In the underground base, the door to the observation room remained tightly shut; evidently, they had not yet finished.
Inside the main laboratory, Hinata was boredly teasing the little white snake on her wrist, which was increasingly developing into a "pet," while her mind was on the System shop.
She was browsing it just like shopping on Taobao, looking here and there.
[ Ding! Side quest completed: Make up for regrets, Tsunade and Kato Dan. Successfully resurrected key plot characters, significantly altered the trajectory of fate, stabilized world line deviation. points obtained: 20,000. ]
"Whoa, 20,000." Hinata raised an eyebrow, quite satisfied with this reward.
Although it couldn't compare to the major main quest rewards, this kind of side quest excelled in its "steady stream" and "extra surprises."
[ host... compared to you, that Late Stage dream-fulfilling ambassador Kabuto is just far behind; you are the true dream-fulfilling ambassador. ]
The corner of Hinata's mouth twitched slightly.
"Dream-fulfilling ambassador... fine, I don't mind receiving this title early. It's quite good. This Young Miss is kind-hearted and likes watching pure love."
She did not take the System's teasing to heart.
Resurrecting Kato Dan, watching Tsunade's eyes light up instantly as if she had regained the full weight of her life, and seeing that immense sense of cherishment in Kato Dan's eyes after he woke up—that kind of pure emotional impact was, in itself, a pretty good experience.
How should she put it? The source of pleasure isn't just about self-interest. Sometimes, satisfying others, watching regretful people become happy and cast grateful glances, and witnessing these beautiful things can also make one feel delighted.
The System noticed Hinata's pleasure.
[... host, so is this why you sneak a peek at others "cooking"? ]
"Tsk, so what? This world doesn't have JM Heaven, only icha icha paradise, and there are no manga illustrations. Who's going to fill the void of pure love manga I'm missing?"
[... Didn't your original world have many such manga? You read quite a few back then... something like Sakura and Lei... ]
"Stop, stop, stop, can we not talk about this?"
This topic reminded her of the fan-made manga she used to love reading. Not only was there Sakura, but there was also herself, and she used to love reading them back then.
Thinking about it now, it felt very strange, extremely strange.
Hinata cast aside the messy thoughts in her mind and returned to the main topic.
Cultivation is about immortality and power, but if one reaches the end only to be left with a cold Dao and endless loneliness, that would be far too boring.
Occasionally intervening in the joys and sorrows of the mortal world, witnessing or even facilitating some beautiful endings, didn't feel bad; it provided a different kind of satisfaction.
"Unite the majority, unite everyone who can be united, make more friends and fewer enemies—this is an ironclad truth in any world."
Hinata thought silently to herself.
This time, Tsunade owed her a debt of rebirth—a favor greater than the heavens. A friend of this caliber was more reliable than any alliance at a critical moment. Orochimaru obtained the research materials he dreamed of and broader technical prospects; Tsunade regained her lover and was about to regain her brother; and she had obtained points and gained a powerful, reliable ally. Everyone had a bright future, and everyone was happy.
This kind of win-win situation was the only sustainable path for development.
Fighting and killing might be exhilarating, but it always brought trouble. Like this, with everyone getting what they needed and pushing forward together, the changes in the world would be more stable and more thorough.
At this moment, the door to the observation room still showed no signs of movement.
Hinata turned her head to take a look.
"Tsk, a new body is indeed great..." Hinata couldn't help but exclaim, shaking her head.
"Tsunade's physical fitness is also top-tier... How long has it been? Quite intense and enduring, strong and powerful, truly strong and powerful."
She had no interest in staying here any longer, nor was she worried about any accidents happening.
Furthermore, she sensed that something had happened in Konoha; a large amount of Chakra was gathering together.
Currently, Kato Dan's condition was very stable, and Tsunade herself was a top-tier Medical Ninja, so nothing would go wrong.
What remained was time that belonged solely to the two of them.
Hinata walked to the table, casually pulled over a sticky note used for recording data, picked up a pen, and scribbled a few lines, writing down Orochimaru's words.
After finishing, she placed the note next to a conspicuous instrument.
She ensured that when Tsunade and the others finished being "busy" and came out, they would see it immediately.
She did not delay any longer. With a slight shift of her will, familiar ripples appeared in the space before her.
The next moment, her figure had disappeared from the underground laboratory, which was filled with the smell of disinfectant and the lingering warmth of intimacy.
The temperature in the room where Tsunade was seemed slightly higher than outside.
Tsunade snuggled in Kato Dan's arms, both of them panting slightly, their faces flushed with a thick, inseparable attachment and satisfaction.
Kato Dan's fingers unconsciously twined around Tsunade's scattered golden hair, while Tsunade buried her face in the crook of his neck, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat, feeling an unprecedented sense of peace and fulfillment.
...
Konoha, in front of the Hokage Building.
The air seemed to have solidified, heavy enough to wring water out of it. The sunlight was still bright, but it could not bring a shred of warmth to this space; instead, it illuminated every tense face and every unsheathed blade, making them appear even colder and more piercing.
Led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Konoha Leadership and a group of elite Jonin stood on the steps and sides of the building, forming a semi-circular formation.
Around the plaza below, Anbu stood silently like black boulders, their eyes behind masks locked firmly onto the two figures in the center of the plaza.
Further out were ordinary Ninjas who were suspicious and uneasy, having been ordered not to approach, along with a small number of villagers who were daring enough to peek.
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha stood in the center of this heavy encirclement, yet they seemed to be in an entirely different aura.
Sasuke's gaze calmly swept over the surrounding faces—some angry, some vigilant, some complex—and finally landed on Hiruzen Sarutobi, who stood at the highest point of the steps, holding his Adamantine Staff.
The old man's face was livid, his wrinkles seemed deeper, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, but deep within them hid an imperceptible weariness and shock.
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