Anyone could clearly see just how distant Hashirama Senju and Senju Ryūju were from each other, despite being arguably the most distinguished father and son in the shinobi world.
But that did not mean they hated or resented each other. Quite the opposite: Hashirama Senju cherished his only son, and Senju Ryūju deeply admired his father, longing to become a powerful shinobi like him.
That was not merely his personal wish, but also a heavy burden his entire clan had placed upon him.
From birth, Senju Ryūju had been regarded as the future of the Senju Clan. He carried his elders' weighty expectations, enjoyed the finest resources, and underwent the harshest training. Amid everyone's encouragement and hopes, he gritted his teeth and pressed on, struggling to follow in Hashirama Senju's footsteps.
Back then, Tatsuki had been desperate to catch up to his father, to stand beside him as an equal. But that illusory dream had soon shattered.
In this shinobi world where bloodline reigned supreme, nothing was more fortunate than having an invincible father.
And nothing was more unfortunate than being the unworthy son of such a great man.
When Senju Ryūju failed to awaken Wood Release, he soon became the target of criticism and contempt throughout the clan, falling from its darling to its disgrace.
Not only that, his utterly mediocre talent and disappointing strength even led his clansmen to question whether his late mother had been unfaithful. How else could the God of Shinobi have fathered such a useless son?
That unprecedented humiliation dealt Senju Ryūju a crushing blow. His once sunny, forthright disposition quickly turned gloomy and defeatist, and he could not stop himself from hating his father. Yet even as he bitterly resented Hashirama, it was Hashirama who stepped forward to protect him from the clan's criticism.
When Hashirama learned of the rumors spreading through the clan, the normally gentle man, who was especially forgiving toward his clansmen, flew into a rare rage. His fury swept through the entire Senju Clan like divine punishment. Too despondent to leave his room at the time, Tatsuki did not know exactly what had happened, but after Hashirama's outburst, those who had spread rumors and looked down on him came to his door one after another to apologize and beg his forgiveness.
Unlike the rest of the Senju Clan, which cared so much about Wood Release and bloodlines, Hashirama Senju clearly cared more about Senju Ryūju himself. He did not care how strong Ryūju was, or whether he could inherit Wood Release. As a father, Hashirama only cared whether his son was living well.
But the less Hashirama cared about his inadequacy, the more Tatsuki suffered, and the more he hated his own useless, ugly self.
Whenever he thought of how he had once hated a father who loved him so deeply, Tatsuki fell apart completely. Unable to face Hashirama at all, he could only distance himself from him entirely.
That almost self-destructive behavior caused him immense pain. Only then did he realize that, to Senju Ryūju, his father was an insurmountable mountain and his entire world. But to Hashirama Senju, his son Ryūju was merely a sapling in his life that needed loving care.
Wood Release really was like a curse.
Standing in the orchard created through Wood Release, Senju Ryūju quietly looked at Uchiha Shingetsu, cradled in Madara Uchiha's arms.
The tiny girl nestled like a fledgling in the nest Madara Uchiha had woven for her. Bathed in the faint light, her snowy skin seemed to glow softly from within, and her delicate features were like a flower waiting to bloom. She was almost impossibly beautiful.
Faced with this child who had awakened Wood Release, Tatsuki, who had once craved it to the point of madness, had expected to envy her so fiercely that his very soul would tremble. Yet when he actually stood before her, what surfaced in his eyes was unmistakably pity.
Wood Release was not merely power. It was also a curse, just like the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.
He had briefly experienced that curse himself. Though he had long since escaped it, its nightmares still haunted him constantly. But the beautiful child before him did not yet understand that.
Senju Ryūju knew perfectly well that the curse had already quietly caught hold of the girl's hem, because what had driven him here was the Senju Clan's restless malice.
The real reason he had appeared here was the urging of the clan elders.
Or rather, their coercion.
Ever since Shingetsu's lineage had been exposed, Hashirama had done everything he could to protect Tōka. He had tacitly permitted her to move from the Senju Clan Compound to the Uchiha Clan Compound, and even forbidden his clansmen from going to harass the Uchiha Clan. But these elders, who had spent almost their entire lives yearning for Wood Release, would never obediently leave it at that.
In secret, they mobilized the Senju Clan's intelligence network and the hidden agents stationed throughout the village. Before long, they had uncovered every last detail of Shingetsu's background.
Unlike Tatsuki, Shingetsu possessed astonishing talent and potential, along with exceptional intelligence. Every one of those elders beat their breasts in frustration. Compared with the mediocre Tatsuki, this was the heir Hashirama Senju should have had! Yet Madara Uchiha had gotten to such a genius first. How could they not be consumed by regret?
But more than all those dazzling qualities, it was another trait of Uchiha Shingetsu's that truly concerned them.
She was the only female Wood Release user.
Perhaps, unlike the male Hashirama, Shingetsu could naturally pass down the exceedingly rare kekkei genkai of Wood Release to her offspring. Even if that possibility was infinitesimal, even if the price might be devastating, the Senju Clan, which had sacrificed so much for Wood Release, could never give up such an opportunity!
Forced by the elders to approach Shingetsu, Tatsuki knew perfectly well what those old fools, whose obsession with Wood Release had rotted their brains, were scheming. Perhaps, in their eyes, the only value left in him, the clan's discarded son, lay in his bloodline and his usefulness for a marriage alliance.
Utterly disgusting!
Looking at the innocent child before him, Senju Ryūju abruptly clenched his fists. His blood surged, and a sickening anger rose in his throat.
What could a child this young possibly understand about marriage and childbirth? What right did those ancient bastards in the clan have to force such filthy intentions onto her?
"Tatsuki, what's wrong?"
"...I'm fine, Father."
Noticing his son's turbulent emotions immediately, Hashirama Senju hurried to ask him what was wrong. Genuine, anxious concern appeared on his face, and it was that very concern that brought Tatsuki back to his senses.
He stumbled backward as though shocked, resolving never to go anywhere near Shingetsu again. Then he fled toward home, leaving only a farewell floating faintly in the air.
"I'll be leaving now!"
Watching Senju Ryūju come and go in such a hurry, Shingetsu blinked in confusion. She had the distinct feeling that he had been looking at her the whole time.
So he only looked like Hashirama Senju. His personality was nothing like his father's.
Shingetsu soon put Senju Ryūju out of her mind. With her belly full, she gradually grew sleepy, drowsiness weighing down her head. She let out a long yawn, rested her head limply in the crook of Madara's arm, and fell asleep curled against him.
Honestly, she was completely spoiled.
Looking at that utterly unguarded sleeping face, Tobirama shook his head in defeat. How could a child born into a shinobi clan fall asleep whenever she pleased, without the slightest vigilance? If a child of the Senju Clan had done this, he would certainly have given them a thorough scolding.
But when it came to Shingetsu...
Glancing at Madara Uchiha, whose gaze had unconsciously softened, Tobirama knew there was no point saying anything to him. Annoy him enough, and he might even twist your head off!
In short, he had spoiled her himself.
By the time Shingetsu groggily opened her eyes again, it was already afternoon, when the children at the Ninja Academy finished their classes.
Those energetic children certainly would not miss the village's big news, especially the Uchiha and Senju children. Once they heard Shingetsu's name from the villagers, they plunged into the orchard, eating fruit as they searched for her.
"Shingetsu, there you are!"
Beyond the rows of fruit trees, Kagami Uchiha, carrying a bag of dango, caught sight of Shingetsu. His eyes lit up, and he hurried happily toward her.
"Mm, Kagami?"
Still not fully awake, Shingetsu rubbed her eyes and stood up groggily from Madara's lap. She waved Kagami over and took a few steps toward him, but just then, a brown figure shot forward and knocked the unsuspecting Kagami Uchiha aside.
The instant Shingetsu saw who had arrived, all her sleepiness vanished. She shuddered involuntarily, goose bumps rising all over her body, and wanted to shout about her rotten luck.
Why was it this monkey again?!
"Shingetsu, it really has been ages!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi clutched a thick stack of letters in one hand and had also snatched Kagami's dango. Seeing Shingetsu, who appeared to be alone, he rushed toward her in delight. Behind him, the Sarutobi summon pinned Kagami Uchiha firmly to the ground, preventing him from getting up, and covered his mouth with a furry hand so he could not speak.
"While you were away, I wrote so many love poems. Now I'm going to give you all of them! Ah, Shingetsu, my lovely beloved, you are lovelier than the moon!"
"...Just shut up already!"
The corners of Shingetsu's mouth twitched furiously. Her face turned scarlet in an instant, heat rushing from her neck to the tips of her ears and leaving them burning red. Listening to the mortifying, speech-defying love poetry that belonged in a soap opera, she wanted to split Hiruzen Sarutobi's head right open!
Where on earth had he learned these cheesy pickup lines?!
Several vines burst from the ground and, under Shingetsu's direction, lashed toward the wretched monkey to bind him. Thanks to Hashirama Senju treating this as daily training, however, Hiruzen Sarutobi expertly dodged every Wood Release attack, leaping nimbly through the air while reciting with even more affected passion.
"You are my everything. I truly cannot live without you!"
As Hiruzen Sarutobi delivered his deeply passionate recital of love poems, Madara Uchiha's face darkened little by little. Tobirama Senju's expression was no less grim, while Hashirama Senju smiled stiffly. Listening to his student's utterly ridiculous poetic confession, he was embarrassed, angry, and anxious all at once, not knowing whether to laugh or cry!
"You are the moon in my heart. Even when darkness falls, your smile will light up my world!"
Only after Hiruzen Sarutobi finished reading yet another cheesy love letter did he notice the three adults concealed by the fruit trees, all glaring at him. Their eyes unmistakably held a vicious killing intent!
"M-M-M-Mad... Teacher Madara!"
Sarutobi's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. Madara Uchiha was the one who beat him most brutally, and the time Madara had nearly crushed his head had left this monkey with a particularly deep psychological scar. Now, merely seeing Madara made his legs tremble with fear!
"Ah, and Teacher Tobirama, I-I-I..."
After countless beatings, Hiruzen Sarutobi had learned to abandon every shred of dignity without hesitation to save his own life. Faced with this group of ruthless men who looked ready to skin him alive, he promptly prostrated himself, dropping both knees hard into the dirt.
"Please spare my life!"
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