In the blink of an eye, an entire month passed.
To the outside world, Ryujin had fallen into a deep and mysterious coma. No one knew what had happened, and speculation spread rapidly across the battlefield and beyond. Rumors twisted and multiplied, each more exaggerated than the last.
But only Ryujin himself knew the truth.
He wasn't unconscious.
He simply… didn't want to wake up.
Because he had become completely immersed—almost addicted—to absorbing the Origin Threads.
Outside, however, the world refused to remain still.
The situation continued to spiral.
Within the Uchiha Clan, anxiety grew heavier with each passing day. Their Clan Head had remained unconscious for an entire month, and no one could explain why. Guards stood watch day and night, never leaving his side, their vigilance unwavering.
And every day—
A familiar figure would quietly appear.
Mikoto.
She would sit beside him, speaking softly about her training, her progress, her frustrations—as if he could hear every word. There was no doubt in her voice, no hesitation in her actions.
Before leaving, she would always pause, her eyes filled with determination.
She had made a silent promise.
To become stronger.
Strong enough—
To wake him.
Inside the medical tent, Tsunade was running out of answers.
She had examined Ryujin countless times, analyzing every detail, every fluctuation within his body. And yet—
She found nothing.
No injuries.
No abnormalities.
No signs of illness.
There was nothing to treat.
It was as if—
He wasn't sick at all.
And that—
Was the most unsettling part.
She wanted to help him.
Desperately.
But she couldn't.
Because she didn't even know—
Where to begin.
While the Uchiha grew increasingly anxious, others felt something entirely different.
Relief.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Danzo Shimura.
And especially—
Danzo.
At a time like this, he proposed something unthinkable.
To strike the Uchiha Clan.
Now.
While Ryujin remained unconscious.
Because Ryujin—
Was too strong.
If he awakened, the balance of power might tilt beyond recovery.
So Danzo wanted to act immediately.
Before that moment came.
Hiruzen fell silent.
He did not agree.
But he did not reject it either.
Because he understood both sides.
He understood the danger Ryujin represented.
But he also understood something far more important.
Now—
Was the worst possible time.
Ryujin's rise had already shaken the entire shinobi world.
A Kage-level shinobi.
One who had defeated Hanzo head-on.
That single event had triggered a chain reaction.
Other villages had begun forming alliances.
Not out of ambition—
But out of fear.
Because Konoha had become too strong.
Four Kage-level fighters.
Multiple near-Kage elites.
It was too much.
No single nation could accept such dominance.
So they united.
And now—
Konoha faced pressure from every direction.
If an internal conflict broke out at this moment—
If Konoha turned its blade inward—
It wouldn't just weaken them.
It would destroy them.
Even Hiruzen would never make such a reckless decision.
The Uchiha were not a clan that could be erased easily. Their foundation ran deep, their strength undeniable. If forced into war, Konoha would pay a devastating price.
Perhaps—
If the First Hokage were still alive—
He would have been furious.
The Senju.
The Uchiha.
The two pillars that built Konoha together.
And now—
The village they created—
Was considering destroying one of them.
And the truth was even harsher.
The Senju themselves—
Were not safe.
Because as Ryujin had once implied—
Power without balance could never be tolerated.
If the Uchiha fell—
The Senju would be next.
That was the philosophy Hiruzen upheld.
Peace—
Maintained through balance.
All forces equal.
Except—
The one who stood above them.
Inside the medical tent, Tsunade sat quietly beside Ryujin's bed, gently wiping his body.
"…Just how long do you plan to sleep?"
Her voice was soft.
Barely audible.
A month had passed.
And yet—
There was no sign of him waking.
Even stranger—
He hadn't eaten.
Hadn't drunk water.
And yet—
His body remained in perfect condition.
His breathing steady.
His complexion healthy.
Even… radiant.
He didn't look like someone on the brink of death.
If anything—
He looked better than before.
And as a medical ninja, Tsunade noticed something even more shocking.
His body—
Was getting stronger.
Every single day.
"…What kind of monster are you…?"
She whispered, unable to hide her disbelief.
Someone already at Kage level—
Growing stronger—
Without training?
Without even moving?
It defied logic.
"…Just what secrets are you hiding?"
Her fingers brushed lightly against his cheek, her gaze softening.
There was curiosity in her eyes.
But also something deeper.
Perhaps it was this moment—
This quiet, fragile situation—
That made her finally confront her feelings.
Every day, she came.
Took care of him.
Talked to him.
Said things she would never say otherwise.
Because Tsunade—
Despite her boldness—
Carried many things in her heart.
And one truth—
She could never ignore.
He was Uchiha.
And she—
Was the princess of the Senju.
Two clans.
Two legacies.
Standing on opposite sides of history.
Even if she cared for him—
She could not say it openly.
Not in this world.
Not in this reality.
Only now—
While he lay unconscious—
Did she find the courage.
But what she didn't know was—
Ryujin could hear everything.
He wasn't asleep.
His consciousness remained completely awake.
Every word she spoke—
Reached him clearly.
Every day, between absorbing the Origin Threads, he would occasionally check the guild chat, relax his mind, and listen.
Listen to Tsunade.
Her worries.
Her thoughts.
Her fears.
She spoke about her younger brother—
Soon to head to war.
About sneaking out of the compound without the elders noticing.
About trivial concerns.
And about the fate of the shinobi world itself.
She told him everything.
As if—
She truly believed—
He would wake up.
As if—
She was waiting.
Hoping.
That one day—
He would open his eyes.
And answer her.
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