Ever since that night, Hashirama had trained harder and harder. He kept developing his Kekkei Genkai, and his strength surged with every passing day. Don't ask Hiugo how he knew—he was busy trying to suppress his "appetite"...
He'd been able to control the hunger in his bloodline ever since he became a Special Jōnin, but Big Pillar kept showing up to train with him every day, like it was part of his daily mission routine.
Tobirama had already been "delicious" enough. But Hashirama, who'd awakened Wood Style, was on another level. After enduring this mental torture day after day, Hiugo realized one day, while alone, that his One-Tomoe Sharingan had evolved into a Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
Hiugo hadn't asked for Hashirama's blood. After swallowing bloodlines several times, he'd come to understand that his ability consumed bloodlines and "original Chakra."
Other people were one thing. If he swallowed their bloodlines, then he swallowed them.
But Hashirama was different. He was the reincarnation of Asura, the second son of the Sage of Six Paths, and he also carried the Sage's hidden contingency. Hiugo figured that trying to "eat" his bloodline could end in one of three ways:
1. His bloodline was too powerful for Hiugo to digest.
2. Hiugo managed to eat it, then exploded on the spot.
3. Hiugo digested it successfully, but was very likely to attract the Sage of Six Paths's attention.
On top of that, Black Zetsu was desperate to save its mother. It had been watching the reincarnations of Indra and Asura all along, hoping to find an opportunity. If something happened to Asura's reincarnation, there was no telling what it might do.
"What are you spacing out for? Am I really so weak that I can't even interest you?"
Senju Rinma shouted, throwing a punch at his opponent's face.
Hiugo snapped back to attention, quickly caught his wrist, and hurled him over his shoulder.
Senju Rinma felt a sharp pain in his back. Down below, the former Third Elder let out a long sigh of relief.
He had no idea what had gotten into his grandson. Ever since he'd gone to see that kid, Hiugo, he'd started training hard and was nothing like before. Now that he'd heard Hiugo was going to the battlefield, he'd insisted on going too. And so, this fight had come about.
Hiugo dusted off his hands and said:
"You'd better work on your strength. You can't suddenly see the light and shoot straight to the top overnight."
"I... I understand,"
Senju Rinma replied quietly, limping away.
The watching clansmen gradually dispersed. Only Senju Meima and the former Third Elder remained.
The former Third Elder reached for a scroll, but Senju Meima caught his hand.
"Former... First Elder, what are you doing?"
The former Third Elder sounded displeased. Back then, they'd been accomplices, and they'd both committed the same offense.
One had been pushed out of the center of power, while the other had still managed to become Second Elder.
Senju Meima said sternly:
"If you want to come back, you need the clan head's approval. Right now, only Hashirama and Hiugo might be able to make that happen. So at a time like this, you should stop trying to buy people off."
The former Third Elder flushed. "I'm only offering a little support."
"Would you two mind having this conversation when I'm not standing right here?"
Hiugo looked at them. They'd once been important figures like Genma, but now they were both revolving around a kid like him. He supposed that was what being corrupted by power looked like.
Senju Meima let go of the scroll.
"Hiugo, as your elder, I have a few things to remind you of."
"Go ahead, former First Elder."
"There are things you can't just do because you want to, and things you can't just avoid because you don't want to. Take me, for instance. From where I stand, my authority is almost on par with the clan head's, but one mistake is all it takes to send me right back to square one."
"Your subordinates need benefits to keep working for you. Your allies need benefits if you want your partnership to last. Honestly, the way all these clans in the Land of Fire are run is nearly identical."
Hiugo smiled but said nothing. Once they entered the "Mobile Suit" era, Meima would see that so-called benefits meant nothing in the face of strength.
The former Third Elder put away the scroll and left. Hiugo followed Senju Meima to an open space outside the clan grounds.
Hashirama, Tobirama, Butsuma, the Uzumaki Second Elder, Rion, Genma, and several clansmen he didn't recognize were gathered there.
The two months were up. Tobirama and Hiugo were each heading to a battlefield, and the two members of the Uzumaki Clan had to return as well.
"Take this."
Rion tossed him a bracelet carved in the shape of a spiral.
"What's this?"
"It's for good luck. I hope everything goes well for you."
Rion paused, then lowered her voice.
"I think you're pretty interesting. Don't die. I'm not used to having someone else around instead of you."
"Okay." Hiugo put the bracelet away.
The Uzumaki Second Elder nodded to the Senju, greeting them, then left with his granddaughter. This was a Senju Clan matter, after all. The Uzumaki were distant relatives, but they had a different surname, so it wouldn't have been appropriate for them to stay and listen.
Butsuma spoke first:
"Dark Two, Dark Six, you're responsible for protecting Tobirama. Don't step in unless absolutely necessary. Dark One, Dark Seven, you're responsible for protecting Hiugo. Same rules."
"Yes." The four voices rang out in unison. The Dark Ninja were all at the peak Jonin level on average, and Butsuma had only seven of them in total. Sending out more than half at once was certainly generous.
Senju Meima spoke up. "Sending four Dark Ninja out at once is a bit excessive. How about we assign three to Tobirama? I'll stay with Hiugo, so nothing will happen to him."
"I'm the clan head. Former First Elder, watch how you speak. When this training mission is over, if you haven't earned any merit, you can stop being Second Elder and become Third Elder instead," Butsuma said coldly.
"Heh." Senju Meima fell silent. In the past, he'd have dared to point at Butsuma and curse him out. But now he had problems of his own, and the clan head's position alone could crush him.
"Well said. I wonder when I, the new First Elder, will finally take office,"
Genma said evenly.
Butsuma frowned at that. The clan head had the authority to manage everything in the clan, while the three elders beneath him each had different responsibilities.
The Third Elder focused on administration, the Second Elder on intelligence, and the First Elder on military readiness. The First Elder also had some authority over the deployment of ninja tools, food, and personnel.
If Genma took over military readiness while Meima went to the battlefield, then for the next three years Butsuma could effectively hold two positions. Even after Meima returned, he'd need Genma's approval to reclaim his authority as Second Elder.
"Don't rush it. Once the time is right and Hiugo comes back, we'll hold the ceremony."
Genma shot Butsuma a glance, then walked over to Hiugo and handed him a scroll.
"Study it carefully. It'll help you."
Hiugo opened the scroll, glanced at it, and quickly closed it again. It contained information on the Kaguya Clan and the Senju living in the surrounding area, along with some of Genma's own recommendations. It was extremely useful.
"Since my little brother gave you such a fine gift, I'll give you one too. Tobirama... come here."
Butsuma smiled.
Tobirama walked over in silence. Butsuma produced a long sword almost as tall as he was.
"I already have a weapon,"
Tobirama said. He preferred weapons like Kunai and Shuriken to one so ill-suited to his height.
Butsuma swiftly drew the sword. Pale blue Chakra flowed along its blade.
A sword made of Chakra Metal could enhance the power of certain techniques and could also be combined with other techniques to create new ones.
Tobirama accepted the sword. Instead of heading straight back to camp, he handed Hiugo a Kunai.
"What's this?"
Hiugo turned it this way and that but couldn't see anything unusual. And Tobirama couldn't have invented the Flying Thunder God yet.
"A Kunai made of Chakra Metal. I was going to use it myself, but now that I have this sword, I won't need it."
"Tsundere,"
Hiugo muttered, then took out a scroll.
"Here. Some 'immature' ideas for techniques. You can think them over when you're bored."
Tobirama flipped through a couple of pages. A flicker of interest crossed his face, and he nodded. "Not bad. I could try them."
The two fell silent for a moment. They'd met at three years old and spent two years together. Now they were suddenly going to part for three years, and neither was eager to say goodbye.
Hashirama stepped between them and hugged his two younger brothers. "Come back safe..."
"We will."
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