My Mind's Eye Is Quite Narrow

At the Senju Clan's feast, Senju Momoka sat at the head table, chatting happily with the Third Hokage. Beside her sat Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, followed by the Hokage's personal guards.

This ordinary scene provided a sense of stability to everyone present, calming the panic that had gripped the people since the Nine-Tails' Rampage.

"Hey Orochimaru, what are you staring at down there? Do you know someone?"

Jiraiya, not a strong drinker, was already tipsy. He didn't care about the stares around him and threw an arm around Orochimaru's neck, following his gaze.

One look was enough to sober Jiraiya up by more than half. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

"So it's not my drinking that's gotten worse, but someone really looks that much like the Second Lord? Is this Tsunade's blood relative? I haven't seen them before?"

While Jiraiya was muttering to himself about Senba's appearance, Orochimaru beside him had already made his move. Concealed by his sleeve, he cut his finger and formed the "Unfinished" hand seal with one hand.

The next second, a small white snake appeared beneath him, silently burrowing into the ground and slowly moving towards Senba.

Orochimaru's action didn't escape the notice of those at the head table. Others might have hesitated given the occasion, but the short-tempered Tsunade's eyebrows shot up, and she was about to stand up and question him.

"Come here, little Tsunade. Your grandmother is old and tired. Why don't you go chat with Lord Hokage?"

Senju Momoka's words temporarily suppressed Tsunade's anger. She stood up and walked to her grandmother's side to help her up. As Senju Momoka moved away, she lightly pinched Tsunade.

Receiving her grandmother's conveyed message, Tsunade suppressed her dissatisfaction for the moment. Under everyone's gaze, she, wearing a haori, sat as an equal to the Third Hokage and began reminiscing with her student.

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that from this day forward, his disciple would be the head of the Senju family. Tsunade, who already held the title of "Princess" bestowed by the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire, was now at the pinnacle of both status and influence in Konoha.

If she were to become Hokage, Konoha, currently unable to withstand further turmoil, would be in a difficult position. A flicker of thought crossed Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, but he quickly dismissed it.

Not to mention the declining state of the Senju Clan, Tsunade's own hemophobia was a fatal flaw for the position of Hokage. How could the leader of a village have such a significant weakness?

With this thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart gradually settled, and he began to talk kindly with Tsunade opposite him.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt no consideration for his teacher-student relationship; he was truly old.

Senba's eyes calmly looked at the two tooth marks on his ankle. A small white snake had secretly emerged from the ground, bitten him quickly, and then disappeared after drawing blood.

A normal Genin wouldn't have noticed, but Senba, with his two units of chakra, had clearly detected it. What made him even more speechless was that the white snake had also left some poison in his wound.

So, Orochimaru wanted to test his body's resistance to poison. That guy really didn't take the Senju seriously. Or perhaps he just thought that as a mere Genin, the Senju Clan wouldn't turn on him over this.

"Slap!"

Senba's eyes closed, and his body involuntarily fell to the side, startling a peer who was secretly eating nearby, causing them to choke.

Senba didn't know what happened next because he had truly fainted. To go along with the other's intentions and not reveal himself, he could only pretend to be unaware, let the poison enter his body, and then pass out.

Orochimaru, I hold grudges. I'll remember this favor.

"Orochimaru, are you crazy? Attacking a child from the village!"

Seeing Senba being carried away in a poisoned state, Jiraiya's expression turned grim. He had initially thought Orochimaru's research obsession had simply kicked in and he was collecting blood samples, but he hadn't expected him to poison a child.

Looking at Jiraiya, whose voice was lowered but clearly laced with anger, Orochimaru pondered for a moment before silently calling him an "idiot." Then he spoke:

"Jiraiya, that's just a toxin to make him faint. He'll metabolize it himself soon. Even if I disregard the Senju Clan, I wouldn't dare offend Tsunade. Why would I truly harm him?"

"Since his appearance is so similar to the Second Hokage, if his physique is also special, I believe it would be of great help to Konoha."

As Jiraiya was about to speak again, hearing Orochimaru's hoarse voice and the fanatical glint in his eyes, the Third Hokage interrupted him.

A moment later, Tsunade saw off the Third Hokage and the others outside before returning to the clan to continue hosting the gathering. However, her mind had already drifted elsewhere, worrying if Orochimaru would discover the secret of the little guy's body.

If that happened, the Senju Clan would likely face immense pressure.

"Hiss, my head hurts so much. Poisoning has such severe after-effects. Did the toxin damage my nerves?"

"No, no matter how you look at it, that little brat Orochimaru wouldn't dare to be so heavy-handed under everyone's eyes."

"That's good, that's... uh, greetings, Lady Momoka."

Mid-sentence, Senba suddenly froze. He quickly got up and bowed to Senju Momoka, who was sitting on the veranda enjoying the sunlight.

"Call me Grandma. Miki and I grew up together," her calm voice, coupled with her weathered gaze, put immense pressure on Senba. He felt as if his thoughts were being seen through.

"Senba."

"Yes!"

At Grandma Momoka's call, Senba instinctively stood straighter. Listening to her teachings, the next second, a white piece of paper floated before him.

A chakra paper. It was a test all ninjas underwent after refining their chakra, allowing them to understand their future path.

Understanding her intention, Senba reached out and placed his hand on the chakra paper, drawing a small amount of chakra from within and slowly infusing it.

Then, under their watchful eyes, the chakra paper first split in two. The left half turned into fragments, while the right half became moist.

Senba's innate affinities were Wind, Earth, and Water.

"Your records show your innate attributes are Wind and Earth," Senju Momoka said, her expression unchanging. She looked at the chakra paper on the ground with a complex gaze. Innate Earth and Water affinities were not uncommon among the Senju Clan, but one who completed them later in life was rare. Or rather, there was only one successful case in the clan currently.

I had already given up, yet this child appears now. How fate toys with me.

Closing her tired eyes, Senju Momoka felt that for the first time, she didn't know how to choose. This child didn't need Wood Release, and it was unlikely he would have it. However, if he could become someone like Lord Tobirama, the Senju Clan would once again unite.

But then she remembered that disbanding the Senju Clan was the order of Lord Hashirama and Lord Tobirama, and Senju Momoka could not disobey their commands.