The air in the alley seemed to be frozen.
Senju Chen's voice is silent, but like a stone thrown into a dead pond, it creates ripples.
Sand... sand...
After a slight rubbing sound, a figure slowly walked out from the shadows at the end of the alley. It was not a vicious enemy, but an old man who looked a bit old.
He was not tall, even a little stooped. He was wearing an old-style ninja uniform that had been washed white. His face was covered with ravines of time, but his eyes were gentle, even a little embarrassed. The most eye-catching thing was the huge black pot he carried behind him, which had a dull luster in the moonlight, making him look like a traveler preparing to go camping in the wild, rather than a ninja.
When he saw this person, especially the big scapegoat he was carrying, Senju Chen's pupils shrank slightly.
"That... little guy, I'm sorry, did I scare you?" The other party scratched his gray hair and showed a simple smile on his face. He looked harmless, "I saw you walking alone on the street so late, and I was a little worried, so I just wanted to follow behind and have a look. I didn't mean anything else."
His voice was hoarse and warm, full of the care of an elder.
Senju Chen The coldness on his face melted instantly, and he looked like a frightened and relieved child. He patted his chest. "So that's it, grandpa. I thought I met a bad guy! I was scared to death."
His innocent look made Maruboshi Kosuke completely relieved, and the smile on his face became more genuine, "Haha, it's the old man who made me abrupt. However, you little guy is so alert. I thought I had already restrained my breath to the extreme, but you still discovered me."
He was secretly amazed in his heart. Although he was only a Genin, he was a veteran who had survived since First Shinobi World War. His ability to sneak into hiding might not be comparable to ordinary Jonin. It was really not easy for the child in front of him to be able to sense himself so keenly.
"My name is Maruboshi Kosuke, and I am a ninja in the village. What about you, little guy? Where do you live? I will take you back." Kosuke asked kindly.
Senju Chen's inner OS: Oh, it is indeed the living fossil of Maruboshi Kosuke, Konoha, the legendary "Eternal Genin". Carrying a big blame, he has been a Genin for fifty years., who refused to be "downgraded" to Chunin and Jonin. The swordsmanship of "Konoha Liu·Liu" is superb, and the cooking seems to be very delicious...
The other party is like a cooking soldier on the battlefield of the Dragon Kingdom. He can kill people with a gun and cook with a pot. He is simply the best companion for home travel.
Senju Chen's mind instantly flashed all the information about the old man in front of him. A tragic ninja who lived in atonement and self-blame because of a command error when he was young, which led to the destruction of all his companions. He carried out missions without risking his life, always rushing to the front, just so that he could sacrifice for the village like his companions.
"My name is Senju Chen." Senju Chen raised his head and announced his name with clear and innocent eyes, "My home is in front of the Senju mansion."
"Senju..."
The smile on Maruboshi Kosuke's face suddenly froze when he heard this last name.
His cloudy but gentle eyes suddenly opened wide and stared at Senju Chen. His lips trembled slightly, as if he had heard something incredible. His whole aura changed from a kind old grandfather to a solemn and pious soldier.
"You... are you a member of the Senju Clan?" There was a hint of trembling and excitement in his voice.
Senju Chen blinked and nodded pretending to be confused. "Yes. What's wrong, Grandpa Kosuke?"
Maruboshi Kosuke did not answer. He just walked quickly to Senju Chen and looked at his face carefully. The gaze was not a scrutiny, but an almost pilgrim-like gaze, full of complex emotions. There was excitement, nostalgia, guilt, and a hint of deep awe.
"That's right... these eyebrows... are somewhat similar to those of Lord Tobirama when he was young..." He murmured to himself, his eyes turning red.
The next second, he made a move that surprised even Senju Chen.
The old man who was carrying a big blame actually slowly and solemnly knelt down on one knee in front of a five- or six-year-old child and lowered his gray head.
"Old minister Maruboshi Kosuke, see Lord Chen!"
Senju Chen:"..."
Damn it, you are so big? You give me a big gift when you come up? Does Second Hokage have such great personal charm? How many years has it been since his death, and he still has such die-hard fans?
"Grandpa Kosuke, what are you doing? Get up quickly!" Senju Chen quickly pretended to be panicked and reached out to help him.
But Maruboshi Kosuke stubbornly shook his head, his voice choked with sobs. "No, Lord Chen, you are a direct descendant of the Senju Clan, a descendant of Lord Second Hokage, and you can bear the respect of me! My life and abilities are all given by Lord Second Hokage!"
He raised his head, tears flashing in his cloudy eyes, and fell into long-lasting memories. "Back then, I was still a young boy, and it was Lord Tobirama who saved me from the battlefield with his own hands. He saw that I had some talent, and he personally taught me Water Release· Water Formation Wall and Water Dragon Bullet Technique...Lord Tobirama was kind to me, old minister... but the old minister failed to live up to his expectations and lived a mediocre life Mui..."
At the end of the sentence, the voice of this veteran who bled without shedding tears on the battlefield had a thick cry, full of endless regret and self-blame.
Senju Chen looked at his appearance and understood. Maruboshi Kosuke's feelings for Tobirama Senju have gone beyond a simple superior and subordinate, and are more like a belief. He regards himself as Senju Clan's retainer, and Tobirama's expectations as the shackles of his life.
It turns out that he was not only ashamed of his dead companions, but also felt that he was ashamed of the cultivation of Tobirama. This kind of loyalty... is simply pie from the sky. Where can I find a strong, loyal bodyguard and cook who also brings his own dry food (pot)?
Senju Chen's little calculations were rattling in his heart, but the expression on his face became more and more sincere and moved.
"Grandpa Kosuke, get up quickly." He helped Maruboshi Kosuke up with force and said in a mature tone that transcended his years, "If Grandpa Quanxia knew better, he would definitely be sad to see you like this. You can always fight for the village and Will of Fire, which is the best reward for him."
His words were like a warm current, instantly hitting the softest place in Maruboshi Kosuke's heart.
"Chen...Lord Chen..." Kosuke looked at the child in front of him and was speechless for a moment.
He had heard rumors in the village that Senju Clan had produced a peerless genius, who awakened Wood Release at the age of five, and was known as the second "God of Shinobi". When he heard this, he thought it was an exaggeration, how powerful a five-year-old child could be? But now it seems that this Lord Chen is not only extremely talented, but also has a character far beyond ordinary people.
These words and this magnanimity are exactly the same as those of Lord Tobirama back then!
Senju Clan, there is a successor!
"Old minister... lost his composure." Maruboshi Kosuke wiped the corners of his eyes and stood up straight again, but his attitude was a hundred times more respectful than before, "It's getting late, I will escort Lord Chen home."
"Sorry to trouble you, Grandpa Kosuke." Senju Chen nodded obediently.
The two of them walked one behind the other on their way home. Maruboshi Kosuke was half a step behind, standing upright, like the most loyal guard, scanning the surroundings vigilantly.
"By the way, Grandpa Kosuke," Senju Chen asked curiously, "Have you been in the village recently? I don't think I've seen you much."
"Returning to Lord Chen, I just came back from Land of Grass's mission two days ago. As soon as I came back, I heard about your deeds." Kosuke's tone was full of proud pride, "People in the village are saying that you are Senju Clan's hope for the future, a genius who can rival Master First Hokage!"
"Everyone is talking nonsense." Senju Chen smiled sheepishly, and then pointed at the pot behind Kosuke, "Grandpa Kosuke, why are you always carrying a pot on your back?"
Mentioning this, Maruboshi Kosuke's serious face softened. "Yes. When you are performing a mission outside, you have to eat well so that you have the strength to fight. Moreover, it is also a very happy thing to be able to cook a hot meal for your companions."
There was a hint of warmth and a hint of imperceptible sadness in his words.
Senju Chen didn't ask any further.
Soon, the mansion of the Senju Clan appeared in front of us.
"Grandpa Kosuke, I'm here, please come in and sit down together."
"No, Lord Chen, I will send you here." Maruboshi Kosuke stopped and said respectfully.
"Thank you, Grandpa Kosuke. I'm very happy to meet you today. Don't call me Lord Chen all the time. Just call me Little Chen like your sister." Senju Chen gave him a bright smile.
"It is an honor for me to serve Lord Chen!" Maruboshi Kosuke did not answer Senju Chen's words, but bowed deeply, then turned around, and his rickety figure slowly disappeared into the night.
Senju Chen stood at the gate, looking at the direction Maruboshi Kosuke was leaving, recalling Maruboshi Kosuke's life experience, and a bold idea gradually formed in his mind.