Chapter 117: Followers

Not long after, every member of the Uzumaki clan had gathered.

Senshi noticed that, despite so much time having passed, there still weren't that many people in the Uzumaki clan. From what Uncle Takusen had told him, at the very beginning, more than ten clan members had arrived at the Amegakure. After that, a long time would pass before just one, or at most two, more clan members made it to the village. As a result, all these years later, the Uzumaki clan numbered only around thirty people.

Still, there was some good news: the Uzumaki clan now had a tiny new "Uzumaki." It was a newborn baby. When the baby's mother was on her way to Amegakure, she almost died not far from the village. Luckily, Konan discovered her and brought her into the village. Hence, the baby was named Uzumaki Nanko, so that when she grew up, she would remember her mother's savior.

Once all the Uzumaki clan members were assembled, Senshi began making his selections. He decided first to pick out a few who had never gone to school. Because the Uzumaki clan's bond value was the highest, and although there were some suitable "young prospects" in the Ame's ninja academy, those children were still too young; their top priority right now was studying and growing stronger. Senshi wouldn't rush things—he had no intention of sending three- or four-year-olds onto the battlefield, and there was no need to do so. After they graduated from the academy, they would be able to do missions even more efficiently.

"I'll call out some names. If you hear yours, please step forward. After that, I'll tell you about my mercenary group, and you can choose whether or not to join it."

"Uzumaki Musen, Uzumaki Lanyu, Uzumaki Lanwu—step forward!"

This time, Senshi singled out two teenage boys and one teenage girl from the Uzumaki clan. Among all the clan members at the settlement, these three were the most talented and also shared the highest bond value with him—more than worth training. However, because Uzushio Village had been destroyed, the Land of Whirlpools had fallen, and the Uzumaki clan's ninjutsu inheritance had been cut off, these three were currently neither powerful nor skilled enough. But that was no problem at all. Weak power? Inadequate ability? Those are nothing in the face of sweat and hard work.

The moment Musen and the other two were chosen, they didn't even wait for Senshi to introduce his mercenary group before they excitedly spoke up:

"Lord Senshi, we're willing to join your mercenary group!"

"Please let us join Lord Senshi's mercenary group right now!"

"Lord Senshi, please allow us to join your mercenary group immediately!"

All three were brimming with excitement. They felt honored to be accepted into Senshi's mercenary group and secretly vowed to work very hard in the future to complete missions under his leadership.

Seeing how eager they were, Senshi was delighted. Since these three "young recruits" were still too weak to farm missions efficiently and thus couldn't yet provide him with many "employment points," he decided on the spot to solve that problem from two directions.

After Musen and the other two were selected, the ones who weren't chosen (and the ones who were still too young) all looked on with envy. Each of them silently resolved to put in twice the effort from now on so that they, too, could earn Senshi's recognition and join his mercenary group.

At that moment, Senshi continued speaking, turning to Musen and the other two. "You three have worked very hard, so I want to reward and encourage you so that you can start taking on missions right away. By completing them time after time, you'll gain experience and quickly improve. Also, I'll leave a Wood Clone here at the Uzumaki clan's settlement to guide everyone in ninjutsu training."

The moment Senshi said this, every member of the Uzumaki clan grew excited, practically trembling with joy. After all, having someone as powerful—and from their own clan—teaching them was sure to help everyone improve. For Musen's trio, it was the most thrilling of all: not only had they joined Lord Senshi's mercenary group and received direct guidance from his Wood Clone, but they were about to get a present from him, too!

While the three looked at him expectantly, Senshi raised his hand and rested it lightly on Musen's forehead—just like the way "Itachi would tap Sasuke." At his touch, Musen's whole body shuddered, his eyes going wide as he stood there, speechless. With that single gesture, Senshi had given him a Bloodline Limit with fearsome renown across the shinobi world: Wood Release!

Along with that Bloodline Limit, he could now use one basic Wood Release technique. As for Wood Release's other jutsu, he would need to familiarize himself with the Bloodline Limit and develop it gradually before employing them. After withdrawing his hand, Senshi said to Musen, "Try out your new ability."

He had given Musen Wood Release for three reasons: first, of all the Uzumaki ninjas in the settlement, Musen's bond value with him was the highest; second, Musen was especially talented in Water and Earth Release, which were perfect foundations for Wood Release; third, if Senshi later acquired a certain "Wood-Wood" power, he could further enhance Musen. Wood Release plus that "Wood" power would reinforce each other, possibly making Musen a Wood Release ninja stronger than even the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and an even more impressive super-worker than Kakuzu!

Hearing Senshi's words, Musen snapped out of his daze. "Yes, Lord Senshi!" he answered. Then he formed hand seals and cast a jutsu. "Wood Release: Silent Strangling Binding Technique!"

The instant his voice fell, the ground beside him cracked loudly on both sides, and three brown wooden tendrils burst forth, instantly shooting toward a large boulder not far away to constrict and crush it. "Rumble…!" "Crack…!" The boulder near Musen was tightly bound by those three brown wooden tendrils, its surface covered in splintering cracks, and began breaking apart bit by bit.

This scene left the Uzumaki clan members too shocked for words. After all, they knew exactly how strong Musen used to be. Uncle Takusen, one of the few ninjas in the clan, was even more astounded. He was well aware of what a Bloodline Limit was. Musen had never had Wood Release before—but with just a single touch from Senshi, he suddenly did!

Moreover, the former Uzushiogakure had once been allied with the Konohagakure, so Uncle Takusen knew that the village's founder, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju—one of the "Two Heroes of the Warring States Period"—had used his unbelievably powerful Wood Release to awe the entire shinobi world. Now his very own nephew, Uzumaki Musen, had that same power. How could he not be stunned?

As Uncle Takusen's mind roiled, Senshi walked over to Uzumaki Lanyu and Uzumaki Lanwu. They, too, were gaping in amazement at Musen's transformation. Having formed a three-person squad that trained together daily, they were fully aware that Musen's newly revealed power had been bestowed by Senshi.

And while they were busy marveling, Senshi raised his hand once more, touching each of their brows—bestowing Storm Release on Lanyu and Ice Release on Lanwu. Afterward, he smiled. "Go on, test your new abilities."

Uzumaki Lanyu answered steadily, "Yes, Lord Senshi." Uzumaki Lanwu, normally a bit airheaded, was so stunned at suddenly acquiring a Bloodline Limit that she froze up. Only after Lanyu cleared his throat did she snap back and hurriedly say, "Yes, Lord Senshi!"

Under the curious gazes of the watching crowd, Lanyu quickly formed hand seals and announced, "Storm Release: Laser Circus!"

The moment he spoke, a bolt of lightning shot forth from his palm. Everyone watched in amazement as the electricity twisted and curved like water, even changing direction in midair. It turned behind him, striking in the opposite direction from where he'd launched it. Lanyu was already showing remarkable talent with the power Senshi had granted him. Even Senshi paused to watch in admiration. Given how quickly Lanyu had adapted, he would undoubtedly become very strong over time.

Senshi then looked at Lanwu, who was typically quiet and rather spacey. Lanwu wasted no time, quickly forming hand seals and calling out in a soft voice, "Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness!"

With a thunderous rumble, a massive, translucent dome of ice rose from the ground, enclosing her completely.

Many of the Uzumaki members were close to Musen's team and knew very well that none of the three had such abilities before. Now, with just a tap to each forehead, Senshi had granted them Bloodline Limits. The looks they turned on Senshi were now filled with both reverence and awe, as though he were the Sage of Six Paths himself. The clan's settlement had never been so lively, with good news coming one after another. Everyone was full of joy.

The saying "A common man with a treasure invites trouble" fits the Uzumaki clan's history perfectly. As direct descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, they were born with an extremely powerful talent for sealing techniques. In the past, the clan had possessed numerous potent fūinjutsu that countless forces coveted, which was the reason for their village's fall and their nation's destruction.

A once-large group, after that calamity, had only reassembled about thirty or so people in the Amegakure. Yet today, every Uzumaki felt hope that the clan might rise again. Even though Senshi had not declared himself to be their clan leader, he was acting like one—leading them forward once more.

This time, Uzumaki Musen, Uzumaki Lanyu, and Uzumaki Lanwu had successfully joined Lord Senshi's mercenary group. On top of that, Lord Senshi left behind a Wood Clone specifically to help everyone train. Going forward, any clan member who met certain requirements could enter Lord Senshi's mercenary group as well.

While many in the clan were gazing hopefully toward the future, Musen, Lanyu, and Lanwu were more concerned about what would come next. They knew something about Senshi's mercenary group, but not in detail. Senshi had never given an in-depth introduction to it, and they had no other sources of information. Now Musen approached Senshi with respect and anticipation. "Lord Senshi, now that we've joined your mercenary group, are we going to follow you to conquer the shinobi world?"

Senshi: (O_O)???

Karin: (O_O)?

Lanyu: (〃▽〃)

Lanwu: (◕‿◕)

Musen's comment also stunned Karin. Since when had the mercenary group's mission become conquering the ninja world? Sure, Senshi could do that if he wanted to, but there was no point—he wasn't the "supreme ruler" of the shinobi world, and conquering it, or even all worlds, held no meaning for him.

Neither Lanyu nor Lanwu were surprised that Musen said something like that. He was a bit silly to begin with; even a newly granted Bloodline Limit from Lord Senshi couldn't suppress his "chūnibyō" streak. Senshi paused briefly, then considered how to arrange things for Musen, Lanyu, and Lanwu. Naruto and Sasuke were the reincarnations of Indra and Ashura—given the altered timeline, he'd placed a Wood Clone near them so they could simply grow naturally. However, he couldn't just leave Musen's trio to fend for themselves; if not for Senshi's changes to the world line, there was no telling if they'd even still be alive at this point, let alone have the chance to become strong.

But he also couldn't personally take them everywhere—he had his own affairs to attend to, and his current team was already nicely balanced. After some thought, a sudden idea struck him: like Konoha's established training model, these three should have their own jōnin instructor. Who would be best suited for that role? Of course it would be the honorable "Takikage," Kakuzu!

Kakuzu normally led teams out of the Amegakure, taking missions in and around the Land of Rain. So Musen and the other two could simply be entrusted to him.

First, Kakuzu—after being enhanced twice—was extremely strong even among Kage-level ninja, enough to guarantee their safety. Second, he was a seasoned mercenary with over seventy years of black-market experience—there was a huge amount he could teach them. Lastly, because Kakuzu mostly operated within the Land of Rain, Musen and his teammates wouldn't be too far from home, letting them check in on the clan settlement and help out. This was a triple win. So, the three of them had to be assigned to Kakuzu, and not even the Sage of Six Paths himself could stop it.

Senshi cleared his throat and said to Musen, Lanyu, and Lanwu, "Our mercenary group's mission isn't to conquer the shinobi world. It's to hone ourselves through missions and become better ninjas, so that we can help others and complete more assignments. After all, most employers only post requests when they're in trouble or in crisis. Our role is to help them identify and solve those problems, and in doing so, we gain experience and grow."

Hearing these words, not only Musen and the other two, but the entire Uzumaki clan listened intently. They couldn't have heard such a perspective anywhere else, and everyone found Senshi's reasoning very compelling. Indeed, a shinobi's life would feel extremely meaningful if, while completing jobs for pay, they were also rescuing and aiding people in dire need.

Musen's trio—stalwart youth of the Uzumaki clan—were more eager than ever to embark on such a path. Noticing their enthusiasm, Senshi nodded with satisfaction and went on: "Carrying out missions isn't easy, so you'll need to follow an experienced senior until you're able to stand on your own. That senior is also a member of our mercenary group. His name is Kakuzu, and you probably know who he is, right?" In Senshi's absence, Kakuzu was essentially the top figure at the Ame's black market. Most people in the village knew of him.

What happened next surprised Senshi a little. When Musen heard Kakuzu's name, he brightened and said, "Lord Senshi, you're saying we're to learn from Kakuzu how to execute missions efficiently? Great! We're pretty familiar with Lord Kakuzu!" Lanyu and Lanwu also looked relieved. In their memories, Kakuzu often came by the Uzumaki clan's settlement to lend a hand, so they viewed him as a very kind senior.

Senshi: (O_O)???

He was a bit taken aback that these three little Uzumaki were already so well-acquainted with Kakuzu. Curious, he asked, "You all know Kakuzu?"

Musen nodded respectfully. "Yes, Lord Senshi. Kakuzu often comes to the Uzumaki settlement to help. He's given our people a lot of assistance and told us many things about the outside world. In our eyes, he's always been a very good senior!"

Senshi was glad to hear that; it saved him trouble. There would be no need for them to get to know each other from scratch or spend time on building rapport. They already knew one another. Immediately, he said, "Excellent—if that's the case, go find Kakuzu right away. He's one of the founding members of our group, so if you have any questions, just ask him."

Before Musen and the others could answer, Karin raised her hand. "I'm a founding member, too! Older than Kakuzu! You can ask me if you have any questions!"

Of course, Senshi and the surrounding clan members just smiled and let that pass, not taking it seriously. After all, Karin was just a little kid (despite her impressive strength), and there were still plenty of things she didn't know.

Realizing their looks, Karin planted her hands on her hips and pouted, "Hey, don't underestimate me! I'm Senshi's personal assistant! I've done lots of missions with him!"

While she was muttering in annoyance, a middle-aged woman stepped forward, gently pulled Karin into her arms, and patted her head. "We don't doubt you, Karin! You're amazing for always assisting Lord Senshi, and Haruko and the others all look up to you."

Karin, a bit embarrassed, said, "Honestly, I haven't helped that much…"

Once Senshi had finished arranging matters for Musen and the others, he headed off with Sasori and Karin, following Uncle Takusen to rest. After Senshi left, Musen, Lanyu, and Lanwu became the center of everyone's attention.

In the Amegakure, everyone knew that only outstanding ninjas could join the Akatsuki, and it took someone even more exceptional to join Lord Senshi's mercenary group. Up until now, it seemed the only one that strong had been Kakuzu. That meant if they themselves became as good as Musen's trio, they too could join Senshi's group. Just becoming one of Lord Senshi's mercenaries was already a huge honor, envied by countless people. On top of that, Musen's trio had gained Bloodline Limits directly from him. Plenty of Uzumaki were now determined to work doubly hard so they could one day join up as well, become recognized by Senshi and the entire Amegakure, and in turn shoulder greater responsibilities in the village's growth—taking on more missions and making more contributions.

Musen, meanwhile, was too impatient to wait. "Lanyu, Lanwu, let's go find Lord Kakuzu right now and learn how to carry out missions under him!" Lanyu shook his head. "We should explain things first and await his instructions." Lanwu stayed silent—though normally she was calm and a bit aloof, she admired Lord Senshi for saving her entire clan, so she became more enthusiastic only when talking to him. In her opinion, Lanyu was right: someone like Kakuzu wouldn't appreciate it if they just barged in without a plan.

But Musen couldn't wait even a moment. He grabbed Lanyu by the sleeve and turned to Lanwu. "Lanwu, don't listen to him. He makes everything more complicated! Hurry up—we'll go find Kakuzu right now!"

With that, Musen dragged Lanyu off at a run, Lanwu following in exasperation. She felt the urge to punch Musen; wasn't a good ninja supposed to look before leaping? That guy always just did whatever came to mind in the heat of the moment.

Led by Musen's impatience, the three of them soon made their way toward the Ame's black market. They never made it inside, though. Soon after leaving the Uzumaki settlement, they ran into Kakuzu—who was on his way there as well—accompanied by Deidara and Fū. The moment Musen spotted them, he waved eagerly. "Lord Kakuzu, wait for us!"

Kakuzu saw three excited Uzumaki teens rushing over, their eyes shining, and was puzzled. He knew these kids well—they were the three most promising young members of the Uzumaki clan. He wondered if something had happened to the clan. But judging by their excited looks, it hardly seemed they were in trouble. Plus, Senshi was in the village right now, so if something had happened, they would have gone to him first. This only made Kakuzu more confused about why they'd come.

He stopped to wait for them, and once they caught up, Musen opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, Lanyu quickly spoke on his behalf. "Lord Kakuzu, here's the situation. The three of us have joined Lord Senshi's mercenary group. He said you're one of the group's leading members and have a wealth of mission experience. He wants us to follow you, train, and ask you whenever we have questions."

Hearing Lanyu's measured explanation, Musen swallowed the words he'd been about to blurt out. He had intended to say, "Lord Kakuzu, we're going to stick to you from now on!" but realized Lanyu had phrased it a lot more elegantly.

~~~

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