Konoha Loyalist, Even a Dog Wouldn't Be One

Almost all the Senju who still bore the Senju surname followed Senju Nawaki.

It was all Konoha's own fault.

The way they treated the Senju Clan was even worse than the way they treated the Uchiha Clan.

Their methods were utterly vile. To use an inappropriate phrase from Senju Nawaki's past life, they were "feeding off a family with no heirs." The ironic thing was that Senju Tobirama himself had created this heirless situation.

The Senju Clan had taken the initiative to give up power, yet lacked the ability to protect the interests they held. They had gone from distributing the spoils to becoming the spoils on the table.

Konoha had never made the Senju Clan feel at home. It had only continued to squeeze them for everything they were worth.

Lowering his hands, which had been struggling to stop them, Hatake Sakumo began to question his own ninja way. Was Konoha, like this, worth his dedication?

Why had Konoha sent him here this time? What were they thinking? His Hatake Clan had originally been a vassal clan of the Senju Clan, too.

He let out a long sigh. Only after starting a family did he realize he was already bound to Konoha's war machine, unable to break away. All he could do was watch the Senju Clan leave.

The Senju who wanted to leave all stepped onto the path Senju Nawaki had woven with Wood Release.

Only then did the other ninja around them react.

The Senju Clan—their tools, their human shields—were about to slip out of their control.

"Takagi, I won't allow you to betray Konoha!"

Amid the crowd of onlookers, a Sarutobi Clan ninja glared with bloodshot eyes and pointed at the Senju walking along the path woven from Wood Release.

The Takagi he referred to had followed Senju Tobirama's orders, changed his surname to Takagi, and joined another squad as cannon fodder.

This was the workhorse his father had chosen for him. And now he was going to leave just like that? Where would he get his merits from in the future? How could he allow it?

The Senju ninja ignored him completely.

With Senju Nawaki's orders, they would no longer be bound by so-called righteousness.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

The Sarutobi Clan ninja flew into a rage, his face turning red as he formed Hand Seals.

He couldn't accept his subordinate disobeying his orders.

He had actually lost his mind enough to launch a ninjutsu attack, targeting every Senju who wanted to leave.

Pfft...

"How could it be so fast?"

His eyes bulged in disbelief at what he was seeing.

Before he had finished forming his Hand Seals, a wooden spike shot up from beneath his feet and pierced his chest, interrupting his technique.

The spike had extended from the path of Wood Release that Senju Nawaki had created.

That path was a form of protection, too.

Anyone who attacked those walking along it would be struck down by Senju Nawaki.

"You..."

The Sarutobi Clan ninja tried to say something more, but felt an endless chill. He struggled to breathe, using all his strength to suck in more air, only to realize it was futile...

The wooden spike in his chest began to twist, tearing through his heart. Then it withdrew, leaving a hole the size of a fist in his chest.

He collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Fear flashed through the eyes of the other Konoha ninja around them.

Through his actions, Senju Nawaki proved he hadn't just been making empty threats.

The Senju Clan and Konoha no longer had the relationship they once did. The Senju no longer had any obligation to accommodate them, nor would they sacrifice themselves for Konoha's benefit.

Some resolute Konoha ninja came over to assess the situation and all shook their heads.

Among the Konoha crowd were ninja who had seen years of battle. They glared furiously.

They didn't think they were at fault. They blamed Konoha instead. Their hands went to their weapon pouches, and they drew Kunai and Shuriken, preparing to fight.

Senju Tojian turned around and stood at the rear of the Senju line, facing off against the Konoha ninja and protecting his clan. Looking at the corpse on the ground, he felt disgusted. The Sarutobi Clan ninja really knew how to seize an opportunity to cause them trouble.

He was already prepared to slaughter anyone who tried to stop the Senju from heading toward a brighter future. They were all his enemies, just like the chakra construct of Senju Hashirama he had beaten apart.

Only Senju Nawaki could bring them a beautiful future.

The battle was on the verge of erupting.

"Wait. Let them go!"

Hatake Sakumo quickly stepped between the two sides, unwilling to let things spiral further out of control.

With the strength of the entire Konoha camp, Senju Tojian alone could slaughter most of them.

"Captain White Fang, this will put Konoha in an incredibly difficult position. We have to keep them here..."

An Anbu member spoke to Hatake Sakumo.

By the end, his voice had dwindled to almost nothing, utterly lacking in conviction. They had neither enough strength to oppose him nor a legitimate reason to do so.

He realized he was deluding himself, and reluctantly stepped back.

Senju Nawaki glanced back at Hatake Sakumo.

By doing this, Hatake Sakumo would only give the Konoha High Command someone to blame for everything. He really was selfless.

But people who devoted themselves wholeheartedly to Konoha didn't necessarily have good endings.

Konoha's loyal subject? Not even a dog would do it!

Half an hour later.

Every member of the Senju Clan had left, and Konoha's camp looked strangely empty.

Silence filled the grounds. They were still caught up in the clash that had just erupted, worrying about their own futures.

The reason Senju Nawaki had given spread throughout Konoha's camp. The assassination attempt by Sarutobi Shinnosuke had put him in an invincible position.

Just as they had spread rumors about Senju Nawaki, only those who slandered you knew how innocent you were.

Only after losing the Senju manpower did they realize how weak the entire camp was. There was no way they could keep holding the line with their remaining forces.

After discussing it, Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru decided to withdraw temporarily from the current line in the Land of Rain and retreat into the Land of Fire.

What had happened at Konoha's camp spread throughout the Ninja World.

Rumors about Senju Nawaki and Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

The illegitimacy of Sarutobi Hiruzen's rise to power.

The injustice the Senju Clan had suffered in Konoha.

Wood Release had returned to the world.

Each of these was enough to shake the Ninja World and change its current balance of power.

This was especially true of the other countries, which coveted the Land of Fire's and Konoha's abundant resources.

Some people set their sights on the Senju Clan, just as they had done to the Uzumaki Clan.

Without the Senju Clan, Konoha could no longer suppress the other four hidden villages.

The situation in the Ninja World grew even more unpredictable. The future would certainly be anything but peaceful.

As evening approached.

The Senju ninja hurried into the Land of Fire and settled in a small town.

This was a place Senju Tojian had scouted in advance. At their current pace, it would take only three days to reach their destination—City of Wood.

The clan members looked tired, but hope shone in their eyes. They could see a future ahead.

Senju Tojian and Senju Nawaki, the two wielders of Wood Release, were the ones they relied on. They could protect them.