AN: We hit 150 Power Stones! Thanks for the votes, and as promised, here is the bonus chapter. For the next BONUS CHAPTER, the target is 250 POWER STONES!
"Kushina have you gone blind? Have a look around you."
Kushina who had momentarily ignored everything else after sensing the chakra of her older brother and rushing to him finally took a look around. She immediately gasped at the sight of the Uzumaki clan members who were also looking at her with recognition.
"Big brother did you….?" She began asking without turning around.
Without even waiting for her to finish he replied, "Mhm." While he continued to pat her head.
While Katsuro had already told the group about Kushina, they were very glad to see her. She was the granddaughter of their last Patriarch, and represented their hopes and their bloodline. But the 5 Uzumaki children Katsuro had picked up, particularly Noriyu and Minari, grew jealous seeing her closeness with Katsuro. Noriyu expressed it outwardly, pouting but Minari maintained an outward appearance of indifference. Only those who knew her well would see the slight scrunch of her eyebrows. Souta, who also noticed this, began to feel somewhat jealous at Minari becoming jealous, and he hid his expressions much worse no matter how much he tried. Katsuro suspected something between them, but it seems they would be the ones who would figure it out last.
Katsuro called over Kushina who had begun speaking with her fellow clansmen with unreserved joy, almost coming to tears once again.
"Kushina, where's Tsunade?"
Kushina seeing the opportunity and Katsuro's expecting, almost needing, look began to tease him.
"Hoooooh, Tsunade, huh? You're still the same Katsuro. All lovey dove-" But then as if remembering something she cut herself off with a cough "ahem- I mean she is at a meeting at the Hokage's tower right now."
Katsuro gave her a side eye, "Hmmm, you're acting strange. Normally you would have taken this opportunity to tease me."
Katsuro stared at her as if trying to see what she was hiding, and Kushina began to sweat and twitch under his gaze.
"Kushina… could it be… you've been talking to a boy??"
She immediately began sweating a bucket load, trying her best to not give anything away. But her darting eyes and silence gave Katsuro everything he needed.
He nodded, and for a moment Kushina saw hope, but it was sliced apart by his next words.
"Masaru, where is my Katana?" Masaru, who had been acting somewhat like Katsuro's squire recently as part of his training, swiftly presented it to him, playing along.
Katsuro took it from him with a nod of thanks, unsheathing it slightly before muttering with a dark, ominous tone, "Looks like you will drink blood today once again, my friend."
Kushina immediately began panicking, grabbing onto Katsuro's arm, "Wait, wait. Nii-san wait, there's nothing like that at all." She continued speaking, trying to appease her brother, who along with the other Senju and Uzumaki members, were plotting the death of Minato in a crowd for daring to touch their princess. But she only dug herself into a deeper hole, "He's just a friend y'know. And he's so nice to me."
But her mutterings only made Katsuro's mood darken further, "I was only joking before, but now your relationship seems more serious…"
Kushina, fed up, shouted in frustration, "Nii-san don't embarrass me! Hmph! I won't talk to you anymore." She said stomping off.
Everyone began laughing at her action causing Kushina to blush in embarrassment. Before she could leave fully, Katsuro, adept at handling her, called out, "Kushina, could you show everyone around the compound? I can leave it to you while I handle things right?"
"Hmph, of course. I am Uzumaki Kushina y'know, don't underestimate me!"
Katsuro chuckled as she led them along, seeing everyone getting along fine. But he had other things to do, a certain meeting was taking place after all. What better place to announce his return. Kaito, who made his way over to him once again, shook his head seeing Katsuro's smile, knowing he was going to, in his words, 'have some fun'. After a quick conversation, catching up on any issues, Katsuro left for the Hokage's building alone.
—
The meeting, going on encompassing the whole village, was interrupted by the doors swinging open. Before anyone could speak out to admonish who would dare interrupt them, they noticed who it actually was. As a slightly older looking Katsuro stood there with a warm smile, and everyone, as if forgetting what they were talking about before, began greeting him enthusiastically, welcoming him back to the village, much to the irk of the Hokage faction. As the commotion died down, Tsunade who had been most excited to see him immediately got up giving him a hug in front of everyone, unable to express her joy in words, before getting embarrassed realising where she was.
She gave up her seat representing the Senju, easily, once again annoying the Hokage faction and proving to anyone who could have any doubts how in line one of the Sannin and Katsuro were. Katsuro took his seat near the front, with the prestige belonging to one of the founding clans, naturally, without waiting for permission, delivering a subtle message that he did not need it. As much as he was tempted to grab her arm and drag her onto his lap, she had a reputation which he couldn't ruin for his momentary selfishness. She soon made way to another seat, slightly further back. Katsuro was also pleasantly surprised to see Fugaku in the Uchiha designated seat, with more and more clan leaders being replaced by their successors throughout and after the war. Fugaku gave him a firm nod, which for him, may as well have been a hug like Tsunade's.
Once the commotion had died down, Hiruzen also gave Katsuro a greeting.
"Katsuro, welcome back, we were just discussing the finances of the village."
"Ah yes Hokage, I have been informed that the expected splits which many clans were supposed to receive as war reparations, were not received?"
"Yes, that is correct, the village is in a rough situation, many of our Shinobi have died. We have been forced to use that money to fund the pensions and orphanages for the deaths of our Shinobi."
"I see, that does make sense. Those who have died for us should be honored, but what I fail to understand, Lord Hokage, is why the amounts given to the clans has been so disproportionate. Some clans have received little to nothing, citing delays after you had promised to deliver the money initially. In fact, I was told that you promised to give the Senju clan their reward within a few months, before seemingly changing your mind. I hope this is not because you thought of us as easy to forget, when certain people were gone, did you?"
"No of course not," Hiruzen said, trying to appear somewhat shocked at Katsuro's suggestion, while inwardly seething, because that was exactly what he had thought. Once realising Katsuro was gone for a while, he thought he would be able to give Tsunade excuses and hold her off. But the Princess of the Senju was no longer falling for his empty promises, and, with Kaito helping her, it had caused him a huge headache. "Everyone will be given what they are owed with time, the village is in a rough situation, but we should all work together to overcome our momentary problems."
"Yes Lord Hokage! That's exactly right!" Katsuro agreed, nodding his head.
Hiruzen grew somewhat suspicious at Katsuro, seeming to support him. But he began to reply nonetheless with a false chuckle.
"Yes, that's great Kats-"
But he was interrupted by Katsuro who continued talking, "So why is it that certain clans have received much more than everyone else? Shouldn't everyone do their part, and receive compensation accordingly? And didn't the Sarutobi and Shimura clans do exceptionally well during the war? They even seem to have wealth that rivals the founding clans these days, you have done well Lord Danzo, Lord Hiruzen. And I hear you also had a low death rate? Wow! You must have trained your Shinobi extremely thoroughly, as well!"
It was clear as day to everyone what Katsuro was implying - the Sarutobi and Shimura clans had received their portion of the reparations before the other clans, and even likely far more than they had deserved. Many clans had suspected it, seeing their new prosperity, but with Katsuro calling it out so directly at this they couldn't help but feel aggrieved.
"Lord Hokage, you must pity us, the Senju are suffering! With the lack of money, the clan can't even afford repairs on our homes, especially with our guests!" Katsuro sighed with exaggeration, "if we don't receive it soon, it is unfortunate, but, the clan might even not be able to take missions! How could we, knowing that we must come back to leaking roofs at home?!"
Hiruzen and everyone else understood, Katsuro was boldly threatening them with excuses.
This damn brat! As soon as he comes back he ruins everything! What does he mean leaking roofs? They are the Senju clan dammit! And I can't even do anything to him. Jiraiya and Orochimaru said he was even stronger than Hanzo! Now everyone will also use his tactics to force us to pay them as well. Urgh, I'm going to have to pull some funds from my clan and Danzo's to deal with this.
"Don't worry, Katsuro! I am sure that will not happen. In fact, the clans were supposed to receive some of their reparations within 2 weeks!"
Seeing the concession, many clan leaders looked gratefully at Katsuro, knowing what he had done. Danzo, who understood the implication that money could not just come from nowhere, grew frustrated knowing that Hiruzen was going to pull much more funds from the Shimura clan than the Sarutobi clan. Even the elders who had been generously rewarded for sitting on the backlines, sweated slightly imagining their life of luxury from swindling the clans slowly ending.
Koharu, having paid attention, spoke through gritted teeth, "Katsuro, what do you mean guests?"
"Ah yes, thank you for the reminder. The Senju clan is currently hosting the Uzumaki clan as guests. Effective immediately, they will temporarily assimilate into the Senju clan, and potentially make their own with time."
The reaction was immediate, as astonishment filled everyone. They had not expected to hear that name, since Uzushio's destruction. The Hokage was especially surprised and disencouraged - not only because they seemed to be with the Senju, but also because he had heard no word of it so far.
Hiruzen, with his political acumen, analysed the implications of what he had learned, preparing to extract the maximum benefit for him. But when he met Katsuro's eyes, he could see the cold, daring glint in them. While the Senju leader wore a soft smile on his face, it did not reach his eyes. Hiruzen felt like Katsuro was staring at his dead body rather than him alive.
AN: If you would like to view up to 20 chapters ahead, and would also like to support me, please visit my P@TR30N, at pa tr eon.com / GhidorahWriter (remove the spaces). Thanks for reading and make sure ADD to your COLLECTION and VOTE with POWER STONES! The target is 250 POWER STONES for the next BONUSCHAPTER!