Konoha Notes

Chapter 9 Glory Fades into Shadow
Konoha has been established for over fifty-four years. The Uchiha, Hyuga, Sarutobi, Ino-Shika-Cho… many secret ninja clans still thrive in the village, maintaining their lineage and pride. Only the Senju clan remains, known to the world only for the existence of Tsunade, who wanders far and wide.

The Senju clan did not perish, but rather chose to dissolve themselves under the will of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.

Senju Momoka still remembers that moonless night, the air so heavy it felt like it could be squeezed dry. The candlelight cast huge, flickering shadows behind the two adults, making the entire Japanese-style room seem like a ghostly realm.

Lord Hashirama sat in the main seat, his usual gentle and tolerant aura completely gone, leaving only a suffocating silence.

He seemed to still carry the lingering scent of gunpowder and dust, and deeper still, an overwhelming weariness and sorrow that seemed to emanate from the depths of his soul. Momoka knew what it was—just recently, he had personally ended the life of "Apocalypse," Uchiha Madara, the man with whom he had been entangled for half his life, both enemy and friend.

That battle not only ended Madara Uchiha's life, but also seemed to have robbed Hashirama of a part of his vitality. Tobirama stood to one side, his silver hair gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen in the dim light, his red eyes sharp as knives, sweeping over every Senju high-ranking member present, including Momoka herself. A night breeze slipped through the cracks in the door, the candle flames flickered and struggled, the light and shadow swaying, mirroring the uneasy emotions of everyone present.

"After my elder brother, I will succeed him as Hokage." Tobirama Senju's voice broke the silence, as calm as ever. "Madara is dead, there is no other choice. But the hidden dangers remain."

His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Hashirama with a hint of barely perceptible worry. He then turned to the others, his tone becoming more stern, "What essential difference is there between Konoha, a village where the Senju clan has continuously produced Hokage and maintained a large population, and the 'Senju Clan' of the past, in the eyes of other ninja clans? They will only see Konoha as 'the village of the Senju'! This suspicion will entangle the foundation of Konoha like a poisonous vine, causing other clans to lose the motivation to fight for a common future."

The candlelight suddenly burst into a flame, casting flickering light on the profile of the man between the pillars.

He slowly raised his head, and his eyes, which were once as vibrant as a forest, now looked like they had survived a devastating wildfire, leaving only ashes and bottomless weariness.

He spoke, his voice hoarse and low, each word seemingly carrying the pain of an unhealed wound: "Tobirama was right...."

His gaze was unfocused, as if piercing through the walls, seeing Madara's last look as he fell. "I killed Madara... for the village. When ideologies clash, even the deepest affections and the strongest powers ultimately lead to... only destruction."

His voice was filled with the immense pain of personally killing his best friend, but this pain, in turn, forged an unprecedented determination in him.

"We established this village," Hashirama's gaze finally focused, sweeping over everyone present, "to end the endless killing between ninja clans in the past, so that children would no longer have to struggle in mountains of corpses and seas of blood like we did! This village must transcend one clan or one family; it must be a place that carries everyone's dreams, a village that truly belongs to 'everyone'! This is the best way out that I can find...

He took a deep breath, his voice becoming resolute: "For the sake of this village's purity, so that it is not seen as the Senju's private property, to eliminate the root of suspicion, and so that all ninja clans truly regard this place as their home, not just a place to stay..."

Hashirama Senju's gaze fell on Momoka. "For the sake of the village, friends, brothers, even... my own flesh and blood, as long as the future of the village is threatened... I can abandon them all."

An indescribable torrent, a mixture of astonishment, sorrow, and bone-chilling cold, instantly swept over Momoka. As Hashirama spoke, his body emanated a tangible, surging energy. It was not an attack, but a silent declaration of absolute power and absolute will.

Tao Hua clearly felt that in the face of this power, any one person present, or even all of them combined, would be like an ant trying to shake a mountain. Before the thought of resistance could even arise, it was crushed by that invisible force and the cold, iron-like resolve in his words, which came at the cost of killing his best friend.

Lord Hashirama... this time he's serious. He's convinced that the ninja village system is the future, and for that, he's willing to pay any price, including the glory of the Senju clan.

"Therefore, we have decided to disband the clan," Tobirama continued at the opportune moment. "This generation may retain the surname, but the next generation..."

“Even my eldest brother’s children, my bloodline, will no longer be called the Thousand Hands.”

He took out a thick scroll from his sleeve and slowly unrolled it.

“Those who choose to leave the clan and change their surname will receive compensation from the clan's property.” Tobirama clearly listed the terms, “Money, secret ninjutsu scrolls, land, ninja tools... will all be distributed according to these detailed rules, which is enough to guarantee that any clan member can obtain resources and freedom for personal development far beyond what they could have imagined when they were dependent on the clan.” The candlelight flickered, reflecting the complex expressions on everyone's faces.

After the initial shock and anger, a subtle balance began to emerge. Losing the title of "Senju"? It was certainly heartbreaking. But... Lord Hashirama's words were truly chilling.

The compensation list was astonishingly generous.

Many secret techniques and riches that originally required risking one's life for one's family are now readily available.

The fact that Hashirama and Tobirama would become Hokage one after another meant that the Senju clan's influence remained, and no one would dare to bully the clan members who had changed their surname.

Without a unified will from the top leadership and without a respected figure to lead the rebellion, the will to resist quickly dissipated in the face of enormous benefits that could guarantee or even improve their personal lives, the protection of the future Hokage, and Hashirama Senju's unwavering belief in the "village" ideal, forged in blood and fire.

Some of the younger members, in particular, even showed a longing in their eyes for breaking free from the constraints of their ancient clan and starting a new life.

Tao Hua gazed at the two adults, while the hooting of owls outside the window sounded like a lament for the Thousand Hands Clan.

They chose "Ninja Village," a place that carries the dreams of the future, rather than "Ninja Clan," a place of past glory.

To dispel the suspicions of the Senju clan, to gain a true sense of belonging from other ninja clans, and to ensure that the ideal of a village could truly take root... they personally tore down this banner that had been stained with countless blood and glory.

In the end, she bowed her head deeply. Resistance was pointless and unwise.

During the era of the ninja villages, the meaning of ninja clans had changed. Without the pressure of survival from surrounding enemies, ordinary clan members, freed from the name of the Senju, might truly gain more freedom and opportunities. Lord Hashirama firmly believed this was a better system, and for that reason, he even killed Madara.

They wouldn't be threatened by losing their title—because the Hokage was Hashirama Senju, and the next would be Tobirama Senju. They could easily obtain the secret techniques and wealth that previously required blood and sweat. From an individual perspective, this was even... an easier, more prosperous path, and the way Lord Hashirama desired to integrate into the "village" family.

Thus, the once glorious Senju clan silently disappeared into the streets and alleys of Konoha, like the receding tide.

Some chose new surnames, scattering like seeds throughout the village; others stubbornly clung to their last pride, neither changing their surnames nor leaving the community. Momoka was the latter. Xiuji's ancestors and parents were too.

They were as inconspicuous as those who changed their surnames, because there were already many nameless people in Konoha. For this reason, the Senju brothers tacitly approved of it all and left the Senju Old House to these last guardians, as a small consolation for the past.

Now, only Momoka and Shuji remain permanently in the old house. After the first generation passed away, most of their descendants moved into the ninja apartments allocated by the village or bought new homes in bustling areas. Only during festivals do people return to the old house to briefly reminisce about the past glory, talk about village affairs, and exchange information.

Shuji's father grew up amidst the stories of the Senju clan and stayed at the old house after starting his own family. After both his parents died in battle, Momoka took care of Shuji, who was only nine years old at the time, and watched him graduate from the Ninja Academy at the age of eleven, and be critically injured and on the verge of death on the battlefield of Kumogakure at the age of fourteen, before finally being brought back to the human world by Hashirama's cells.

Looking at Momoka's profile as she drifted into distant and heavy memories, Shuji sat quietly beside her. Only when the old woman pulled herself out of her complicated thoughts and gestured for him to leave did he quietly take his leave and return to his room.

(End of this chapter)