Drowning in a Gentle Haven, the Only Beyond-S-Rank Rogue Ninja, a Sky-High Bounty of Ten Billion

Jiraiya had been forced to stay at Mount Myoboku and devote himself to mastering Sage Mode. He wouldn't be able to return to Konoha for the time being.

Uchiha Shadian seemed to be lost in a world of sensual pleasures, unable to tear himself away. He had spent several days straight at the hot spring inn without taking any further action against Konoha. Even when the Nine-Tails sneaked away, he didn't make a sound.

At an inn in Shukuba Town, Nawaki and Shizune finally met up with Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade, you're here! Have you taken care of things in Konoha?" Shizune asked eagerly.

"Not yet. Konoha suffered heavy losses in this turmoil."

"According to the reports, more than thirteen thousand ninja died."

"Over two hundred thousand civilians died."

Tsunade spoke with a grave expression.

"Our losses this time were even greater than the casualties in the Third Shinobi World War."

"How could this happen?" Shizune asked, stunned.

"What about my brother-in-law? Is he all right?" Nawaki couldn't help asking.

"Don't call him that. Shadian isn't your brother-in-law." Tsunade's face reddened slightly.

Nawaki said, "He brought me back to life, so I've decided he's my brother-in-law. Sis, it's not that I don't love Konoha anymore. I just think my brother-in-law was forced into this. Konoha changed. They wanted to wipe out his entire clan, sparing neither the old nor the young. He only fought back because he had no choice. If you ask me, the real culprits are the Third and the three elders. They're the ones who caused Konoha's terrible losses. They don't deserve to keep ruling Konoha. Sis, you should take charge! Become Hokage. I'm sure that if you do, my brother-in-law won't take his anger out on you anymore. Then you can help him get justice by killing the people who conspired to wipe out his clan. I'll persuade him to return to Konoha, and then you and your brother-in-law can get all lovey-dovey and live happily ever after. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Shut up! What would a little brat like you know? Don't say things like that." Tsunade glared at Nawaki and scolded him sharply.

"Konoha is mobilizing its forces, gathering all the elite ninja across the Land of Fire to hunt down Uchiha Shadian. Anyone who finds him is to kill him on sight."

"He's the only rogue ninja ever to surpass the S-rank. The wanted posters have already been sent to all the great nations, and the bounty is one hundred billion."

"Holy crap, one hundred billion! That's unprecedented. How much money is that?" Nawaki exclaimed. "My brother-in-law sure is something. No wonder he's my brother-in-law."

Tsunade glared at Nawaki, but there was nothing she could do. He had only just been revived, and he was still twelve years old. After finally getting him back and seeing him again, how could she bring herself to give him a proper scolding?

"Watch what you say. Stop calling him your brother-in-law. Nothing's even happened between us! Be careful—someone might overhear and think Shadian and I are working together."

Nawaki grinned. "Sis, it's just you, Shizune, and me here!"

Tsunade said, "By your age, you're actually older than Shizune. Do you really have the nerve to call her 'Sis'?"

Nawaki shot back, "Sis, how can you count the years after I died? There's no passage of time in the Pure Land, so no matter how many years went by in the living world, I'm still only twelve now that I've come back to life."

"I'm twelve, and Shizune must be over twenty, right? Doesn't it make sense for me to call her 'Sis'?"

Tsunade asked, "Did you really not feel time passing in the Pure Land?"

Nawaki said, "My appearance never changed in the Pure Land. The whole world was gray, and there was no alternation of day and night. So I'm sure time doesn't pass there."

"I see! Then call her whatever you like. It's only a form of address, after all." Tsunade didn't argue any further about what Nawaki called Shizune and immediately told him he could call her whatever he wanted.

"Sis, can you find out where my brother-in-law is?" Nawaki asked.

"What are you planning?" Tsunade frowned.

"Sis, I want to ask my brother-in-law to be my teacher and train me!" Nawaki said excitedly.

"Why do you want him to be your teacher?" Tsunade asked.

Admiration filled Nawaki's eyes. "My brother-in-law is amazing!"

"He took on all of Konoha by himself, leaving us powerless to fight back, and then calmly walked away. His strength is on a par with Great-Grandfather's."

"If I could train under him, I'd surely grow up to be as powerful as Grandfather."

Tsunade snapped, "He's currently Konoha's only rogue ninja with a bounty above S-rank. What are you thinking? If you really become his student, you'll be branded a rogue ninja too."

"Besides, Shadian's relationship with Konoha is as bad as it could possibly be. He knows you're my little brother. If he sees you again, you'll be lucky if he doesn't kill you. And you expect him to take you on as a student? You really are a foolish little brother. No wonder you died on the battlefield in the Third Shinobi World War. You were a clueless idiot. It's a miracle you lasted as long as you did!"

Nawaki immediately retorted, "I'm not an idiot! You're the idiot, Sis. My brother-in-law is so powerful, and he can even bring the dead back to life. You'd better win his heart before some other fox steals him away. Don't come crying to me when you regret it."

"And Sis, think about it. What if my brother-in-law could bring Great-Grandfather back to life too?"

"With Great-Grandfather's strength, who in this world could possibly stop my brother-in-law?"

"If Great-Grandfather came back to life and found you siding with rotten Konoha against my brother-in-law, I bet he'd teach you a lesson himself."

"Besides, Great-Grandfather and Madara Uchiha were close friends. If Great-Grandfather found out that Konoha's current Third had ordered the Uchiha Clan wiped out, violating every principle of morality and decency just to seize the power of their Sharingan, and that every last one of them had been killed, young or old, do you really think Great-Grandfather would tolerate those people?"

"And what if my brother-in-law brought Madara Uchiha back to life?"

"If Madara Uchiha saw that his entire clan had been slaughtered, with power on a par with Great-Grandfather's, do you think anyone in Konoha could stop him?"

"So, Sis, stop being foolish! The only right thing to do now is to cling to my brother-in-law."

"Maybe if he's in a good mood, he'll bring Great-Grandfather, our other great-grandfather, and Mom and Dad back to life too!"

"Then our whole family could be together again. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Tsunade stared at Nawaki, eyes wide with disbelief.

Shizune also stared at Nawaki with her eyes wide, looking utterly incredulous.

Seeing the looks on both their faces, Nawaki waved a hand in front of them. "Sis, Shizune, why are you staring at me like that? Is there a flower on my face?"

Shizune asked in surprise, "Lord Nawaki, how did you come up with all that?"

Nawaki said, "I just thought about it."

Tsunade took a deep breath. "Bringing the dead back to life goes against the natural order. It definitely isn't something that can be done easily. It's not as simple as you make it sound, Nawaki!"

"Shadian told me many years ago that he would bring you back to life. It took all these years before he finally made good on his promise. It must have been extremely difficult, so it can't be as simple as you think. Bringing Great-Grandfather or Madara Uchiha back to life—if people like them could be revived so easily, wouldn't the whole world be thrown into chaos?"

Nawaki said, "I still think my brother-in-law can bring them back to life, so I want him to be my teacher. If I stay by his side, sooner or later he'll be moved by my sincerity and bring Great-Grandfather back to life."