CHAPTER 221: THE ROPE TREE'S AMBITION
One day remained before the four-way talks between Konoha, Iwa, Suna, and Ame. Across the Land of Rain, the war had completely ceased. No ninja fought. No blood spilled. The battlefields lay silent.
The four factions prepared for negotiations. Though removed from combat, the atmosphere pervading the land felt eerier than any battlefield.
Political games often proved more dangerous than war itself. Most conflicts, after all, began with the uneven distribution of political interests.
Konoha Camp.
Over the past two days, thanks to Mikoto's careful attention and Tsunade's medical ninjutsu, Ragnar's body had largely recovered.
Tsunade was the finest medical ninja in the world. In terms of healing skill and recovery ability, no one surpassed her. When she fully mastered the Strength of a Hundred Technique, her medical ninjutsu would reach its pinnacle.
Ragnar left his tent and walked through the camp. With the war over, the atmosphere had grown peaceful. Ninja gathered in small groups, gossiping, chatting about home. Some even proposed friendly ninjutsu sparring matches. The camp felt almost festive.
Wherever Ragnar walked, ninja greeted him with respectful looks.
After this war, every Konoha ninja knew him.
Strength and age mattered little. Those who achieved first earned recognition—an eternal truth. Though many ninja were far older than Ragnar, the gap in their abilities couldn't be crossed.
He was the ninja who had arm-wrestled the Kage of Suna and Iwa. In this camp, who besides Konoha's White Fang could claim such a feat?
"Brother!"
A roaring voice erupted behind him. Senju Nawaki burst from the crowd, excitement blazing on his face.
Ragnar regarded the boy. "What did you call me?"
"Brother! Brother Ragnar!" Nawaki's grin threatened to split his face. "I said before—I recognize you as my boss!"
"I never agreed to that." Ragnar paused. "But call me whatever you like."
He didn't reject the boy. Nawaki was simple-minded, without malice. And he was Tsunade's brother. Love the house, love the crow—Ragnar wasn't unreasonable.
"Yes! Big brother!" Nawaki practically vibrated with happiness.
Rakshasa and Ragnar were both his bosses. He was the luckiest boy alive.
"But if you're my younger brother, your strength can't be weak." Ragnar's voice was calm but firm. "And you're a Senju descendant. That rule can't be broken. Understand?"
"I understand! Don't worry, big brother!"
Ragnar studied Nawaki, who was perhaps a year or two younger than himself. Senju descendants carried Wood Release genes.
Tsunade had perhaps a fifty percent probability of awakening it. Nawaki? At least eighty percent.
Both siblings were Senju descendants. Wood Release genes slept in their blood, waiting to be triggered. The original timeline suggested that awakening Wood Release required more than Indra's bloodline. Hashirama's cells, certainly—but Tsunade and Nawaki carried Hashirama's direct blood. Their chance of awakening Wood Release should be higher.
It might not match the First Hokage's power. But it would surpass Yamato—the future "Konoha infrastructure expert"—by a wide margin.
Ragnar's acceptance of Nawaki wasn't without thought. The boy had potential.
If Nawaki awakened Wood Release, Ragnar could experience the power of true Wood Release—the Buddha transformation—firsthand.
He wondered if that technique was exclusive to the First Hokage, or if all Wood Release users could access it.
In the original story, Nawaki died too young. Wood Release never awakened. No male heir remained in the Senju direct bloodline. Wood Release had been lost.
The Third Hokage's Wood Release experimental project had tried to remedy this—using Hashirama's cells to awaken the ability in others.
The subjects were Senju clan members. The Third Hokage, principled as ever, relied on volunteers. No coercion.
But the experiments were extremely risky. Wood Release's power was too great. Incompatibility meant death.
The project ultimately failed. It indirectly contributed to the already sparse Senju clan's decline. Eventually, they nearly vanished entirely.
Now, with Nawaki alive, the Senju clan's fate could be rewritten. Perhaps a true Wood Release heir would emerge.
"Big brother, when can you teach me some techniques?" Nawaki asked as they walked. "I want to be as strong as you!"
"After we return to Konoha. I can teach you some ninjutsu then." Ragnar glanced at him. "But isn't Orochimaru your teacher? He's an elite jonin. Very powerful. He has excellent techniques. Why not learn from him?"
Most of Ragnar's techniques came from Devil Fruits. But as someone who had traveled through time, he could predict the future. He had developed techniques like the Rasengan and Chidori long ago—simple enough.
Uzumaki Naruto, the plane's favored son, wasn't even born yet. Ragnar could use what he wanted without concern.
At the mention of Orochimaru, Nawaki's face fell. "Lord Orochimaru is very powerful. They call him one of the Legendary Sannin now. But big brother—you don't know! Lord Orochimaru's techniques are all about snakes!"
He began counting on his fingers.
"Snakes spitting out people. People spitting out snakes. Snakes spitting out swords. People spitting out swords. Snakes spitting out people spitting out snakes spitting out swords—"
He threw up his hands.
"Who can learn techniques like that?!"
A smile tugged at Ragnar's lips.
Indeed, in the entire history of shinobi, Orochimaru's mastery of serpent techniques stood unrivaled. Expecting Nawaki to learn such things was unreasonable.
"Nawaki." A voice slithered through the air. "Speaking ill of your teacher behind his back is improper."
Orochimaru emerged from the crowd, walking slowly as ninja parted respectfully before him.
His unsettling smile fixed on Ragnar. "Ragnar-kun. How is your health?"
"Well enough. Nothing serious."
"Teacher!" Nawaki practically jumped. "I didn't mean anything bad! I was just—"
"I understand, Nawaki." Orochimaru's voice was gentle. "The White Snake techniques I developed suit my own ideals. They aren't for everyone. Still, it's an honor if Ragnar-kun acknowledges my strength."
"Orochimaru-sama speaks too humbly." Ragnar's reply was measured. "If your strength isn't recognized, what does that make mine?"
"Haha. Indeed." Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "Lord Ragnar. When might we have that long night of conversation I've requested? To explore life's mysteries. Nature's philosophy."
"...?" Nawaki looked between them, thoroughly lost.
"When there's time," Ragnar said vaguely.
(End of Chapter)
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