Chapter 24: The Shadow of the Senju
"If you must ask... there is only one."
"The Senju clan."
Senju?
Lost in thought, Itachi slipped off his sandals, placing the paper bag with his new indigo uniform in the shadows of the genkan. As he passed the corridor, the sliding door to a room opened silently, and a sliver of dim yellow light spilled out, revealing the figure of Uchiha Fugaku.
"You're back?" Fugaku's voice sounded in the quiet estate, lacking some of its usual heavy authority, carrying more of a father's simple tone.
"Yes, Father." Itachi stopped.
Fugaku's gaze fell on the bag. "You bought something?"
"It was a gift from my senpai." Itachi picked up the bag and offered it to him.
Fugaku took it, rubbing the fabric through the paper and testing its weight. "Oh. This was expensive." He looked up. "Did he only buy one for you?"
"Anko-senpai received one as well."
"I see." Fugaku handed the bag back, his movements smooth. "If it's a gift from your captain, accept it. I will arrange a gift in return later."
"Father." Itachi's voice was questioning.
"Hm?"
"The Senju clan," Itachi looked directly at him, "the clan that was our equal. Where did they go? There is no Senju compound in the village layout."
The last trace of softness on Fugaku's face vanished, replaced by a deep gravity. He was silent for a moment. "The Senju... they are everywhere outside the clan compounds. That is what the Senju are."
Itachi's pupils contracted.
Fugaku continued, "That clan announced its dissolution in Hashirama-sama's time. Naturally, there is no 'Senju Compound' on the village map." His gaze was deep. "However... every outstanding shinobi you see who does not come from a major clan... could be of Senju blood." He paused. "Even Tobirama-sama's students, the current advisors Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane... who can say?"
"Do you mean the Senju clan never actually disbanded?" Itachi's voice was soft.
Fugaku shook his head. "The dissolution is a fact. Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-sama presided over it personally. All the clans witnessed it, decades ago." His tone shifted. "But, after Tobirama-sama's death, there was still one... extremely influential figure remaining among the former Senju. Because of her... they still have a connection. An invisible, unbreakable bond."
"Is it Tsunade-sama?" Itachi asked.
"No," Fugaku denied it. "Tsunade-hime has been gone from the village for a long time." He took a deep breath, his eyes dark. "It is the woman who was once the aide to both Senju brothers. Senju Tōka."
Tōka...
The name sent a ripple through Itachi's mind. He instantly recalled his father's seemingly casual question to Shūji: "I have heard that you live in the... old estate... in the western suburbs? And that you were raised personally by Tōka-sama?"
The pieces clicked into place.
"Senpai, he..." Itachi's voice was a confirmation.
"If I am not mistaken," Fugaku's gaze was tangible, "the one who will, after Tōka-sama, be able to maintain that network... maintain that bond and that influence..." He paused, his words sharp and clear. "Will be your new captain."
The air in the room seemed to freeze. The only sound was the soft crackle of the lamp's wick. Fugaku leaned forward slightly, his voice low and full of power.
"Itachi. This is an opportunity for the Uchiha clan."
Faint morning light pierced the mist over Training Ground Three, dyeing the sand a pale gold. Several days of tactical drills had left their mark on the field.
"Left flank! Itachi, disrupt him! Don't let him form seals!" Anko's voice had a sharpness it hadn't held in a long time. Her charging body was a blur, her new dark purple trench coat hood flying like a violet streak. Her fingers flew. "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Three snakes shot from her sleeves, not at the training-post target, but at its flanks, cutting off its escape routes.
The instant she moved, Itachi had already appeared in the target's blind spot. His two-tomoe Sharingan flared. A brief genjutsu lanced out. The Shadow Clone Shūji had set up as a target froze.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Shūji's voice called out, his position having shifted to the perfect angle. The massive, roaring fireball slammed precisely into the genjutsu-caught, snake-corralled target!
Boom!
The flames exploded, and the Shadow Clone vanished in a puff of smoke. The coordination was flawless.
"Stop," Shūji signaled. Anko stopped, panting, and wiped her brow. The apathy was gone, replaced by a shinobi's fire. Itachi deactivated his Sharingan, his breathing even. He walked to the side and began writing in his leather-bound notebook, logging the details of the drill and chakra consumption.
"The angle of the snake attack could be two degrees sharper, to better compress their seal space," Shūji critiqued, walking over. "The coat's hood... if it blocks your vision in a high-speed move, pin it or remove it. Combat takes priority." He glanced at Itachi's notebook. "Good notes. The timing of the genjutsu was perfect, and your chakra control was more stable than yesterday."
Anko tugged the hood, grumbling, "Yeah, yeah, I'll fix it," but there was no real bite in her tone. Itachi just gave a soft "hn" and continued writing. The last few days, like an invisible file, had slowly worn away their rough edges.
"Rest for fifteen." Shūji sat cross-legged in the shade. Anko immediately ran to her water bottle, taking a long drink and grabbing a cookie, while Itachi sat quietly, reviewing his notes.
Shūji closed his eyes. While he trained the team by day, his own training never stopped at night. His attempts to use his Wood Clone to draw in nature energy still had a 70-80% failure rate, where the clone's structure would destabilize, turn to wood, and then be petrified by the backlash. But every failure gave him a clearer, if still faint, sense of that vast, untamable power.
Nature energy... it wasn't like chakra, which came from a life form's own spirit and body. It felt more like the... primitive, foundational energy of the world itself. Violent, but full of life.
Maybe... the path is correct. I'm just... missing something... His Senju blood and Hashirama cells gave him a foundation, but it still wasn't enough to contain the energy.
"Senpai," Itachi's voice broke his thoughts. "About that last drill. If the target is a sensory-type and avoids the genjutsu, should we adjust the firing point of the Katon?"
Shūji opened his eyes, taking the notebook Itachi offered. "Good question. We need to add a contingency..."
The training continued, a cycle of drills and tactical refinement. The sun climbed high. The coordination between Anko's snake jutsu and Itachi's genjutsu became more fluid, and Shūji's elemental support always landed at the perfect moment. A rough, but effective, tactical system, built on trust and an understanding of each other's abilities, was slowly taking shape.
Just as the noon sun grew harsh, a figure appeared soundlessly in the shadows at the edge of the field. The newcomer wore an Anbu mask and uniform, his presence almost completely suppressed.
"Shūji-jōnin." The flat voice cut through the air, easily overriding the sounds of training.
Shūji stopped correcting Anko's taijutsu form and turned. Itachi and Anko immediately froze, their attention locked on the visitor.
"Hokage-sama summons you," the Anbu said. "Please report to his office immediately."