In the shinobi world, ninjas usually operated from the shadows; otherwise, the leaders of the villages wouldn't carry the title of Kage.
However, Ryōsuke felt that there was absolutely no problem with powerful people standing at the forefront. Why should they be led by individuals who possessed zero military strength? The Daimyō was a prime example of someone with very low combat capability.
Still, there was no rush to deal with such matters right now. He looked at Tsunade and spoke.
"I understand, Wife Tsunade."
Tsunade was utterly speechless. He called her "wife" again. And his agreement was so casual. How could he possibly have understood the reasoning?
But she couldn't use force to pressure Ryōsuke into following her words. If it were anyone else, she would have simply brandished her fists to make them understand by force. If Ryōsuke still didn't get it, she felt it would remain very dangerous. The Uchiha Clan was still a bit radical.
It seemed she could only resort to this plan.
"Ryōsuke, stay and rest at the Senju Clan compound tonight."
As she spoke, her face flushed slightly, and she looked at Ryōsuke out of the corner of her eye. If she couldn't defeat him with martial prowess, she could only hope to make him surrender in bed. By whispering "pillow talk" in his ear, there was a chance she could make him change his ways. She had to make him realize the true path—that force alone could not solve everything.
Upon hearing this, Ryōsuke's spirits instantly lifted. With a face full of smiles, he said, "Alright, Wife Tsunade."
Standing nearby, Shizune felt a hint of envy. It seemed it was Tsunade's turn today, so she would have to wait for the next time.
After night fell and they had finished washing up, Ryōsuke naturally strode into Tsunade's room with an air of confidence. Tsunade looked at the strong man before her and took the initiative to meet him, boldly grabbing hold of his "weakness."
Her face turned red. She hadn't expected herself to be so daring, but since she had already started, she might as well be even bolder. Her grip tightened.
"Ryōsuke, you'll listen to me from now on, won't you?"
Ryōsuke hadn't expected Tsunade to be so aggressive. He hadn't expected her to make such a bold move. This immediately ignited his desire. He pulled Tsunade into his arms and said, "Of course. Whatever my Wife Tsunade likes, goes."
Tsunade's face crimsoned. This guy was taking advantage of her again. If he kept calling her that, it might actually become the truth one day, and she wouldn't be able to run away for the rest of her life. However, smelling the intoxicating scent on him, she felt that maybe this wasn't so bad after all.
The night was spent in a passionate storm of love.
Time moved forward until past noon the next day, when sunlight filtered through the window and onto the bed. Ryōsuke rubbed his eyes and gradually woke up. Last night, he had fully enjoyed Tsunade's tenderness. She had been quite cooperative this time.
In truth, it was a very comfortable experience no matter how many times they did it. The only downside was that Tsunade always wanted to "educate" him; he expected another lecture once she woke up.
'How could my will be changed so easily?'
Usually, he just didn't speak up, but once he did, it meant the final decision had been made. Looking at the disheveled Tsunade on the bed, he smiled. It was time to get to work. After resting for a night, he needed to train hard and strive to unlock the state of the Seventh Gate of the Eight Inner Gates as soon as possible.
He got out of bed, dressed, and headed toward his familiar small grove. This place was still the most suitable for his cultivation.
An hour later, Shizune came to Tsunade's room. She didn't see Ryōsuke, so he must have already left. Seeing Tsunade's messy appearance on the bed, Shizune knew exactly how intense last night's battle had been. Her own body might not necessarily be able to withstand such intense "devastation" from Ryōsuke; fortunately, he always treated her with great tenderness.
"Tsunade-sama, it's time to get up. You need to eat."
Tsunade opened her blurry eyes and saw it was Shizune. Her current state was a bit shameful. To let Shizune see such a disheveled side of her—what would happen to her image? But then she suddenly felt that no one was beside her and asked, "Shizune, where did that guy go?"
"He likely left. He's no longer within the Senju Clan grounds," Shizune replied.
Tsunade felt a bit annoyed. That guy had slipped away again. Her body still felt the residual pressure he had exerted. He was too strong—like a wild beast in bed—and simply wouldn't listen to a word she said. She had originally planned to "educate" him some more while they were in bed, but that plan had failed. She could only wait to try again later; her body was currently too exhausted.
Forget it, she wouldn't worry about those things for now.
"Shizune, I'll rest a bit longer before eating."
Seeing Tsunade's state of disarray, Shizune estimated she would need to rest for a long time. She would have to wait for Tsunade to wake up before reheating the food.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
The Leaf Village had naturally entered a state of stability. The Uchiha Clan was no longer causing trouble. After all, their greatest enemies—the Third Hokage, Shimura Danzō, and those Consultant Elders—had all been eliminated. Those were the families and individuals who had viewed the Uchiha Clan as a massive threat. Now, there was no one left in the village who threatened the Uchiha.
In the end, it had been a civil war within the Leaf Village. Both sides simply couldn't stand the sight of each other. Ryōsuke had chosen to let his own clan stand tall in the Leaf Village, while Uchiha Itachi had chosen to let the original Konoha high-level leadership remain. There was no such thing as "betrayal."
The villagers of the Leaf Village were even a bit unaccustomed to this kind of internal environment. Without the Uchiha Clan stirring things up, the village was a bit too peaceful, almost too harmonious. However, no villager was willing to return to the tense situation of the past. Back then, even the air felt suffocating. Now was much better.
Meanwhile, Ryōsuke arrived at a specialized maternity store in the Leaf Village commercial district. He planned to buy some essential items for a pregnant woman. He was greeted by a female shopkeeper in her forties or fifties.
When she saw Ryōsuke arrive, she was naturally surprised. Who was this man? There was probably no one in the Leaf Village who didn't recognize him—he was the strongest person in the Uchiha Clan. Why would he come here to buy pregnancy products?
Ryōsuke looked at the wide array of goods and didn't know exactly which items were necessary. He looked at the shopkeeper and asked, "Shopkeeper, please recommend some essential items for a pregnant woman."
The shopkeeper was astonished. He really was here to pick out pregnancy products. It seemed he already had a woman. To be so young and yet willing to buy such things for his woman, he was a good man. It was a pity she didn't have a chance; otherwise, she really would have tried to flirt with him.
She said warmly, "Of course. A pregnant woman needs specialized shoes, maternity clothes, and health supplements to ensure proper nutrition. And of course, you can prepare some baby clothes and milk powder in advance."