The suffocating atmosphere in the Hokage's office was left entirely behind the moment Tsunade led Lin Chen out the door.
On the way back to the Senju residence, Tsunade said nothing. She only held Chen's hand tighter and tighter, as though afraid that this treasure she had lost and regained would vanish like a wisp of smoke. Her steps were light, and even her retreating figure radiated an unprecedented spirit and joy.
Only after pushing open the heavy gate carved with the Senju crest and shutting out the noise of the outside world did Tsunade let out a long, long breath. With it, she released the anguish and sorrow that had weighed on her for over a decade.
She led Lin Chen beneath the veranda, then crouched and stared unblinkingly at him with amber eyes that were astonishingly bright. After looking at him for a long time, she finally reached out and carefully stroked his cheek with her fingertips. Her voice carried a tremor and lingering fear that even she failed to notice. "Chen, it's all over. From now on, no one will ever dare question your identity again, and no one will ever dare bully you."
Lin Chen leaned into her embrace and rubbed his little face against her, answering in a soft, sweet voice, "Mm, I believe you, Sis."
Of course he knew this was no ending. It was clearly only a beginning.
A storm that would sweep through all of Konoha, and even the entire Shinobi World, had only just begun. And he was its eye.
That old dog Danzo has probably gotten so furious he's torn his own base apart by now. But the more enraged he becomes, the hotter his greed will burn. A living, perfect inheritor of the Wood Release kekkei genkai is more tempting to him than any Scroll of Seals.
Lin Chen sneered inwardly, while his face retained its obedient look of complete dependence.
And then there's the Uchiha... Senju and Uchiha, two names that have been entangled since the Warring States Period. Now that a "crown prince" has suddenly appeared in the Senju Clan, what will that proud Uchiha clan head think? Will he be wary, try to win me over, or... turn hostile?
Names and factions flashed rapidly through his mind, finally weaving into a tangled web fraught with danger.
And he stood at its center.
If he wanted to avoid being strangled by this web, if he wanted to protect this hard-won warmth in his arms, he had to possess the power to overturn the board.
The Wood Release bloodline was his entry ticket and his protective talisman, but it was by no means his destination. The system was his greatest trump card.
"Sis, I'm a little tired. I want to sleep." Lin Chen yawned and rubbed his eyes with his little hands, playing the part of an exhausted child to perfection.
"Of course, of course. I'll take you to bed." Tsunade's heart melted instantly. She hurriedly picked him up and strode toward the bedroom Shizune had already cleaned until it was spotless. She settled Lin Chen in, tucked in the covers, and gently kissed his forehead before reluctantly withdrawing.
Silence returned to the room.
Lin Chen's closed eyes slowly opened. There was no trace of a child's sleepiness or innocence left in them, only calm and sharpness as deep as the night sky.
Step one: extracting chakra.
In the Hokage's office, he had been able to sprout a shoot because the system had directly activated his Wood Release bloodline. That had not been his own power. Right now, he was like a wealthy man sitting on a mountain of gold who had no idea where the key was.
Lin Chen-no, from now on, he was Senju Chen-began considering his path ahead. He had now gained an initial foothold in Konoha.
With his identity as a member of the Senju Clan, he believed that as long as he did not court death himself, he could lie flat for the rest of his life without worrying about food or drink.
But since heaven had brought him here, he certainly had to accomplish something. Otherwise, his transmigration and his system would have gone to waste. Acquiring power and growing stronger would be his next task.
Anyone who had watched Naruto knew that later on, villages and countries were destroyed at the drop of a hat. Without power, survival was impossible. Only great power would allow him to survive better, protect Tsunade, and preserve this hard-won familial bond.
For now, however, he only possessed the Wood Release bloodline. How to use it still needed further exploration. Of course, he was now on the Senju Clan's grounds, so he would have to look through what his nominal grandfather and great-uncle-the First and Second Hokage-had left behind.
He would certainly have to learn the First's Wood Release ninjutsu, and he coveted many of the ninjutsu created by the Second, known as the "master of forbidden jutsu." Still, he had to take things one step at a time.
Extracting chakra was the first step to becoming a ninja, and also the most fundamental.
Starting tomorrow, he needed to find a way to get Tsunade to teach him how to extract chakra. He could not wait until he entered the Ninja Academy to learn it. He understood that getting ahead by one step meant staying ahead at every step.
Just as Lin Chen had expected, in barely half a day, news of a new addition to the Senju Clan swept through every corner of Konoha like a force-twelve hurricane.
On the streets, in teahouses, and beside training grounds, villagers and ninja whispered everywhere.
"Have you heard? That child Lady Tsunade brought back really is a Senju!"
"That's not all! They say he used Wood Release right in front of Lord Hokage! He made a piece of paper sprout!"
"Heavens! Wood Release! Isn't that the First Hokage's power? Our Konoha... is going to rise again!"
"Is that child really not Lady Tsunade's illegitimate son?"
"Bullshit! Princess Tsunade is the purest!"
"You again! I won't let you insult Princess Tsunade anymore! I challenge you to a duel!"
Excitement, exhilaration, and shared pride spread among the ordinary villagers. To them, the First Hokage was a legend, a guardian deity. The reappearance of his power meant the continuation of peace and stability.
Yet among Konoha's families that truly held power, this wind stirred entirely different waves.
The Hyuga Clan, the Main Family residence.
The atmosphere was solemn. Hyuga Hiashi sat in the seat of honor, his expression as placid as ever. But the several Main Family elders seated below him all looked shocked and were engaged in heated discussion.
"Clan head, this is no small matter. The Senju Clan's power should not reappear at a time like this."
"Indeed. The very existence of a child who possesses Wood Release will upset the village's current internal balance."
Hyuga Hiashi raised a hand, silencing the elders. With those pure white eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything, he looked toward Hokage Rock. His voice was level, yet carried unquestionable resolve. "Pass down my orders. The Hyuga Clan will wait and observe. Until Lord Hokage issues new instructions, no one is to approach Senju Chen privately, much less display any hostility."
He paused, then added, "Also, send people to keep a close watch on the Uchiha's movements."
To the Hyuga, a controllable "miracle" was far safer than an uncontrollable "Uchiha."
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha Clan's grounds on the other side of Konoha, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the moments before a downpour.
Clan head Uchiha Fugaku sat at the head of a dim meeting room, his face livid. Before him sat the core leadership of the Uchiha Clan, every face filled with gloom and resentment.
"Senju... Wood Release..." Fugaku's fingers gouged several deep marks into the tatami beneath him. "Well played, Hiruzen Sarutobi! Well played, Tsunade! Are they trying to intimidate us?"
A radical elder slammed the table and roared, "Clan head! This is clearly Sarutobi's plot! He sees he can no longer suppress us Uchiha, so he's fabricated some so-called 'Senju descendant' out of thin air and is using the First Hokage's name to keep us down! Wood Release? It might just be some kind of sleight of hand!"
"Enough!" Fugaku cut him off coldly. "Who could such a trick fool in the Hokage's office, right in front of the Hokage and the two elder advisors? That child is probably genuine."
It was precisely because he was genuine that it sent such a bone-deep chill through them!
Their Uchiha Clan possessed the Sharingan and had been instrumental in founding Konoha, yet now they were excluded from the center of power, relegated to the Konoha Military Police Force. The Senju, meanwhile, had clearly dwindled away, yet with nothing more than a four-year-old child and an intangible bloodline, they had stepped back into the spotlight to enjoy everyone's support and reverence!
Why should they?!
"Our Uchiha Clan has not fallen so low that we would fear a four- or five-year-old child."
"Clan head, that is the First's Wood Release," an elder said somewhat fearfully. He was an old man who had lived through the era of the First and Second.
At the mention of the First, even Uchiha Fugaku's hard-line attitude lost its force. Helplessly, he turned and instructed those seated below him.
"Have our clansmen investigate this child, particularly to confirm whether his Wood Release is real. But absolutely no extreme actions are permitted. All of Konoha is watching this child right now."
"Yes, Lord Clan Head."