Naruto: About the Fact That my Brother is Madara-Chapter 289: The Future “Hope” of the Senju

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"Lalalala~" Uchiha Kaoru was in a very good mood recently.

There were three main reasons for this: First, her grandfather, who had been out working, brought back an interesting little gift for her.

It was a small, plump slug that he said was called "Katsuyu." She really liked the gift, and after spending some time together, she and the slug became good friends.

Unfortunately, little Momo didn't seem to like it very much. In his words, he didn't like things that looked slimy and sticky.

"What's wrong? The little slug is really cute!"

The chubby girl was a typical example of someone who was easily fascinated by something new while quickly losing interest in the old.

Second, ever since her grandfather started looking out for her, she hadn't been beaten at home very often.

According to her other friends, their grandfathers wouldn't dare interfere in matters involving their mothers, but her family situation seemed to be different.

"I heard that when he was young, Grandpa used to be Mom's teacher," she recalled, having overheard it somewhere in the village.

From that, Kaoru learned an important lesson about building connections and finding powerful backers.

These days, when she wasn't busy fishing with Urashiki's weapons, she could often be seen running around the village with her little slug in hand.

No matter how big the trouble was, as long as she went and acted cute in front of Grandpa, everything would be taken care of.

If that didn't work, then she could always call upon her personal protector, Momo.

Momo played the role of both her protector and playmate, while the little slug served as her chat buddy and pet.

Life for the little chubby one was going splendidly.

The third reason she was so happy was because her father was about to become the Third Hokage!

Even a naive girl like Kaoru knew what becoming Hokage meant in Konoha Village.

She had even noticed that her mother seemed especially happy about it, giving her more pocket money than usual lately.

Having more money to spend was, of course, a good thing.

Due to the incident with Uchiha Kagami, all members of the Tobirama faction were implicated.

Kaoru had heard from others that he couldn't even guarantee the loyalty of his own companions. How could someone like that be qualified to become Hokage?

Not to mention, Uchiha Kagami had a tendency to switch sides. At the very least, Tobirama and Hiruzen had to bear the blame for failing to see a person's true nature.

So, what was the most important thing to become Hokage, besides having Kage-level strength?

Was it a sharp mind, or excellent political skill?

Both were valuable additions, but what mattered most was the ability to judge others.

Even if you didn't need someone, even if you wanted them dead, you had to have the ability to properly assess the situation and understand people.

Clearly, Sarutobi Hiruzen had completely failed in this regard.

Having lost the support of the people, he no longer had the qualification to compete for the title of Hokage.

With his competitor self-destructing, Uchiha Haruto naturally ascended to the position of Third Hokage.

With her father's dream coming true, Kaoru was naturally very happy as well.

She made her way to the training grounds alone, determined to work hard and train to become the future, most outstanding female Hokage of the village.

---

Ten minutes later!

"Hoo~ I think that's enough for today."

After practicing throwing shuriken for a while, the chubby little one felt mentally and physically exhausted and was preparing to go fishing in the creek that ran through the village.

Although she hadn't done much, she still felt she had worked hard, and thus needed to reward herself with a day of play.

Seeing this, the little slug on her shoulder couldn't help but offer its praise. Despite being soft and plump, it was actually an omnivorous creature.

It loved things like fatty fish, the best part was that it wasn't afraid of fish bones.

Uchiha Kaoru reached for the small fish basket on her back and pulled out a fishing rod that could change its size at will. Brimming with energy, she was ready to take on the fish in the creek.

"Momo~ Momo~"

"What is it now?" came the annoyed voice from inside her.

"Does your hometown have fish?" Kaoru asked.

"We don't need to fish." Momo responded flatly.

"Well, what if we want to eat fish?" Kaoru asked, a bit frustrated.

"Then go steal them." Momo said nonchalantly.

The remark made Kaoru feel awkward and upset.

She wanted to explain, but her vocabulary was too limited to express her thoughts clearly. So, in a huff, she decided to ignore Momo for the next three days.

Swishing her fishing rod, Kaoru began to walk down the small path near the woods, but just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind her.

Turning around, a boy who appeared to be a little older than her emerged.

"Huh, it's him." Kaoru recognized the boy immediately.

He was Senju Nawaki, a well-known young prodigy in the village.

The adults all praised him as a model of early wisdom, saying he could approach problems with the mindset of an adult despite his young age.

To Kaoru, Nawaki was the "other people's child" that her mother often mentioned.

"Pfft, what's so great about him? Isn't he just hiding here playing alone now?"

Kaoru felt a little excited, thinking she could finally challenge her mother's praise for Nawaki.

But as she observed him more closely, she realized the situation wasn't quite what she had imagined.

The boy was indeed alone, but he wasn't there to play—he was there to train. And his mood was clearly off.

Senju Nawaki was in an exceptionally bad mood.

Once again, he had witnessed firsthand the brutal enforcement methods used by his clan.

There was no need to dwell on the cause. No doubt, some villager had broken one of the village's rules.

But the key issue wasn't the punishment itself, it was the manner in which it was carried out. Couldn't they at least show some decency while working?

Did none of them realize that the bad reputation the Senju Clan now bore had not appeared overnight? It was precisely these seemingly minor acts, accumulating over time, that had led to the current state of disgrace.

To Nawaki, these so-called "adults" lacked even the clarity of thought he believed he himself possessed.

He had already brought his concerns to Tobirama, but as usual, Tobirama couldn't be bothered to truly listen. At most, he would dock a bit of pay and consider the matter settled.

In Nawaki's opinion, such a response was utterly irresponsible.

When confronted, Tobirama had replied plainly.

"The duties of the Police Department are like this. Enjoying authority comes with the burden of accepting the consequences of enforcing it."

"It's not that change isn't coming. The time simply has not yet arrived."

Nawaki had pressed for more, but Tobirama had merely given a single word in return.

"Wait."

Wait for what?

Nawaki did not know, nor did he care to find out. All he knew was that everything happening today was the result of the clan's own foolishness.

It had nothing at all to do with the nature of police work.

Naive as this thought may be, it was nevertheless the honest voice of Nawaki's heart.

He lacked the life experience to see things from a broader, more objective perspective.

What people often call precocious wisdom in youth can easily morph into a kind of stubbornness. When one's values are not yet solid, even a small shock can shatter them completely.

And once that happens, there is blame for everything—blaming the god, the earth, one's parents, and the cruel world where no one cares and no one loves.

Never, not even for a single second, do they pause to quietly consider where the root of the problem truly lies.

At this moment, Nawaki was a perfect example of such a youth.

"The Senju Clan has completely fallen," he murmured to himself, emotions swelling within his chest.

"Even if we were once the founders, that doesn't give us the right to do things that could endanger Konoha itself."

As that storm of feeling surged within him, small branches and twigs began to sprout at his feet.

It was the unmistakable power of Wood Release.

Letting out a soft breath, Nawaki looked down and, after a moment's thought, deliberately stepped on the shoots, pressing them back into the soil.

According to what his teacher had told him, now was not the right time to reveal his ability.

If the clan discovered that he had awakened a power so similar to his grandfather's, it would undoubtedly stir up countless waves.

They might even start seeing him as the new hope for reclaiming power.

A hopeless bunch. That was Nawaki's judgment of his own family.

He had come to this secluded place precisely to avoid the possibility of being watched.

Yet, unknown to him, a small observer was already quietly hiding in the shadows.

"It is Wood Release." A tiny slug raised its body, then quickly transformed into a small teacher-like figure and began explaining, "This is a secret technique unique to the descendants of Asura."

Hearing this explanation, even the usually sleepy Momo opened her eyes, showing interest in the power of Wood Release.

As for the chubby one, he was utterly amazed by his companion's knowledge.

"Wow, Sluggy, you're incredible! You even know stuff like this!"

"Hehe, it's nothing. I used to be friends with his grandfather, you know."

Uchiha Kaoru: "..."

Momoshiki: "..."

May I ask, elder one, how old are you exactly?

Kaoru wisely chose not to ponder the question any further.

After watching for a while, she grew bored and, without Nawaki ever realizing she was there, silently slipped away.

However, she was not the only one observing in secret.

A member of the ANBU under Uchiha Kochou, assigned to protect the young princess, had also noticed that Nawaki had awakened the Wood Release.

If he had seen it, then naturally Uchiha Kochou would come to know as well.

"Awakened Wood Release... this reeks of Number One's doing." She knew it well, and in truth, she understood her lord's intentions.

To eliminate the Senju, it was unwise to simply draw the blade and slaughter them all.

Such an act would destroy the trust others had in the Uchiha Clan and in Konoha's integrity.

A strike was necessary, yes, but the blow had to come from within the Senju themselves.

Nawaki was the perfect candidate.

Uchiha Kochou was certain that the awakening of Wood Release in the young boy, Senju Nawaki, undoubtedly bore traces of Yayoi's influence.

That treacherous little woman had no boundaries. As long as her lord gave the order, she wouldn't hesitate to destroy a young boy. She would even crawl at his feet if it pleased him.

The fall of the Senju clan under the power of Wood Release was, in essence, deeply ironic.

Sometimes, Chō thought to herself, "He's so cruel... I just adore him."

Uchiha Kochou's true nature was one of inner decadence, though her outward demeanor remained strictly proper. This contrast had become one of her trademarks.

As for the news of Senju Nawaki awakening the Wood Release, there was no need to keep it secret. It was better to spread it openly.

To align with Number One's intentions, the clan could send young members to challenge him under the guise of friendly sparring.

By turning the act of defeating Uchiha challengers into a spectacle, Senju Nawaki could be elevated to fame, becoming the leading figure of the younger generation.

At that point, the Senju would see him as their beacon of hope, unaware that the more they placed their hopes on him, the more it would fuel his rebellious spirit.

"Getting angry just because people care about you... tsk, youngsters are really hard to please."

"But lord is different. Even if he's in a bad mood, I'd still serve him willingly—up close and personal, if I must."

To her, lord was perfect in every way, though he could be a little too inflexible at times.

There was nothing wrong with adhering to the promises of love, unlike that little bitch Yayoi who was obsessed with seeking bullshit titles and exclusivity.

All she wanted was to spend time with him, to indulge in a week-long romp that left her too weak to get out of bed.

Even if it didn't have to be made public, even if it were done in secret~

Unfortunately, the heartless man kept ignoring her temptations time and time again.

"It's so unfair."

Through the operations of the Uchiha's covert division, the news of Senju Nawaki's awakening of Wood Release quickly spread.

For years, the Senju had endured constant scorn, but now, they could finally see a glimmer of hope for the future.

As long as Nawaki could grow, he would surely become another Senju Hashirama.

In the future, without the likes of Kyōsuke and Madara, what would the Uchiha have to stand against them?

The Senju clan now felt they were truly on the rise again.

..

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[Chapter End's]

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