"Next, we have to get Sage Mode!"
Having Wood Style without Sage Mode meant he wasn't even at half of Hashirama's strength.
The true power of Hashirama lay in the perfect fusion of Wood Style, Sage Body, Asura Chakra, and Sage Mode. All of these were indispensable.
Looking at himself, Shinomiya Uzumaki currently possessed Wood Style and an Immortal Physique, but the gap between him and Hashirama was painfully obvious.
He checked the Sage Mode option in the system store, but the price was steep. Even with a 20% discount, he still couldn't afford it.
He only had 100,000 gold coins left.
[Sage Mode: Price – 150,000 gold coins (120,000 gold coins after a 20% discount)]
[After purchasing Sage Mode, you will be able to quickly enter Sage Mode in any environment containing natural energy. This will comprehensively enhance your abilities in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu, as well as allow you to master powerful Sage Jutsu.]
Shinomiya Uzumaki sighed. "That's it for today…"
He reluctantly closed the system page, his heart filled with regret.
Just then, a low groan came from beside him. Sasuke was finally waking up.
"You're awake. The operation was a success. You're a girl now."
Shinomiya Uzumaki grinned as he spoke.
Sasuke, still groggy, froze as if struck by lightning. His hands immediately shot to his body to check—only to breathe a sigh of relief.
"You bastard!" Sasuke growled, furious. "How could you joke about something like that?"
"Haha, don't take it so seriously. By the way, Sasuke, do you realize that you're the only remaining son of the Uchiha clan? The future of the entire family rests on your shoulders."
Shinomiya Uzumaki smirked. "Oh, right. There's also Itachi. You two have a tough task ahead of you."
Sasuke sighed and stretched, trying to ease his stiff muscles.
"This is where you live?" Sasuke asked, glancing around the modest room with mild curiosity.
The place wasn't bad, but considering Shinomiya Uzumaki's strength, it did seem a bit underwhelming.
"Don't compare me to you, the esteemed Uchiha prince. I'm poor."
"You're short on money?"
"Not exactly. I just like my freedom and can't be bothered to move somewhere fancy."
Before Sasuke could respond, the sound of a door opening interrupted their conversation.
Yamanaka Ino stepped into the room, carrying a food box with graceful ease. She blinked in slight surprise at seeing Sasuke but nodded in greeting.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
She placed the food box on the table. "I noticed your kitchen light was always off, so I figured you forgot to eat again. I brought some food for you. Eat while it's hot."
Shinomiya Uzumaki beamed. "How considerate. If I marry you, I'd enjoy endless blessings for the rest of my life."
He chuckled. "I think my chances are pretty high."
"Shut up."
Ino rolled her eyes. "These were just leftovers that were going to be thrown away anyway. Consider yourself lucky."
She began taking out dish after dish, each one steaming and freshly prepared.
Shinomiya Uzumaki picked up a bowl and chopsticks. "I won't say no to free food. Sasuke, want some?"
Sasuke's gaze flickered between them before he finally asked, "What exactly is your relationship?"
"No!"
"Yes."
Ino and Shinomiya Uzumaki answered at the same time—but their responses completely contradicted each other.
Sasuke: "…"
"I give up. I can't figure out this ridiculous development." Sasuke rubbed his forehead, clearly exhausted by their antics. "Whatever. I'm too lazy to think about it."
He walked over to the window, shaking his head.
"Sasuke, are you sure you don't want to eat anything?"
Without replying, Sasuke leaped out into the night, disappearing in a flash.
Once he was gone, Ino sat next to Shinomiya Uzumaki, pinching his waist hard.
Her face was slightly flushed. "Why did you say that?"
Shinomiya Uzumaki blinked innocently. The pinch didn't hurt, thanks to his immortal body, but he still exaggerated his reaction, wincing dramatically.
"Say what?"
"When Sasuke asked about our relationship! Why did you nod?!"
"I'm an honest person. I speak the truth. By the way, why is your face so red? Did someone ruffle your hair?"
Ino clenched her fists. "What nonsense are you talking about…"
Before she could unleash her fury, Shinomiya Uzumaki swiftly picked up a chicken leg and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Mmff?!" Her eyes widened in surprise.
"It seems only good food can make you quiet for a moment."
---
The Country of Rain
In the vast, rain-drenched land of the Country of Rain, towering water towers stood tall, dominating the skyline. Each one offered a perfect vantage point to survey the landscape.
At the peak of one such water tower, a masked man stood alone, silent and unmoving.
For two hours, he remained there, letting the cold wind whip around him.
Down below, a clumsy White Zetsu struggled to climb up the steel supports. By the time he finally reached the top, he was gasping for breath.
Then, a shadow crept over White Zetsu's body. Darkness spread rapidly, consuming him entirely until his form became a mixture of black and white.
Black Zetsu had taken over.
"What's wrong with you?" Black Zetsu finally asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.
Since returning from his outing earlier that day, the masked man had been like this—standing alone, allowing the wind to batter him, lost in thought.
Black Zetsu had watched for hours, growing impatient. He would have approached sooner, but his Mayfly technique made it impossible to climb the steel water tower. Instead, he had to possess White Zetsu just to reach him.
Yet, the masked man remained silent, not responding to his question.
This made Black Zetsu anxious.
Everything depended on this man. His plan to resurrect his mother, Kaguya Otsutsuki, hinged on him. Without the masked man's help, gathering the tailed beasts was nothing more than an unattainable dream.
"Madara," Black Zetsu tried again, carefully choosing his words. "Stay focused on our goal. There is no obstacle in this world that we cannot overcome."
He continued, his voice low and persuasive.
"Once the Eye of the Moon Plan is realized, the world will be perfect. All your worries will disappear."
The mention of that name—Madara—seemed to strike a chord.
The masked man's fingers twitched slightly. The name rippled through his mind like a stone breaking the surface of a still pond.
Yes… he was playing the role of Uchiha Madara now. Not the long-dead Uchiha Obito.
In his thoughts, he saw fleeting images—Nohara Rin's gentle smile, Kakashi's resolute stance, his own childhood…
But all of it faded, replaced by the vision of the world described by Madara. The ideal world of the Eye of the Moon Plan.
A world without war. A world of peace.
In that instant, his doubts vanished. His resolve became stronger than ever.
"You're right," he finally spoke, his voice calm and steady.
Black Zetsu nodded, relieved. "That's the spirit. Stop overthinking. Our next move is about to begin."
Still, curiosity gnawed at Black Zetsu. What had shaken him so much?
"Where did you go today?" Black Zetsu asked cautiously. "With your power, who could have possibly shaken you like this?"
The masked man looked up slightly.
A drizzle had started to fall, tiny droplets landing on his mask. But in the Country of Rain, this weather was nothing unusual.
The rain intensified, pattering against the metal tower, sliding down his mask.
It was impossible to tell whether it was just rain—
—or if it was something else.
"I'm fine," the masked man murmured.
"It's just a little bit of wind and frost."
------------------
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