Tsunade was not the only one stunned by the towering tree before her. Naoki Senju was just as shocked. Even he had never expected to awaken Wood Release...
He had originally planned to use his connection to Tsunade and his identity as a member of the Senju Clan to get some Hashirama Cells from Aunt Snake for free and see whether he could obtain Wood Release. He had never expected to awaken it himself...
Happiness had come too suddenly. Who needed Hashirama Cells anymore? This was a god-tier start!
Shizune went without saying. She had nearly strangled Tonton without even noticing. As Tsunade's disciple, she naturally knew a great deal about the Senju Clan, including the legendary tale of how the First Hokage had swept through the Shinobi World with Wood Release and founded Konoha Ninja Village.
Now, Wood Release, which existed only in legends, had appeared in reality. The delighted surprise was roughly equivalent to waking up and finding Tsunade lying in your arms, looking shy...
Naoki and Shizune were merely excited, but tears were already streaming down Tsunade's face. An idea struck Naoki, and he was about to take the opportunity to pull her into his arms and comfort her when he saw her kneel straight down before the enormous tree:
"Grandpa, your Wood Release has appeared again. The Senju Clan finally has a successor, and Konoha is doing very well now..."
Seeing this, Naoki Senju hurriedly knelt as well. This was absolutely the perfect opportunity to find his way into Tsunade's heart.
"Grandpa, your grandson hasn't disgraced your great name. Oh, and the evil Uchiha have been wiped out. If you know about it in the afterlife, you should be happy too..."
"What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat! When was the Uchiha Clan wiped out?"
Tsunade irritably rewarded Naoki with a rap on the head. Although she disliked the arrogant Uchiha Clan too, they had several hundred members, including powerful ninja at the elite Jonin level. They truly were the foremost clan in Konoha, even in the entire Shinobi World. How could they possibly be wiped out just like that?
But Naoki Senju grew unusually serious and said solemnly:
"In July of Konoha Year 56, Uchiha Itachi, the son of Uchiha Clan head Uchiha Fugaku, defected from Konoha. On the night of his defection, he exterminated the entire Uchiha Clan, leaving only one young boy, just eight years old, alive. Yet Konoha had no intention whatsoever of tracking down the murderer. Instead, it disbanded the Konoha Military Police Force as quickly as possible..."
"Enough!"
The tear tracks on Tsunade's lovely face had yet to dry, and her almond-shaped eyes were now filled with fury and disbelief.
Although the Uchiha Clan was proud and unruly, it was also one of Konoha's most important foundations. Never mind Uchiha Itachi alone-even the three Sannin together might not have been able to exterminate the Uchiha. Without Konoha's involvement, or even its leadership, this would have been utterly impossible!
And how closely this resembled the massacre of the Senju Clan in the daimyo's capital!
But why had Sensei become like this? Slaughtering his comrades in Konoha, even going as far as exterminating an entire clan? Back then, Great-Uncle had held plenty of grievances against the Uchiha, but in the end, he had never made the ruthless decision to wipe them out. He had even focused mainly on appeasing and educating them...
Konoha was no longer the Konoha it once was...
After a sorrowful sigh, Tsunade looked at Naoki, whose eyes were filled with hatred. Her heart ached for him, and she gently consoled him:
"Don't let hatred blind you. Your father surely wouldn't want you to disregard everything for revenge either. Besides, we still can't be certain who the murderer was. Konoha's internal affairs are complicated too, with factions everywhere. But don't worry. I won't let anyone who harmed the Senju Clan get away with it."
Hearing Tsunade's promise, Naoki Senju immediately felt reassured. Now that he had awakened Wood Release, he was no longer so afraid of that old dog Danzo. At worst, he could hole up deep in the mountains and only emerge once his Wood Release approached the First's level. Would he still need to worry about being unable to take Danzo's head?
But Root could not be ignored. Naoki was not a reckless brute like Uchiha Sasuke, charging around without considering the consequences or a way out and letting himself be used as someone else's blade. If that old dog Danzo could be stripped of his position in Root, Naoki would not even need to kill him personally. Danzo's many enemies would tear him apart and devour him.
There was a reason Danzo called himself the Darkness of Konoha. He was not only ruthless toward outsiders but showed no mercy within Konoha either. All the dirty, grueling work that the Anbu could not do fell to Root. The major clans had all had some of their members forced into Root and trained into emotionless killing machines, so it was easy to imagine how many enemies Danzo had.
"Thank you, Sister Tsunade. I know what matters. Right now, I don't have the ability to take revenge, so I won't let hatred affect my thinking."
Tsunade smiled again, pleased that Naoki Senju already understood priorities at such a young age, yet also somewhat troubled. He had clearly decided that Konoha was the culprit, and there would probably be no shortage of trouble in the future.
Still, Naoki had now manifested the Wood Release of the God of Shinobi, the First Hokage. How could those despicable villains who had dared attack the Senju Clan possibly escape paying the price? The Senju Clan's blood debt would be repaid in blood!
"It's good that you understand that. But I don't know much about training in Wood Release. In the Senju Clan's two hundred years of history, you're only the second member to awaken it."
Noticing that Naoki Senju had not grown impatient at this, Tsunade's opinion of him rose further. He had gained such tremendous power for the first time yet remained neither arrogant nor impatient. Coupled with his powerful will, which did not fear killing intent, he might truly recreate the Senju Clan's legend of Wood Release.
"Although I haven't researched training in Wood Release and only remember the training methods for a few relatively basic Wood Release Ninjutsu, there's someone who can definitely guide you. He was once my teammate."
Startled, Naoki Senju had a thought. "Sister Tsunade, could you mean...?"
"That's right. He's another of the Sannin-Orochimaru the Cold-Blooded!"
Merely hearing Orochimaru's name made Shizune shudder involuntarily. His title of Cold-Blooded was well deserved.
A roadside casino in the Land of Hot Water.
Princess Tsunade walked out of the casino empty-handed, filled with resentment and frustration.
Naoki and Shizune followed behind her, one on each side. Shizune quickened her pace, hoping to take this opportunity to persuade Lady Tsunade again. There was nothing wrong with liking gambling, but those casino owners were treating Lady Tsunade as the Legendary Sucker!
"Sister Shizune."
Naoki took Shizune's small hand and gently shook his head. Trying to persuade Tsunade to stop gambling was like trying to make Madara Uchiha abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan. It was simply impossible!
"Sister Tsunade, I've booked a hot spring inn. The Land of Hot Water is famous for its hot springs, so this is the perfect chance to enjoy them."
Delighted, Tsunade casually slung an arm around Naoki Senju. Trapped beneath her arm, Naoki very "reluctantly" enjoyed a face wash in her cleavage.
"Where did you get all that money, you little brat? Is a hundred thousand ryo per lesson too cheap?"
"No, that's a trade secret. I can't just reveal it."
"You little brat, I'm your cousin!"
"Not even my cousin. Unless..."
Tsunade raised her fair, beautiful fist, which contained terrifying strength, and brought it down.
Knowing full well how frightening Tsunade's strength was, Naoki Senju hurriedly ran away.
"If I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll forget your own surname!"
On the streets of the Land of Hot Water, the cousins began roughhousing as though no one else were there. Helpless, Shizune pressed a hand to her forehead and followed behind them, sighing.