Next Bonus, 100PS!!
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'Now that the Senju Clan Head is gone, you've fallen apart... Then what happens to my Sage evaluation? How am I supposed to explain this to the Grand Sage when I return?' Black Zetsu pushed aside the thoughts racing through his mind.
"Tsuru, you can't keep tearing yourself down like this."
"The situation outside is hanging by a thread. The Uchiha and Hagoromo clans are watching like wolves, ready to attack at any mont. Yet those elders inside your clan are not thinking about how to repel the enemy. Now that your clan has no clear leader, they are busy tearing each other apart for the clan head's seat. The Senju Clan is already standing on the edge of life and death."
"..." Tsuru clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, and anger flickered in his empty eyes.
His father had only been gone a few days. His body wasn't even cold, but the clan's elders were already ignoring the outside threat and fighting for power.
This was the Senju Clan he had believed in since childhood?
This was the Senju, the clan of love?
But that anger only lasted a mont before fading away.
"Haah..." Tsuru let out a long sigh. He relaxed his fists, slumped his shoulders, and looked numb and defeated again. "Forget it. Let it be."
"Those power struggles are best left to the old n. I don't want to deal with them, and honestly, I can't. My abilities are too limited. Without your help, Sage, I am nothing. I can't accomplish anything on my own."
Now his voice was just tired. "Rather than carry such a heavy burden, maybe I should just go back to being an ordinary person and waste my days in the clan."
Black Zetsu watched him give in the mont things got hard and felt a deep sense of helplessness.
No wonder the Grand Sage had personally assigned him to assist this kid.
A mont later, Black Zetsu's expression changed. He suddenly seed fierce and intimidating.
He walked over to Tsuru, looked down at him, and snapped, "Senju Tsuru, listen to !"
"You are no longer the clan head's son protected under his wings. Do you think those elders fighting for power will still treat you well like they did before? In their eyes, you are now a useless burden."
"Without your father's protection, if you stay this weak and helpless, peace is not what awaits you. They will toss you into nial work at best. When war cos, they may even throw you onto the front line as expendable fodder and let you die for nothing."
"Your only path is to stand up, strengthen yourself, take the clan head's seat with your own hands, protect yourself, and protect the Senju Clan before it collapses completely."
Black Zetsu's harsh words left Tsuru stunned.
The sound of that harsh voice hung in the simple mourning hall, leaving Tsuru frozen. He stared up at Black Zetsu's stern face, his eyes full of confusion.
"Sage... you..."
Seeing how lost the boy was, Black Zetsu softened a little.
"Have you forgotten what happened to your father? He died on the battlefield for the Senju Clan, and after his death, the Uchiha and Hagoromo clans burned his corpse in public like a lantern. They humiliated him even after death."
"You are his only blood. Are you going to hide in this mourning hall and spend the rest of your life as a coward who refuses to face reality?"
"You hate the slaughter of shinobi because you lived under your father's protection for too long. You never truly carried responsibility on your own."
"If you keep sinking like this, you will never avenge your father. You will never protect the clan he spent his life building. You will not even be able to protect yourself. You will beco a sacrifice in the elders' power struggle, trampled and discarded at their whim. Is that what you want?"
Those words hit him hard.
"..." Tsuru's fists clenched again.
Soon, determination returned to his eyes.
"Sage, I understand now." Tsuru's voice was hoarse but firm, and the hem of his mourning clothes brushed against the cold floor as he rose with sudden determination. "I'll gather the clansn right now and resist the Uchiha and Hagoromo invasion with them!"
But as Tsuru turned to leave, Black Zetsu put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.
"Hey."
Black Zetsu gave a sly smile. "What's the rush? Acting without thinking won't save the Senju or make you clan head."
"The priority right now is not rushing to the front line to repel the enemy. You need to contact your father's old subordinates in secret and gather everyone still loyal to the forr clan head. Build your strength quietly."
"As for resisting the Uchiha and Hagoromo clans, let those power-hungry old n stand at the front. Aren't they desperate to seize the clan head's seat? Perfect. Let them spend their strength dealing with the external threat."
"When they exhaust each other and no longer have the strength to control the clan, we step in, seize power in one move, and put you firmly in the clan head's position."
Black Zetsu looked exactly like soone scheming sothing.
Tsuru froze. "But if we seize power while they're in danger... isn't that wrong?"
Black Zetsu shook his head. "I see nothing wrong with it. Those elders are selfish. They ignore the clan's safety and care only about infighting. They are not fit to lead the Senju Clan."
"You are the forr clan head's only son. The clansn already have a natural trust in you, even a certain reverence. That is an advantage you were born with."
"As long as you gain a few battle achievents, earn the full support of your father's old followers, and most importantly, keep by your side to strengthen you, your power will surpass every shinobi in the clan."
"When that happens, your rise will feel natural. The clan will accept it."
Black Zetsu spoke with complete certainty.
Tsuru t Black Zetsu's steady gaze and was quiet for a mont. At last, all his hesitation disappeared. He took a deep breath and nodded hard. "Then I'll do as you say, Sage."
..............
Elsewhere, in the Uzumaki Clan.
A young boy picked up the scroll from the Six Paths altar, his eyes brimming with wonder. "Huh? When did this scroll appear?"
"Did the Sage of Six Paths answer our prayers? Did he see that the Uzumaki Clan was at a disadvantage and send us help?"
Puzzled, the Uzumaki boy opened the scroll.
As soon as he opened it, he saw it was a scroll with a sealing technique.
"Dead Demon Consuming Seal... What is this?" The boy sat down on the ground and began studying it.
Manji stood nearby, watching calmly. The boy didn't notice him.
"Good. Now the Reaper can lie low and grow for a few centuries..." Manji put his hands behind his back.
Then, suddenly, he frowned. "Why are the tailed beasts calling again... Don't tell they're about to lecture again?"
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