Underlying Currents

The lights in the Hokage's office stayed on late into the night.

The Third Hokage held his pipe between his lips and studied the mission report in his hands for a long time. Namiashi Raidō had submitted it as a supplementary account of the C-rank mission in the Land of Waves. The first few pages were routine. But when he reached the final paragraph, the Third Hokage's brow furrowed.

"Continued fighting after a kunai pierced his left shoulder. Post-battle examination found the wound had healed, with a recovery rate well beyond normal limits. Preliminary assessment: no Medical Ninjutsu intervention. Exact cause unknown."

The Third Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke and set the report on his desk, tapping the tabletop twice with his fingers.

"The Senju bloodline..." he murmured to himself.

He opened a drawer and took out an old file. The cover read "Senju Clan Census," and the paper had yellowed until it was brittle. The pages were packed with names, most crossed out in black ink—killed in action, dead of illness, missing.

On the last page, a faded note was tucked inside. The handwriting belonged to the Second, Tobirama Senju: "The Senju have become part of every corner of Konoha. This is a good thing. The bloodline may grow diluted, but as long as the Will of Fire endures, the Senju will never truly perish."

The Third Hokage closed the file and leaned back in his chair, eyes shut.

A long while later, he sighed softly. "Danzo has probably received the news too."

Deep beneath Konoha.

Root's headquarters never saw sunlight. A few candles on the walls were its only source of light. Danzo sat in the shadows, half his face wrapped in bandages. He was as still as a stone.

A Root member knelt before him.

"Observation subject number 0123, Mori Takuma. During the C-rank mission in the Land of Waves, two teammates were killed and the leading jonin was seriously injured. The subject's left shoulder was pierced by a kunai during the battle. The wound healed on its own without Medical Ninjutsu. The Medical Corps estimates his recovery rate at five to eight times that of an ordinary ninja."

The report paused, then added, "The Medical Corps discussed it privately. They said his recovery is somewhat similar to the First Hokage's constitution."

Danzo's eye opened a crack. The candlelight flickered in his pupil.

"Since Tsunade left, there hasn't been anyone of consequence in the Senju main family." Danzo's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping stone. "I didn't expect one of the branches that took another name to still have someone like him."

Danzo rose, leaning on his cane, and walked over to the wall. A map of Konoha hung there, bristling with little flags. His gaze paused over a spot in the hills behind Konoha, marked "Senju Old Residence Ruins."

"Root needs people like him. Recovery ability, a Senju chakra foundation, and decent combat instincts. With proper training, he could become a fine weapon."

He turned around. "Begin a Class B observation protocol. Without being discovered, record his combat data, usual activity range, and associates. Focus on the limits of his recovery ability—how badly he can be injured and still heal on his own, and what happens if a vital area is wounded."

"Yes."

"One more thing. The Third Hokage is already paying attention to the boy. Be discreet."

Danzo didn't finish the thought, but his meaning was clear.

The Root member bowed and left without a sound.

Mori Kazuki stopped Takuma as he was about to leave. "When your mother and I got married, I thought we'd take the name Morimiya, stop being ninja, and let you live ordinary lives. Maybe I was too naïve. You can't leave the Senju behind just by changing your name."

"Dad, my recovery ability will probably end up in the mission report. There's no hiding it. Besides, becoming a ninja was my choice."

"I know." Mori Kazuki gave a bitter smile. "I'm not blaming you. That's how the Senju bloodline is—you try to hide it, and it shows itself all the more. Your grandfather was the same, and so was his grandfather."

He reached into the deepest part of the bookshelf, pulled out a yellowed scroll, and placed it in Takuma's hands.

"This is the Senju Clan's complete Water Release Secret Technique Scroll. You've already learned Water Wave. Now you'll start learning Water Wall and Water Dragon Bullet." His father rested a hand on the scroll. "I'd planned to wait until you became a Chunin to teach you, but I was worried some people wouldn't wait for you to take your time."

Takuma unrolled the scroll. It contained detailed diagrams and chakra pathways for every stage, from basic nature transformation to advanced shape transformation. At the end was a technique that had been crossed out, the ink decades old. Takuma narrowed his eyes. He could just make out the words "Hard Whirlpool Water Blade." His father's words had also given him a vague suspicion: Danzo?

"Water Dragon Bullet is an advanced form of Water Wall." Mori Kazuki formed Hand Seals slowly, letting Takuma see each one clearly. "Water Wall is mainly for defense. Water Dragon Bullet gathers water into the shape of a dragon, then sends it rushing forward."

Takuma followed along with the Hand Seals. Water Release chakra rose from his abdomen, flowing through the channels in his arms and gathering at his fingertips. It felt cool, nothing like the heavy sensation of Earth Release.

On his first try, a fist-sized ball of water formed at his fingertips. It hadn't even taken shape before it burst with a pop, splashing him in the face.

On his second try, the water ball grew larger and vaguely resembled a dragon's head. The moment he released it, it collapsed into a puddle.

On his third try, a water dragon as thick as his arm spun twice in his palm, shot a meter forward, and fell apart.

Mori Kazuki watched from the side, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Don't rush. Shape transformation with Water Release takes patience. They say Lord Tobirama took a week to produce his first complete Water Dragon Bullet."

"Lord Tobirama took a week?" Takuma wiped the water from his face. "I'll probably need a month."

Mori Kazuki patted his shoulder. "When your grandfather learned Water Dragon Bullet, he got so angry after failing on the first day that he threw the scroll into the river. The next day, he sheepishly went into the water to fish it out."

Takuma chuckled.

Takuma practiced over and over on the wooden posts in the backyard. Water Dragon Bullet required six Hand Seals, more than twice as many as Water Wave. Every time the water dragon broke apart, he drew a mark on the ground. Before long, a long row of tally marks stretched across it.

Takuma bent over, panting, sweat dripping from his chin onto the ground.

Mori Kazuki clapped from the doorway. "Thirty-seven tries? It hasn't even been two hours since you got the scroll."

Takuma straightened, a little surprised himself. "Maybe I have enough chakra? I've practiced this many times, but I don't feel like I'm running low."

"The Senju bloodline is definitely showing itself in you." His father looked conflicted, both pleased and worried. "If Lord Tobirama knew you'd done it in less than two hours, he'd probably climb out of his grave to take you on as a student."

"Please, no. Lord Tobirama was a forbidden-technique fanatic. I'm afraid he really might climb out."

Mori Kazuki laughed at that and shook his head.

"All right, that's enough for today." Mori Kazuki put away the scroll and walked a couple of steps toward the door, then stopped. "By the way, be careful lately."

"Got it."

Takuma returned to his room. He closed the door, lay down on his bed, and stared at the ceiling.

He still had to keep practicing tomorrow. He hadn't started learning Water Wall yet, and Earth Release awaited him in the later pages of the scroll. Root might already have noticed him. The Chunin Ninja Exams didn't seem far off, either.

Deep beneath the village, a newly delivered report lay before Danzo. Its cover read "Class B Observation · Mori Takuma · Initial Assessment."

Danzo turned to the last page, picked up a pen, and wrote a note in the blank space.

"Self-healing ability is more compatible with the Senju constitution than expected. Promising potential. Continue observation."

"If necessary, he may be forcibly taken into custody."