Plans to Leave Konoha

Senju Nawaki watched Senju Tojian's transformation. It looked like his plan had worked—and brought an unexpected benefit.

The transformation was beyond anything Senju Nawaki had imagined.

In this era, ordinary people in the Ninja World lived only into their forties.

Ninja could live into their fifties.

The stronger the ninja, the longer they lived.

Senju Nawaki guessed that the more chakra natures a ninja mastered, the longer they lived—though injuries sustained in battle were another matter.

Take the Third, for instance, who lived the longest thanks to his comfortable life.

Chakra was an energy that could make a life-form evolve.

The Otsutsuki Clan's powerful members could even live forever.

This time, he was determined to outlive everyone.

Senju Nawaki watched Senju Tojian's transformation closely. Everything was going well.

The clearest sign was that the bark-like scar on his face was gradually disappearing.

Whoosh!

Senju Tojian's eyes flew open, and his aura erupted. His armor fluttered in the wind.

A chakra field formed around him.

He looked down at his hands, realizing that he had changed.

He clenched his fist and felt the chakra flowing through his body.

Whoosh!

Curved wooden spikes burst from the ground, forming a cage before disappearing again.

"Wood Release? Cutting Technique?"

A glint flashed in Senju Nawaki's eyes.

This technique was an introductory Wood Release jutsu, adapted from Earth Release's Rock Spikes. It was faster to perform, struck from more unpredictable angles, and was highly practical.

"Nawaki, sorry. I got a little carried away."

Senju Tojian touched his face and noticed that the scar left by his Wood Release had disappeared. He had now completely mastered Wood Release.

As he spoke, he walked over to the hospital bed and helped Senju Nawaki lie down.

He had noticed that the chakra in Senju Nawaki's body had been steadily dwindling. Sweat ran down his forehead—a clear sign of exhaustion.

This ability to help others awaken their bloodline must have taken a heavy toll on Senju Nawaki.

He felt as if he'd gone back to when Nawaki was a child. Back then, Nawaki had trusted him more than anyone, and Nawaki was the most important person in his life.

That fool Senju Tobirama could play with Tsunade.

"Grandpa Six, how do you feel?"

Senju Nawaki's voice was weak, but he already knew the answer.

That imposing aura was just like the one Uchiha Madara had shown while dancing, though the armor was a different color.

With Senju Tojian's current strength and influence, he was powerful enough to protect him.

He could put some of his plans into action. There was no point staying in Konoha; he could also help Nawaki reclaim what was rightfully his.

The people who had tried to assassinate him deserved to be punished, too.

He needed Senju Tojian's support for all of it.

"Better than I've ever felt. Give me some time to adjust, and I'll be able to overpower ordinary Kage."

Senju Tojian's face brimmed with pride.

As he'd aged and his injuries had accumulated, his strength had steadily declined. He'd even become weaker than an ordinary Kage, leaving him with a sense that his glory days were behind him.

Now, he had it all back.

He had become an elder entrusted with the Senju Clan's legacy not just because of his bloodline, but also because of his talent. He was one of the few who ranked just below Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama.

Now, he could face an ordinary Kage without any trouble—and he had the devastating Wood Release at his disposal, too.

He was even more confident that he could shield Senju Nawaki from harm.

"What about Sarutobi Hiruzen?" Senju Nawaki asked, narrowing his eyes and making no attempt to hide his plans.

"That brat Sarutobi is all talk. He owes his current accomplishments to Senju Tobirama, who held nothing back and absorbed the best of our Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan, the Sarutobi Family, the Uzumaki Clan, and many others.

"He can only respond so calmly because he knows the other ninja's abilities.

"With my Wood Release, I'd win seven times out of ten.

"And that's only because that idiot Tobirama gave Sarutobi Hiruzen all the information on Wood Release and the Senju Clan's secret techniques."

As he spoke, he straightened the corner of Senju Nawaki's blanket and tucked it beneath his arm to make him more comfortable.

Perhaps it was because he had regained his youth, but Senju Tojian had become more talkative—and more confrontational.

He no longer hid his displeasure with Senju Tobirama. That self-proclaimed clever man had always been a terrible judge of character.

Senju Tojian's love for Nawaki, and his attitude toward him, were the only things that hadn't changed.

"Grandpa Six, if you were to found a clan, how many people could you take with you from the Senju Clan? Branches of the Senju, like the Haruno, Takagi, and Sakuragi?"

A glint flashed in Senju Nawaki's eyes as he suddenly asked the question.

"What?" Senju Tojian looked surprised, then said, "Don't worry. I won't abandon you like those people did. I'll still support you."

Those families had all been founded by former elders of the Senju Clan. After reaching the rank of elite jonin, they had followed Senju Tobirama's orders, given up the Senju name, and assimilated into Konoha.

He patted Senju Nawaki on the shoulder to comfort him, thinking that he was afraid Senju Tojian would abandon him, too.

But Senju Tojian had no children. Senju Nawaki was the last person he had left to protect.

As the years passed, even the Senju Clan itself had become less important to him than Senju Nawaki.

"Grandpa Six, I'm not doubting you. I mean, you could found a clan, and we could leave Konoha together. That way, we could take more people with us.

"We'd also need a pretext. I want to take some experimental materials out of Konoha.

"We're in this together."

Senju Nawaki shook his head. He respected the old man even more, and explained what he had in mind.

This old man deserved his respect.

"Fine. Get some rest. I'll go make contact."

Senju Tojian nodded, already weighing the possibilities. Just as Nawaki had said, if he founded a clan—especially now that he had awakened Wood Release—he could take more people with him.

Many diehards in the Senju Clan had scorned Senju Tobirama's foolish decision. To this day, they kept the Senju name and crest, unable to assimilate into Konoha.

But their businesses were still on Konoha's land.

Leaving Konoha and heading to the Land of Fire to build a future was a good option. Otherwise, they would slowly be swallowed up.