"Hikaru… I didn't expect you to reach this point already."
Night had fallen.
Inside Hikaru's new house, Senju Shōma and Hikaru sat together in the living room.
In truth, Senju Shōma had arrived long ago. Early that morning, they'd all been released from the shelter.
What happened last night was something all of Konoha would carry for the rest of their lives—but for Shōma, it cut even deeper.
When he was young, he had seen the Nine-Tails go berserk.
He had also seen—personally—how Senju Hashirama "disciplined" the Nine-Tails.
And now… it felt like he had witnessed that scene again.
Only this time, everything had changed.
The one who did it wasn't Hashirama—
It was the young man Shōma had raised with his own hands.
A youth who seemed to fuse the best—and most frightening—parts of the First Hokage and the Second Hokage into one body.
During the evacuation, Shōma had seen the summoning Hikaru called forth.
He'd seen Hikaru use Earth Release to block a Tailed Beast Ball.
He'd seen the sky-piercing giant trees.
And he'd heard the Nine-Tails' roar—filled with unmistakable wariness.
After that, he didn't know what happened.
They'd all been sent into the shelter.
But Shōma desperately wanted to know how the night had ended.
So the moment they were released today, he came straight to Hikaru's home.
Senju Renge and her daughter returned with him as well. Neither of them were frontline fighters, so they had naturally been sheltered too.
Hikaru, however, wasn't home.
Last night's disaster ensured that an ANBU division captain like him wouldn't get even a moment's rest.
So Shōma waited inside the house and arranged for people to gather information about what happened.
He didn't get much.
But he did learn this:
Hikaru had fully revealed his power, and the entire village was delirious with excitement at the return of Wood Release.
And the Nine-Tails had been sealed again—by a Wood Release user, Hikaru, working together with the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
Minato, it seemed, was gravely injured and currently bedridden in the hospital.
Hikaru appeared fine.
As Shōma waited in silence, his emotions churned.
Because the Wood Release Hikaru displayed…
was beyond imagination.
And then he received even more information.
When Hiruzen personally led a team to search outside the village for the Hokage, all of them witnessed Hikaru use an even more terrifying Wood Release.
Wood Dragon Technique.
One of the most feared Wood Release techniques of all.
"You've really grown… to this extent?"
Just imagining Hikaru binding the Nine-Tails with a Wood Dragon made Shōma's heart pound.
How old was Hikaru?
Fourteen.
Only fourteen.
If he had already reached this level now…
what would he become when he reached the age a shinobi normally peaked?
And it wasn't just Wood Release.
He had mastered Flying Thunder God as well.
"This is the First Hokage and the Second Hokage combined," Shōma thought.
"Not just in strength—but in temperament, and in methods."
The more Shōma thought about Hikaru's power and his manner of doing things, the colder his spine felt.
Hikaru had always seemed gentle.
Polite.
Warm like sunlight, soothing like spring wind.
But Shōma had always found that "gentleness" unsettling.
Because Hikaru entered ANBU at a very young age.
And what was ANBU?
One of Konoha's darkest organs.
So when Hikaru learned Flying Thunder God and rose to division captain, Shōma's worry had already begun to grow.
Back then, the boy hadn't wanted to join ANBU at all.
And at his age… he should have been at the height of rebellion.
Shōma had pushed him into ANBU anyway.
Now Hikaru held terrifying power.
Shōma knew he had to be careful.
But later, Shōma realized something:
His caution had been nowhere near enough.
Hikaru's mask was too perfect.
When everyone believed he was "Hashirama," the methods he displayed were pure "Tobirama."
Shōma still remembered clearly how Senju Ryōta had fallen.
The way Hikaru forced Ryōta to choose which family members would live—
That cold logic…
that controlled cruelty…
was terrifying.
Shōma even suspected that if he hadn't raised Hikaru himself—if the clan didn't still have some connections—
Hikaru might not even have considered the Senju his "family" at all.
"He's colder than Lord Tobirama… and even more ruthless."
With that thought gnawing at him, Shōma waited for Hikaru to return.
And after sunset, Hikaru finally came home.
He was still warm.
Still friendly.
Still wearing that gentle smile.
But Shōma found it hard to look at him.
So he asked directly what had happened.
And the answer made his blood run cold.
Hikaru had used maneuvering and timing to push the ANBU Minister into an impossible corner—
and then personally killed him.
More terrifying:
Hiruzen already knew… and had no way to stop it.
Minato had used the Reaper Death Seal to seal the Nine-Tails—essentially dying with it.
But Hikaru had used a method he'd obtained from Shōma to undo the Reaper Death Seal, saving Minato.
Then he openly admitted the purpose behind saving Minato—
and used that leverage to obtain the ANBU Minister seat.
And it didn't end there.
To establish authority and purge the Third Hokage's influence, Hikaru had killed the Second Division Commander—
then dissolved the entire Second Division, dismantling it and rebuilding it from scratch.
Shōma was stunned beyond words.
A single day and night—
and Hikaru had moved the entire village's power structure.
Each act was enormous.
Each carried consequences too large to measure.
And worse—
it all felt planned.
Step by step.
Clean.
Logical.
Traceable.
And even if others discovered it…
they wouldn't be able to pinpoint a single "mistake."
Shōma could only stare, overwhelmed.
He didn't even know what kind of monster he had raised.
Or perhaps—
what kind of furnace ANBU had become, to forge something like this.
"Mm. I've reached this point."
Hikaru spoke calmly, still smiling gently.
"It was dangerous. But overall, the results are good."
Then he added casually, as if it were obvious:
"And I think the Senju should step into the light now."
"After all… what I did last night can't be covered up."
"You mean… you want me to help you visit the clans?"
Shōma was old.
Sometimes muddled.
But at this moment, he was sharper than he had been in years.
Hikaru had dissolved the Second Division. Even if it was only thirty-some members, there were bound to be people from various clans inside.
So recruiting new clan members mattered.
Especially because Hikaru was currently standing behind the Fourth Hokage's authority.
If Shōma framed things carefully, other clans could interpret it as Minato reclaiming what belonged to him.
Whether they liked it or not, they would "cooperate."
And if Shōma hinted—quietly—that dissolving the Second Division was actually Minato's intent…
Hikaru's pressure would drop even further.
Minato needed years to recover.
That meant Minato was the perfect shield.
Not using that shield would be a waste.
"Yes."
Hikaru nodded, pleased.
"If possible, I'd like Elder to handle it."
It really was a newer thought.
As ANBU Minister, Hikaru didn't need to personally do everything.
If he went himself, it would show sincerity—
but it also had downsides:
It could make him look too "low."
And more importantly, it could expose openings, or leave traces.
Shōma, on the other hand, had never hidden his identity.
He carried weight.
And now, Hikaru's name and actions were already impossible to conceal. His appointment would spread soon.
Letting Shōma act as his envoy was ideal.
In some ways, Shōma could even do it better than Hikaru.
"I understand. What attitude should I take?"
Shōma's mind began to move quickly, alive with possibility.
He was happy.
Even if it wasn't his own achievement.
"Neither humble nor arrogant," Hikaru said.
"Tell them why I did what I did—and hint at what I intend to do next."
"They'll understand."
Hikaru laid out his plan calmly.
But he also knew: even if he didn't spell it out, Shōma would instinctively do something similar.
And Hikaru could tell Shōma's spirit had reignited.
In some sense, Shōma wanted to contribute to the clan again.
He had spent decades holding the Senju together.
Now the clan had reached another turning point.
If Shōma couldn't participate—couldn't affect anything—
it would feel like being cut out of his own life.
Even if none of this had been his doing.
Even if Hikaru was the one leading everything.
Shōma still needed to matter.
"I know what to do," Shōma said firmly.
"Don't worry."
Then he sighed, eyes complicated.
"You've grown into a level no one can reach."
"Your strength has surpassed anything we imagined."
"You truly are the key to reviving the Senju."
"People make their own fate."
Hikaru smiled and shook his head lightly.
"I only did what I had to."
Then his smile softened further.
"I'm a Senju."
"And you raised me, Elder."
"I know how to repay kindness."
He stopped there.
That was enough.
He'd said what he needed to say.
The remaining details—how the Senju reorganized, how to connect with other clans—weren't things he needed to micromanage.
In fact, Shōma would likely handle it better.
Hikaru had lived in ANBU too long.
He didn't truly understand the Senju's current internal structure.
The only "powerful" Senju besides Shōma he'd dealt with was Ryōta—
and Ryōta was already broken, living quietly in retirement.
Hikaru could do clan consolidation and negotiations…
but it wasn't optimal for him to do so.
So letting Shōma take the lead was the correct play.
Hikaru only needed to control the big picture.
And then, as if remembering something, Hikaru turned his head.
"By the way, Elder."
He smiled.
"I think it's time I knew the Senju's current real situation."
"The Senju's real situation…"
Shōma's body paused slightly.
Then he nodded, as if a long-held weight finally settled.
"Yes."
"It's time."
"You're ANBU Minister now."
From this point onward, everything about you will be different.
Minister…
You've stepped into Konoha's core power hub.
And you're holding one of Konoha's most terrifying forces.
You need to know more.
You need to hold more.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll give you everything."
"All Senju records."
After saying that, Shōma rose slowly.
There was relief in his posture—
and also reluctance.
But once he made a decision, he didn't easily change it.
Perhaps handing everything to Hikaru was truly the best choice.
Still…
letting go of what he had built for decades wasn't easy.
Yet he also knew something undeniable:
Among the Senju now—
this young man he had raised—
was the most dazzling.
And in Konoha's power structure…
he had become the Senju with the highest authority.
...
After seeing Shōma off, Hikaru returned alone to his room and told Senju Renge and her daughter not to disturb him.
He had noticed Shōma's expression when he left.
But he didn't show much emotion.
No one could easily give up something they had built with their own hands.
Especially when it involved power.
Hiruzen was proof enough—
even after stepping down, he still held Konoha tightly.
And even aside from Hiruzen—
those two old relics, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, who seemed to survive all the way into Boruto—
were infamous for how "disgusting" they remained.
Power was a delicious cake.
No one wanted to put it down.
In Hikaru's eyes, Shōma didn't want to let go either—
but he had to.
Because Hikaru had become too strong.
Too cold.
Too dominant.
And through repeated conversations, Shōma had realized how blind and directionless his own efforts had been.
So he chose to release control—
and instead support Hikaru, to push the clan forward.
"But letting go doesn't mean losing everything."
"And I'm not going to focus all my time on the clan anyway."
Hikaru shook his head, amused.
He understood Shōma's reluctance, but Shōma seemed to think Hikaru intended to take over everything personally.
That was a misunderstanding.
Hikaru didn't have the luxury to obsess over the "small" Senju clan.
His eyes were on the entire village.
He had ANBU now.
He needed to restructure, retrain, and remove necessary elements.
That was his primary work.
Then, through Shōma's clan connections, he'd need to make arrangements and place people.
Small clans were easy.
Their survival rule was always the same:
They never put all eggs in one basket.
As for big clans—
his immediate target was, of course, the Uchiha.
Now that he had revealed his Senju identity, he was curious how they would respond.
Especially Uchiha Shin.
Hikaru had planted a seed in that old man with his own hands, taught him how to cultivate it, and during the Nine-Tails incident, Shin had performed decently.
Now, with Hikaru's identity exposed—
would Shin resist as ambition and power hunger grew?
Or would he face reality honestly and follow Madara's old path—
to "align" with a Senju the way Madara once aligned with Hashirama?
"Maybe… I should just beat them up."
Hikaru rubbed his chin, suddenly finding the thought amusing.
The Uchiha were a fighting clan.
They had a very interesting trait:
They didn't easily listen to words.
They were proud.
Toward those weaker than them, they didn't debate—they dismissed.
If you wanted them to truly listen…
you had to stand on the same level.
Or surpass them.
Naruto and Sasuke were the classic example.
No matter how Naruto pleaded at first, Sasuke treated him like an idiot.
But once Naruto smashed him down—
once Sasuke was forced to acknowledge the gap—
only then did he begin to seriously consider Naruto's words.
Later, Sasuke even began thinking from Naruto's perspective, and in some ways helped solve Boruto's crises.
So with the Uchiha—
sometimes beating them into "listening" really was more effective than persuasion.
"Forget it."
Hikaru shook his head.
"I'll deal with that later."
Right now, he cared more about his own power.
Today, he had gathered a large batch of seeds.
At this point, he had seeds for nearly every chakra attribute—
everything except Yin Release.
How to obtain Yin Release?
He hadn't fully decided yet.
But after the "Hashirama flesh chunk" incident, he already had a solid idea.
He just couldn't execute it yet.
Not until he saw how Uchiha Shin answered.
As for Yang Release—
he didn't even need a seed.
He had obtained a complete fruit, and could already begin using it.
And he wasn't worried about upgrades either.
He had acquired excellent materials.
"Also…"
Hikaru smiled faintly.
"It looks like my 'good guy' list has one more name."
From his ninja tool pouch, he took out a scroll.
He looked at it, smiling wider.
After forcing Hikaru away from the sealing battlefield, Obito had lost an arm—
and that arm belonged to White Zetsu's half-body.
Hikaru hadn't forgotten to retrieve it.
Because that thing was built from Hashirama cells.
"Not sure if it matches 'fragmented Asura power,' but…"
"You won't know until you try."
And he had backups.
If that failed, he could investigate Danzō's lair again—
or approach Orochimaru.
With Flying Thunder God, as long as he got a lizard inside—
he could appear in Danzō's lab without anyone noticing.
Orochimaru was a secondary option, but still viable.
After all, Orochimaru and Danzō collaborated.
So Orochimaru's labs likely held what Hikaru needed too.
But first—
he would plant Obito's arm and see what happened.
"And now…"
Hikaru's focus returned to the seeds he had collected.
Different colors.
Different chakra signatures.
Fire Release.
Lightning Release.
Sealing-type.
Wind Release (obtained long ago during the mission).
And one seed that felt absurd—
yet also oddly inevitable:
A Nine-Tails chakra seed.
That seed was his greatest interest.
And also his greatest temptation—and hesitation.
The Nine-Tails' terror had been fully displayed last night.
Even though in the future, it looked like everyone could bully it—
who were those "everyone"?
They were freaks.
Rarities at the very top of the shinobi world.
And more strictly speaking—
future Nine-Tails was only half complete.
Reaper Death Seal taking half the Nine-Tails away wasn't a joke.
Half the Nine-Tails still bullied other tailed beasts.
That alone proved how monstrous it was.
"This is Nine-Tails power…"
Hikaru stared at the seed, breathing slowly.
He was genuinely tempted.
Yes, he had beaten the Nine-Tails last night—
but it had no clear mind, only beast instinct.
It had been bound and exhausted by Kushina's sealing for a long time.
And Wood Release naturally suppressed it.
Hikaru had even used Sage Mode to push his Wood Release closer to young Hashirama's level.
It looked easy.
It wasn't.
If he didn't recover fast, he would've collapsed and been unable to move.
So obtaining a Nine-Tails chakra seed—
was an incredible prize.
Especially for Hikaru right now.
"I didn't get a higher-grade chakra seed."
"But I got Nine-Tails chakra instead."
"That's… not bad."
He lacked chakra reserves to plant more seeds.
Nine-Tails chakra could solve that problem.
If he abused the "bug" mechanism—
using "Unique Quest" progress to forcibly raise the seed's maturity—
it might even be worth the trade.
The question was:
How far would the progress push it?
Could he actually "grow" a Nine-Tails?
Hikaru hesitated only briefly.
Then he clenched his teeth.
"I have to plant it."
"Nine-Tails chakra… I can't let this go."
ANBU had taught him many things—
stealth, disguise, killing—
but the thing he was most proud of was this:
Decisiveness.
In ANBU, you finished the mission immediately.
You didn't wait and create problems.
He returned the other seeds to his pouch.
Then kept only the deep red Nine-Tails seed in his palm.
He took a breath.
Green chakra bloomed in his hand.
The seed melted into him.
He felt it enter his bloodstream, drift toward the region near his heart—
and settle there, rooting itself.
In an instant, he felt something like a heartbeat of life.
And his chakra began flowing into it rapidly.
"What… is this?"
Hikaru frowned.
He had planted countless seeds.
But he had never experienced this "life pulse" sensation before.
"Don't tell me…"
"Is it going to give me an actual Nine-Tails?"
He thought for a while and then chuckled, dismissing it.
The system had never betrayed him so far.
And besides—
the Nine-Tails was split in two.
Half in Minato.
Half in Kushina.
Chakra remnants could simulate a jinchūriki-like state, sure…
but a lone chakra fragment becoming an independent tailed beast?
He had never heard of that.
If that were possible, the world would be overflowing with tailed beasts.
Their chakra remnants were everywhere.
He closed his eyes.
His status panel appeared.
Name: Senju Hikaru
Gender: Male
Birthday: Konoha Calendar Year 34, March 24
Rank: Elite Jōnin (system evaluation without using any abilities) (Chūnin-level chakra reserves)
Bloodline Development: Intermediate (Senju Secret Techniques, Basic Yang Release Secret Technique)
Seeds: Basic Nine-Tails Chakra Seed (1%) (Unplanted seeds that cannot be planted are hidden)
Fruits: None
Quest: Become the true Big Boss of the shinobi world (Unique) (Progress 18%)
Hikaru nodded faintly.
He still had many seeds not planted yet—that wasn't a problem.
The ones he couldn't plant were the intermediate seeds.
No skipping tiers was normal.
But his chakra reserves had dropped brutally—straight from Kage-level back down to Chūnin-level.
He could only accept it.
Nine-Tails chakra was worth it.
And then the system prompt came again, easing his mind.
The Unique Quest progress began to change.
His high-profile performance last night had already spread through spies—
and now he was ANBU Minister.
His progress would rise.
In an instant, it surged.
When it stopped, his Unique Quest progress had reached 30%.
At the same moment, Hikaru felt a strange power ripple through his body.
That power surged into the seed.
He could feel it rapidly maturing.
When the surge ended, Hikaru raised his hand.
His chakra swirled.
Blue chakra formed—
and inside it, a faint red vortex gathered.
The red vortex condensed…
until a fruit-like object formed in his palm.
The chakra contained inside was terrifying.
Hikaru didn't hesitate.
He swallowed it whole.
The taste was, as always, awful.
A strange aura rose from his body.
His eyes closed again.
When the aura faded and his power stabilized, he opened his eyes.
His expression was… extremely complicated.
He slowly placed a hand over his lower abdomen.
After a long moment, he forced out a single sentence:
"…How is it actually a Nine-Tails?"
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