His consciousness slowly rose from a warm, gentle darkness.
Senju Chen's eyelashes fluttered slightly.
He did not open his eyes immediately, instead first using his senses to trace the surroundings.
The air held a distinctive blend of old paper and fine tobacco, the scent of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. Beneath him was a soft sofa, and a blanket carrying a faint medicinal fragrance covered him. That was Tsunade's scent.
It was quiet around him, but he could sense several breaths as steady and imposing as mountains. Each represented the pinnacle of power in Konoha.
After soothing the Nine-Tails, he had "conveniently" exhausted all his strength and promptly "fainted" before Minato Namikaze and the Anbu rushed over.
He had personally sparked a crisis capable of overturning Konoha, then personally quelled it. Now it was time to reap the rewards.
He slowly opened his eyes. Those clear black-and-white eyes now held the confusion and vulnerability of someone just waking, like a frightened fawn that had lost its way.
"Little Chen! You're awake!"
A voice filled with concern and delighted surprise rang out. Tsunade appeared beside him in an instant and carefully helped him sit up, as though afraid she might shatter a priceless treasure.
Senju Chen let himself lean into his sister's warm, soft embrace and looked around.
The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was solemn, almost oppressive.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk with an unlit pipe in his mouth. His usually somewhat clouded eyes were now as sharp as a hawk's, fixed unblinkingly on him.
To his left was Jiraiya. This member of the legendary Sannin had put away all his flippancy. His arms were folded across his chest, his expression more grave than ever.
To his right was Minato Namikaze, standing ramrod straight. His golden hair remained dazzling in the light streaming through the window, but beyond the lingering fear and gratitude on his face, there was an even greater, indescribable shock.
Standing in the shadows were the two elder advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. Their eyes held greed and excitement, as though they had discovered an unparalleled weapon.
Except for Danzo, all of Konoha's highest leadership had gathered here.
And he, a four-year-old child, had once again become the absolute center of this meeting.
"Ahem." Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat, breaking the silence. He took a deep drag of nonexistent smoke, then slowly exhaled, as though trying to breathe out the shock in his heart along with it.
"Effective immediately, today's events are classified as Konoha's highest-level S-rank secret. No one present may reveal a single word to anyone outside this room. Any violator will be treated as a traitor to the village!" His voice was low and forceful, carrying unquestionable resolve.
"Especially anything concerning Little Chen's abilities," he emphasized, his gaze finally settling on Senju Chen. "His Wood Release possesses the power to soothe Tailed Beasts. That alone makes it an ultimate trump card capable of shaking the balance of the entire Shinobi World."
Utatane Koharu adjusted her glasses. "After Lord First Hokage, the village has finally regained this power. This is a blessing for Konoha. We must immediately establish the highest level of protection. Senju Chen's safety takes precedence over everything." She was a staunch supporter of the Senju.
Mitokado Homura also spoke with a kindly expression. "Little Chen is still young. If someone were to exploit him, the consequences would be unimaginable! I suggest forming a dedicated Anbu guard unit to 'protect' him around the clock and restrict his contact with unnecessary personnel!"
"Supervision? Protection? Do you want to turn my brother into a second Kushina and lock him away like some unfeeling weapon?! He's only four! He just risked his life to save Kushina, to save that precious Jinchūriki of yours! Is this how you treat Konoha's hero?"
Tsunade immediately objected.
"Tsunade! Calm down!" Jiraiya pressed a hand to her shoulder and said gravely, "The elders mean well. They're thinking of the village."
"That's right, Tsunade. We also want what's best for Little Chen. His bloodline talent is unmatched. I believe we should protect and teach him personally, so he won't stray down the wrong path."
"You want to take my brother away?" Tsunade exploded the moment she heard that, her raging aura instantly filling the room.
Amid this tense confrontation, Senju Chen seized the perfect moment to clutch Tsunade's clothes. His small body trembled as he spoke timidly:
"Sis... did... did I do something wrong? Are they... are they going to lock me up?"
His voice was quiet and tearful, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
Tsunade's anger instantly turned into boundless heartache. She hugged her brother tightly and soothed him gently. "Don't be afraid, Little Chen. With your sister here, no one will touch a hair on your head!"
Minato Namikaze immediately stepped forward as well and bowed deeply to the two elders. "Honored advisors, Lord Hokage, please forgive my bluntness. I was there at the time. I saw with my own eyes how Chen, at the most dangerous moment, disregarded his own safety and rushed forward of his own accord to soothe Kushina. His heart seeks to 'protect.' In that respect, he is no different from Lord First Hokage."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze lingered on Senju Chen's "pure and innocent" little face for a long time. Finally, he spoke, settling the matter:
"Enough. This discussion ends here."
He stood and walked over to Senju Chen, his tall figure casting a shadow. He crouched down, trying to bring his eyes level with the child's, and his voice grew much gentler.
"Little Chen, can you tell Grandpa how you did it?"
Inside, Senju Chen was already overjoyed.
It worked!
Tsunade's fury, Minato's staunch support, and his own flawless "victim" performance had completely turned the situation around. The elders' proposal for "supervision" now seemed utterly heartless and had been completely isolated.
He raised his head and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with eyes so clear they held not a trace of impurity. His face carried a little lingering fear and a child's bewilderment.
"I... I don't know either..." He assembled the most airtight explanation. "I just saw that Sister Kushina was in so much pain. Inside her, there seemed to be a very angry, very sad flame burning... I wanted to help her..."
"Grandpa First's notes said that the power of Wood Release comes from life. I thought the power of life should be able to soothe pain... so I put my hand on her..."
These words were half true and half false, yet they perfectly attributed everything to "bloodline instinct" and a "pure, kind heart."
What ill intentions could a four-year-old possibly have? He had only wanted to help a friend in pain.
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.
Looking at the boy before him, he seemed to see the man from decades ago who always spoke of "peace" and had used Wood Release to pacify an age of turmoil.
The same bloodline, the same power, the same... heart born to "protect."
After a long while, a heartfelt smile of profound relief appeared on his weathered face. He reached out with his large, rough hand and placed it gently, lovingly, on Senju Chen's head.
"Good boy. You did very well. You didn't do anything wrong. You're Konoha's hero."
Those words marked an earth-shattering transformation in Senju Chen's standing in Konoha.
He was no longer merely a "Senju orphan" who needed protection. He had become someone as important as a Jinchūriki, or even more valuable in strategic terms.
He was Konoha's ultimate trump card for handling Tailed Beasts.
This gamble had paid off!
Not only had he obtained the Uzumaki Bloodline he had dreamed of without suffering so much as a scratch, but he had also secured his exceptional standing in Konoha in one stroke. From today onward, he could go wherever he wanted in Konoha.
He could feel the immense vitality originating from the Uzumaki Clan, which had just merged into his body, blending perfectly with the Senju Clan's bloodline and becoming an endlessly surging river. Every breath brought the exhilaration of growing stronger.
And the "catalyst" for all this, Minato Namikaze, whom he had treated as a "tool," was now looking at him with gratitude all over his face, as though gazing at a savior.
Senju Chen laughed inwardly, but his face still wore that obedient, sensible expression. He poked his head out of Tsunade's embrace and gave everyone a radiant, trusting smile.
"Thank you, Grandpa Hokage! Thank you, everyone!"