At the same time—
In an underground base hidden somewhere beneath Konoha, dim candlelight flickered against rough stone walls, casting twisted, distorted shadows. The air was heavy and suffocating, filled with the mixed stench of damp earth, rusted metal, and the faint odor of rotting roots.
Danzo Shimura sat deep within the shadows, his right arm tightly wrapped in layers of bandages. He had to admit that Orochimaru was a true genius. The idea of transplanting multiple Sharingan into a single arm was nothing short of brilliant.
Unfortunately, that genius had gone too far.
Caught red-handed by the Third Hokage, Orochimaru had been forced to flee the village, leaving Danzo no choice but to discard this once-useful pawn.
A Root ninja knelt silently before him on one knee, head bowed low. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Lord Danzo. Uchiha Sasuke made contact this evening with Tiandao, a researcher from the Farm Implement Research Squad, at the South Street alley entrance. The two spoke for approximately three minutes. Afterward, Sasuke performed a kneeling bow, seemingly requesting Tiandao's guidance."
Danzo did not respond immediately.
He slowly raised his left hand, tapping his fingertips against the wooden table in a steady rhythm as his mind turned over the information. The name "Tiandao" had been appearing more frequently in recent intelligence reports.
"Tiandao…" Danzo murmured softly, his single visible eye narrowing. "That so-called 'researcher' who spends his days buried in farmland and blueprints?"
"The same one," the Root ninja replied. "He was appointed yesterday as a part-time instructor by the Third Hokage."
"I see."
Danzo's brow creased slightly as his thoughts accelerated.
In his eyes, Tiandao had originally been nothing more than a marginal figure. The idea of converting ninjutsu principles into tools was not without merit, but it was far too impractical to be taken seriously. In the end, Tiandao had settled into an idle position improving farming equipment, never even reaching the rank of jōnin.
Yet recently, things had begun to change.
First, Tiandao had drawn the Hokage's attention with a public confrontation at the Ninja Academy. Now, he was privately meeting with the sole surviving Uchiha.
Danzo let out a cold, humorless chuckle.
"Interesting. It seems he isn't satisfied with merely playing farmer."
After a brief silence, Danzo spoke again, his voice carrying the weight of command.
"Increase surveillance on Sasuke immediately. As for Tiandao—assign someone to observe him closely for the time being."
"Report at once if anything suspicious is discovered."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
The Root ninja vanished without a sound, leaving the underground chamber silent once more.
The candle flame wavered.
Danzo remained seated in the darkness, his lone eye reflecting ambition and obsession.
"I must protect my Konoha."
Far from the village, deep within the Shikkotsu Forest, moonlight filtered through towering ancient trees. Amid the mist, a massive slug slowly opened its eyes, pale green markings on its enormous body glowing faintly.
"A new contractor…" the Slug Sage murmured.
The morning mist drifted lazily along Yinsu Street. Dew clung to rooftops and slid down the eaves, splashing softly into the muddy ground below.
Tsunade lay sprawled across a tatami mat, rubbing her temples as her head throbbed violently. Her breath reeked of alcohol.
"That damned gambling hall owner…" she muttered groggily. "Next time, I'll make him lose so badly he'll have to pawn his own pants."
Still half-conscious, Tsunade suddenly felt the familiar pull of a summoning contract. Before she could react, she was enveloped in chakra and forcibly transported via Reverse Summoning Jutsu.
In the blink of an eye, she found herself standing atop the massive back of the Slug Sage in the Shikkotsu Forest.
"Tsunade," the Slug Sage said gently. "The Shikkotsu Forest gained a new contractor last night."
A smaller slug emerged beside Tsunade and spoke calmly.
"Contractor…?" Tsunade mumbled, her mind still foggy. "What contractor?"
Then her eyes snapped open.
She bolted upright, the haze of alcohol evaporating instantly.
"A new contractor?!" she shouted. "Who is it?!"
"The name is Tiandao," the Slug Sage replied slowly. "I believed he was your disciple, but it seems that is not the case."
"Tiandao?" Tsunade frowned deeply. The name was completely unfamiliar.
"Can you tell me where he is?" she asked sharply. "I'm going to meet him myself."
The contract with the Slug Clan had been passed down from the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—her grandfather. Traditionally, only those approved by Tsunade were qualified to sign it. Yet now, someone had managed to establish a connection with the Slug Sage without her knowledge or consent.
This intrigued—and irritated—her.
"How exactly did he pull this off…?" Tsunade muttered.
The Slug Sage replied calmly, "According to the rules of the contract, I cannot reveal the contractor's location. My apologies, little Tsunade."
"That's fine," Tsunade said after a moment, sighing. "I understand."
The fact that the Slug Sage had notified her at all already spoke volumes.
With a wave of chakra, Tsunade dispelled the Reverse Summoning Jutsu and returned to the inn. She hurriedly threw on her clothes.
"Shizune!" she shouted, her voice startling birds from the eaves.
Shizune rushed in, holding a bowl of hangover soup. "Lady Tsunade? You're awake? Does your head still hurt? Maybe you should drink—"
"Forget that!" Tsunade snapped, grabbing her cloak. "Pack our things. We're leaving immediately!"
"Now?" Shizune blinked. "Where are we going? What about your gambling debts—"
"Debts?" Tsunade flashed an unsettling smile. "I'll just post a bounty. I'll find this Tiandao fellow and make him pay them for me."
"Tiandao?" Shizune hesitated. "Lady Tsunade… I have a former Academy classmate named Tiandao. If it's the same person—"
Tsunade froze.
"You mean he's in Konoha?"
"Yes," Shizune said cautiously. "Did he… offend you somehow?"
Ignoring the question, Tsunade fell silent.
Konoha.
Her feelings toward the village were complicated, filled with resentment and lingering attachment. Yet if someone capable of contracting the Slug Sage was residing there, she couldn't ignore it.
In the end, concern for her grandfather's legacy prevailed.
"Then we're going to Konoha," Tsunade said firmly.
Though the Slug Clan wasn't her private possession, the sudden appearance of a new contractor left her feeling oddly cheated.
"Let's go see that brat."
Shizune nodded quickly and began packing scrolls, medicine, and supplies. She didn't know what was happening—but judging from Tsunade's expression, it was far more serious than their usual financial disasters.
Within half an hour, the two stood at the inn's entrance.
"Move it!" Tsunade said. "Full speed back to Konoha!"
Unfortunately, creditors had long stationed spies around the inn. The moment Tsunade tried to leave, they swarmed in from every direction.
After a chaotic scuffle, master and apprentice barely managed to escape through a neglected alley, though their momentum was completely lost.
"Hurry," Tsunade muttered, scanning their surroundings before slipping away with Shizune.
Earlier that morning, back in Konoha—
Sunlight filtered through the sparse canopy of trees at the Third Training Ground, illuminating dew-covered grass. The air was crisp and cool.
Tiandao strolled in leisurely, yawning, a greaseproof paper bag in hand.
Inside was breakfast—made with care by Inuzuka Akita earlier that morning. There was a reason both of Tiandao's current girlfriends were the "big sister" type.
Only big sisters knew how to spoil someone properly.
A trace of sauce lingered at the corner of Tiandao's mouth as he finished chewing, thoroughly satisfied.
"You're late."
Sasuke stood at the center of the field, arms crossed. His black hair was slightly disheveled, and the trampled grass around his feet showed he had been waiting for quite some time.
"Oh, sorry, sorry," Tiandao said with a grin, scratching his head. "I ran into an elderly lady on the way who had trouble walking. Helped her cross three streets."
"Respecting the elderly and loving the young is a fine Konoha tradition."
Sasuke stared at him coldly for several seconds.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"How could I?" Tiandao replied sincerely. "You're Konoha's famous genius—number one at the Academy."
"Tch." Sasuke turned away. "Enough nonsense. Start the guidance."
Tiandao swallowed the last bite of food, brushed the crumbs from his hands, and his expression turned serious.
"Alright. Let's begin."
"The first thing I'll teach you is the foundation upon which Konoha was built—a secret technique not normally taught until after graduation."
Sasuke frowned. Despite his confidence, the idea of learning a hidden technique made him unexpectedly tense.
"This technique is—Tree Climbing."
Tiandao pointed toward a thick cedar tree nearby.
"No need to take off your shoes."
"Climb."