A New Home-The City of Wood

"Wait? You mean two members of the Senju Clan awakened Wood Release?"

Uchiha Madara, who had just fallen silent, suddenly opened his eyes.

Blood trickled from the corners of his eyes, where he had just fitted his new Mangekyō Sharingan. A trace of confusion showed in his pupils.

Perhaps it was old age slowing his mind. Only now did he suddenly notice the flaw in what White Zetsu had just said.

Wood Release was an exceptionally difficult Kekkei Genkai. He had mastered it himself, so he knew just how hard it was to awaken.

Even he, despite his extreme confidence—some might say arrogance—had only awakened Wood Release with the help of Senju Hashirama's flesh.

It had even left a mark he could hardly hide: Hashirama's face on his chest. Anyone who didn't know better might think he and Senju Hashirama had some secret they couldn't tell anyone. [Maybe they really did!]

He'd wanted to carve Senju Hashirama into his heart, too, but this method of carving hadn't been part of his plan.

If one of Senju Hashirama's descendants had accidentally awakened Wood Release, it could be called a coincidence. The Senju Clan's Sage Body might have caused such a mutation.

But if two people awakened Wood Release at the same time, there had to be something suspicious 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 couldn't fuse. Why had he awakened it now?

"That's right. The Wood Release they use is more powerful than ours, White Zetsu.

But it still doesn't compare to yours, Lord."

White Zetsu sank half his body into the ground and replied respectfully.

They had little understanding of how difficult it was to master Wood Release. They had been born with it, as if it were an instinct, so they saw nothing strange about it.

"To be safe, send two White Zetsu to keep watch on the two who awakened Wood Release. If a third member of the Senju Clan appears who can use it, report to me at once."

Uchiha Madara blinked to soothe the discomfort in his eyes, then gave White Zetsu his orders.

One could be an accident, two a coincidence. If a third appeared, it would mean the Senju Clan had learned how to cultivate Wood Release.

That was a power capable of matching his own. It might even interfere with his plans.

Wood Release, in particular, could restrain the Tailed Beasts.

"Yes!"

White Zetsu bowed in response, then waited wide-eyed for the next order.

Uchiha Madara closed his eyes and fell asleep.

White Zetsu's body sank back into the ground and disappeared.

The Ninja World remained eerily quiet for a brief time.

The war that had nearly erupted fell into a lull because of the Senju Clan's actions.

The strategists on each side scrambled to find the most advantageous path through the chaos.

Some factions sent envoys to the City of Wood to test the Senju Clan's true attitude.

Three days later.

The Senju Clan arrived safely in the City of Wood.

The Senju who had originally lived in Konohagakure had been moved out long ago.

The City of Wood was a neighboring city to the Fire Temple. At a ninja's marching pace, it was only an hour from the Land of Fire's capital.

It was only half the size of Konoha, but its resources were abundant. Its farmland in particular was a major source of grain for the Senju Clan's trade.

When the Land of Fire was first founded and Konoha was established, the Senju elders had set this place aside as a fallback.

They hadn't supported Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama's ideals without reservation. Perhaps they had foreseen this outcome long ago.

Their preparations laid a firm foundation for Senju Nawaki's plans.

Freed from the oppressive atmosphere of Konoha, the Senju began a new life here.

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

Its enormous meeting room had been built to accommodate the number of jonin the Senju Clan had at its peak. It could hold nearly a hundred people.

Now,

only seventeen people were present. All were Senju jonin, most of them elderly, and several were disabled.

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

Everyone in the meeting room held a stack of documents and read them intently. After leaving Konoha, the Senju Clan had entered a new chapter, but pressures from all sides had come with it.

They needed to reassess the attitudes of every village and country toward them.

After a long while,

Senju Nawaki set down the documents. His fingers tapped the table, and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.

Among the reports he had singled out were Konoha's ultimatums to the Senju Clan. They were all high-handed orders, as if he were still that Senju Nawaki who wanted to become Hokage.

The Will of Fire ran through every line.

To Senju Nawaki, it was all twisted thinking. All he saw was arrogance, all he saw was the Senju Clan being oppressed—as if, once they left Konoha, they were just a piece of fat meat on a chopping block.

"Clan leader, Konoha has threatened us. They won't provide us with any protection and will suspend all trade until the Senju Clan returns to Konoha."

Senju Tojian's eyes rested on the conspicuous report, full of anger. In a formal setting, he no longer addressed Nawaki by name, but called him clan leader.

The other Senju seated there were just as furious.

Konoha's threat made no sense. The prices the Senju Clan charged them had already been extremely favorable.

"Heh."

Senju Nawaki's mouth curled into a faint, mocking smile.

Konoha was actually trying to threaten the Senju Clan this way?

He found it unbelievable and couldn't help laughing to himself.

The Senju Clan should be the one in the stronger position in the supply-and-demand relationship.

War had broken out across the Ninja World. The prices of food and weapons kept rising, and Konoha's logistics were so secure only because the Senju Clan had supported them.

A threat?

What a stroke of luck. The Senju Clan's somewhat strained finances now had a new source of income.

What Konoha didn't want was a rare resource to the other villages and countries.

They had taken the Senju Clan's contributions for granted. The backlash would come soon enough.

"Clan leader, the Bounty Office and the various villages have all posted missions concerning the Senju Clan. They want to probe our strength.

After what happened to the Uzumaki Clan, we need to prepare early."

Senju Zuoren wore a worried expression. He wasn't optimistic about the Senju Clan's current situation.

In the mere ten years Sarutobi Hiruzen had been in power, the Senju Clan's strength had been nearly exhausted. They were now weaker than a major ninja clan.

Fortunately, the power of Wood Release that Senju Tojian and Senju Nawaki had awakened could give them a sense of security.

"The Uzumaki Clan, huh?"

Senju Nawaki stopped tapping the table and murmured to himself.