Yako removed his mask in front of Tsunade, revealing the lower half of his face beneath the cloth covering.
It was a gesture of trust — or at least, sothing close to it.
"Tsunade-hi," he began quietly, "I believe you've already suspected that my identity is… sowhat special.
Now that I hold greater authority, I can better control the intelligence around . I'm no longer walking on thin ice like before."
He paused — then began weaving the lie.
"To be honest… my mother was from the Senju clan.
My birth was kept secret. It involved resentnt she held toward my father. Very few people knew.
Clan Head Senju Rinju — your father — found . He arranged for to enter ANBU as a hidden agent for the Senju within the shadows.
Only he knew."
Rinjuhad long since turned to bones in the earth.
There would be no witness to contradict him.
Tsunade nodded slowly.
That matched her suspicions.
She had long believed Fox to be so hidden Senju operative.
"On the night the Nine-Tails' seal was transferred, I acted in secret to assist the clan and Princess Kushina. Unfortunately, my abilities were limited at the ti."
Tsunade's gaze softened.
"Kushina told . Without the chakra you provided — twice — she would not have survived.
You did more than you think."
For a brief mont, she missed her father deeply.
His hidden arrangents were still bearing fruit.
Yako let out a soft breath.
"And now I've risen all the way to ANBU Vice Commander… but Clan Head Rinju will never see it."
Then he lowered his voice.
"In Root's laboratory, ten individuals with Senju blood were captured for experintation.
Nine died.
One survived — like — and gained Wood Release.
His codena is Tenzo.
I will look after him.
One day… I hope he and I can return to the clan openly."
Tsunade's expression dimd.
The Senju had been weakened again and again.
Yet they endured.
Without another word, she pulled a scroll from her sleeve and tossed it to him.
"Fox. These are my grandfather's Wood Release techniques.
Study them well."
He caught it.
"I won't disgrace Lord Hashirama's na."
He replaced his mask and vanished.
Behind the Hokage Monunt, Yako opened the scroll imdiately.
It worked. She didn't doubt .
His eyes locked onto the first technique.
Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique.
His pulse quickened.
The Wood Dragon could absorb chakra and grow stronger mid-battle.
Unless its absorption limit was exceeded, it would only grow more formidable.
He began practicing at once — but within the village, such a massive technique would draw attention.
Using Body Flicker, he slipped beyond Konoha's barrier — now unconcerned with surveillance. As Vice Commander, he practically was the surveillance authority.
Two hours later, he could finally sustain a single Wood Dragon.
Roughly two ters thick.
Over thirty ters long.
Four clawed limbs.
Its rear claws anchored to the ground, coiling like a serpent before launching forward.
The more chakra poured into it, the denser and harder its body beca.
Absorption…
That was the true value.
He suddenly wondered —
Could it be miniaturized?
He let ironwood vines unfurl from his sleeve.
Unlike Wood Dragon, the vines required no hand seals — only chakra.
Flexible as serpents.
Multiple strands braided together like steel cable.
He experinted with altering the chakra circulation pattern to replicate the Wood Dragon's absorption function within the vines.
If successful, it would beco a compact Wood Dragon.
After an hour, progress was promising — but incomplete.
Still, vine training could be done anyti.
Wood Dragon required open space.
He continued scanning the scroll.
Wood Clone.
Wood Barrier.
Wooden Human Technique.
Then a final annotation — written by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
"Brother Hashirama visited the Fire Temple and returned having grasped Sage Art: True Several Thousand Hands and Top Transford Buddha.
Unfortunately, the fool cannot properly explain them — he only knows how to use them.
So shinobi grow purely on instinct. It is infuriating.
The Fire Temple holds the key."
Yako closed the scroll slowly.
So that was it.
He would need to visit the Fire Temple eventually.
When he returned to the tavern, Kyoi was gone.
Hospital.
Maternity ward.
He hurried there.
She lay on the bed, hands resting on her swollen belly, gazing into the dark night.
When she sensed soone beside her and turned —
Relief washed over her face.
"I'm sorry," Yako said softly. "I've been on missions. I won't leave the village again for a while. I'll stay with you."
She smiled.
"That's good."
For the next days, he balanced ANBU administration with waiting for the child's birth.
***
Deep within Root headquarters…
Orochimaru wiped cold sweat from his brow.
On the table lay four corpses — Shimura clan shinobi.
All had possessed Water and Earth chakra affinities.
One even had three natures.
"Strange… I used the sa dosage as with Fox…"
Across from him, Danzō's face was ashen.
He had expected mature, refined results.
Instead, rapid deaths.
He removed his bandages, exposing a Sharingan.
"I can't wait any longer, Orochimaru. Reduce the dosage. Inject ."
"The risk is considerable."
"I don't need Wood Release. Fox already has that.
I want Hashirama's vitality.
I'm past forty.
I must maintain my peak."
What he didn't say —
Uchiha Kagami had once told him about a stone tablet.
When Uchiha and Senju powers combined…
Sothing extraordinary occurred.
He already wielded the Sharingan.
But it drained him.
If he gained Senju vitality—
Balance.
Orochimaru smirked faintly.
"Very well.
But the Scroll of Seals?"
Danzō ford hand signs.
A massive scroll appeared.
Orochimaru's eyes glead as he scanned it.
Impure World Reincarnation.
Yamata no Orochi.
Ancient forbidden techniques.
Ah…
The Warring States era had been far more convenient.
He closed the scroll.
"Let's begin."
***
Days later, the child was born.
A boy.
Slightly darker skin.
Yako nad him Yoru — Night Wind.
He held the infant carefully.
Then, gently, he probed the boy's chakra signature.
His expression froze.
His first child had inherited Uzumaki blood.
This one—
Uchiha.
The ocular chakra pattern was unmistakable.
Damn.
The Uchiha bloodline had passed on.
How would he explain this?
Kyoi had no Uchiha lineage.
She was from Iwagakure.
And him?
He was positioning himself as Senju.
If the Uchiha investigated—
If the village questioned—
Could he protect this child?
Uchiha Kagen.
Uchiha Tōka.
Uchiha Gogo—
Especially Gogo, now awakened to Mangekyō under Madara's provocation.
That man needed to die sooner rather than later.
Yako's gaze shifted toward the Hokage Tower.
At this hour, Yellow Dog was likely in the underground office.
Promotion or removal, Yako thought coldly.
Vice Commander was not enough.
The Commander seat must be his.
And the Uchiha clan…
always a target.
He lowered his head and kissed Yoru gently.
Ten years.
He would need ten years before the boy awakened his eyes.
Within that ti—
He would clear the board.
Konoha's rulers changed often.
But one thing remained constant:
When politics turned ugly—
The Uchiha paid.
On the way ho, they passed the Ninja Academy.
New student enrollnt day.
Yako imdiately spotted Sakumo Hatake and his son.
Kakashi.
Behind Sakumo stood Minato Namikaze, smiling brightly while speaking to the boy.
So destinies remained intact.
The only one missing—
Jiraiya.
"Will our son study there one day?" Kyoi asked quietly.
"Of course," Yako replied.
"Our child will attend the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Kyoi… you are my woman.
And you belong to Konoha."
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