But this?
This was a whole new level of insanity.
Has he gone senile from staying underground too long?
…No way.
Black Zetsu had seen countless reincarnations of Indra, yet he couldn't understand Madara anymore.
Such a perfect vessel… a once-in-a-thousand-years genius who combined Indra and Asura's potential.
If Madara wasted this chance…
If he never awakened the Rinnegan…
Would he have to wait another thousand years?
Mother… I miss you…
A child without a mother is like grass. He had been that grass for a thousand years.
When would he finally have a mother again?
But there was nothing he could do.
Without inheriting Kaguya's power, he could only lurk in the shadows and guide Madara as best he could.
Everything had been going perfectly…
So why—
Why had Madara suddenly lost his mind?!
Selling sweet potatoes in Konoha… how could he—
Black Zetsu fell into silent despair.
"Old man, once we close up… do you have somewhere to stay?"
Ito Sosuke counted the remaining sweet potatoes.
"Yeah… yeah, I do."
Madara replied vaguely, still chewing.
No money for an inn? Sleeping in a tree works just fine.
"Good."
Ito Sosuke relaxed. He could only spare a few sweet potatoes—he couldn't exactly bring Madara back to his dorm or home.
Madara quickly finished eating.
"Kid, I'll complete that card set."
He was still bitter about failing to pull what he wanted.
"Forget it, old man. That card game isn't for people like us. If you don't have money, don't bother."
"I have money!"
Madara instinctively checked his pocket.
…A few coins.
But that didn't stop him from bluffing.
Money? Just a trivial matter. If he wanted, he could get millions anytime.
"Sure, sure…"
Ito Sosuke gave up arguing.
—
Night.
Laboratory.
Uchiha Ren delivered a group of Uchiha youths to Senju Tobirama.
The moment they saw him—
Their eyes widened.
The Second Hokage… wasn't dead?!
And had been hiding within the Uchiha all along?!
Ren smoothly used the same excuse he had used on Orochimaru to brush it off.
They accepted it on the surface.
But inwardly—
They knew exactly how Tobirama viewed the Uchiha.
Still, the truth didn't matter.
Ren was the Third Hokage.
That was enough.
As for the former Second Hokage?
Irrelevant.
Ren ordered them to keep everything secret and even placed the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on them as a precaution.
This gathering…
Was for an experiment that would benefit all of Konoha.
He briefly explained the Hashirama Cells project.
If successful—
The Uchiha would gain:
Immense vitality
Vast chakra reserves
Enhanced Sharingan power
Even the possibility of using Wood Release
Of course—
There was risk.
A small chance of death.
The result?
The Uchiha went wild.
This kind of opportunity actually exists?!
To seize the power of the First Hokage—Senju Hashirama?!
As for the risks?
Ignored.
Completely.
In the Uchiha, strength was everything.
Risking death for power?
Perfectly acceptable.
Some of the more perceptive ones quietly approached Ren.
The Second Hokage… helping the Uchiha obtain Hashirama's power?
Why not give it to the Senju instead?
Was he imprisoned here?
After all, only Uchiha and Orochimaru had entered this place…
Ren knocked them on the head.
"Stop talking nonsense."
Tobirama's face had already darkened.
He even spat on the ground in irritation.
"Such a low standard of conduct…"
Naturally, Orochimaru ended up cleaning it.
"Damn Uchiha…"
"Spit!"
Tobirama felt extremely frustrated.
His brother's power—
Being handed to the Uchiha.
The Senju had sacrificed so much to obtain that knowledge—
And now it was all becoming a dowry for the Uchiha.
If not for his rationality…
He really would have injected all of them with a lethal dose and sent them to meet the Sage of Six Paths.
Instead, he coldly recorded their data:
Height.
Weight.
Age.
Sharingan tomoe.
Chakra levels.
Ren wisely left him alone and turned to Orochimaru.
"Have you learned the Summoning Technique?"
If they were lucky, Orochimaru might be chosen by Ryuchi Cave…
Orochimaru shook his head.
But his gaze kept drifting toward the Uchiha.
"...What are you looking at?"
"That experiment looks interesting. Using the Hokage's clansmen as test subjects…"
His eyes were filled with desire.
Ren froze.
…That's not good either.
"Orochimaru, focus on improving Konoha's productivity. That level of experiment isn't something you're ready for yet."
It didn't work.
Orochimaru kept staring.
Ren gave up.
As long as he didn't go too far.
This version of Orochimaru hadn't been through war yet.
Still harmless.
Just overly curious.
"You can't stay in the lab forever. You'll attend the academy every day."
"No—Hokage-sama!"
"I already know everything they teach!"
"Afternoons, you can come back."
Orochimaru reluctantly agreed.
Ren then demonstrated the Summoning Technique—
Summoning a massive fat cat.
Mangji.
"…That's one big cat."
Orochimaru chose his words carefully.
Very fat.
Very… sturdy.
"Mangji, diet time."
The cat protested loudly.
Ignored.
"Repeat the hand seals."
"Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Ram."
"Good."
"With practice, you'll master it."
"I'll succeed tonight."
"Then I'll be waiting."
Ren nodded.
Summoning required precise chakra control—
A rare space-time ninjutsu.
"Tomorrow, bring Jiraiya to my office. Teach him as well."
Orochimaru's face fell again.
School…
Annoying.
"Why him?"
"He has talent. He'll become strong."
"Don't ask questions beyond your level."
Ren ruffled his hair.
Then turned toward Tobirama.
Had he signed the Shikkotsu Forest contract?
If so—
He might be able to summon Katsuyu.
No harm in trying.
Ren walked over.
"Tobirama, I need to talk to you about something important."
And somewhere in the back of his mind—
He sighed.
Why does my research supervisor expect first-year students to stay at their desks all day and clock in… this is depressing.
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