The rain, like knives, slashed obliquely across Tsubasa's dark, muscular outfit. He lightly touched the ground with his toes, flying swiftly through the damp air. The lights of the Land of Fire gradually faded into stars, while the dark clouds of the Land of Rain churned before him. The wind rushed into his collar, carrying the stench of gunpowder. All along the way, he had witnessed human tragedy. This nation, always weeping, would Mirai produce Hanzō the Demigod, Akatsuki would become a gathering place for S-rank missing-nin, bringing further suffering to the Shinobi World. His heart sank— the Land of Fire's military camp had arrived.
He descended to the entrance of the military camp. The guards stopped him and asked questions. After he identified himself, a ninja led the way to a tent covered with white cloth.
The torches outside the tent flickered in the rain, illuminating the pale faces of the guards. Upon seeing the Ten Family crest on Tsubasa's chest, the guards paused, clearly recognizing Tsubasa as Ten Family family guards. They hurriedly saluted, "Young Master! You've arrived! The six elder ladies are in the tent. Please come in!"
The Setsuna the tent flap was lifted, the stench of blood assaulted the senses. Six aunts sat around a wooden couch, their white hair disheveled, their eyes red-rimmed. The old man lying on the couch had a peaceful face, but his former vigor was gone. Tsubasa's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground, his throat feeling as if it were blocked with Iron Sand filings. "Grandpa, I'm late..."
"Child, you're here." Second Aunt Gi Senju's voice was hoarse like sandpaper, her cloudy eyes bloodshot. She pointed to the person on the bed, "Your grandfather passed away peacefully, his eyes still open, clutching the Chakra Metal pendant you gave him..."
Fifth Aunt Ame Senju suddenly covered her mouth and sobbed, and Third Aunt Kaidō Senju supported her shoulders. Only the sound of gasps could be heard in the tent, until Sixth Aunt In Senju tremblingly spread out a roll of blood-stained cloth, which was a letter from Senju Yasuhei to Tsubasa.
Tsubasa read the letter his grandfather had written while listening to his aunts recount the events.
" Tsubasa, my dear grandson. By the time you read this letter, Grandpa will probably have already gone to another world. The thing I'm most proud of in my life is having you as my grandson. You were born extraordinary, and I've always believed that. Do you remember those six years you lay in that hospital bed? Countless people advised me to give up, saying you wouldn't wake up, but Grandpa didn't believe it. Even if our Ten Family went bankrupt, we would snatch you back from the clutches of Death God."
"Just when we couldn't even scrape together a month's worth of medicine at home, and the whole family was in despair, you miraculously recovered completely. At that moment, Grandpa felt that all the sacrifices had been worthwhile. Your promise that day to have children not only comforted Grandpa but also saved the hearts of your six aunts."
"Later, your talent and intelligence became apparent, further proving that Grandpa's judgment was correct. You embarked on the path of Immortal Cultivation, pursuing immortality, and Grandpa believes you will succeed. But Grandpa wants to tell you, stick to your ideals, do what you believe is right, and don't let anyone sway your life. There are too many temptations and distractions in this world; don't lose yourself."
Grandpa is gone. Don't be sad, and don't think about avenging me. Your safety is more important than anything else! Always remember that you were born extraordinary, your life is precious, live well, realize your ambitions, and see a wider world.
Tsubasa clutched the letter tightly, tears dripping onto the paper. His six aunts sat around him, their voices choked with sobs as they recounted his grandfather's final moments. "In his last moments, your grandfather kept calling your name, worried about your safety." "He kept saying that as long as you were well, he had no regrets."
Tsubasa asked coldly, "How did Grandpa die?"
"It happened seven days ago." The old woman, Senju Dō Senju, said in a hoarse voice, her fingertips trembling as she stroked the hem of the old man's clothes. " The Sand shinobi's Magnet Release experts launched a surprise attack. Akira Senju was enveloped in Iron Sand and flying stones, and he was doomed. Your grandfather shielded him from the fatal blow with his own body, and he also killed the enemy. Unfortunately, the Kazekage launched a general attack..." She suddenly covered her mouth and burst into tears.
Third Mother Nanshin Senju wiped away her tears and continued, "Of the three thousand clansmen, less than four hundred survived. Now the Sand shinobi are gathering at the border, and I fear they will invade again..."
Tsubasa's nails dug deeply into his palms as memories flooded back. His grandfather would always stroke his head, teaching him all sorts of principles; he would always stuff the best pastries into his hands; when he was sick and the whole family was ridiculed, his grandfather would stand tall and say, "My grandson is exceptionally talented, he will surely achieve great things in the future!" But now, the person who loved him the most has closed his eyes forever.
"I'm going to kill Kazekage Reto!" Tsubasa suddenly stood up.
Six hands pressed him down simultaneously. Sixth Mother, In Senju, choked back tears, " Little Tsubasa, don't be foolish! Reto is a veteran Above Clan Head Level expert; his Sand Release technique is unparalleled. The Sand shinobi also have nearly 100,000 troops. Going there is just suicide!"
"Before your grandfather passed away, he asked us to tell you this," Aunt Dō Senju wiped her face and forced herself to speak, "He said that dying on the battlefield would be an honor for Senju, and he only hoped that you would uphold your original aspiration of Immortal Cultivation, continue the bloodline of the Ten Family, and that dying on the battlefield would be a hundred times better than dying in bed from illness. He forbade you from seeking revenge for him..."
Suddenly, a horn sounded outside the tent. Third Aunt, Kaidō Senju, lifted the curtain and peered out. " The Sand shinobi's signal fire! They're attacking again." She turned and grasped Tsubasa's hand, pleading, " Little Tsubasa Ten, I beg you, take your grandfather back to Konoha. Leave this to us."
The tent was silent except for the sound of rain pattering on the canvas. Tsubasa looked at his grandfather's pale face, remembering the old man's words, "The elders of the Senju Clan should die before the enemy lines." But how could he swallow this anger? Finally, he gritted his teeth, nodded, put a raincoat on his grandfather, then carried his grandfather's body on his back, strode out of the tent, and soared into the sky. The six mothers breathed a sigh of relief when they saw him fly towards Konoha. They returned to their tent, put on their armor, and took up their weapons, preparing for the upcoming battle.
The torrential rain washed over the way home, but Tsubasa suddenly turned around in mid-air and flew towards the Sand shinobi Sand shinobi camp. He gently placed his grandfather's body on the mountaintop behind the camp, saying, "Grandpa, stay here and watch. Your grandson will avenge you and end this damned war!"
The night was as dark as ink. Tsubasa, like a black shadow, silently infiltrated the Sand shinobi's central army camp. Inside, the lamplight flickered, Kazekage Reto was studying a military map with his back to him.
"Die!" Tsubasa roared, his figure suddenly changing into the appearance of Senju Yasuhei. His true energy surged, and he used all his strength, combined with the power of the Super Strength Technique, to compress the air and make it emit a piercing explosion.
Reto reacted extremely quickly, instantly condensing his Sand Release into a shield. But the fist was unstoppable, shattering the sand shield inch by inch, and the air wave blasted him away! Amidst screams, Sand shinobi, tents, and weapons within a radius of a thousand meters were all shredded into dust, forming a huge fan-shaped vacuum zone, leaving only scarlet bloodstains on the ground.
Tsubasa staggered, grabbing a pillar for support, his stomach churning. He knelt on the ground, vomiting violently. Images of Reto being blasted to pieces flashed before his eyes repeatedly; this was the first time he had killed someone with his own hands—in modern times, he wouldn't even dare kill a chicken, yet now...
Footsteps approached, and dozens of Sand shinobi surrounded them, but none dared to step forward. Finally, a puppeteer stepped out from the crowd, and the puppet emitted a mechanical voice. "Master of Hidden Weapons, we didn't expect you to still be alive, and even stronger than before. We surrender. If you have any conditions, the Sand shinobi will certainly comply."
Tsubasa wiped his mouth and sneered, "Hand over the Secret Puppet Technique and pay 10 billion taels in compensation. Otherwise, I will join forces with Mito Uzumaki and Tobirama Senju to raze Sand Shadow Village to the ground!"
The Sand shinobi exchanged bewildered glances at the terrifying vacuum zone, and finally gritted their teeth and nodded.
Tsubasa took the Secret Puppet Technique, watched the Sand shinobi's departing figures, then looked towards the mountain where his grandfather was, and whispered, "Grandpa, did you see that? I've avenged this blood debt. The Sand shinobi have retreated."
The torrential rain washed over the bluestone paths of Konoha, and the rainwater under the eaves formed a silver curtain. Tsubasa carried his grandfather's body, wrapped in a raincoat, and rushed into the Ten Family Divine Weapon Pavilion through the mud.
"Mother!" Tsubasa's hoarse cry echoed through the Divine Weapon Pavilion. The door to the main room, directly opposite the courtyard gate, was suddenly pushed open. Senju Ga, seeing her son and his father-in-law on his back, quickly realized what was happening. She stumbled out, her hair disheveled, her eyes filled with panic. " Tsubasa? Your grandfather..." Before she could finish speaking, she had clearly Qinger's back. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, her heart-wrenching cries piercing the rain.
Tsubasa knelt down, placing his mother's trembling hand on his grandfather's stiff hand, his voice choked with sobs. "Mother, Grandpa did it to save the clan leader Akira Senju... Sand shinobi's Magnet Release expert launched a surprise attack, and he shielded the fatal blow with his body." Senju Ga collapsed onto his grandfather's body, his nails digging deep into the rain-soaked fabric, "I should have stopped your grandfather from going to the front lines, he was so old... It's all my fault..."
"Mother!" Tsubasa suddenly grabbed his mother's shoulders. "I didn't listen to Grandpa; I went to the Sand shinobi camp. Kazekage Reto is already dead at my hands!"
Senju Ga suddenly looked up, tears still wet on her face, but a flicker of fear flashed in her eyes. "Are you crazy? Reto is Above Clan Head Level powerhouse! The Sand shinobi army..."
" The Sand shinobi have surrendered." Tsubasa pulled out a blood-stained Secret Puppet Technique scroll from his robes. "They handed over the Puppet Technique and paid a compensation of 10 billion taels. Now the border of the Land of Wind is at peace." He paused, his voice suddenly low and somber. "Mother, the first time I killed someone... watching Reto shatter into pieces under my palm, that feeling..."
Senju Ga pressed her son's trembling hand to her chest, tears streaming down her face. "Silly child, do you think your mother hasn't killed anyone? Before I got married, during the Warring States period, I personally beheaded three Chunin. But every time I wake up in the middle of the night, their faces appear before my eyes..." She hugged her son tightly, "But some grudges must be avenged. If your grandfather knew in the afterlife, he would be proud of you."
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away from Konoha, at the Land of Rain ninja camp, Tsubasa's Shadow Clone appeared in the tent of the six aunts. Dō Senju's teacup slammed to the ground with a "crack," splashing tea onto her skirt. "What did you say? You killed the Kazekage all by yourself?"
The Shadow Clone nodded and recounted in detail the Sand shinobi's surrender. Nanshin Senju covered her face with her hands, her voice trembling. "My God... if anything goes wrong, how will we explain to your grandfather!"
"But he really did it." Kaidō Senju laughed through her red eyes, "I remember Little Tsubasa used to never kill a chicken, but now he can actually kill Kazekage single-handedly..." Her voice suddenly choked, "Father, did you see that? Your grandson is even more powerful than you!"
In Senju Gently stroked the Shadow Clone's face, just like she had stroked Tsubasa when he was a child. "Silly child, you mustn't take such risks again. You were lucky this time, but next time..."
The Shadow Clone suddenly vanished, turning into specks of white light. The six aunts exchanged glances, their eyes filled with both lingering fear and undisguised pride. Dō Senju gazed at the rain outside the tent, murmuring to himself, " The Ten Family has an heir... Father, you can rest assured."
At the Ten Family home in Konoha, Tsubasa and his mother laid his grandfather's body to rest in the mourning hall. In the flickering candlelight, Senju Ga looked at her son's weary face and softly asked, "What are your plans for the future?"
Tsubasa gazed at his grandfather's portrait, his eyes resolute. "Having traveled the Shinobi World twice, I've witnessed firsthand the cruelty of war. People in war live like they're in Hell. Grandfather's death and the killing of the Kazekage made me realize that this is not the world I want to see. I want to fight for power in Konoha, I want to change this Shinobi World, I want people to live happy lives. Only when I truly hold supreme power can I achieve these things."
Senju Ga nodded slightly and took out a brocade box from the cabinet. "This is what your grandfather left you. He said he would give it to you when you were capable of handling things on your own." Tsubasa opened the brocade box. Inside was a scroll engraved with the Senju Clan's emblem and a yellowed note. "My grandson Tsubasa, if you see this note, you will surely have already shown your talent. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility." Tsubasa opened the scroll, which contained the recipe for Senju Secret Medicine and Secret Hidden Weapon Manual.
The rain outside the window had stopped sometime earlier, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling on the white banners in the mourning hall. Tsubasa carefully tucked the scroll away, silently vowing in his heart. "Grandpa, just you wait. I will make the name of the Ten Family resound throughout the entire Shinobi World!"
This sudden act of revenge not only changed Tsubasa's fate but also his peaceful mindset as a modern person. Tsubasa, with a murderous heart, will stir up a storm in the Shinobi World.