Three days later!
In Konoha Hospital, Jiraiya, who had suffered a serious injury and lost an arm, was lying unconscious in a hospital bed.
Three days passed...
Jiraiya finally opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the person he most wanted to see:
"Tsunade..."
"Tsunade?!"
Jiraiya was dazed for a moment, then suddenly came to his senses. He hurriedly tried to sit up.
"Gah...!" But the moment he moved his right arm, pain shot through him.
"Don't move. Your injuries have only just stabilized!" Tsunade said, seated beside Jiraiya's hospital bed.
At her words, Jiraiya calmed down a little.
But when he looked at his missing right arm...
He still couldn't help feeling bitter.
"Tsunade, Madara, he didn't..."
Jiraiya then began asking after Tsunade again.
"Don't worry. He didn't do anything to me!" Tsunade said, shaking her head calmly.
"But didn't he say that because you're so skilled at medical ninjutsu, he wanted you to..." Jiraiya had only just woken up, and there were many things he was concerned about.
Tsunade's expression remained calm, though a trace of helplessness surfaced in her eyes. "That was three days ago."
"Three days ago?" Jiraiya was taken aback, then realized what she meant. "I was unconscious for three days?"
"If I hadn't treated you, you might've been out for seven days and nights—or longer." Tsunade smiled faintly.
"Tsunade, how can you still smile? Madara... what exactly did he want you to do?" Jiraiya pressed anxiously.
Tsunade sighed softly. "From what I know... he had me correct the faulty eye pathways connected to his Sharingan. And..."
She hesitated.
"And what?" Jiraiya asked.
"He had me transplant the cells of two people into his body," Tsunade continued.
"Transplant the cells of two people?" Jiraiya was stunned.
As for that...
"There was one person I couldn't identify. But if I'm not mistaken, one of them... was my grandfather's cells and flesh!"
Tsunade suddenly spoke up.
"What? The cells of the First, Hashirama Senju?!" Jiraiya was shocked.
"Mm! I'm sure those were my grandfather's cells!" Tsunade said gravely.
"Could that bastard Madara be trying to obtain the legendary Wood Style of the First?" Jiraiya speculated.
"And the cells of the other person—you don't even know whose they are... For someone like Madara to want them, they must be extraordinary."
"The chakra in that unidentified person's cells... felt no weaker than my grandfather's. If anything... it was even stronger!" Tsunade lowered her head as she spoke.
"What..." Jiraiya was shocked again and again.
At the same time, he couldn't help blaming her a little.
"Tsunade, I'm not trying to criticize you, but how could you..."
"Kotoamatsukami!" Tsunade said, her eyes dimming as she uttered the three words.
At that...
Jiraiya froze.
In an instant, he understood why Tsunade had transplanted the cells for Madara.
"That bastard Madara!!"
Jiraiya slammed his remaining left hand against the bed.
Meanwhile!
Chen Yiban had occupied the Hokage Building and secluded himself there for three days.
As a result, Tsunade had been forced to handle her duties in a temporary office for those three days.
And today, inside the dim Hokage Building, with its doors and windows shut tight:
Zing—
A pair of eyes opened, radiating a captivating, pale-purple glow, their irises patterned with concentric rings.
It was as if he had only just reached this state!
His eyes had opened!
"My Rinnegan... has finally awakened."
At that moment, Chen Yiban wore a sinister grin, unable to conceal his excitement.
And in his eyes,
was a pair of pale-purple... Rinnegan!
"Heh, hahahaha..."
With the power of one of the Uchiha's Four Great Maniacs, Chen Yiban let out another excited laugh.
"Now these eyes..."
"Now that's more like it!"
He couldn't help running his hands over his eyes, his excitement impossible to hide.
"I never imagined that combining the power of Otsutsuki Asura and Hashirama would let me awaken the Rinnegan in just three days."
"Much faster than the near-death Uchiha Madara in the original story. Much, much faster."
"Good! Excellent!"
"This ocular power..."
"No, my chakra has also increased tremendously."
"Ha, hahahaha..."
Feeling his ocular power and chakra surge, Chen Yiban grew even more excited.
He laughed uncontrollably!
The next moment:
"Limbo: Border Jail!!"
Suddenly, Chen Yiban's Rinnegan opened wide.
He activated his Rinnegan's unique ocular technique.
But...
It looked as if nothing had happened.
Yet, though it seemed nothing had changed,
in the gaze of Chen Yiban's Rinnegan, he could clearly see...
Four Limbo: Shadows had appeared beside him, two on each side!
"So it really is Limbo: Border Jail."
"Looks like that's because I got Uchiha Madara's combat template!"
"Still, this is great!"
Chen Yiban laughed to himself.
"Oh, right, System. Fuse Amenotejikara into me too."
"That should be possible, right?"
As the thought occurred to him, Chen Yiban spoke as if to the air in the dim room of the Hokage Building.
[Possible. I will also ensure the fusion is perfect!]
[Fusion beginning now!]
In the empty space, the System's reply appeared. Only Chen Yiban could hear or see it.
And with a sudden "zing"—
The next moment, Chen Yiban felt the ocular power within his Rinnegan run wild.
Soon, he sensed that he had gained another Rinnegan technique: Amenotejikara!
"This feeling..."
"Feels great!"
"Hee, hee-hahahahaha!!!"
Chen Yiban was lost in a frenzy.
An hour later!
It was nearly noon, about time for lunch.
Creak—
The door to the Hokage's office in the Hokage Building finally opened.
Chen Yiban slowly stepped out.
He had concealed his Rinnegan, and his eyes were back to their usual black.
As he opened the door to the Hokage's office he had occupied for several days—
"Hm?"
Chen Yiban immediately noticed a small figure standing outside.
It seemed the person had been waiting for him!
"Senior Madara!"
The moment Sasuke Uchiha saw Chen Yiban finally come out, he hurried forward two steps, unable to hide his delight.
Then he bowed to Chen Yiban.
Before you continue