"Uncle-Ancestor, it's nothing. I just suddenly remembered a joke," Uchiha Gen said with a smile, waving his hand.
"Oh? Then tell me."
Uchiha Gen had no choice but to make one up on the spot.
Unexpectedly, Hamura Ōtsutsuki had a very low threshold for humor. He burst out laughing at a joke that wasn't even funny, and then eagerly asked Gen to tell more.
Gen had no choice but to play along, feeding him joke after joke.
It took ten of them before Hamura finally stopped laughing.
After finishing a pot of tea, Uchiha Gen realized he hadn't gained any useful information. So he stood up and took his leave.
Hamura Ōtsutsuki didn't stop him. He simply kept his earlier promise.
He raised a finger casually. The six black Truth-Seeking Orbs behind him shot upward into the sky.
The light membrane covering the heavens rippled, revealing a circular portal. The orbs passed through it, condensing in the air to form a massive black spike that pierced the void. A sharp crack echoed out as space itself tore like fabric, and a one-meter-wide black hole appeared.
"Go on," Hamura said. "Enter that hole and you'll return to the living world."
"Thank you, Uncle-Ancestor. I wish you eternal blessings and a lifespan as long as the heavens."
"Haha... you really know how to talk."
"Go, and be careful. The Pure Land is no place for the living."
"Yes, this junior will take his leave."
Uchiha Gen bowed deeply, then transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the black hole.
The hole sealed itself, the light membrane healed, and Hamura Ōtsutsuki calmly tidied up the teaware before heading back into the house.
—
In the living world, somewhere in the skies above the Land of Fire, a black hole suddenly appeared. Uchiha Gen's soul emerged from it.
Sensing the faint pull of his body, he followed it toward the Land of Whirlpools.
When his soul returned, his main body instantly absorbed all the memories from the Pure Land. After processing everything, he made his way back to the secret base.
Pushing open the door to the lounge, Uchiha Gen stepped inside. Orochimaru and Tsunade were both there.
"Out for a stroll?" Orochimaru asked lazily.
"Yeah," Gen said, keeping a straight face. "I got bored, so I went out to walk a bit."
That "stroll" had gone all the way from the living world to the Pure Land.
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Leaving now, or staying a bit longer?"
"Leaving now would be like abandoning the donkey after it carried the load," Gen said.
"Let's have lunch together, then."
"Tsunade-senpai," Gen said, grinning, "you should toast a drink to sensei."
Tsunade nodded slightly. "I should express my thanks."
"You're just sending me off with a toast?" Orochimaru said, pretending to sigh. "How heartless."
"What do you want then?" Tsunade asked.
"Give me a copy of your medical ninjutsu expertise. I could use it in my experiments."
"Alright."
The three of them shared lunch. Afterwards, Uchiha Gen escorted Tsunade home.
Once inside, Gen sat lazily on the sofa and asked in a low voice, "So? What did he say?"
Tsunade had just sat down. For a moment she didn't react, then she realized what Gen meant. Her face turned slightly red, and she looked away.
"He hopes I can be happy," she said softly.
"I knew it. I really didn't misjudge him," Gen said, trying to keep a straight face.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Don't hold it in. If you want to laugh, just laugh already. Look at you."
"Hahaha"
Gen burst out laughing, no longer bothering to hide it.
Though she'd told him to, seeing that smug expression on his face made Tsunade's brow twitch. Why did he always have that look? Couldn't a junior genuinely help his senior without ulterior motives?
"As the saying goes, there's no better time than the present," Gen said. "I think today's the day."
He leaned closer.
"No-not today!" Tsunade said quickly. "I'm not in the mood. Let's… do it another day."
Gen tilted his head thoughtfully. "Alright, that's reasonable. But that 'another day' needs a date. You can't just delay forever."
What a troublesome man.
"Three days from now," she said at last, "at seven in the evening."
"I'm a bit tired. I'm going to rest first."
She stood up and walked to the bedroom.
"Alright then, I'll be going," Gen said.
Tsunade waved absently over her shoulder without turning around.
Gen closed the door behind him and looked at it for a moment, thoughtful.
Then his hands formed a flurry of seals, movements so fast they left afterimages.
Sage Art: Soul Lock Barrier!
Invisible ripples spread in all directions. White motes of light rose from the flowers, grass, and trees around the house, gathering together into an emerald-green barrier that enveloped the entire apartment before fading from sight.
Satisfied, Uchiha Gen's figure disappeared in an instant.
—
At two in the morning, two shadowy figures quietly slipped out of Tsunade's apartment, each carrying a bundle.
They made their way toward the main gate of Konoha.
It was tightly shut at this hour and shouldn't have been opened.
Dark clouds veiled the moon. The night was deep and still, the road shrouded in black.
The cool wind rustled through the forest, insects chirped faintly, and distant beastly cries echoed through the dark.
Then, a faint white flame flickered in the distance, dazzling in the darkness. Both figures froze.
"Out so late?" a calm voice said. "You two know it's against Konoha regulations to be wandering around at night."
Leaning against a tree by the roadside was Uchiha Gen, a white cigarette with a pale mouthpiece hanging loosely from his lips.
He flicked his finger, extinguishing the flame. A wisp of white smoke escaped his nose and mouth as his crimson Mangekyō Sharingan glowed eerily in the dark.
Tsunade and Shizune froze as if bound by a paralysis jutsu, unable to move or speak.
"No answer?" Gen said mildly. "Then I suppose I'll just have to pay Orochimaru-sensei another visit."
He pushed his hands into his pockets and started walking toward the gate.
"Why are you going to Orochimaru's again?" Tsunade blurted out, panic flashing in her eyes as she grabbed his arm.
"There are supplements there," Gen said with a teasing smirk. "I have to go eat them."
"No, don't!" she said quickly.
"Why wouldn't I? Free supplements are rare. Besides," he added, smirking, "you call yourself a Sannin? Those words sound like farts."
"Alright, I'm going back to sleep. Let go."
He tried to pry her hand off, but Tsunade's grip was like iron. Physical strength alone wasn't enough to break free.
"Shizune," Tsunade said, keeping her eyes down, "go home. We need to talk privately."
"O-oh... alright," Shizune said, still confused. But judging from the tension between them, she understood it wasn't her place to stay. Clutching her bundle, she hurried toward the gate and disappeared into the dark.
Once she was gone, Tsunade lowered her head and whispered, "I didn't mean to break my word. I just couldn't face it for a moment. I wanted to clear my head for a few days and then come back."
Gen exhaled softly. "Do you take me for a child?"
"Forget it, Princess Tsunade. I can't reach your level. Our previous agreement is void. Let things be as they are."
He turned slightly, cigarette still in his mouth. "Let go, or I won't be polite."
"I won't let go!" Tsunade said, her voice trembling. "Orochimaru warned me before I came back, and I made up my mind. But this afternoon... I just couldn't stop myself. I kept thinking, and suddenly I just wanted to run away..."
"Really, I only wanted to run. I never meant to break my promise," she said, her voice cracking. "I was just confused. It's my first mistake, please, give me another chance. I'll accept whatever punishment you want."
She clung to his arm, pressing it against her chest, her voice low and trembling, a faint sob breaking through. She looked genuinely scared.