Konoha Loyalist, Even a Dog Wouldn't Be One

Almost all Senju who retained the Senju Clan name followed in the footsteps of Senju Nawaki.

Everything was Konoha's own doing.

The attitude they held toward the Senju Clan was, shockingly, even worse than that toward the Uchiha Clan.

The methods they employed were incredibly filthy. To use an inappropriate term from Senju Nawaki's past life, it was "stripping the household bare." The ridiculous part was that this state of being "stripped bare" was a situation Senju Tobirama himself had created.

The Senju Clan had voluntarily surrendered their power, leaving them without the ability to protect their own interests. They had transformed from the distributors of benefits into the benefits laid out upon the table.

Konoha had never given the Senju Clan the feeling of a home; it had only continuously squeezed them dry.

Lowering his hands, which had been struggling with his own conscience, Hatake Sakumo began to doubt his own ninja way. Was such a Konoha worth his devotion?

What were their intentions in having him come here this time? Their Hatake Clan had originally been a subsidiary clan of the Senju Clan.

He let out a long sigh. Now that he had a family of his own, he realized he was already bound to Konoha's war chariot, unable to break free, and could only watch as the Senju Clan departed.

Every ninja of the Senju Clan who wished to leave stepped onto the path woven by Senju Nawaki's Wood Release.

The other ninjas in the vicinity finally reacted.

The Senju Clan—their tools, their meat shields—were slipping out of their control.

"Takagi, I do not permit you to betray Konoha."

Among the onlookers, a ninja of the Sarutobi Clan, his eyes bloodshot, pointed at the Senju clansmen walking along the path woven of wood.

The "Takagi" he addressed was precisely one who had followed Senju Tobirama's orders to change his surname to Takagi, join other squads, and serve as cannon fodder.

This was the beast of burden his father had selected for him; how could he let it leave like this? Where would he scrape together his future merits? How could he possibly allow it?

The Senju Clan ninja ignored him completely.

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

"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

The Sarutobi Clan ninja, burning with shame and anger, his face flushed red, formed hand seals.

He would not allow his subordinates to disobey his orders.

He had actually gone insane, launching a ninjutsu attack aimed at all the Senju who wished to leave.

Puff...

"How could it be so fast?"

His eyes widened in shock, unable to believe the scene before him.

Before his hand seals were even complete, a wooden spike erupted from the ground beneath his feet, piercing straight through his chest and cutting off his jutsu.

That wooden spike had extended directly from the Wood Release path created by Senju Nawaki.

That path was a means of travel, but it was also a means of protection.

Anyone who raised a hand against those walking upon it would be struck down by Senju Nawaki.

"You..."

The Sarutobi Clan ninja wanted to say more, but he felt only an endless chill. He found it difficult to breathe, and though he used all his strength to try and inhale more oxygen, he found it was all in vain.

The wooden spike in his chest began to rotate, churning his heart, before withdrawing and leaving a fist-sized hole in his chest.

His entire body collapsed to the ground, his breath extinguished forever.

The surrounding Konoha ninjas felt a flash of terror in their eyes.

Senju Nawaki had proven with his actions that he was not just making empty threats.

The relationship between the Senju Clan and Konoha was no longer what it once was; they no longer had the obligation to accommodate them, nor would they sacrifice themselves to fulfill them.

Some of the more resolute Konoha ninjas, having assessed the situation, shook their heads one after another.

Among the Konoha crowd were also battle-hardened ninjas who wore expressions of resentment.

They did not believe this was their fault, but Konoha's. Their palms fell to their ninja tool pouches, drawing kunai and shuriken, preparing for battle.

Senju Tojian turned around, standing at the very rear of the Senju ninjas to confront the Konoha forces and protect his clansmen. Looking at the corpse on the ground, he felt only disgust; the Sarutobi Clan ninjas really knew how to seize opportunities to cause them trouble.

He was already prepared for a massacre. Anyone who blocked the Senju Clan from running toward the light was his enemy, just like the Senju Hashirama chakra-constructs he had shattered.

Only Senju Nawaki could bring about a beautiful future.

The battle on the field was on the verge of breaking out.

"Wait, let them go!"

Hatake Sakumo flashed in to block the space between the two sides, not wanting the situation to spiral further out of control.

With the strength of the entire Konoha camp, Senju Tojian alone could slaughter more than half of them.

"Captain White Fang, this will make Konoha's situation incredibly difficult. We must keep them..."

An Anbu member said to Hatake Sakumo.

By the end, his voice had become incredibly weak and lacked conviction. They did not possess the strength to oppose them, nor did they have a righteous reason.

He realized he was merely indulging in delusions and retreated helplessly.

Senju Nawaki glanced back at Hatake Sakumo.

Hatake Sakumo's actions would only lead the Konoha high command to pin all the blame on him; he truly was selfless enough.

Yet, for someone who considered Konoha with such wholehearted devotion, the final outcome might not necessarily be a good one.

A loyal subject of Konoha? I wouldn't even be a dog for them!

Half an hour later.

With all the members of the Senju Clan having departed, the Konoha camp suddenly appeared somewhat empty.

The area was deathly silent; they were still immersed in the conflict that had just erupted, worrying about their own futures.

Senju Nawaki's justification had spread throughout the Konoha camp, and the assassination attempt by Sarutobi Shinnosuke had placed him in an invincible position.

Just as they had spread rumors about Senju Nawaki, only those who slander you know just how innocent you truly are.

Only after losing the manpower of the Senju Clan did they realize that the strength of the entire camp was far too weak; relying on them alone, it was impossible to continue holding the line.

After discussions between Hatake Sakumo and Orochimaru, it was decided to briefly withdraw from the current frontline in the Land of Rain and retreat back into the territory of the Land of Fire.

The events that transpired at the Konoha camp spread throughout the ninja world.

The rumors regarding Senju Nawaki and Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

The illegitimacy of Sarutobi Hiruzen's position.

The injustices suffered by the Senju Clan in Konoha.

Wood Release, reappearing in the world.

Each and every point was enough to shake the ninja world and alter its current landscape.

Especially for other nations that coveted the abundant resources of the Land of Fire and Konoha.

There were also some who set their sights on the Senju Clan, just as they had done to the Uzumaki Clan.

Having lost the Senju Clan, Konoha no longer possessed the ability to suppress the other four ninja villages.

The situation in the ninja world became even more convoluted, and the future was certain to be anything but peaceful.

Approaching dusk.

The ninjas of the Senju Clan arrived within the borders of the Land of Fire after a forced march and set up camp in a small town.

This was a foothold that Senju Tojian had scouted out beforehand; following the current route, they would only need three days to reach their target destination—the City of Wood.

Though the clansmen wore expressions of exhaustion, their eyes held a glimmer of hope; they could see a future.

Senju Tojian and Senju Nawaki, the two wielders of Wood Release, were the pillars of support in their hearts, capable of shielding them.