(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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The evening breeze drifted gently through the Senju compound, rustling the paper doors and lantern flames.
Mito was still seated in the main hall, the scroll from Kazuma resting quietly on the low table before her.
Her mind was deep in calculation.
Eldoria.
The land which she never heard off.
A king named Leo Morningstar.
A man powerful enough to force the entire Uzumaki clan to kneel willingly.
And now…
A problem for Konoha.
Her thoughts moved like a strategist studying a board.
But the quiet hall was suddenly broken by hurried footsteps.
"Grandma!"
Mito blinked once, the sharp political storm in her mind fading instantly.
-Blink
"...."
Standing at the entrance was a boy with messy brown hair and an easy grin.
-Grin
Senju Nawaki.
Her grandson. Hashirama's blood.
And unfortunately…
Hashirama's personality as well.
Kind. Optimistic.
Far too trusting for the world he was growing up in.
He scratched the back of his nose sheepishly as he walked in.
-Hehe!!!
"Grandma, when is sis coming back?"
Mito studied him carefully.
"...."
There was always a small knot of worry in her chest whenever she looked at him.
Nawaki had inherited Hashirama's heart.
But not his talent. And that difference was dangerous.
In a shinobi world ruled by power and politics, someone like Nawaki could easily become a target.
If she wasn't here…
Mito already knew what the elders or the Root faction would do.
A weak Senju heir was a tool.
Or an obstacle.
And obstacles tended to disappear.
Her eyes softened slightly. She had made sure that never happened.
"...."
Not while she still lived.
Nawaki shifted awkwardly feeling her gaze on him.
"…Grandma?"
Mito returned from her thoughts.
"I can already feel Tsunade's chakra," she said calmly.
"She's currently at the Hokage tower."
Nawaki's face brightened instantly.
"Oh!"
Then his expression suddenly changed to alarm.
"...."
"Wait—"
His eyes widened.
"She's coming home soon?!"
Mito raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
Nawaki spun around dramatically.
"I need to hide my money!"
He began rushing toward the hallway.
"If she finds my savings again she'll steal everything for gambling!"
Mito's lips curved slightly.
That part of Tsunade had already started developing early.
Before disappearing down the corridor, Nawaki called out loudly:
"Grandma, if she asks—tell her I already spent it!"
Mito shook her head faintly as the boy vanished.
Children's footsteps echoed briefly before fading away.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Silence returned to the hall.
Her gaze slowly drifted back toward the scroll.
And the distant Hokage Monument.
Her thoughts resumed.
Eldoria.
Leo Morningstar.
The Uzumaki clan now under a foreign king.
If what Kazuma said was true…
Then the shinobi world had just gained something far more dangerous than another hidden village.
It had gained a kingdom.
And kings did not play by the same rules as shinobi.
Inside her seal, Kurama stirred again.
The Nine-Tails' voice rumbled lazily.
"You're plotting already."
Mito smirked faintly.
-Smirk
"Of course."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"Someone has to clean up Hashirama's mess."
Kurama's tails flicked slowly in the darkness.
"This Leo… you're curious about him."
Mito glanced once more toward the horizon.
"Very."
The sun had begun dipping behind the tall trees surrounding the Senju compound, casting long golden shadows across the courtyard.
The mansion doors slid open.
Tsunade stepped inside, dust from training still clinging lightly to her clothes.
Her expression was still slightly irritated from her confrontation with Hiruzen, but the moment she entered the compound the tension in her shoulders loosened.
Home was still home.
As she walked deeper into the courtyard, something unusual caught her attention.
"...."
Under a large tree—Someone was digging. Frantically.
A small mound of dirt had already formed beside a shallow hole.
Two small cloth bundles wrapped in green fabric lay nearby.
Tsunade's sharp eyes narrowed.
"...."
Then a slow, dangerous smirk appeared on her face.
-Smirk!
"…Oh?"
The victim in question was muttering nervously to himself.
"I need to hide this last batch… Hurry before she comes back…"
Senju Nawaki shoveled dirt with frantic determination.
Unfortunately—A shadow suddenly fell across him.
The boy froze.
"...."
Very slowly… Very carefully… He turned his head.
Standing behind him was his sister.
"...."
Tsunade. Smiling. Sweetly. Warmly. Kindly.
For Nawaki—It looked like the smile of a demon.
He could practically hear the drums of doom in his head.
His eyes widened.
"S-Sis…"
Before she could even speak—Nawaki made a decision.
Run.
He grabbed one of the green bundles and bolted.
A terrible decision. A truly terrible decision.
Because Tsunade was already moving.
In one smooth motion she grabbed him by the collar like he weighed nothing.
"...."
Nawaki yelped as he was lifted clean off the ground.
-SWING!!! -SWING!!!
-SWING!!!...
"No no no NO—!"
Tsunade held him upside down effortlessly.
And began shaking him.
-SHAKE!!! - CLATTER!!!
-SHAKE!!! - CLATTER!!!
Coins. Bills.
Small folded notes.
Every bit of hidden money Nawaki carried began raining down onto the grass.
Clink! Clink!
Clatter!...
Nawaki flailed helplessly.
"SIS WAIT! That's my savings! I worked hard for that!"
Tsunade's grin widened into something extremely wicked.
-Grin
"Oh really?"
She dropped him unceremoniously onto the grass.
-Thud.
Then calmly crouched down. And began collecting every single coin.
Without the slightest shame.
"This much money isn't good for children."
Nawaki crawled toward her desperately.
"NOOOO!!! You always say that!"
"Because it's true."
She tied the cloth bag neatly.
"This is now adult money."
Nawaki collapsed face-first into the grass.
"YOU STOLE IT!"
Tsunade stood up proudly.
"Confiscated."
She tapped the bag.
"For responsible use."
Nawaki groaned in despair.
"You're going to gamble it…"
Tsunade didn't even deny it.
"Probably."
From the veranda,
Mito Uzumaki had been watching the entire scene.
She sighed softly.
-Sigh
"...."
Hashirama's grandchildren.
One inherited his reckless optimism.
The other inherited his destructive energy.
Inside her seal,
Kurama chuckled low even through he hate being sealed here but looking through Mito's eyes were one of the only source of entertainment left.
-Chuckle
"Your clan remains entertaining."
Mito smirked faintly.
-Smirk
"Yes."
Then her gaze shifted briefly toward the distant horizon beyond Konoha.
But for the moment—
The Senju courtyard was filled with the very ordinary sounds of siblings fighting over stolen pocket money.
Tsunade had just tied the stolen money into a neat cloth bundle and slung it over her shoulder.
Her destination was obvious.
The gambling houses of Konoha.
She had barely taken two steps toward the gate when a calm voice drifted across the courtyard.
"Tsunade."
Tsunade froze mid-step. Her shoulders stiffened slightly.
"...."
Slowly, she turned her head toward the veranda.
Standing there was Mito Uzumaki, leaning lightly against one of the wooden pillars.
Her expression was calm. Too calm.
Tsunade scratched the back of her head and gave a sheepish smile.
-Scratch! -Scratch!
"…Heh."
Clearly.
Grandma saw everything.
Behind her, Nawaki was still sitting in the dirt looking like a tragic victim of injustice.
He wiped his eyes dramatically.
"My life savings…"
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"You had twelve coins."
"It was eighteen!"
"Not anymore."
Mito's gaze shifted toward Nawaki.
"Nawaki."
The boy immediately straightened.
"Yes, grandma."
"Come here."
He stood up quickly and jogged over, though he still shot Tsunade a wounded look as he passed.
Tsunade stuck her tongue out at him.
Nawaki muttered under his breath.
"Demon…"
Mito waited until both of them stood before her.
One energetic. One pretending not to look guilty.
Her eyes studied them both carefully.
These two were the future of the Senju bloodline.
And the world around them was beginning to change faster than either of them understood.
She gestured for them to sit.
Both siblings settled onto the wooden floor of the veranda.
Tsunade crossed her legs.
Nawaki sat more formally.
Mito placed the Uzumaki scroll on the table between them.
"I received a letter today."
Tsunade's expression immediately sharpened.
"A mission report?"
"No."
"Family."
Nawaki tilted his head.
"From the Uzumaki clan?"
Mito nodded slowly.
-Nod!
The courtyard had grown quieter as the evening deepened.
Lanterns were lit along the veranda, their warm glow illuminating the small table where Mito Uzumaki, Tsunade, and Nawaki sat together.
The scroll from Uzushiogakure rested open before them.
Mito began explaining everything written in the letter.
How the Mist Village had attacked.
How other villages had watched carefully.
How Uzushiogakure had been pushed to the brink.
Nawaki listened with wide eyes, occasionally asking questions.
"So the Mist really attacked the Uzumaki village?"
"Yes."
"Were there a lot of enemies?"
"Enough to wipe them out if things had continued."
Tsunade remained mostly silent.
"...."
Her earlier confrontation with Hiruzen was still fresh in her mind.
She already knew about the attack.
But hearing it again from her grandmother made the anger in her chest tighten.
Her fists slowly clenched.
Konoha had done nothing.
The Uzumaki clan, one of their oldest allies, had been left alone.
She could easily imagine how they must have felt.
Betrayed. Abandoned.
Then Mito continued.
"And that is when someone appeared."
Nawaki leaned forward.
"The mysterious king?"
Mito nodded her head seriously.
-Nod
"A man named Leo Morningstar."
She described what Kazuma had written.
A man who descended during the battle.
A man powerful enough to crush the invading forces.
A man who now ruled a kingdom called Eldoria.
And a man whom the Uzumaki clan had chosen to serve.
The air between them grew heavier.
Nawaki frowned in confusion.
-Frown
"So… Uncle Kazuma and everyone now serve this king?"
"Yes."
"Because he saved them?"
"Yes."
Nawaki scratched his head.
-Scratch -Scratch
"…That kinda makes sense."
Tsunade shot him a look.
"...."
"Politics aren't that simple."
Nawaki blinked hearing his sister's words.
"They're not?"
Tsunade sighed looking at Nawaki .
-Sigh
"If a clan submits to someone like that, it changes everything."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Especially if that person really is as powerful as the letter says."
Mito watched Tsunade carefully.
She could see the conflict in her granddaughter's thoughts.
Anger at Konoha. Concern for the Uzumaki.
Suspicion of this mysterious king.
After a moment, Mito spoke again.
"I have made a decision."
Both Tsunade and Nawaki looked up.
Their grandmother's voice carried the weight of someone who had lived through wars, politics, and the rise of villages.
"This decision will determine the future of the Senju clan."
Nawaki blinked taking the words of his grandma.
"…The future?"
Tsunade's eyes sharpened.
Mito slowly turned her gaze toward her granddaughter.
"Tsunade."
The young woman stiffened slightly feeling it has something to do with her.
"Yes?"
The lantern light flickered gently across the veranda as the night settled over the Senju compound.
For a moment after Mito spoke, the courtyard remained completely silent.
Tsunade stared at her grandmother assuming she would be the one going.
"…You're sending me."
Mito nodded calmly.
-Nod
"Yes."
Tsunade exhaled slowly.
"Alright. That makes sense."
She leaned forward slightly.
"I'll go to Uzushiogakure and investigate this king myself."
But Mito shook her head.
"You misunderstood."
Tsunade blinked caught offguard.
"…What?"
Mito folded the scroll carefully and placed it aside.
"I said you will travel there."
"I did not say you would travel alone."
Tsunade's brow furrowed.
Before she could ask—Mito continued.
"I will be going with you."
Nawaki straightened immediately.
"What?"
Mito glanced toward him.
"And so will you, Nawaki."
The boy nearly fell backward.
"ME?!"
Tsunade's eyes widened as she turned back toward her grandmother.
"…Grandma."
"Yes?"
"You're serious?"
"Very."
Tsunade stood up instantly.
"That's insane."
Mito raised an eyebrow.
"Explain."
Tsunade pointed toward the scroll.
"Uzushiogakure was just attacked. It's basically a war zone right now. And you want to walk into it personally?"
She lowered her voice slightly.
"You're the Nine-Tails jinchūriki. If something happens to you out there—"
Mito snorted dismissively.
-Snort
"Who exactly do you think will stop me?"
Tsunade opened her mouth.
"...."
"…The village elders."
Mito laughed softly.
-Hahaha!
"Those old fools?"
She waved a hand casually.
"If they attempt to interfere, I will remind them who sealed the Nine-Tails in the first place."
Tsunade rubbed her forehead.
"…The Hokage won't approve this."
Mito's expression sharpened.
"The Hokage already made his decision when he refused to help Uzushiogakure."
The words were blunt. Cold.
Tsunade couldn't argue.
"...."
Mito leaned back slightly.
"This is no longer Konoha's business. This is family business."
Her gaze shifted toward the horizon.
"The Uzumaki clan did not abandon us. We abandoned them."
Nawaki looked down slightly.
"…Grandma…"
Mito's voice softened just a little.
"I will not allow that mistake to continue."
Then she looked back at Tsunade.
"And there is another reason."
Tsunade crossed her arms.
"…Which is?"
"If this King Leo Morningstar truly possesses the power described in this letter…"
Her eyes gleamed faintly.
"…then I would prefer to meet him personally."
Nawaki scratched his head nervously.
"You're really going to meet a guy people are calling a god?"
Mito smirked faintly.
-Smirk
"I've lived long enough to know that titles are meaningless."
She stood slowly.
"But power… power speaks for itself."
Tsunade exhaled giving up.
-Sigh
"You're not changing your mind."
"No."
Tsunade muttered under her breath.
"…Stubborn old woman."
Mito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I heard that."
Nawaki suddenly looked excited.
"So we're actually leaving the village?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Soon."
Nawaki grinned excitedly thinking.
-Grin
"I've never been to Uzushiogakure!"
Tsunade sighed deeply.
-Sigh
"This is going to give the Hokage a headache."
Mito gave a small, satisfied smile.
"Good."
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)I hope you guys are enjoying the story.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give areview
And power stone!!!
It will Motivate Me.