Nonō Yakushi nodded softly.
"Of course."
Danzo's expression finally relaxed. It seemed the woman hadn't completely forgotten her duty—even after leaving Root.
"Good. I'll have someone pick him up later. Also, there's another matter—I'd like you to deliver this letter to the Fourth Raikage."
He retrieved a tightly sealed scroll from his inner robes and placed it on the desk.
"You're more familiar with the environment in Kumogakure than anyone else I can trust. Only you have the skill to get close without arousing suspicion."
Nonō's gaze landed on the scroll. A letter for the Fourth Raikage... this could only mean another secret deal, a new backdoor alliance. She knew Danzo's methods all too well.
However, her expression darkened.
She could not leave the orphanage right now.
The children depended on her. Without her, they had no one to feed them, to protect them, or to offer warmth in a world ravaged by war.
With quiet resolve, she said,
"Lord Danzo, please allow me to refuse this mission. I've already left Root."
Danzo's lone visible eye narrowed.
Did she think leaving Root absolved her of obligation?
Were it not for the orphanage serving as a pipeline for recruiting Root operatives, he would've long considered her departure a betrayal—worthy of death.
He coldly replied,
"I advise you to reconsider. If you refuse, I will no longer be able to provide funding for this orphanage."
Nonō's face went pale.
"Lord Danzo, that's not right. Without financial support, these children will starve…"
Danzo said nothing further. The silence that followed was suffocating.
She understood. He had struck where it hurt most—her heart.
If she did not comply, the orphanage would fall apart. And Danzo? He couldn't care less about a few war orphans. All he cared about was obedience.
With great difficulty, she finally said,
"…Very well. I will deliver the letter to the Fourth Raikage."
"However, with my skills, escaping once I've made contact is nearly impossible. I'll hand the letter over to his secretary instead—will that suffice?"
Danzo nodded.
The Fourth Raikage was strong—one of the fastest shinobi alive. As long as the letter reached someone close to him, the mission would be considered a success.
Moreover, Nonō was still bound by the Root's Tongue Curse Seal—even if she were captured, she could not betray Danzo or his plans.
"You complete this mission, and I'll ensure the orphanage is financially stable. You needn't worry about anything else."
Elsewhere, Uchiha Fugaku, now off-duty, found Ryosuke and informed him about the outcome of Asuma Sarutobi's punishment, along with the secret deal struck with the Third Hokage.
Fugaku respected Ryosuke immensely. The young man was no longer just another clan member—he was the anchor of the Uchiha clan. A stabilizing force, and perhaps its greatest hope.
Upon hearing the news, Ryosuke didn't react negatively.
It was a win.
Asuma was being jailed for a year—plenty of time to cool his head. And as long as he stayed away from Ryosuke and Kurenai, that was all that mattered. There was no need to dwell on insects.
What surprised him, however, was that Hiruzen Sarutobi had not resisted the decision at all. He had given in, allowed his own son to be tried and sentenced without invoking his authority as Hokage.
A paper tiger, Ryosuke mused.
The 200,000 ryo compensation was a nice bonus too—something Ryosuke fully intended to pass on to Kurenai.
After all, she was now the pillar of their little family, but with her current pregnancy, she couldn't go on missions anymore. If something went wrong and she suffered a miscarriage, not only would Ryosuke be devastated, he might lose a system reward.
That wasn't a risk he was willing to take.
Kurenai Yuhi, meanwhile, had already heard about Asuma's reckless attack. It shattered whatever lingering feelings or respect she had for the man. She had warned him—made her position clear—but he still tried to assault Ryosuke.
Though Asuma received a one-year sentence, Kurenai found it far too lenient.
Had Ryosuke actually been hurt… had any innocent villagers died… would the sentence be the same?
She sat beside Ryosuke, carefully checking his body for injuries.
"You weren't hurt, right?" she asked, concern in her voice.
Ryosuke smiled.
"Not a scratch."
Relieved, Kurenai exhaled deeply.
Then Ryosuke reached into his shinobi pouch and pulled out a thick envelope.
Inside—200,000 ryo.
He handed it to her.
Kurenai was stunned. Then her heart warmed with understanding.
"This is… my allowance?"
"Of course," Ryosuke said with a grin.
"You're pregnant. You shouldn't be out working."
Kurenai accepted it with a rare blush.
This was why she had chosen him—Ryosuke wasn't just strong. He was dependable, responsible… and thoughtful.
Not just for her—but for the child she now carried.
—
Later that evening, the two of them wandered around the village for a while. Ryosuke, of course, refrained from any physical affection beyond holding hands. After all, Kurenai was pregnant. And if he got too carried away…
Well, there were urges even chakra control couldn't suppress.
He escorted her home early, urging her to rest.
Then Ryosuke turned his attention back to business.
He arrived at the Uchiha Clan Shrine, the spiritual heart of the clan—and now, his new training ground.
Guards stationed outside nodded and let him through. No one—not even Konoha's Anbu—were allowed to step foot into Uchiha sacred ground.
This was the perfect place to push his limits.
Today, he would begin training on one of the more advanced Eight Gates techniques—Morning Peacock (Asa Kujaku), the signature move used after opening the Fifth Gate of Limit (Tomon).
This powerful taijutsu move wasn't just a brute-force strike. It was a rapid-fire flurry of punches that ignited the air around the fists, creating flaming peacock tail feathers that devastated everything in their path.
It was far more useful than flashy jutsu like Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu (Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu), which were mostly used for distraction or intimidation. In real combat, those were easy to read and counter.
But Morning Peacock? It was raw speed and power—practically unavoidable if executed correctly.
Ryosuke stood alone in the shrine courtyard.
With a deep breath, he activated the Eight Gates technique.
Gate One: Gate of Opening (Kai).
Gate Two: Gate of Healing (Kyo).
Gate Three: Gate of Life (Sei).
Gate Four: Gate of Pain (Sho).
Gate Five: Gate of Limit (Tomon).
An explosive burst of energy erupted from his body.
Leaves scattered, the wind howled around him, and the pressure in the air intensified. His muscles surged with unnatural strength, his skin flushed red, and a halo of raw chakra burst from his form.
Then, he punched toward a nearby tree—only, he never actually touched it.
The sheer pressure wave from his strike tore through the air like a bullet, ruffling the leaves and causing the trunk to groan.
He wasn't even at full speed yet.
Training here gave him the privacy to push his limits, and with no interruptions, he could refine the Morning Peacock into a reliable long-range option—something Ryosuke sorely needed.
His goal was clear: combine taijutsu and tactical versatility. One day, even people like Might Guy would respect his mastery.
And if war was truly coming—as whispers suggested—he needed every advantage.
The Uchiha Shrine would bear witness to the rise of a new monster.
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