When talking about the interesting stories of her team, Ino couldn't stop, and Takemi listened with great interest.
He himself hadn't experienced that much. When he met the unreliable Kakashi, the difficulty of any mission he took could be super multiplied.
Plus, he didn't have teammates at first, so he naturally couldn't experience much.
After Naruto and Sasuke joined the team, although there were many interesting things, he was the Jonin leader, so he couldn't participate much in some of the fun.
'However, Asuma seems to have avoided Hidan and Kakuzu. Evil Sarutobi old man, you owe me another favor!'
Takemi thought to himself, but then Ino stopped, and she smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry, senpai, I just couldn't control myself for a moment."
"It's fine, I found it quite interesting."
Takemi smiled indifferently, but Ino gently shook her head.
"Compared to senpai, what are these? Senior has already far surpassed all of us, leaving us far behind, and I heard that senpai is about to become the Fifth Hokage, I…"
"Ino, it seems you've forgotten what I told you before."
Takemi tapped the table and shook his head, interrupting Ino.
"Do you still remember what kind of flower I like?"
"Flowers, you mean."
Ino tilted her head and looked at the flowers blooming on the windowsill alongside the grass.
Takemi's voice sounded again.
"Yes, just like flowers, whether they are powerful or not, whether they become Hokage or not, it makes no difference to me."
At this point, Takemi stood up and walked to the window. He smiled as he looked at the blooming flowers in front of him.
"Naruto, that idiot, always wants to be Hokage, wanting to gain everyone's recognition by becoming Hokage. But later, I told him."
"It's not the person who becomes Hokage who gains everyone's recognition, but the person who has gained everyone's recognition who can become Hokage."
Although there was a playful nature to these words, using them now seemed perfectly fitting.
"I'm the same. Rather than being high above, it's better to have other flowers and plants accompanying me, so…"
Turning his head, Takemi looked at Ino, who had also walked over.
"Don't say such things anymore, and I've told you many times, just call me Takemi."
"Is that so?"
Ino looked at Takemi, then suddenly she smiled and blinked, a hint of cunning seeming to appear in her light blue eyes.
"But I remember you also said that your favorite flowers are those that bloom on the edge of cliffs."
"Ah?"
Takemi was stunned, while Ino was already propping herself up on the windowsill, her blonde hair fluttering in the breeze.
"Because these fearless flowers can take a step towards the sky!"
Looking at the girl's smile and those light blue eyes, Takemi suddenly realized.
Damn, was he being played?
But at this moment, his gaze sharpened, instantly looking into the distance.
Deep underground in Konoha, Black Zetsu's expression became somewhat strange after receiving the shared information from White Zetsu.
"What are the Senju doing?"
"Did they read the Uchiha stone tablet and start wondering if the Senju have any relics?"
Black Zetsu, as an old schemer, reacted extremely quickly. In an instant, he had already guessed the general situation.
"This is a good thing!"
Black Zetsu was excited. He had been wondering how to let Takemi see the things he had left behind.
Now that they were actively searching, it couldn't be better.
"Dig, dig, as long as you dig, with a little more effort, you'll find it."
Black Zetsu was overjoyed, which made White Zetsu's expression a bit strange.
"Blacky, what are you so excited about?"
"You wouldn't understand. You just need to know that something good is about to happen."
Black Zetsu couldn't be bothered with White Zetsu. Although White Zetsu participated in the 'Annals of Time' operation, he was still confused about the specifics.
This was great!
Black Zetsu didn't want anyone else to know too much, to avoid trouble for himself.
"Keep at it, you'll find it soon."
Black Zetsu muttered to himself. For the Senju clan's relic, he had originally thought of choosing a stone tablet.
But after much thought, he felt that a stone tablet was too obvious a target. Even if the Senju clan 'lost' it, they couldn't possibly misplace such a large stone tablet.
So, he could only choose something 'easy' to lose. Ultimately, Hashirama's Wood Release gave him great inspiration.
"Although Wood Release isn't the symbol of the Senju, you did use it after all. Besides, the probability of this thing being lost is much higher than a stone tablet."
So, he chose a piece of tree bark and processed it using White Zetsu's Chakra and his own Yin-Yang Release ability.
He indeed had no combat power, but he had other abilities. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to control Obito and have heart-to-heart talks with Madara.
"It's a pity. I didn't expect things to develop so quickly, otherwise, I should have focused more on Ōtsutsuki Hamura's matter."
However, Black Zetsu was also a bit annoyed. He had long been wondering if Takemi came from the moon. But the Senju's tree bark was to help himself get rid of trouble, so he only added some of the Ōtsutsuki surname and concept as well as some past events of the Senju. He simply didn't write other things, after all, the more he wrote, the more mistakes there would be.
"But this is enough. The rest can be put on the Hyuga clan's relics."
Anyway, it's forgery. There's no difference between doing the 'Annals of Time' once or countless times.
The people involved are all dead, so he can say whatever he wants, right?
"Alright, let's go to the Hyuga clan. I also need to think carefully about how to handle it." After figuring all this out, Black Zetsu said.
White Zetsu retorted when he heard this, "Hyuga clan? Are you planning to help Orochimaru, or are you planning to continue forging?"
"Shut up!"
Black Zetsu snorted coldly. He didn't like White Zetsu's tone, it annoyed him greatly.
"What forging? If you talk nonsense again, see how I deal with you!"
"But, Blacky…"
"You just need to remember that we are doing the right thing. You don't want Madara-sama to be unable to reappear because of our inaction, do you?"
"…"
"Remember, everything we do is for Madara-sama!"
In this situation, Black Zetsu felt that Madara had to be brought out. Otherwise, many things would become unsustainable. However, 'patching up Madara' required Orochimaru.
The jutsu was his, and how to construct Madara in a complete state also required him to operate it.
No matter how unhappy Black Zetsu was, he could only help. Besides, getting a suitable Shikotsumyaku user would be a major help.
"Although it's basically useless against Ōtsutsuki Takeshiki, and probably the same against Takemi…"
But at least it should be fine against other people, right? Even if it's just catching a Tailed Beast's Chakra, it should work, right?
Black Zetsu pondered, his figure already appearing in a corner of the Hyuga clan's compound.
However, he didn't even notice that as soon as he showed up, he was already being watched.