New Homeland - City of Wood

"Wait? You're saying two members of the Senju Clan have awakened Wood Release?"

Uchiha Madara, who had just fallen into silence, suddenly snapped his eyes open.

Blood trickled from the corners of his newly transplanted Mangekyo Sharingan, and a hint of confusion flickered within his pupils.

Perhaps it was the sluggishness of old age, but he had only just realized the blind spot in what White Zetsu had said.

He himself possessed Wood Release, a bloodline limit of extreme difficulty, and it was precisely because of this that he knew how arduous it was to awaken.

Even he, with his extreme confidence—bordering on arrogance—had only awakened Wood Release by utilizing the flesh and blood of Senju Hashirama.

It had even left him with an indelible mark: the face of Senju Hashirama on his chest. Those who didn't know better might think he and Senju Hashirama shared some unspeakable secret. Perhaps there really is one!

He, too, wished to keep Senju Hashirama etched in his heart, but this method of engraving was never part of his plan.

If one descendant of Senju Hashirama were to accidentally awaken Wood Release, it could be called a coincidence; the Sage Body of the Senju Clan was capable of such mutations.

But for two to awaken it simultaneously? There had to be something fishy going on.

One of them was even an old acquaintance of his—Senju Tojian.

If he remembered correctly, Senju Tojian had failed to awaken Wood Release back then because the chakra in his body could not fuse. Why would he awaken it now, at this time?

"Yes. The Wood Release they use is more powerful than what we White Zetsu can produce. However, it is not as powerful as yours, My Lord."

White Zetsu, half of his body merged into the ground, responded respectfully.

They had no real concept of the difficulty in mastering Wood Release; they controlled it naturally, as if by instinct, so they didn't find anything strange about it.

"Just in case, send two White Zetsu to monitor the two who awakened Wood Release. If a third member of the Senju Clan masters it, report to me immediately."

Uchiha Madara blinked to ease the discomfort in his eyes and gave the order to White Zetsu.

One was an accident, two were a coincidence; if a third appeared, it would mean the Senju Clan had mastered a method for cultivating Wood Release.

That was a power capable of rivaling his own, and it might interfere with his plans.

Especially since the power of Wood Release held a restraining effect on the Tailed Beasts.

"Yes!"

White Zetsu bowed and waited with wide eyes for the next command.

Uchiha Madara closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

White Zetsu's body merged back into the ground and vanished.

The ninja world maintained a brief, eerie silence.

The war that had been on the verge of erupting fell into a lull due to the actions of the Senju Clan.

Each faction's think tank scrambled to plot a path through the chaotic situation that would best serve their own interests.

Some powers dispatched envoys to the City of Wood to probe the true stance of the Senju Clan.

Three days later.

The Senju Clan successfully arrived at the City of Wood.

The Senju clansmen who had been in Konoha had been relocated well in advance.

The City of Wood was a city adjacent to the Fire Temple, and at a ninja's marching speed, it was only an hour away from the capital of the Land of Fire.

Though it was only half the size of Konoha, it was incredibly rich in resources, especially its arable land, which served as the primary source of the Senju Clan's grain trade.

This was the fallback position the elders of the Senju Clan had secured for themselves when the Land of Fire was first established and Konoha was founded.

They had not supported the ideals of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama without reservation; perhaps they had long foreseen this outcome.

It laid a firm foundation for the schemes of Senju Nawaki.

The clansmen of the Senju, liberated from the stifling atmosphere of Konoha, began their new lives here.

The City Lord's Mansion in the City of Wood.

The massive conference hall, built to accommodate the number of jonin the Senju Clan had during its peak, could hold nearly a hundred people.

Now, there were only seventeen present—all jonin of the Senju Clan. Most were advanced in age, and several were wounded or disabled.

Senju Nawaki sat at the head of the table, with Senju Tojian on his left and Senju Zuoren on his right.

Inside the conference room, everyone held a stack of documents, reading with intense focus. After breaking away from Konoha, the Senju Clan had been reborn, but with that came pressure from all sides.

Their stance toward every ninja village and every nation needed to be re-evaluated.

After a long while, Senju Nawaki pushed aside the documents in his hand, tapped his fingers on the table, and a curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

The few intelligence reports selected were ultimatums from Konoha to the Senju Clan, all written in a condescending tone, as if they still thought he was that Senju Nawaki who aspired to be Hokage.

The entire text was filled with the Will of Fire.

To Senju Nawaki, it was clearly a twisted ideology; all he saw was arrogance and oppression against the Senju Clan, as if they would be nothing but meat on a chopping block the moment they left Konoha.

"Clan Head, Konoha is threatening us. They say they will no longer provide any protection and will suspend all trade until the Senju Clan returns to Konoha."

Senju Tojian's gaze fell upon the blatant intelligence report, his eyes filled with fury. In this formal setting, he no longer addressed Nawaki by name, but as Clan Head.

The other Senju clansmen present also wore expressions of deep resentment.

Such threats from Konoha were completely unreasonable, especially since the prices they offered Konoha were already highly favorable.

"Heh!"

The corners of Senju Nawaki's mouth curled slightly, emitting a mocking laugh.

Konoha was actually using such tactics to threaten the Senju Clan?

He found it inconceivable, and he couldn't help but laugh inwardly.

The ones truly at the top of the supply-and-demand chain should be the Senju Clan.

With war breaking out across the entire ninja world, the prices of food and weapons were constantly soaring; it was precisely because of the Senju Clan's support that Konoha's logistics remained so stable.

A threat?

It was a double blessing; the Senju Clan's slightly strained finances now had a new source.

What Konoha didn't want was considered a rare commodity in the eyes of other ninja villages and nations.

Taking the Senju Clan's contributions for granted would soon lead to a backlash.

"Clan Head, the Bounty Office and various ninja villages have all posted missions regarding the Senju Clan, seeking to probe our true strength. With the precedent of the Uzumaki Clan, we must make preparations early."

Senju Zuoren wore a worried expression, clearly not optimistic about the Senju Clan's current predicament.

Within the short ten years of Sarutobi Hiruzen's administration, the Senju Clan's power had been exhausted to the point where they were no longer comparable to a large ninja clan.

The only fortunate thing was that the Wood Release powers awakened by Senju Tojian and Senju Nawaki could provide them with a sense of security.

"The Uzumaki Clan, is it?"

Senju Nawaki stopped tapping his fingers against the tabletop and murmured to himself.