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"Sage, can I stop running away?"
Senju Tsuru slumped to the ground, shoulders sagging. He sounded worn out and helpless as he spoke to Black Zetsu in his palm.
"What did you say? Stop running? Why would you stop running??" Black Zetsu's face tightened.
"Ever since I became a shinobi, it feels like my nerves are worn down every day. I have to fight on the battlefield and stay alert every second, always afraid that one mistake could get me killed."
"I really can't get used to living like this... Back when I was still an ordinary person, I'd be home taking an afternoon nap by now, sleeping straight through until evening." Tsuru stared up at the mottled tree shadows above him and let out a hollow sigh.
Black Zetsu listened with the corner of his mouth twitching, caught somewhere between anger and disbelief.
Brother, if you stop running and hand yourself over to die, what happens to my examination?
You are a legitimate Asura reincarnation. How are you this committed to giving up?
Inside, Black Zetsu was losing his mind. Outwardly, he forced himself to stay patient and keep Tsuru calm.
"Tsuru, weren't you just swearing you wanted to become the Senju Clan Head? Now you've run into one problem, and you're ready to quit?" Black Zetsu tried to persuade him.
Tsuru gave a bitter smile, looking tired. "If things went smoothly and I could become clan head without being scared every day, I'd give it my all... But if it means living every day afraid I won't survive until tomorrow, I'd rather go back to being an ordinary person and live in peace."
"..." Black Zetsu rolled his eyes in silence, speechless.
He wanted great strength, to lead the clan, and a life without fear or danger. But where could anyone find such a perfect deal?
Manji: Who says it doesn't? I have all of that, and I'm immortal too.
"Calm yourself. This is just a setback you have to face while training. As long as I'm here, you'll get through danger and stay alive. But if you give up on yourself, even if I had the power to change everything, I still couldn't save you." Black Zetsu swallowed his frustration and spoke.
"Fine..." Tsuru closed his eyes slowly. After a long pause, he sighed.
At that moment, Black Zetsu's face turned serious. He quickly drew back his senses.
"Not good. They're getting closer. The Uchiha main force is ahead, and the Hagoromo Clan is behind us. Both sides are less than a thousand meters away!" Black Zetsu's voice grew tense.
Tsuru's eyes snapped open. He froze in place, his voice trembling. "Sage... what do we do now?"
Black Zetsu drew a breath and said, "Stand right here. Do not move. Also, fold the Senju crest on your sleeve inward. If anyone sees it, you're finished."
They stood in an open canyon, surrounded by bare rock. Not even a bush was big enough to hide behind. There was nowhere to run or take cover.
"Okay." Tsuru nodded. Since he couldn't hide, he stood straight in the middle of the canyon and stopped trying to blend in.
Soon, hurried footsteps and the sound of ninja tools came from both directions.
The Hagoromo Clan's group and the Uchiha army arrived from both ends of the canyon at almost the same time, blocking it so tightly that nothing could get through.
"..." When both clans saw Senju Tsuru standing awkwardly in the middle of the canyon, everyone stopped in surprise.
For a moment, everything fell strangely quiet.
Uchiha Sa narrowed her Sharingan, her fine brows drawing together. "Who is he?"
Beside her, an Uchiha elder squinted at Tsuru and muttered, "His clothing looks unfamiliar... Perhaps he's a scout the Hagoromo Clan sent ahead?"
On the other side, the Hagoromo clan head also stared at Tsuru, one brow lifting. "Where did that man come from?"
A Hagoromo elder stroked his beard and made the same convenient assumption. "He should be from the Uchiha. Perhaps he was sent here to prepare for our meeting."
And so, the Uchiha and Hagoromo forces stopped dozens of meters apart, stared at each other, and fell into silence. Neither side spoke first.
Tsuru stood alone between the two armies, feeling hundreds of eyes on him. Every hair on his body stood up.
He hurriedly spoke to Black Zetsu in his palm. "Sage, what do we do? So many people are staring at me. I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!"
He was a new shinobi who had barely left his clan's grounds. He had never seen anything like this before. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst.
The tension in the canyon peaked. With both clans staring at him, Tsuru stood stiff as a board.
Just as panic began to overtake him, Black Zetsu's voice rang directly inside his mind, audible only to him. "Tsuru, don't speak. Only you can hear my voice. From now on, do exactly as I say."
Tsuru felt a little calmer. He kept his face still and gave a small nod to show he understood.
"Why is that kid just standing there like an idiot? Doesn't he see the two clan heads are about to meet? The Uchiha really have no sense of occasion." The Hagoromo clan head muttered in displeasure to the person beside him, already placing Tsuru in the Uchiha camp.
"..." On the other side, Uchiha Sa also frowned tightly. She found this suddenly appearing boy irritating and assumed he was an ill-mannered subordinate from the Hagoromo side.
Just as both clan heads started to lose patience, Tsuru finally moved.
Following Black Zetsu's guidance, Tsuru formed a simple Earth Style seal with both hands and shouted in a low voice.
"Earth Style: Stone Table Technique!"
A surge of earth chakra flowed from his palms into the ground. The soil churned and quickly took shape.
In an instant, a square stone table rose from the ground. Two neat stone stools appeared on either side, set right between the two clan heads.
When the technique ended, Tsuru lowered his hands, looked down, and stood respectfully by the stone table like a proper attendant...
Seeing this, the frowns on the Hagoromo clan head and Uchiha Sa relaxed at the same time.
"SO THAT'S IT."
Both of them came to the same conclusion, and their looks toward Tsuru showed a bit of approval.
The Hagoromo clan head thought: So the Uchiha sent a servant ahead to make arrangements. Clever enough. He knew to prepare a table and seats for the meeting. At least they understands etiquette.
The Uchiha elder also nodded inwardly and said to Uchiha Sa, "He must be a scout accompanying the Hagoromo Clan. He knows how to read the room. He hasn't embarrassed their clan head."
"It feels a bit odd, but since they prepared this, I can't turn it down."
Uchiha Sa spoke lightly to the elder beside her.
She still felt something was off, but trusted her ally and didn't ask questions.
At that moment, both the Uchiha and Hagoromo were certain of one thing.
The person standing in the middle, Senju Tsuru, was a sensible subordinate from the other side's camp.
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