Senshiyu ichizoku no botsuraku
-千手一族の没落-
(The Fall of the Senju Clan)
Part 9 : The last heir of the Senju brothers
Tsunade watched her mother burn in agony in the distance, her eyes wide. Standing on her older brother Ozaya's shoulder, she was unable to look away.
He had stopped at the very moment their sister, Jidda, had screamed. He too was watching the scene, horrified. The three siblings were frozen, unable to move.
At the same time, their father, Mino, who was desperately fighting the enemy, also in a state of shock, was struck down by their enemy's flaming hand. He spat blood and collapsed to the ground, dying.
Shinara had stopped moaning, or moving for that matter. She had collapsed, dead as a doornail. Mino, meanwhile, gradually stopped gasping for breath. His breathing stopped. He didn't move anymore.
Meanwhile, the murderous ninja advanced toward the children. They were so frightened that they still couldn't move. They had signed their own death warrants.
Tsunade groaned, bursting into tears. She was afraid. She didn't want her parents to be dead. And above all... She didn't want to die herself.
— Hun! Hun! Hun!» the enemy sneered, satisfied «You really are stupid... All you had to do was run away... Mind you, I would have caught up with you anyway. Your parents were two big idiots, too...»
He then lunged at the children, who screamed in terror. This time, they began to run, trying to escape their enemy.
The man then caught up with Jidda and killed her with a punch. She collapsed to the ground, her face still expressing intense fear.
Ozaya and Tsunade, terrified, fled as quickly as possible, abandoning the expressionless, lifeless body of their sister.
But their opponent had no trouble catching up with them. With a leap, he jumped toward Ozaya, and then, drawing a kunai, he swiftly slit his throat.
Tsunade's eyes widened. Horror and terror mingled on her face. She understood, even at her young age, that it was over for her. She was going to... die. No... It was inconceivable...
The man had a big, devilish smile on his lips. His eyes flashed with provocation and pleasure. Then, removing his kunai from the lifeless body of Ozaya's brother, who collapsed limply to the ground, he advanced slowly... toward Tsunade.
— You... You're the only one left. I killed all the others. So... Tell me... How does it feel to see your whole family die before your eyes? That kind of thing... Was common during the war, you see. A war that your people were trying to continue. So... You see... It won't be over anytime soon.» the man growled.
Tsunade, slowly backing away to escape the individual, bumped into a tree. She collapsed, exhausted and in pain.
— You're going to taste suffering. Understand what it feels like to face death. You see... I'm almost tempted to let you live. That way, you'd suffer miserably for eternity. You would live alone, with the nightmare of your family's murder in your head. A murder you could have prevented... If only you knew how to fight a little. Nowadays, you kids are soft... In my day, even babies knew how to fight and wage war.»
Tsunade backed away toward the tree, curling up into a ball. She began to cry, overcome with fear and pain.
— Don't worry... I'll put you out of your misery. Unfortunately, we are obliged to kill all Senju living in this village. And you are a Senju, aren't you?»
The man was now standing directly in front of Tsunade. They were almost touching. She shivered with terror.
— Oh... But up close, you look like a good catch.» the man suddenly blurted out.
He then looked intently into Tsunade's eyes and his smile widened across his face. An unhealthy, machiavellian smile... monstrous.
— Generally speaking, I prefer 6-year-old girls, but hey, no big deal... You look pretty good to me.»
The scene that followed was one of the most horrific I have ever witnessed. How could anyone inflict such suffering on a child? I wonder... But then again, isn't that what war is all about?
The man had taken off his pants. He had taken Tsunade by the arms, squeezing them very tightly. He then took his only free hand and brought it closer to her small, trembling body.
— You'll soon experience the pleasure of losing all your innocence.» he sneered.
Suddenly, just as he had finished undressing the little girl, who was trembling and too terrified to resist, a flash of lightning struck behind him.
— A fighter who shows off his butt in the middle of the battlefield? Well... Very glorifying.»
The man jumped. He turned bright red. Then he hurriedly tried to pull up his pants. But the man behind him didn't wait. He kneed him squarely in the chin, and the man collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Tsunade watched the scene, trembling, not knowing what to do.
The newcomer then looked down at the ground. There lay Ozaya's corpse. His face was frozen in terror, frozen but horrified. Even in death, fear was evident in him.
The moon lit up the scene, giving it a dramatic hue. This light allowed Tsunade to make out her savior somewhat. He was a young man, or rather a teenager. He had short, spiky brown hair and a handsome face, which bore the characteristic features of the Sarutobi clan.
The headband he wore on his forehead indicated that he was indeed a member of the village of Konoha.
He lowered his eyes, as if saddened by the situation.
— I'm really sorry... for not coming sooner. I should have... intervened. Or someone else... »
He had trouble speaking, not knowing what to say.
— So you are... the last living descendant of Master Tobirama and Lord First...? »
Tsunade did not respond, too shocked by the events to utter a single word.
The young boy knelt down in front of her, filled with empathy.
— I promise you that from now on... I will protect you no matter what... Even if it costs me my life.»
Tsunade managed to nod slightly, but could not react any further.
— What's your name?» asked the teenager.
Tsunade lifted her head slightly and, with one last effort, said:
— Ts... Tsuna...»
The young boy forced a smile, as if to reassure her.
— Nice to meet you... Tsuna.»
He then looked into the distance, as if searching for something, then turned back to Tsunade.
— Master Tobirama's bloodline will not die out. I will protect you, for my master. But above all... for the village. For me... You are all my family.»
The moonlight illuminated the young man a little more, making him look even more resplendent. Even in the dark, he seemed to emanate a special light. Tsunade thought she saw... her grandfather. Only much younger.
She widened her eyes, as if drawn by this resplendent light. Then the young man smiled, seeing her recover a little from her terror.
— My name is Hiruzen Sarutobi. Remember me well, for from now on, I will do everything in my power to protect you.»
It was what he loved, his passion, helping others. Hiruzen was indeed Tobirama Senju's student, he was exactly like his master's brother. A shining light... In the darkness.