Chapter 91: How do I revive the Senju clan?

"Achievement achieved – take over as Mizukage!"

"Template character——Kizaru!"

"Unlock progress: 88%!"

"Achievement achieved – annex Konoha!"

"Template character——Kizaru!"

"Unlock progress: 91%!"

Looking at his system interface, Zenkichi fell into deep thought.

Judging from the rate of progress, it wouldn't be long before he fully unlocked the Kizaru template.

"Once I do... I'll be eligible for my second character template, right?"

Zenkichi muttered to himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Zenkichi, we've got a situation,"

Tsunade's tone was grave.

"Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure have joined forces. They've formed a ninja alliance and are advancing toward Konoha."

"In addition to the three great villages, Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Takigakure have also sent forces. We're looking at a total army of 80,000 ninja."

Tsunade wore a heavy expression. The sheer scale of the threat weighed on her visibly.

"Just a bunch of stray dogs," Zenkichi scoffed.

"Three major villages? To me, they're nothing but opportunists trying to grab whatever scraps they can."

"..."

Tsunade fell silent, the tension in her expression easing slightly.

Zenkichi seemed unfazed by the news, almost as if he already had a countermeasure.

He patted her shoulder, voice calm but confident.

"Don't worry. I'll handle it."

"Eighty thousand? Even if they brought a hundred thousand, it wouldn't change the outcome."

"You know what true overwhelming force is? You're looking at it."

Tsunade chuckled quietly.

"If that's the case, then I'll stop worrying."

But then her face shifted. A flicker of hesitation passed through her eyes.

She looked at Zenkichi, clearly struggling with what she wanted to say.

"If you've got something on your mind, say it. I'm not going to bite."

After a pause, Tsunade finally spoke.

"According to reports… Jiraiya and some of the Root members that escaped earlier are among the alliance ranks."

Zenkichi yawned.

"Is that so? Well, bad luck for them. I already gave them a chance to walk away."

Tsunade sighed. His stance was crystal clear.

"Alright. I suppose… since you already killed my teacher, losing two more teammates doesn't mean much anymore."

She said it bitterly, a trace of defeat in her voice.

Zenkichi chuckled lightly.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen should've thanked me, honestly. At least he didn't die at the hands of his own student."

"Wait—no, maybe he would've preferred that. Maybe he wanted to be surpassed."

"If so, then yeah, he probably does resent me."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"Are you suggesting I would've been the one to kill Sarutobi-sensei?"

Zenkichi shook his head.

"No. That's not your style. Even if you knew he was behind the fall of the Senju Clan, you'd never raise a hand against your teacher."

Tsunade deflated, her expression falling.

"But Orochimaru? He's a different case. He's methodical—calculating. You've seen it too. The cracks between him and Sarutobi are already there."

"Because of Hiruzen's weakness, Orochimaru will leave Konoha. And when he becomes strong enough… he'll return to kill him."

Zenkichi's voice was resolute. He spoke with the certainty of someone who knew the future.

Tsunade frowned.

"Orochimaru wouldn't go that far… would he?"

Zenkichi shook his head.

"He would. He has to. Killing his teacher is the only way to prove that the one who doubted him was wrong."

Tsunade remained silent. The more she thought about their personalities, the more it made sense.

"So don't lose sleep over Sarutobi's death. If it had been up to you, it might've been your hands, too."

"As for Jiraiya… let it go. Everyone walks their own path."

"If they think they're right, let life and death settle the score."

"And if guilt starts creeping in? Think about Uzumaki Kushina."

"You'll realize that loyalty, even friendship, doesn't mean what you think it does. In their eyes, you're not more important than the village."

"If sacrificing you brought peace, they'd cry for you—but they'd still do it."

"You're emotional, Tsunade. But you're not just a woman. You're a shinobi—and that kind of sentiment will only drag you down."

Zenkichi's words landed hard, silencing her once again.

"Zenkichi-sama!"

At that moment, Nara Shikaku entered the room.

As Konoha's chief strategist, he had been brought fully under Zenkichi's command.

"The coalition forces are approaching Konoha. What are your instructions?"

Zenkichi didn't hesitate.

"No need to see them off. Just crush them."

Though a little taken aback, Shikaku nodded. After all, he had witnessed Zenkichi's power firsthand.

"Alright," he said simply.

"Come on, don't look so glum," Zenkichi said, turning back to Tsunade.

"Once this is over, peace will reign. Your grandfather's dream will come true. Your brother's tragedy—won't happen again."

"The Senju Clan… if you want it restored, I'll help you do it."

Zenkichi looked her in the eye, completely serious.

"Grandfather's dream… Nawaki's regrets…"

Tsunade visibly steadied herself. But confusion remained.

"I'm the last of my clan. How can I possibly revive it?"

Zenkichi smiled slyly—and suddenly pulled her into his arms.

If Terumi Mei could make the first move, then so could he.

"When I return from the battlefield, come to my room that night."

"Then you'll understand exactly how I plan to revive the Senju Clan."

With that, he released the now-blushing Tsunade, laughed, and strode out of the Hokage's office.

---

I went to check if we hit 100 Powerstones (so I could drop some bonus chapters)… and got hit with a shock instead,

So yeah… no bonus chapter for now (⁠-⁠_⁠-⁠;⁠)