Hidden Leaf Village had been founded more than a decade ago. After developing under the First Hokage and the Second, it now had a well-established system, with numerous institutions under its jurisdiction handling intelligence, administration, military operations, and support.
Konoha's Sanatorium was one of them. After all, being a ninja was a high-risk profession, and people could be killed at any moment—especially during the Shinobi World War. That was why the Sanatorium had been established to care for the children orphaned by the deaths of ninja and some civilians.
However, at Hanyu Yu's age, he wasn't really suited to living at the Sanatorium... He was already old enough to take care of himself, so he should have been leaving the Sanatorium, not entering it.
But for reasons he didn't know, he had still ended up in the hands of the Sanatorium's director.
"This will be your room from now on. You've been through a lot these past few days, so take the rest of today to relax. We'll discuss everything else tomorrow... Oh, right, I'll have someone bring your meals." Sanshao spoke to Hanyu as she showed him to a private room in the Sanatorium.
"Okay, I understand." Hanyu wasn't the least bit unhappy with the arrangement. The room was a little cramped, but neat, and its simple furnishings had everything he needed. After years of life on the road, this was the kind of living environment he'd never dared to imagine.
He had no idea what they would have him do next, but this little room was a good start.
The Sanatorium was large, with around a hundred orphans living there. Yet no other orphans lived near the room where Hanyu was staying, which showed that, as an outsider, he was still being treated differently. So although the village hadn't restricted his freedom, he wouldn't go wandering around without clear instructions, much less approach anyone else in the village... Hanyu kept himself confined to his room.
It was called knowing one's place. Choosing to keep to himself was much better than getting into trouble and ending up under lock and key. As far as Hanyu was concerned, ninja weren't only keen on killing their enemies; sometimes they were just as keen on killing their own people.
Whatever Hanyu was thinking, after settling him in, Sanshao quickly left the Sanatorium... Konoha was in the midst of a transition between old and new leadership. The handover had come so suddenly that people like Sanshao were extremely busy. She couldn't spend too much time on Hanyu.
Next, Sanshao had something quite important to explain to one of the people in Konoha's High Command. She needed to earn that person's understanding and approval as much as possible. The person in question held an exceptionally high status in Konoha—Uzumaki Mito, the First Hokage's wife. She was the one Sanshao was about to face.
In terms of status, Uzumaki Mito was now the most revered person in Konoha. Even the Hokage succession required her approval. Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen needed Mito's support to claim the Hokage Position, Sanshao needed her support for what she wanted to do.
Uzumaki Mito looked to be in her fifties. The vivid red hair that had been her trademark in her youth had long since lost its luster. When Sanshao came to see her, before she could explain why she had come, Mito spoke with a hint of exhaustion:
"Sanshao, have you really decided to do this?"
Clearly, the Hokage's wife had already learned somehow what Sanshao intended to do.
"Yes. It's already been decided... The Senju Clan has reached the point where it's time to withdraw from the stage." Sanshao paused deliberately. When she saw no obvious change in Mito's expression, she continued, "Since the Shinobi World War began, the pride of being the Forest Senju and the duty of belonging to the Hokage's clan have driven our people to put themselves on the front lines far too often. They've thrown themselves into battle and died for it. Over the past few years, the casualty rate among Senju ninja has even surpassed what it was during the warring era, before Konoha was founded..."
"On top of that, so many talented members of our clan died before they could truly mature. Since the First and Second, the Senju have produced no one with the exceptional intelligence and strength of our two forebears, someone capable of uniting the clan. So... I think the time has come."
"Concealing the name of the Forest Senju is the right decision, both for our people and for Konoha. The reasoning is simple: the Senju Clan can't be the Hokage forever. Otherwise, we might as well remain the Senju and ask what the point of founding Konoha was. And since the Senju can't hold the Hokage Position forever, we shouldn't have to shoulder more responsibility than ordinary ninja, either... This doesn't mean our people will be forbidden from becoming ninja. It means they shouldn't have to carry the heavy name of Senju anymore." As Sanshao explained, her voice was filled with pain.
The Forest Senju had become a burden too heavy for them to bear.
Giving up the Senju name was a heartbreaking decision. But the fact that one of the Shinobi World's foremost ninja clans was willing to abandon its name showed just how much they had suffered in the war.
"Do all the Senju agree?" Uzumaki Mito was silent for a long while before asking.
"Yes. At the clan meeting, everyone was deeply pained by the decision, but the vast majority chose to accept it."
"So that's how it is. The Senju Clan has finally reached the point where it must give up its proud name. I thought quite a few people would oppose the decision, but... perhaps this is for the best. At this point, even if Hashirama came back to life, I could give my husband an answer. He would have nothing to say." Uzumaki Mito replied.
She had been born into the Uzumaki Clan. Although she had married Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, she wasn't truly a Senju. Some decisions could only be made by those of pure Senju blood.
The clan members with the strongest sense of family pride—the ones most certain to oppose such a decision—had already died on the battlefield... Sanshao wanted to shout those words, but in the end, she only parted her lips and said nothing.
Because she wasn't the only one who understood. The woman sitting across from her, who had spent a lifetime with the First Hokage, understood even better.
Ultimately, the Second's death had been the catalyst for the Senju Clan's decision to conceal its surname. The war had already reached its midpoint. Konoha had repelled Cloud Village's invasion, and the two countries were about to sign a peace and alliance treaty. That achievement had been bought with the lives of countless Senju, but it had all fallen apart with the Second's sudden death.
Peace had seemed within reach, only to vanish without a trace. The enormous difference between expectation and reality sent the Senju Clan's morale plummeting. They couldn't help but wonder whether all their sacrifices had really meant anything.
Of course they had.
But the value of what they had given was utterly disproportionate to the meaning it held and the worth of the results they had achieved.
So when Sanshao first proposed concealing the Senju name, the clan members were astonished. But afterward, the vast majority accepted the proposal.
And then that proposal became the final decision.
The Senju weren't the only ones who understood the sacrifices they had made. The entire village understood as well. Given the heavy price they had paid, no one had the right to demand that they make any more sacrifices. So once the Senju Clan made its decision, the village wouldn't—and couldn't—stop them.
From this day onward, the Senju Clan—the most important ninja clan in the founding of Konoha and one of the most renowned in the Shinobi World—would gradually fade from view. Before long, the Senju name would exist only in history.
"Even if there are no more Senju ninja in the future, it will only be because all Senju ninja have become Konoha ninja. We haven't abandoned our responsibilities, and we won't shirk the duties expected of Konoha ninja. But if our clan is to survive in the long term, this is the only way. No matter how glorious a name may be, it's hollow. It's nothing compared to the living people in our clan... From now on, the Senju will be born as Konoha ninja, fight as Konoha ninja, and even die as Konoha ninja."
No other ninja clan felt a stronger sense of identity or belonging toward Hidden Leaf Village than the Senju. Sanshao's words could be trusted.
"Still, after making this decision, I'll return to the Land of Lightning and take on the mission of visiting Cloud Village, so the people in the village won't speculate too much." She added. Words were one thing; actions were another. She needed to prove through her own actions that the Senju's loyalty to Konoha hadn't changed.
"Cloud Village? Given your physical condition, you can't carry out a high-intensity mission. You should..." Uzumaki Mito could no longer remain silent about this decision.
"But my position makes me the best person to demonstrate Konoha's sincerity about peace. In terms of symbolism, no one could be more suited to this mission... The deaths of the Hokage and the Raikage were accidents. Neither side's desire for peace has changed. Personally, I don't lack hatred for Cloud Village, but resentment is the easiest thing in the world. What's difficult is finishing what the Second began. The Second led Konoha through this Shinobi World War, so bringing it to an end is something the Senju must do... This will be the last thing the Senju do in the name of the Senju."
The determination in Sanshao's words left no room for anyone to change her mind.
Uzumaki Mito fell silent again. After a long period of thought, she finally said, "If that's what you want, then go ahead. Do what you must, both for the Senju and for Cloud Village... Just remember, if you're determined to do it, you must succeed."
In the end, this highly respected elder approved Sanshao's plan.
"Of course. I won't fail."
Sanshao was confident she would succeed.
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