The weather in the Land of Rain was perpetually overcast and rainy, but today the rain had unexpectedly stopped, though the skies remained gloomy.
For the Land of Rain, this was already considered a rare "sunny day." Tsunade walked ahead, while Uchiha Ryun followed behind.
Tsunade's mind was filled with the joy of reuniting with her teammates, while Uchiha Ryun was calculating how to secure the greatest benefits for Lady Tsunade.
After a short while, under the watchful eyes of villagers and soldiers, the two arrived at the village entrance, where Uchiha Ryun finally saw Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
The two were dressed in combat uniforms similar in style to Tsunade's, each leading their own troops. Judging by the numbers, Orochimaru's forces had around 700 shinobi left, while Jiraiya's had about 600.
This was normal. War inevitably brought casualties. For them to arrive here in four days with less than half their forces lost was already proof of their capabilities.
Tsunade smiled at the two and said, "Orochimaru, Jiraiya, you two finally made it!" As she spoke, she stepped forward to greet them, her face filled with happiness.
Jiraiya's eyes lit up when he saw Tsunade. "Oh, Tsunade! You look lively, hahaha!" His boisterous laughter earned him a disdainful glance from Orochimaru.
Orochimaru shook his head slightly and observed Tsunade, noticing that her face showed no trace of exhaustion or sorrow. He was curious—what was going on with her? Even he had only recovered his condition yesterday.
As Orochimaru pondered, Uchiha Ryun suddenly spoke up. "Lady Tsunade, Lord Orochimaru, Lord Jiraiya, the village entrance is too exposed. Please enter the village quickly so we may discuss military and political matters together."
Tsunade smiled. "Ryun is right. Orochimaru, Jiraiya, follow me into the village. As for your troops, they may also enter, but they must abide by the rules."
"Rules?" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. He hadn't expected the shinobi in this village to follow rules. He wondered what kind of rules they were.
Tsunade then explained the "Five Killings" policy. Orochimaru's excitement was now unmistakable.
"Lady Tsunade, who came up with these Five Killings? Can you introduce me? This person is a genius, a true talent!" Orochimaru grinned.
Tsunade smiled and pointed at Uchiha Ryun, who had just spoken. "It was him—Ryun, also known as Uchiha Ryun."
"Uchiha?" Jiraiya frowned. Shouldn't the Uchiha be in his own unit? Why had one been assigned to Tsunade?
After all, while the Senju clan had integrated into civilian life and abandoned the Senju surname, Tsunade's troops were still essentially Senju forces. How could they tolerate an Uchiha giving orders among them?
Tsunade, being guileless, eagerly recounted everything Uchiha Ryun had done, including his Magnet Release: True Sight.
Orochimaru's eyes sparkled with interest. Could he get a subordinate like this too? He tentatively asked, "Lady Tsunade, my forces are also lacking such talent. How about..."
Jiraiya, however, didn't seem particularly impressed. Tsunade frowned and said, "Grandmother chose him as my aide." Her meaning was clear.
Orochimaru pursed his lips. Fine, I just asked for a person, and you immediately bring up Lady Mito. How am I supposed to argue with that? He sighed. "It seems Ryun and I are not fated to work together."
The three entered the office, with none of them taking the central seat. Instead, they discussed their next steps together.
Village Entrance
Uchiha Ryun inspected the two units, followed by several Senju jonin.
Orochimaru's troops were manageable, consisting of members from the Hatake, Hyūga, Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans—most of them reasonable and understanding.
Jiraiya's troops, however, were made up of Uchiha, Aburame, Kurama, and Gekkō clan members. Whether it was intentional on Hiruzen Sarutobi's part or not, compared to Orochimaru's forces, Jiraiya's unit was noticeably weaker.
Despite such pressure, Jiraiya had managed to keep his forces at around 600 shinobi. Uchiha Ryun couldn't help but admire him for that.
Members of other clans greeted him politely, but the Uchiha were an exception. Some recognized him and smirked, while others sneered coldly.
The Senju jonin behind Uchiha Ryun grinned. Laugh all you want. The more you laugh now, the harder you'll fall later.
Uchiha Ryun was well aware of the Uchiha clan's temperament, but he paid them no mind. Instead, he stepped forward and announced, "You've all traveled far and fought hard. I welcome you into the village."
At this, no one objected. But his next words caused unrest, especially among the Uchiha.
"Lady Tsunade has established these rules. Violators will be executed without mercy. 1. Kill those who break into civilian homes. 2. Kill those who loot supplies. 3. Kill those who assault the people. 4. Kill those who bully the weak. 5. Kill those who force transactions." Uchiha Ryun repeated the Five Killings policy. He didn't want any trouble when enforcing them later.
"We already know this. Can we enter the village and rest now? Everyone here is exhausted," a Uchiha jonin said coldly.
Apart from the Uchiha, no one else spoke, silently observing the scene. The Senju jonin frowned. The Uchiha really were insufferable.
Uchiha Ryun turned to look. Huh, it was an elder—Uchiha Kiyoshi, a jonin from the Uchiha clan. He was said to be a veteran from the Warring States period, highly respected in the clan, and had been sent here to lead the Uchiha forces.
"Oh? Do you have a problem?" Uchiha Ryun narrowed his eyes at Uchiha Kiyoshi.
Uchiha Kiyoshi was taken aback. This guy didn't seem as weak as the rumors suggested.
But he wasn't someone to be trifled with either. "What if I do? What if I don't?" Uchiha Kiyoshi retorted arrogantly.
The Senju jonin behind Uchiha Ryun couldn't take it anymore and moved to act, but Uchiha Ryun ordered, "Stand down!" The Senju jonin paused, then reluctantly retreated.
Uchiha Kiyoshi's pupils contracted. He hadn't expected the words of someone the clan dismissed as trash to carry such weight among the Senju!
This guy was no ordinary figure. He grew cautious, though his expression remained disdainful.
"If I remember correctly, you are Uchiha Kiyoshi, yes?" Uchiha Ryun said calmly, stepping forward.
At this moment, he represented Lady Tsunade in managing the shinobi forces. His actions reflected on her. He couldn't ignore Uchiha Kiyoshi's provocation—it would shame not only himself but also the troops and Lady Tsunade.
So he had to stand his ground.
"That's right. I am Uchiha Kiyoshi. Uchiha Ryun, do you have an issue with that?" Uchiha Kiyoshi emphasized the name "Uchiha," reminding Ryun of his clan allegiance.
Uchiha Ryun smiled. "Nothing much. Just feeling a bit restless. Would you care to spar with me?" As he spoke, he formed the Seal of Confrontation.
The Uchiha clan members, including Uchiha Kiyoshi, were stunned. This eighteen-year-old kid was actually this bold!
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