Basara POV
We walked quietly through the main street, side by side. The cohort had essentially dispersed for their post-deployment debrief. I didn't have time to converse with my team before they followed most of the crowd. They had given me encouraging looks, but I could tell we all needed a candid conversation; it wasn't something to let fester.
I could only hope they would understand why I had to keep my bloodline a secret.
Following Touka-sama through the village, she walked gracefully beside me, a faint, peaceful smile on her lips as her eyes gently tracked everything around us. Civilians and shinobi moved about their day.
High above, the sun had nearly reached its zenith, bathing the Hokage Monument in an orange glow that made the carved faces of the past hokage's look almost alive. Strangely, despite the heavy weight in my stomach about the upcoming meeting with the Third Hokage, I felt... safe. I was home.
Touka-sama must have noticed my tension, because after a few moments of comfortable silence, she spoke softly, her voice carrying over to me.
"There is no need to be so nervous, Basara-kun," she said gently, glancing over at me with kind eyes.
"We are simply meeting the Hokage for a debrief, so to speak, and then we will make our way home."
I felt my cheeks warm a little. It was rare for someone to show me this kind of motherly concern. I gave her an awkward nod, unsure how to respond.
"Thank you, Touka-sama," I murmured.
She simply smiled a little wider and continued walking, the silence between us now feeling lighter.
We walked towards the Hokage Building, a familiar structure of dark wood and stone. Its multi-tiered roof rose toward the sky. Red pillars framed the entrance, and the symbol of the village was proudly displayed above the heavy doors.
We simply walked in. No guards stopped us. No one even questioned our presence.
It was surreal. In any other circumstance, a random shinobi or civilian would have been intercepted immediately, but Touka Senju moved through the building like it was her own.
The power of the royal clan of Konoha, I supposed.
Then again, the Hokage had probably been informed of the situation, I thought, my stomach tightening again. There would be no more hiding, no more going under the radar. I would be a known quantity.
We continued down the polished wooden corridors, then up the stairs towards the Hokage's office. My mind was pulled in a different direction as I realized the wood the building was made of was familiar. Different than mine, but I realized it was made of Mokuton. Living Wood.
Lord First must have built the building, I thought, awed. I could feel the strength of the wood, much stronger than mine. Something to pursue, I supposed.
"Are you alright, Basara-kun? You look a little distracted." Touka-sama asked me gently. Startled, I looked at her, snapping out of the trance I had fallen into.
"Ah... no, it's nothing, just a little overwhelmed..." I answered her.
She said nothing, but gave me an understanding smile. We reached the top of the stairs. The doors to the Hokage's chamber were open. Without waiting or announcing, Touka-sama glided inside. Halting a little, I followed in behind her.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stood behind his desk near the large window overlooking the village. He wasn't wearing his full robes today, just a simple white haori over dark shinobi mesh. The instant I entered the room, I felt his immense presence that had been muffled to my senses by the building.
His eyes were sharp but softened a little as he saw who had come inside the room.
"Touka-sama," he greeted warmly, his voice rich with authority. "I am glad to see you returned safely." His gaze then shifted to me, studying me carefully, with interest. "And this must be the young man I've heard so much about."
I bowed deeply. "Hokage-sama." Of course he has, I thought.
He gestured for us to sit. "There is no need for excessive formality today. Please, both of you, sit down," he said, pointing to the seats in front of his table, which we did. The Hokage steepled his fingers and leaned forward from his seat, and I almost felt his presence like a physical thing; it wasn't threatening, but it was just there.
"I've read the preliminary reports," Hiruzen began, his tone calm. "You've had quite the journey, Basara-kun. From your service in the Genin Corps, to your exploits on the Grass front where you were reported as the sole survivor of your squad by Nara Kenshiro... and now these recent contributions in the Land of Rivers." He paused, a faint smile touching his lips. "You continue to surprise us."
I swallowed, unsure what to say. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I've only tried to do my part for the village."
Hiruzen studied me for a long moment.
"There is something I must ask," he said gently, though there was no hiding the weight behind his words now. "We now know you possess the Mokuton—Lord Hashirama's Wood Release. A sacred bloodline many believed lost forever. Why did you not come forward with this sooner?"
I hesitated, my mouth dry, feeling cornered like this. There was no perfect answer, and there was no way to say anything without sounding like I was hiding something, without sounding disloyal.
Before the silence could stretch too long and before I dug my own grave, Touka-sama spoke smoothly.
"Sometimes, Hiruzen, the timing of such revelations is... delicate. What matters is that it has been revealed when it was needed most and used in service to the village."
Hiruzen regarded her for a moment, then gave a slow nod.
"Indeed," he said, his tone warm but carrying the subtle reminder of what was at stake: "Loyalty to the village and the Will of Fire is what binds us all. As long as that flame burns brightly in one's heart, the village will always look out for those who carry extraordinary gifts."
He leaned back slightly, the tension easing.
"Now, regarding the matter of your bloodline... My Lady, will the Senju clan be adopting the boy into the family? With abilities like this—"
"It is an internal clan matter," Touka-sama replied smoothly, her tone polite yet firm, cutting off the Hokage. What am I getting myself into, I thought dryly, staring at the woman. "We will inform you once a decision has been made."
Hiruzen studied her for a short moment, then gave a slow nod, accepting her words without challenge. "Of course. Forgive an old man's curiosity."
He turned back to me, his expression softening into something almost grandfatherly, putting me on edge internally.
"Basara-kun... you have given this village a great gift tonight. But such power also brings great responsibility. We will speak more on that soon. For now, rest. You've earned it."
"Indeed," Touka-sama said softly and reached out across the table, lightly touching Hiruzen's arm in a familiar gesture. "It was good to see you, my friend. Take care of yourself."
The Hokage gave her a small nod, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a faint smile.
We left the office together. I bowed once more to the Hokage before following Touka-sama out. We walked down the corridor toward the side of the building. Secretaries and aides bowed as she passed them. Once we stepped outside onto a quiet balcony walkway on the same floor, I finally worked up the courage to ask, knowing that the meeting could have gone a lot worse.
"Um... Touka-sama? Where are we going?"
She turned to me with a gentle smile and placed a reassuring hand on my back.
"We're going home," she said simply. "Come. Follow my lead."
Before I could respond, she wrapped her chakra around mine and we vanished in a shunshin. We continued to shunshin until we reached the entrance of the Senju compound on the eastern side of the village. The compound had tall walls covered in ivy; it felt almost like a private nature park. Old trees with wide canopies shaded winding stone paths, and beautiful traditional houses were nestled among carefully maintained gardens.
We walked quietly along the path toward the largest main house at the center. As we approached the entrance, several maids in elegant kimonos appeared and bowed deeply.
"Welcome back, Lady Touka," they greeted in unison.
I followed her inside, feeling more and more out of place with every step I took. The interior was refined, with a quiet, luxurious look to it: polished wood floors, tasteful scrolls decorating the walls. Through my senses, I could tell the wood the house was made of was the same as the Hokage's building.
Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Lady Touka... I already have an apartment. I don't think this is necessary—"
She stopped and turned to face me fully. The intensity in her eyes caught me off guard; it was filled with emotion I wasn't prepared for.
"This is not the clan keeping you prisoner, nor me, Basara-kun," she said softly. "Your things will be brought here. This... is where you belong now. With family." Her voice grew quieter, almost sentimental. "As few as we are now."
She reached out and gently caressed my cheek with the back of her fingers in a maternal way. At the face of such emotion, I could only lock up and nod. Satisfied, she guided me towards a room but was interrupted by another woman in a kimono who approached, carrying a lacquered tray. On it rested scrolls that looked old.
"The scrolls you requested, my lady," she said, bowing.
Touka-sama accepted them with a nod of thanks and turned to me, holding them out.
"A small gift from me to you, though they would belong to you soon enough."
I took them carefully and unrolled the first one. My eyes widened.
Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall (Mokuton: Mokujōheki)
My hands trembled slightly as a wide smile broke across my face.
Touka-sama chuckled softly, hiding her smile behind her sleeve like a proper noblewoman, but her eyes sparkled with clear amusement and affection at my obvious happiness.
Fuck yes...