nucmednet Chapter 741 Foster Father!
Chapter 741 Foster Father!
The two stepped out of the tent together, and the scene before them made Zhang Hai slightly taken aback. The once densely packed ninjas at the stronghold were now few and far between. Most of them had returned to their villages to heal the wounds inflicted by the long war. Only a few unwilling ninjas remained, still lingering near the stronghold or conducting a final search of the surrounding area, trying to find their missing comrades. The entire stronghold seemed somewhat empty, carrying a sense of post-war weariness and desolation.
Just then, a joyful voice came from not far away: "Godfather!"
Zhang Hai looked in the direction of the sound and saw a small, thin figure running quickly towards them. It was Uchiha Itachi. The little boy had the innocence and excitement unique to children on his face, and his black eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
Zhang Hai smiled, took out a lollipop he always carried from his pocket, unwrapped it, and handed it to Itachi, who had run up to him. Itachi happily took the lollipop, carefully unwrapped it, and then secretly glanced behind him.
Sure enough, not far behind Itachi, Fugaku Uchiha was walking slowly towards them. He saw the lollipop in his son's hand, shook his head helplessly, and then nodded to Zhang Hai as a greeting.
Seeing this, Tsunade's earlier shyness vanished, replaced by her usual decisive and efficient demeanor. She smiled slightly at Zhang Hai, a hint of tenderness in her smile: "Now that Captain Fugaku is here, I should organize the remaining ninjas to return to the village as soon as possible. Zhang Hai, your injuries haven't fully healed yet, so please take care of yourself and rest." With that, she turned and walked towards the few remaining ninjas at the base to begin planning the evacuation.
Fugaku observed the entire interaction between Tsunade and Zhang Hai. He watched Tsunade's gentle smile as she left, then noticed the unusually warm expression on Zhang Hai's face, and a thought inexplicably arose in his mind. The thought was somewhat absurd and unbelievable, but he quickly found it laughable, shook his head, and dismissed it.
Only after Tsunade's figure completely disappeared from sight did Zhang Hai turn his head to look at Fugaku. Over the years, because Zhang Hai had visited the Uchiha clan many times to see Fugaku, who was under house arrest, and because his relationship with Mikoto and Itachi had grown closer, the relationship between the two had eased considerably, and they were able to talk calmly.
"Captain Fugaku, why haven't you returned to Konoha yet?" Zhang Hai asked, a hint of doubt in his voice. Logically, an important figure like Fugaku should have already returned to the village with the main force.
Fugaku sighed, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes: "This defeat in the war has resulted in the loss of many members of my Uchiha clan. Although most of the bodies have been recovered and properly buried, some clan members have completely disappeared. I have been searching around the stronghold these past few days, hoping to find some clues." His heavy tone revealed the responsibility and concern of a clan leader.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hai felt a strange unease. He knew that the clansmen Fugaku mentioned who had "completely disappeared" were the ones he had secretly orchestrated. Those Uchiha ninjas who had vanished to gather intelligence had already become "materials" in his laboratory. An indescribable sense of irony welled up within him, but on the surface, he feigned deep thought, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Completely disappeared…” Zhang Hai stroked his chin, a strange light flashing in his eyes. “I have a ‘guess.’ Could these people have been captured by the Earth Shadow?” He paused, his tone carrying a hint of conspiracy. “Then, they might demand a ransom from us.”
Upon hearing this, Fugaku frowned, then shook his head without hesitation, his tone tinged with disdain: "That's impossible! How could the Tsuchikage, the leader of Iwagakure, do such a despicable thing? Capturing ninjas and demanding ransom is something only black market mercenaries would do!" He clearly did not believe Zhang Hai's statement at all.
Seeing this, Zhang Hai's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery. He knew Fugaku's inherent pride and adherence to the traditional ninja way, which was why he was unwilling to believe such "despicable" behavior. He decided to add fuel to the fire and stir up Fugaku's inner unease.
"Captain Fugaku, you're mistaken," Zhang Hai said slowly, his tone low and inflammatory. "You and I both know that Iwagakure was nearly wiped out in this war, and the village was severely weakened. To survive, they even went so far as to ally with mercenaries in the black market and Kirigakure, who is far away across the sea. Under these circumstances, what do you think the Tsuchikage wouldn't dare to do?" He looked directly into Fugaku's eyes, his tone slightly aggressive. "What does dignity matter in the face of survival? Moreover, the Uchiha's bloodline limit is a huge temptation for any ninja village."
Fugaku's face gradually darkened. He fell silent; Zhang Hai's words were like sharp blades, slowly slicing through the beliefs deep within his heart. He began to seriously consider the possibility of Zhang Hai's statement. The Tsuchikage, Onoki, was indeed a person who would stop at nothing for the sake of the village, and the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan was indeed a power coveted by countless people.
Even so, deep down he still retained the last vestiges of pride and resolve of the Uchiha clan. He took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Even so, I believe that my Uchiha clan members would rather destroy their own bloodline than let the enemy succeed." His voice was low, yet it carried an undeniable determination.
"Princess Tsunade, you're too kind. Since you don't want to be my mother, then... how about you adopt me as your younger brother? I promise I'll serve you faithfully, even unto death!" Zhang Hai continued shamelessly, his eyes gleaming with cunning. He knew Tsunade was easily swayed by flattery and liked being complimented, so he decided to go all out with his flattery.
Looking at Zhang Hai's glib tongue, Tsunade knew he was just flattering her, but her dissatisfaction dissipated considerably. A slight, enigmatic smile played on her lips: "Little brother? Your mouth is even more slippery than mine. Fine, since you're so eager, I'll be the older sister!"
"That's wonderful! Big Sister!" Zhang Hai immediately beamed, as if he had truly received a tremendous advantage, his tone filled with joy. In his heart, however, he silently apologized to Orochimaru in the distance. What a twist of fate! One moment he was affectionately calling Orochimaru "Uncle," and the next he was acknowledging Tsunade as "Big Sister." This web of relationships was becoming increasingly complex. However, for survival and for his plans, this was all necessary pretense.
Tsunade looked at Zhang Hai's "tearful gratitude" and shook her head, a helpless smile on her face. She said nothing more, turned, and walked out of the cell. Zhang Hai immediately followed, filled with curiosity about this so-called "new prison."