Chapter 22 Planting Trees During the Ninja Village Period (2) Finally at the Right Time...
No, nobody farms here.
I feel like I've been emotionally deceived.
Konoha Village, nestled within a canyon and surrounded by forests, has never cultivated any land—ever since Senju Take arrived, the plants and trees here have been chattering away, sharing their stories with him.
Thousand Hand Bamboo was also extremely disappointed in him.
They've been completely coerced and exploited by the will of the monarch and capitalism! They don't even have their own will or cause anymore! They've all gone off to fight for others! Rise up! Ye who refuse to be slaves!
The expressionless boy unconsciously clenched his fist into his hand, which was hanging down in his sleeve.
The news that a Senju Wood Release user had been found outside was not kept secret. After all, such a tall corn tree was visible to anyone who wasn't blind. Similarly, if the person wasn't found in the area, anyone with common sense would know that the person had most likely been taken away. And within the Land of Fire, no one could act faster than Konoha Village.
From the outside, Konoha Village appears to be thriving, but those in the know understand that the Third Hokage is aging, which means weakening for ninjas. The talents who can support Konoha have not yet emerged, and many are still developing.
Konoha's development is entirely in a downward trend. The Third Hokage, whose strength is inferior to the First Hokage and whose intelligence is inferior to the Second Hokage, could still hold his own when he was young. However, once he began to age, his prestige would immediately decline. Other Kage would never treat him with the same level of respect as they did the First Hokage, only letting go of their fear after the First Hokage's complete death.
Therefore, under various factors, the arrival of the Thousand-Armed Wood Release user is a shot in the arm for Konoha. Not only can it not be concealed, but it also needs to be widely publicized. They need to create a 'hero' who is beneficial to them, a 'pillar' that symbolizes the future.
Many people knew that the Thousand-Armed Wood Release user would be arriving in the village this morning, and they all waited there, ready to catch a glimpse of her.
Uchiha Osaka knew perfectly well what those idiot leaders were thinking—ever since Hatake Sakumo was forced to his death, whether it was the Hokage, the old Anbu member, or those two useless elders, they were all idiot leaders to Uchiha Osaka, and he would overturn the table and kick them all out sooner or later.
It's a pity that he was only 3 years old when Sakumo Hatake died. His fists weren't strong enough, and he was too weak to stop anything. His best friend, who had super strong fighting skills, wasn't around either. Otherwise, he really wanted his best friend to go up and give those old geezers a face-breaking punch each!
But now he's 8 years old, and he's no longer weak; he can beat people up on his own!
Uchiha Osaka is not that simple-minded loser Obito; he has plenty of strength and skills!
That Thousand-Armed Wood Release user better not be some kind of idiot...
The moment Uchiha Senji met the gaze of the black-haired, black-eyed boy being escorted by the Konoha squad, his mind went completely blank.
Uchiha Osaka: Huh?
Thousand Hands Bamboo: ?
Uchiha Osaka: Huh?!
Senju Takeya: ?!
Uchiha Osaka: Your name is—!
Senju Takeya: —!
The moment their brainwaves clicked, they both knew they had met the right person. Who else could it be but his best friend/reliable buddy who didn't care about anything else?
Perhaps because the two of them were staring at each other so intently, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the two of them, people around them soon noticed the undisguised strangeness between them.
The two, one Senju and the other Uchiha, stared at each other with equally expressionless faces. Something seemed to be quietly unfolding between them. The prolonged silence made the atmosphere subtly tense, reminding people of the long-standing enmity between the two clans.
A sense of destiny seemed to spread silently.
The crowd seemed to quiet down as a result. Who in Konoha Village didn't know Uchiha Senma's temperament? He was arguably the most talented and arrogant Uchiha with the most volatile temper. His immense talent and domineering manner inevitably reminded people of Uchiha Madara from back then, making it impossible to treat Uchiha Senma with the same perspective one would use to look at an ordinary child.
Therefore, no one interrupted the strange atmosphere that had formed between the two.
After a moment, Uchiha raised an eyebrow slightly, and with a mocking smile, stepped forward, extended his hand to the other party, and said, "Uchiha Senjima."
Senju's expression remained unchanged, his composure terrifyingly calm and indifferent. He calmly grasped Uchiha Hane's hand: "Senju Takeya."
"I'm really looking forward to the days to come." Uchiha Senji's smile widened. "You're always welcome to visit my home, Wood Release Master."
Uchiha Osaka felt somewhat relieved. His best friend's hands weren't as rough as his; the child's hands were soft and tender, and one touch was enough to tell that he hadn't endured the hardships and torments of ninja training.
However, Senju only has his best friend as his sole heir, and his best friend is a Wood Release user... Uchiha Senma knows that the other party is unlikely to escape the fate of becoming a ninja.
It's all this shitty world's fault! I fucking want to punch this world to pieces! A slap in the face to the Daimyo system that should have been overthrown long ago! A slap in the face to the Hokage who's lenient with internal cancers while passively accepting external oppression! And Shimura Danzo, Konoha's biggest cancer, is even worse!
Sooner or later, we'll slap those old bastards who should have died long ago to death! Slap them to death!!!
"Mmm." Senju Take also responded. His best friend's hands were warm. He sensed that the other person was good at fire-style chakra, so it was normal that his body temperature was a little higher than his. However, his best friend's hands also felt rougher than before. He was so young and already had such thick calluses. He wondered how much suffering he had endured.
My best friend always says that only those with strong fists have the right to speak.
He's really good at fighting, so with him around, my best friend can relax a bit more now.
The two, who had been separated for a long time, both knew that now was not the time for catching up and exchanging greetings. After letting go of each other's hands, one was taken to the Hokage's office, while the other decisively turned back to the Uchiha clan's territory. Without anyone knowing, the two quickly reached a tacit understanding with just a glance.
Senju Take also met the Hokage, a middle-aged man whose wrinkles had deeply crept up to the corners of his eyes.
Senju Takeshi didn't know how to describe it. Although this person was the highest leader of Konoha, Senju Takeshi didn't feel that the other person was anything special. Therefore, he didn't have much of a feeling about him. No matter how high his official position was, he was still the village chief. Moreover, the feeling he got from the other person was... very weak.
The other person said a lot, very earnestly, and it seemed to be all words of comfort, but Senju Takeshi couldn't remember most of them, as if his brain had automatically skipped them.
After some omissions, Qian Shou Zhu can be summarized as: balabala, you will live in the Qian Shou tribe's territory from now on balabala...
He also heard Uchiha, but Senju Takeshi couldn't remember exactly what Uchiha it was. However, it didn't matter, because he knew that if he hadn't listened, it meant that it was something he didn't want to hear.
He doesn't dwell on unhappy things, doesn't listen to unpleasant words, and only does what he decides to do without regret. Having lived for so many years, Senju Takeshi is essentially a rather willful and stubborn person.
The Hokage asked him if he could demonstrate his Wood Release, and Senju Takeru then caused the plants in the other man's office to grow rapidly until the other man told him to stop.
Being stared at silently by the utterly speechless boy with eyes like black holes, surrounded by green plants and trees, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt immense pressure. The more he was stared at, the stronger the fear of being swallowed by the silence and nothingness of those eyes became. If he wasn't certain that there was no trace of chakra circulation in those eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi would almost have thought it was some kind of dojutsu.
The truth is even more shocking—the young Wood Release user before us possesses an innate sense of oppression that is beyond the reach of ordinary people; he already has the qualities that only the strong possess.
Don't try to deceive him, don't try to manipulate him, and don't try to change him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sent an ANBU member to deliver Takeya Senju to the Senju clan's territory. The Senju clan had made ample preparations to welcome this young Wood Release user. This injection of fresh blood might allow the Senju clan to regain its former glory and rise again.
“He belongs to darkness.” Danzo Shimura emerged from the hidden compartment and said quietly, “He is a monster without emotions, filled with the aura of death and nothingness, and is fundamentally different from the First and Second Hokage.”
“Wood Release users should belong to the light,” Hiruzen Sarutobi retorted without hesitation. “Danzo! There are some people you shouldn’t even think about! You know the significance of the Senju Wood Release users to Konoha; they are not just a force, but also a symbol!”
“If the Senju clan were to rise to power, they would become just as obstructive as the Uchiha. They would not be content with their declining position and would inevitably vie for power with us, disrupting Konoha’s peace! We should take precautions and nip this in the bud!” Shimura Danzo’s voice became even more agitated.
"This kind of thing! If it hasn't even happened yet, then it doesn't exist! I believe in that child, just like I believe in my teacher!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was incredibly firm. Although he was getting older and becoming more easily moved to tears and reminiscing about the past, he hadn't become foolish. His ninja intuition told him that the child would be the pillar of Konoha's future. "He is the Senju! The Wood Release user of the Senju! And even more so, the Wood Release user of Konoha!"
"You'll regret this sooner or later, Hiruzen Sarutobi!" Danzo Shimura roared. "Those terrifying eyes! So devoid of emotion! Even a professionally trained ANBU couldn't do that! Who knows, it might be a trap planted elsewhere!"
"But his Wood Release is undeniable!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes sharpened. "I am the Hokage! I am the one who can make the final judgment!"
"You!" Shimura Danzo gritted his teeth. Hiruzen Sarutobi's identity as Hokage ultimately weighed heavily on his most sensitive nerves, causing him to slam the door and leave.
As the door slammed shut, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down wearily. He was increasingly exhausted from dealing with Danzo Shimura's domineering nature, yet he had to repeatedly dissuade his old friend from his extreme actions.
The door opened again, and the blond youth who entered was taken aback when he saw the scene in the office, but then gave a knowing and warm smile, "Looks like a rather energetic Wood Release user."
“Yes, he will be a great pillar for Konoha’s future.” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s expression relaxed and became friendly when he saw his student’s prized disciple. “Minato, you can go and see him when you have time. The boy has just arrived in Konoha and needs a suitable person to help him get acquainted with the environment.”
"So it's me?" Minato Namikaze sensed the heavy responsibility the Third Hokage had placed on him, and his expression became more serious. "Understood!"
"I'm relieved to leave him in your care." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Minato Namikaze with relief in his eyes, filled with anticipation for Minato's future.
Compared to ninjas from powerful clans, Minato Namikaze, who came from a commoner background, was more approachable and understood the needs of the lower classes better. He was also fairer in his attitude towards ninja clans and showed no obvious bias. Furthermore, he was a close friend of Fugaku Uchiha and had a stable relationship with the Uchiha clan, which gave him room to maneuver.
"These are the reports from recent missions. Please take a look, Hokage." Minato Namikaze said, stepping forward and placing the reports in his hand. "I'll go find Kushina now to discuss how to entertain that little guest!"
The Senju and Uzumaki clans have a long history of marriage ties, so the Senju clan's territory is open to visits from the Uzumaki clan. Perhaps Kushina could use this as an excuse to chat with Koki, and he could even take this opportunity to accompany Kushina shopping and having a meal—what a great idea! Let's set off!
"Eh!" Watching the golden figure disappear in the blink of an eye, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't even have time to ask Minato Namikaze to help him tidy up the documents that had been messed up by the overgrown greenery. Looking at the mess in the room, even the Hokage could only sigh, "Sigh—!"
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Author's note: Finally, our second protagonist has made his appearance.
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