Chapter Two: Senju?

Welcome to the exciting journey of my debut novel! As English is not my first language, writing this novel has been a thrilling adventure filled with discovery and creativity. Each page represents not just a story, but a personal voyage through the world of words, as I explore the art of storytelling.

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Chapter Two: Senju?

The streets of Konoha bustled with life, but I barely registered it. My mind was too clouded, still struggling with the surreal reality of being in the Naruto universe. I followed Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke through the village gates, their casual conversation contrasting sharply with the storm of thoughts swirling in my head. This wasn't a dream. I had been transported into a world that was supposed to be fictional, and somehow, I had absorbed strange powers from an ancient artifact.

The faint pulse in my chest from the orb's energy hadn't stopped since that moment in the forest. It was like a heartbeat, alive inside me. Whatever had happened, the orb had changed me, and I could feel its influence in every breath I took. As we walked, I barely noticed the curious glances from the villagers, too wrapped up in my thoughts. Why was I here? And what were these new abilities that seemed to connect me to nature itself?

When we reached the Hokage's Tower, Naruto couldn't contain his excitement.

"Granny Tsunade will know exactly what to do! She's the best Hokage ever!"

"Stop calling her 'Granny,'" Sakura sighed, though there was affection behind her words.

Sasuke, ever the distant observer, glanced at me, his voice cold. "You don't belong here. You might have powerful chakra, but that doesn't mean we can trust you. We'll see what Tsunade thinks."

His words stung, but I knew they weren't unfair. I was a stranger, after all, dropped into their world by some unknown force. Still, I felt the weight of his gaze, like he was measuring me, waiting for me to slip up.

Inside the Hokage's office, Lady Tsunade stood with her arms crossed, her sharp amber eyes scanning me as if she could size me up in a single look. Shizune was beside her, shuffling through papers but stealing curious glances my way.

"So," Tsunade began, her tone as sharp as her gaze, "you're telling me this stranger just appeared out of nowhere, and he can control plant life?" She cast a skeptical glance at Naruto. "This isn't one of your pranks, is it?"

Naruto shook his head vigorously. "No way, Granny—I mean, Lady Tsunade. It's real! I saw it! Alex stopped a huge tree from going berserk!"

Sakura nodded in agreement, stepping forward to back him up. "It's true. Whatever power Alex used, it's connected to nature. It reminded me of the First Hokage's wood-style jutsu."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, looking back at me. "Wood-style? That's not something you just stumble across." Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of doubt in her expression, though she kept it well-hidden.

I shifted uneasily under her gaze. "I don't really know what happened. The orb… it shattered, and the energy went into me. I didn't mean to control anything—it just happened."

"The orb?" Tsunade asked, now clearly intrigued. "Describe it."

I hesitated. Something told me not to reveal too much. The real reason I was transported here—if I even fully understood it—wasn't something I was ready to share. So I kept it simple, describing how I had found the artifact and how it had exploded with energy.

As I spoke, Tsunade listened intently, but I could see something flicker behind her eyes—suspicion, maybe? Or doubt? Shizune had stopped sorting papers now and was watching me closely, too.

When I finished, Tsunade remained silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed, crossing her arms. "There's something familiar about this. The ability to control nature is rare, and it sounds an awful lot like the Senju clan's kekkei genkai, but this… it's different. More raw."

"Senju clan?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, could manipulate wood-style jutsu, a rare power tied to his bloodline. It's one of the most powerful kekkei genkai in existence. But your abilities—if they're tied to that—they're something else."

Sakura, always quick to theorize, chimed in. "Maybe the orb was some kind of relic tied to the Senju bloodline? That could explain why it responded to Alex."

Tsunade looked thoughtful but kept her emotions tightly guarded. "Artifacts can hold power, yes, but something like this is unusual. If this is connected to the Senju, we need to know more."

Shizune added cautiously, "Could it be that the orb awakened something in him? A dormant bloodline, maybe?"

Tsunade's eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary before she nodded slowly. "It's possible. If Alex has a connection to the Senju bloodline, even distantly, it could explain why the orb reacted to him. But we can't jump to conclusions yet."

I stood there, trying not to show my anxiety. "But… I'm not from here. I don't know anything about the Senju clan."

Tsunade's expression softened slightly, but I noticed she didn't completely dismiss the idea. "Our world is complicated, shaped by forces we don't fully understand. Wherever you came from, it's possible you have connections to this one that we don't know about. For now, we need to focus on helping you control this power before it becomes dangerous."

Naruto, ever the optimist, punched the air with a grin. "If you've got power like the First Hokage, that's awesome! You could be super strong!"

Sasuke's voice cut through the moment like ice. "Power doesn't matter if you can't control it. If you don't learn fast, you'll be more of a threat than an ally."

Tsunade nodded, agreeing with his assessment. "Sasuke's right. Until we know more, we need to be cautious. You'll need to train, not just to control your chakra, but to understand it. If this power is tied to the Senju, it won't be easy to master."

I swallowed hard, the gravity of the situation settling in. "I don't know where to begin."

Tsunade gave a small nod. "We'll start with assessing your chakra and how it's interacting with nature. From there, we'll see if there's a connection to wood-style jutsu."

The following days were a whirlwind. Under Tsunade's watchful eye, I trained constantly, learning to sense and manipulate the strange energy inside me. It was overwhelming—the sheer force of it, the way plants and trees seemed to respond to my emotions, growing and shifting without me even trying.

During one training session, I focused too hard, and a sapling at the edge of the training ground shot up into a towering tree in seconds. It took all my concentration just to stop it from growing further.

Tsunade watched, her face impassive, though I sensed her doubt hadn't fully faded. She was holding back, not completely sold on my story.

"It's a nature-based kekkei genkai," she murmured to herself, though her tone wasn't entirely convinced.

Naruto, meanwhile, was practically bouncing with excitement. "You're like a nature wizard! That's so cool!"

Sakura smiled but remained cautious. "It's powerful, but unpredictable. You need more control, Alex. If this really is tied to the Senju bloodline, there might be even more you can do."

Sasuke, arms crossed, wasn't impressed. "Power means nothing without discipline. Hashirama wasn't just strong—he was in control. You need to be the same, or you'll be a liability."

His words, cold and cutting, stayed with me. He didn't trust me, and I couldn't blame him. Not when I barely trusted myself.

As the days passed, I slowly began to gain control over my abilities, but the questions remained. What was the real reason I had been brought here? How could I have any connection to the Senju bloodline? And why had the orb chosen me?

One thing was clear: this was just the beginning. My journey in this world had only started, and the path ahead was far more complicated than I could have imagined.