Playtime and an Accident

After dinner, Yuto looked at Xingzhuo with anticipation. He didn't even need to ask; he knew this child wanted to ride the giant ink tiger out to play again.

To be honest, in Xingzhuo's eyes, Yuto was the only one who seemed like a normal child—simple-minded, innocent, and naive, yet very clever, endearing, and gifted with a quick grasp of everything he was taught.

He was nothing like the other children in the Ninja World, who were all precociously mature.

Nor was he like those mentally unstable individuals who had suffered trauma and become pathologically paranoid.

Take his cheap older brother, Hyuga Yueye, who was three years his senior. Ever since that incident where he was slapped in the face, he had been hiding away. It was said that ever since he lost his bodyguard, Hyuga Yunfei, he had been acting like a madman, punching wooden stakes every single day.

Because of this, Xingzhuo truly regarded Yuto as his own younger brother, or even his own son.

Even though, in his previous life, he had only been an eighteen-year-old boy himself.

"How is your practice coming along with the tree-climbing and water-walking exercises I taught you a while back?"

Xingzhuo asked.

Ever since Yuto's spiritual energy attribute reached 60 points, he had basically stopped suffering from the inability to control his body or the paralysis that once plagued him.

So, as soon as Yuto was able to stand up a while ago, Xingzhuo had begun teaching him how to walk on water and climb trees to exercise his chakra control.

This would also make it easier for him to use chakra to adhere to the ink animals when riding them, ensuring he wouldn't fall off.

Yuto nodded without a word, walked toward the wall while still wearing his socks, and even traversed across the ceiling before descending down the other side.

"I've learned it quite smoothly, and I haven't had any problems during practice."

He said with a serious expression after coming down.

Xingzhuo ruffled his hair, the sensation much like petting a puppy, and then said:

"Alright, then I'll go tell Master Tobirama, and we'll play something different today."

Yuto looked expectant: "Something different?"

Xingzhuo created a clone and sent it to the Hokage building to report to Senju Tobirama.

Reporting to the adults before going out to play was a mandatory procedure.

After all, no one could guarantee whether there might be danger outside.

Next, he took two sealing tags and a scroll of drawing paper from his pocket. He unsealed a large calligraphy brush and a bowl of ink from the tags and began to draw on the paper.

"I'm going to draw a bird that can fly today. How about we sit on it and fly outside of Konoha?"

Yuto's eyes sparkled with stars upon hearing this, and he jumped up and down in place, "Yay! Let's go fly outside!"

Xingzhuo smiled and continued to move his brush, refining the details of the bird.

Unlike Sai's drawings, he made the bird larger for safety reasons and added the Konoha swirl emblem to prevent it from being shot down by their own people. He also added safety harnesses on the bird's back to secure their bodies.

The details of the bird had to be carefully supplemented; although it was black-and-white ink, the closer it was to a real animal, the more stable its structure would be, making it harder to be easily dispersed.

This process was indeed much safer, but it was also quite time-consuming.

Once the clone sent word that Master Tobirama had given his consent, he finished the final stroke and injected Yin-style chakra to activate the drawing.

Soon, an ink bird seemed to come to life, flying off the paper and stretching its massive form in the sky before descending.

The moment the bird was "reborn," it became connected to Xingzhuo's mind.

Therefore, theoretically speaking, it wasn't that the ink drawing had gained a soul, but rather that he had gained an ink clone.

It was just that this ink clone possessed a certain level of simple intelligence and could execute basic commands; even if the caster lost consciousness, it could still complete its instructions on its own.

After settling Yuto on the bird's back, Xingzhuo sat down beside him and fastened the safety gear before he dared to control the bird for takeoff.

Following that, amidst Yuto's cheers, the two rode the ink bird, circled the Senju compound at a low altitude, and then soared into the sky.

On the other side, at the Hokage building, in the Hokage office.

Watching his disciple dispel the Clone Technique, Senju Tobirama smiled with satisfaction and prepared to continue his work.

He wasn't the least bit worried about his little nephew's safety.

Because he knew the level of those two children.

One had achieved minor success in Sealing Technique, possessed combat power not inferior to a Chunin, and had physical constitution as formidable as his older brother's—even if he fell from the sky, he could likely self-heal in a short time. If it weren't for his spiritual energy holding him back, he might not be guaranteed to become the next God of Shinobi, but he would certainly be stronger than his uncle.

The other also had minor success in Sealing Technique, but his true strength was nearing that of a Jonin. He possessed the Byakugan bloodline and had created his own secret techniques. Mito had also told him that the child's chakra was already at the level of an average Jonin, with potential no weaker than his nephew's.

If these two children really encountered enemies around the village, it should be the enemy who was in danger.

Therefore, he was very much at ease with the two children going out to play.

Just as Senju Tobirama picked up a financial report to read, Senju Hashirama suddenly pushed the door open and walked in.

Tobirama thought his older brother had lost money gambling again, but when he looked up, he saw a serious and grave expression on his brother's face.

It was not a common occurrence for an optimist like Senju Hashirama to show such an expression.

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly set down his work, asking:

"Brother, what happened?"

Senju Hashirama said solemnly:

"Madara has returned to the village. He has challenged me to a duel outside the village. During this time, you must protect the village and ensure that everyone stays away while we are fighting."

Tobirama's brows furrowed as he realized the gravity of the situation: "Uchiha Madara has returned to the village?!"

Senju Hashirama turned and left immediately after giving his instructions.

As he reached the door, he repeated without looking back: "Tobirama, be obedient. Protect the village and do not come over to try and help."

With that, his figure vanished from the doorway of the Hokage office.

Tobirama stood where he was, his mind in turmoil.

Why would Madara return to the village?

Is he still obsessed with the position of Hokage?

Or is it that he intends to destroy the village?

Countless thoughts flashed through Senju Tobirama's mind, but he knew the situation was urgent and he had to take action immediately.

He swiftly summoned the heads of every department and began issuing orders.

"Notify the patrol squads; recall the forest patrol teams at once!"

"Notify the guard corps; pull the outer defensive lines back within the city walls immediately!"

"Notify the Barrier Team; prepare a large-scale defensive barrier at once!"

"Notify the entry and exit points; close the gates immediately, and forbid anyone from leaving!"

"Notify the Jonin squad; dispatch border relief ninjas immediately to reinforce the border defenses."

"Notify..."

A barrage of orders issued from the Hokage office, setting the entire Konoha into motion.

Several major clans had already keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere and began to consolidate their family forces in unison.

It wasn't until the sky grew dark and things quieted down at the Hokage office that Tobirama remembered an important matter.

His young disciple and little nephew hadn't returned yet!

He looked up at the barrier visible to the naked eye above Konoha.

Opening it was out of the question.

He would have to go out and find them himself.

After a moment of thought, Senju Tobirama invited his sister-in-law to the Hokage building to hold down the fort.

At this stage in Konoha, the only Kage-level powerhouse he could entrust with the village was his sister-in-law, Uzumaki Mito.

Having confirmed that all affairs were arranged, Senju Tobirama vanished from the Hokage office in an instant.