Basara POV
The Senju Compound
Konoha
It had been two days since I had essentially moved into the Senju compound. It had been an experience; in neither of my lives had I lived in such dignified luxury. I had attendants and maids who saw to my needs. There was nothing ostentatious about it, but you could tell that the Senju were nobility.
I had spent that time relaxing and recuperating. My body and chakra coils were more tired than I'd realized—something I had ignored all this time. No, that would be wrong of me to say; I had done it purposefully, . I had done nothing but relax in this beautiful room, sitting on the engawa of my room, the sliding doors open to a small private patio that offered a low, peaceful view into a traditional garden in the late evening sunlight.
I glanced at the stack of scrolls next to me. I had been poring over them, and it was eye-opening. All this time, when using the Mokuton, I had just been winging it, using my instinct. I realized there was something I had not been doing:
I did not mold the chakra. Sure, I had used it to fuel teh wood but I did not actively mold them, causing them to be chakra-intensive.
Again, a failure of necessity and time. I just did not have the time to explore what I could do—something I hoped to rectify soon as I looked through the scrolls I had been given.
They were the personal scrolls written by Hashirama, containing his insights on the Wood Release. They included some of his famous jutsu: Wood Locking Wall, Wood Stake, and several defensive and binding techniques. Then, his more famous ones, like Nativity of a World of Trees, were described in detail... an absolutely monstrous jutsu that could turn an entire battlefield into a living forest.
Despite knowing I should focus more on the simpler jutsu to build up my foundation and grow comfortable with my bloodline, there was just a small, childish desire that had carried over from my past life to unleash large forests at my enemies. I'd spent a little extra time studying Jukai Kōtan, imagining what it would feel like.
I hadn't actually tried any of the techniques yet.
Touka-obasan—she had gently insisted I call her that during our daily evening tea ceremonies, which I was surprisingly decent at—had politely suggested I stay low-profile for now. The news of my Mokuton had spread like wildfire across the Elemental Nations. The village was in a quiet frenzy, and she wanted me safely inside the compound until she "set things right," whatever that meant.
Until today, that is.
It was my official inauguration into the Senju clan. I didn't know if I would take up the Senju name or not; it wasn't something that had been brought up during our conversations.
Just then, a soft voice came from behind the paper door.
"Basara-sama? I have brought your formal wear."
The maid slid the door open and stepped inside, carrying a beautifully folded kimono. It was a rich, deep forest-green with subtle gold embroidery along the edges, along with the Senju clan symbol embroidered onto it.
She bowed gracefully.
"Do you require assistance in dressing, my lord?"
I felt my face turn awkward. "Ah—no, thank you. I can manage."
She bowed again and waited patiently outside. I changed quickly, feeling the silk slide across my skin. When I stepped out, the maid gave me a small bow and led me toward the main hall.
As we walked through the lantern-lit paths of the compound, she led me to the main banquet hall. We reached the hall, and I could tell it was filled; from what I could sense, there were more than 50 people inside.
The moment I stepped through the wide doors, every head in the room turned toward me. It was filled mostly with older shinobi, many radiating the kind of dense, refined chakra that came with decades of experience. There were only a handful of younger faces, and no children at all—something I noted, maybe they were away...
The hall was large and lit in a warm tone. A raised main table sat at the far end, flanked by two long side tables arranged in a U-shape. Beautifully arranged dishes and sake bottles already covered the surfaces, and the air smelled of grilled fish, steamed rice, and fragrant miso soup.
For a heartbeat, the room was completely silent until a loud and boisterous voice cut through the quiet: "Oi! Come on, boy! Don't just stand there gawking — get in here and join us!"
The tension shattered. Laughter rippled through the hall, warm and welcoming. Several of the elders raised their sake cups in my direction with friendly grins. The mood instantly turned festive, like a big family finally welcoming home a long-lost relative. I managed a shy smile and started walking forward.
"Basara-kun," Touka-obasan called from the head of the main table, her voice carrying effortlessly across the din of the room. "Come sit with me."
I sat beside her as the festive atmosphere picked up again. Laughter and cheerful conversation filled the hall as dishes were passed around and sake cups clinked together. I was surprised at how happy everyone seemed despite the war; there were no people here who hadn't lost someone close to them, I thought in slight disbelief. Looking closer, I could see the sadness beneath the joy all around. Despite everything, the people here were simply finding joy amongst their family, I realized.
People might say an Uchiha loved fiercely, but so did the Senju...
The man to my left—a broad-shouldered elder with a neatly trimmed gray beard—grinned and offered me a plate of grilled river fish. "Here, lad. Eat up... it's the best dish here."
I accepted it with a polite bow of my head. "Thank you. It smells incredible."
The food was excellent, and for a while, I simply ate, letting the cheerful noise wash over me. It was comforting.
I was with family... I smiled at the thought.
As the meal began to wind down and plates started to empty, a loud, impatient voice boomed from further down the table.
"Well? Let's get on with why we're all gathered here, shall we?"
An older woman sitting near him immediately swatted his arm with her fan. "Calm down, Shiozaki! Let the boy finish eating first. Have some manners."
A few chuckles rippled through the room as Touka-obasan set down her chopsticks and gracefully rose to her feet. She looked around at everyone and spoke with soft emotion:
"Most of you already know why we are here tonight," she began, her voice steady yet warm. "Basara-kun carries something we thought lost to us forever. My brother Hashirama's bloodline limit... the Mokuton... lives on. It has returned to the Senju clan through him."
The room was quiet now as we all looked at her, with me feeling some of the stress. Some of the elders' eyes glistened with emotion as they looked at me. I could feel the weight of generations, of loss and hope, as they looked at me.
One elder, the one who had first invited me in, finally spoke, his voice now quiet and rough with feeling. "Can you... show us, boy?"
I nodded slowly, expecting this. I clasped my hands and focused. A small but beautiful tree slowly rose from the center of the main table, no taller than a couple of feet, with delicate green leaves and tiny white blossoms. The tree swayed before it settled as I cut off the chakra.
A round of quiet gasps went across the room. No one spoke. One by one, people stood and came closer. They reached out carefully, touching the leaves, tracing the bark. Some of the older ones leaned down and rested their foreheads against the little tree for a long moment, with their eyes closed, expressions full of quiet, heartfelt peace.
When the last person stepped back, a gentle silence settled over the hall. Touka-obasan looked at me with soft, proud eyes, then turned to everyone.
"I officially welcome Senju Basara into our clan," she announced warmly.
Every person in the room nodded solemnly, and others with eyes shining with emotion. A few of the older shinobi had tears they didn't bother hiding. The weight of decades of loss seemed to lift. The banquet wound down slowly after that. People began leaving a few at a time, offering me warm smiles, pats on the shoulder, and quiet words of welcome as they passed. I sat there for a while longer, just soaking in the feeling of being accepted. It was strange... and incredibly warm.
Eventually, I stood up, bowing politely to the people beside me, intending to leave. Touka-obasan rose with me and slipped her arm through mine, clearly expecting me to guide her.
We walked together through the lantern-lit garden toward my quarters. The night was cool against my skin as a gentle breeze blew through, ruffling our clothes slowly. For a while, we walked in comfortable silence before she reached into her sleeve and handed me a small, black-bound book.
"Open it to page 212," she said softly.
I did. My eyes widened. It was a Bingo Book.
Alias: Heir of Hashirama
True Name: Senju Basara
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Bloodline: Mokuton (Wood Release)
Threat Level: S-Rank
Bounty: 180,000,000 ryō (Dead or Alive)
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"I'm... not S-rank," I blurted out, my voice cracking slightly.
Touka-obasan patted my hand in a motherly way, smiling gently. "Not yet, you aren't. But you will begin your proper training tomorrow. I have spoken with Hiruzen. You are off active duty for now... but you will be deployed again. I argued against it, but the truth is the village cannot hide you away forever. You will need to be seen and You will make feats worthy of that name."
I took a slow breath and calmed myself. That wasn't so bad, I thought. I would have plenty of time to train.
We reached my quarters. She stepped back slightly, then leaned in and pressed a small, affectionate peck on my cheek.
"I have said it before, and I will say it again," she murmured warmly. "Welcome home, nephew."
I smiled shyly at the woman I was quickly coming to care for like actual family. "Thank you, Obasan."
Then her expression shifted. A devilish little smile curved her lips as she added, "Sleep well. Your training begins at dawn."
I froze, a chill racing down my spine at her expression, because I was sure I felt a flicker of killing intent. "Wait—Obasan, what do you—"
She just chuckled behind her hand and walked away, leaving me standing there.
...I'm fucked, aren't I? I thought, staring after her.
It's not going to be so bad, right...?