Chapter 118 I Don't Use Down Below, I Use Up Above
The Senju Clan Head's study.
The family meeting commenced once more.
"Smack—"
Senju Butsuma slammed the table hard.
Below, the four brothers were passing around a newly received letter.
It was a letter from the Uchiha clan, containing a personal letter from Uchiha Tajima, filled with playful mockery, jokingly suggesting that Tsukuyo should just marry into the Uchiha clan.
This was intolerable for Senju Butsuma.
"...I don't care what methods you use, just get Tsukuyo back as soon as possible!" Senju Butsuma issued his latest command after his sons finished reading the letter.
Coming out of the study, the eldest brother Hashirama's expression remained unchanged. Recently, he had been arguing with his father Butsuma about the merger of the Senju clan and the Uchiha clan. Unfortunately, the father and son held differing political views. Although no major conflict was apparent on the surface, Hashirama secretly wished his sister would stay with the Uchiha clan, forcing the two clans to merge.
After the family meeting concluded, Senju Hashirama bid farewell to his other younger brothers. He was currently busy with the affairs of hosting the Uzumaki clan who had come to visit.
But the other brothers were not as carefree as the eldest brother Hashirama.
The fourth brother Itama respected and feared Tsukuyo. Currently, his work involved gathering intelligence, so asking him to find a way to call Tsukuyo back meant he truly had no ideas.
Finally, Senju Tobirama called out to Senju Wakama.
"...If I want to get Tsukuyo to come home, what's the most reliable way?"
Senju Tobirama was always straightforward.
Just as he had previously asked Senju Wakama to find him a spiritually aware rodent.
Senju Wakama rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then stealthily said, "Second Brother, when you used to track our sister, did you ever notice her often singing to the vegetable patch?"
Senju Tobirama squinted slightly, saying with hesitation, "It seems... indeed, she sang... 'Brother Zetsu, come out quickly...'"
At this point, Senju Tobirama looked at Senju Wakama with a strange expression. "'Brother Zetsu'... who is that?"
All four of their brothers' names end with 'ma' (間), and no one is called 'Zetsu'.
Senju Wakama knew the truth, but it was absolutely impossible for him to reveal it. He also put on a thoughtful expression, "Second Brother, you haven't heard of this person either?"
"Could someone in our clan have been named Senju Zetsu before?" Senju Tobirama looked confused.
No one would choose that name, would they?
"Based on what we know about our sister, everything she does has a purpose," Senju Wakama patiently coaxed. "I've checked the clan roster, and there's no record of this person. I've also consulted many ancient texts and haven't seen this name in history. Hmm... this person... surely isn't from another ninja clan, is he?"
Senju Tobirama was silent for a moment before thoughtfully saying, "She's been singing that for two or three years since Mother passed away. Could it just be a name she came up with randomly?"
"I don't know that," Senju Wakama chuckled softly. "How about we try..."
"Try what?" Senju Tobirama looked at Senju Wakama with a strange expression.
"Yes, let's try. Let's try telling our sister that someone named Zetsu has appeared in the clan territory and see if she'll come back." Senju Wakama knew that if Senju Tobirama did this, Tsukuyo would definitely return.
For Tsukuyo.
Nothing—neither Uchiha Madara, nor Senju Hashirama, nor the ninja world, nor clan mergers—was as important as Zetsu.
Because Tsukuyo wanted to break the inescapable cross-dressing curse on herself.
Senju Tobirama nodded, "We can try."
There was no harm in trying; what if it succeeded?
Senju Wakama smiled, "Then... Second Brother, I'm off to the Hot Spring Street to open blind boxes. Our guests really love this activity. It's fortunate that we currently only open it to a select group of nobles; any more people, and we wouldn't have enough staff."
Senju Tobirama lowered his gaze, "Go ahead."
The blind box game, a form of disguised gambling, was designed by Tsukuyo.
Not only were customers flocking to it, but even their eldest brother Hashirama especially loved it.
Senju Wakama turned and departed, struggling immensely to suppress his laughter along the way.
He couldn't laugh.
Even with his back to Second Brother Tobirama, he couldn't allow himself to make such a facial expression.
Second Brother Tobirama was too clever.
Even a slight mistake in facial expression could expose the secret.
Senju Wakama knew Tsukuyo had been searching for Black Zetsu.
His relationship with Black Zetsu was very close, and he absolutely couldn't let Tsukuyo focus her attention on him.
It was best to have the unsuspecting Second Brother Tobirama handle this matter.
However...
After Tsukuyo discovered she had been deceived, Senju Tobirama would have to bear her wrath.
Senju Wakama silently lit a candle for his Second Brother in his heart, then guilt-free, headed to the Hot Spring Street.
However...
"Miss Tamayo..."
Senju Wakama sat in the inner blind box room, looking helplessly at Tamayo Nara, who had changed into a specially designed yukata for the Hot Spring Street.
"Wakama, I'm back, and I want to open this one," Tamayo Nara said with a smile, as if she wasn't the one who had been drugged yesterday.
Senju Wakama mused inwardly that he now somewhat understood why his sister liked to poison people with "crow poop."
Because some people really are quite annoying...
While opening the blind box, Tamayo Nara naturally leaned in, smiled, and whispered, "I got impulsive again yesterday. I couldn't help it, you're just too tempting..."
Senju Wakama's lip twitched, "Miss Tamayo, this is work hours..."
Tamayo Nara patted her chest, "Ah~ sorry, I know you're worried about my health, Wakama. It was my fault, so..."
She then lowered her voice and said mysteriously, "How about after we finish opening the blind box, I get under this table? The bottom of this table is blocked on all four sides, so no one will see."
Senju Wakama looked utterly bewildered.
She'd get under the table?
What did that mean?
What was she going to do?
But then Tamayo Nara lowered her voice even further, "Don't worry, Wakama, if I can't use 'down below,' I can still use 'up above.'"
Senju Wakama: "???"
What did "still use 'up above'" mean?
So, getting under the table was for this purpose?
This was broad daylight, and it was work hours.
The line of customers waiting to open blind boxes behind them was very long!
Tamayo Nara was planning to do something unspeakable to him while he was working, this... oh, this...
Senju Wakama lost his patience, "Miss Tamayo, please be more discreet."
Tamayo Nara scoffed, "Will being discreet make you like me?"
Senju Wakama massaged his forehead, "You could hang yourself on one tree like me."
"But I just like this 'tree' that is you," Tamayo Nara pouted her small lips. "I really don't understand. I'm a young lady, and I'm not afraid, nor am I forcing you to take responsibility. Why are you being so coy?"
She said she wouldn't force him now, but if something truly happened, she would definitely force him into commitment. No need to even think about it.
Senju Wakama was speechless for quite a while.
If he didn't actually possess some medical skill and had confirmed that Tamayo Nara was neither pregnant nor had lost her virginity, he would truly suspect that Tamayo Nara's erratic behavior was to find someone to take advantage of.
For an unmarried young lady, this was far too much.
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on Patreon. with 50 advanced chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/Leanzin