"Young Master, I'm sorry that I didn't stay by your side when you were attacked this time."
Senju Dōma's face showed both shame and relief, the deep wrinkles on his face folding together.
Having survived the cruel Sengoku Period, he instantly understood that he had been deceived.
Perhaps all of this was a conspiracy — someone wanted Senju Nawaki dead.
Once Senju Nawaki died, the Senju clan would exist in name only. The resources they controlled would be carved up by the hyenas lurking in the shadows, leaving them with no chance of rising again.
At the same time, there was something strange in his eyes.
The Senju Nawaki in front of him had changed drastically from the youth he remembered. The original loyalty and youthful recklessness had vanished, replaced by something far more valuable — ambition, and an unwillingness to be used as a pawn.
He had to thank Konoha for revealing its true face — letting Nawaki see its darkness.
That darkness had forced Nawaki to change.
With just one word of gratitude from the boy, all the dissatisfaction in Dōma's heart disappeared.
The Senju clan finally had hope again.
Nawaki also recalled why Senju Dōma had not been by his side during the attack, and his trust in him deepened.
Konoha had received intelligence that Tsunade might be ambushed while on a mission, so they passed this information to Nawaki.
The confirmed attacker was none other than Hanzō of the Salamander.
In the previous battle, Hanzō had humiliated them with the title of the "Legendary Sannin."
This time, only Tsunade and Jiraiya were set to go on the mission — not Orochimaru. So Nawaki had asked Dōma to secretly protect Tsunade.
But now, it all seemed like part of a plan.
If Dōma hadn't been away, Nawaki never would have been left vulnerable.
Konoha had treated him like a dog — and worse, a stupid dog.
He recalled a warning from a senior colleague in the lab of his previous life:
This was a trick used in both the workplace and in life — killing the beast in silence.
They use your emotions to control you, pile on endless tasks that aren't yours, and claim it's "for your own good, to train you."
The more you do, the more mistakes you make. Then they criticize you, belittle you, and break you down.
Who told you not to resist? Not to negotiate? Not to push back against the unfairness?
The end result is either exhaustion until you collapse, or becoming an obedient dog.
It was insidious.
But Nawaki was no longer the fool who could be bullied at will. He already had a way to break the deadlock in his mind.
He wasn't just a Konoha shinobi — he was also a noble of the Land of Fire.
He had the strength to break out of this cage.
He had only been imprisoned by emotions and ideals — things that no longer bound him.
Those arrogant people still thought he was the same fool, but everything was about to start anew.
"Granduncle Dōma," Nawaki said firmly, "don't call me Young Master anymore. I want to become the head of the Senju clan now. What do you think?"
He propped himself up and sat upright, meeting the old man's gaze head-on.
This was his chance to regain control of the Senju clan. Dōma was the only one he could truly rely on.
He believed this elder, who had grown up beside him, would support him without hesitation.
"This…"
Joy flashed across Dōma's face, but was quickly followed by hesitation.
Nawaki's eyes dimmed for an instant, though he quickly understood.
Hashirama and Tobirama — those two traitors — had forced the Senju clan to give up half their power, merging it into Konoha.
And Nawaki's own foolishness had squandered what remained, causing those Senju who wished to preserve the clan's legacy to lose faith in him.
This was the bitter fruit of his predecessor's actions. He would bear it in silence.
He was heir in name only, and had been mistreating that inheritance himself.
"Nawaki, you misunderstand!" Dōma said, his voice trembling. "I'm only worried about your current physical condition. If you've made your decision, then I will help you."
"The strength we've managed to preserve is only about one-fifth of the clan's peak, but it is enough to protect ourselves."
Kindness, determination, and melancholy mixed in Dōma's eyes.
If Nawaki had awakened sooner, more strength could have been preserved.
Dōma loved him as though he were his own grandson — far more than Tobirama, who had betrayed them.
As an inheritance elder, his control over the Senju loyalists was greater than Tobirama's ever was.
"Granduncle Dōma, has the Senju clan truly become this weak?" Nawaki asked, curious about the clan's current strength.
"According to Tobirama's order," Dōma explained bitterly, "a small portion of our forces were merged into Konoha to maintain our ties."
"Our greatest loss was the fall of the Uzumaki clan. Konoha had signed an alliance with them, yet sent no aid when they were attacked. We, the Senju, could not betray the alliance — so we sent reinforcements. Many of our shinobi died there under unknown circumstances."
"And then Tobirama proposed to dissolve the Senju clan outright. That is why I was only able to preserve this much strength."
His words dripped with disdain for Konoha and with anger toward Tobirama.
There were also unusual pauses between his sentences, as if suppressing deeper bitterness.
Nawaki analyzed in his heart.
He himself was partly responsible for the clan's decline. Konoha had used his influence to send Senju shinobi into reckless conflicts as cannon fodder. His foolishness had disappointed many, leading them to voluntarily assimilate into Konoha.
And now, his weakened body raised doubts about whether he could shoulder the Senju's revival.
Could a crippled heir restore their glory?
There would always be doubters.
He needed proof. At least enough to convince Senju Dōma.
"That's enough," Nawaki said firmly. "Please believe me. I will restore our clan's glory."
He nodded. As long as he had the power to protect himself, and with time, the bloodline system would rapidly raise his strength.
As he spoke, he raised his hand. At the tip of his finger, a miniature shrub — no larger than a fist — grew vigorously.
"Wood Release?"
Senju Dōma's voice trembled, filled with disbelief and excitement. The vibrant green was blinding to his eyes.
Back in the Sengoku, the Senju clan had been known for their water and earth style. But with Hashirama's awakening of Wood Release, the Senju had surpassed even the Uchiha.
Yet Hashirama and Tobirama had been foolish — insisting on building a village, inviting rivals, and eventually disbanding their own clan.
Still, even if they mocked Hashirama's choices, none could deny the overwhelming might of Wood Release.
He had been powerful enough to suppress the entire ninja world, earning the title of God of Shinobi.
"Granduncle Dōma," Nawaki said quietly, "keep this a secret. It's not yet time to reveal it."
"There are enemies hidden within Konoha, and even traitors within our own clan. When I was attacked, even the flare I used to call for help was sabotaged."
"The most important thing now is to root out the traitors and rally those truly loyal to us."
"Konoha is already decaying. We will begin from elsewhere. The Land of Fire also holds territory for the Senju clan."
He dispelled the Wood Release, letting the bush crumble into chakra and flow back into his body.
For the first time, he revealed his plan to Senju Dōma.