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"Great-Grandfather!" Kenji's shout snapped Akio out of his daze.
Akio smiled. "Little Kenji, five years without seeing you, and you've grown so much. You look like Mito... even more like Mito..."
"Granduncle, is Hashirama's appearance really that bad?" Mito interjected with a playful smile.
"Oh?" Akio teased. "Seems like you and Hashirama have a good relationship after all."
Akio glanced around the room, his expression filled with nostalgia.
"This room feels so familiar. This is the Senju clan's guest room, right? Fourteen years ago, when I brought you here for your marriage, I stayed in this very room."
Mito chuckled. "That's right. And here, you even mastered the Yin Seal..."
Akio looked a little embarrassed, finally realizing why Mito was standing guard over him.
Hashirama, Tobirama, and his three disciples all assumed that Akio had fainted due to overusing his life force. But Mito knew the truth—Akio was always meant to look like this. His sudden collapse must have deeply worried her.
Recovering from his embarrassment, Akio smiled warmly. "I suppose that means you're still filial."
Mito nodded. "I'll take Kenji to the training grounds. He hasn't trained at all today."
Akio nodded. "Go ahead."
After Mito and Kenji left, Akio shook his head slightly in confusion. Since regaining consciousness, he had noticed a subtle but profound change in the world around him.
"Is it because of my Yin Chakra?" Akio murmured, glancing at his status panel.
"Kagura Mind's Eye?"
Akio noticed that his previous sensory ability had disappeared, replaced by a skill called Kagura Mind's Eye.
He focused his mind, forming the Tiger Seal with his right hand. Kagura Mind's Eye—activate!
In an instant, Akio became aware of all the chakra fluctuations within the Senju compound. Stretching his perception further, he realized he could sense everything within a radius of several dozen miles.
"So this is Kagura Mind's Eye? Is this Karin's ability?" Akio had always assumed his sensory skills were the same as hers, but he had attributed his smaller range to poor talent.
"An advanced form of sensory ability? Perhaps it's because my soul has grown stronger," Akio mused. "It seems that in the future, Karin's potential is truly remarkable. If Orochimaru hadn't taken her for research, she might have been a kunoichi on par with Kushina."
Akio used his newfound ability to scan the entire Senju clan.
"The Clan Leader's Hall is there. Tobirama is inside... but Hashirama isn't. Neither is Senju Tenyu. It seems he's gone to confront the Kurama clan."
Just as Akio was about to further explore his new ability, he sensed three familiar chakra signatures approaching his door.
"Come in," he called before they could knock.
"Sensei!" His three disciples entered in unison.
"We heard from Lady Mito that you woke up," they said in unison.
Akio scratched his head. "Izuko, why do you call Mito 'Auntie'? Just call her 'Sister.'"
"But my mother also calls her 'Auntie'..." Izuko hesitated.
"It's fine. Different perspectives, different titles. From my perspective, you should call her 'Cousin.'"
"Alright then..."
After this brief detour, the three disciples finally remembered their concern for Akio's well-being.
Akio repeatedly explained that his collapse was not due to overusing his life force but rather the result of activating a special jutsu. Unfortunately, no one believed him.
In the end, feeling exasperated, Akio shooed them out, claiming he needed rest.
Once alone, Akio lay back on his bed—not to recover, but to contemplate his next steps.
"Looks like I'll need to actually sacrifice some life force to make my story believable," he muttered, clenching his fist. "Alright then!"
"I'll use the Transformation Jutsu to appear one year older every day until I reach fifty. Using my youthful appearance should cost me two years of lifespan each time—is that too little?"
"Alright, fifty-three it is!"
"Using it once will cost me five years. At least this way, I can use it three or four more times in the future without suspicion."
Akio had found a reasonable way to explain his aging. Over the next few days, his disciples watched in horror as he visibly grew older each day.
Rather than rushing to explain, Akio observed his students' reactions.
To his relief, Nanako became significantly more diligent in her training, revealing an extraordinary talent for Fuinjutsu. Izuko, after experiencing this upheaval, matured and toughened up—she even managed to best Jinto in sparring multiple times.
As for Jinto, his efforts were beyond reproach, and his progress was accelerating. Thus, at the Second Training Ground, the following exchanges became common:
"Jitou, come. Let your youthful teacher guide you!"
"Sensei...!" Jitou's eyes welled with emotion as he charged forward.
"Ahh!" A scream followed as Jitou was sent flying.
Akio sighed. If he didn't take this opportunity to thoroughly teach Jitou a lesson in Taijutsu, he feared that in a few years, Jitou might surpass him and beat him effortlessly.
But one thing troubled him—why had Jitou never appeared in the original history? Even without his guidance, Jitou's talent should not have been overlooked. Akio remained on high alert, fearing that something tragic might befall him.
"Could he have perished during the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan?"
This routine continued for a week until Hashirama finally returned, accompanied by a shamefaced Senju Tenyu.
"What?! Big Brother, you just let the Kurama clan go?!" Tobirama's outraged voice echoed through the Clan Leader's Hall.
"I'm not even surprised..." Akio muttered, his lips twitching.
"Tobirama, let's not dwell on that now," Hashirama said awkwardly, signaling Tenyu to step forward.
Tenyu took two steps toward Akio and bowed deeply. "I am truly grateful for your sacrifice. If not for you, I would have become a disgrace to the Senju."
Akio rolled his eyes. "The sacrifice was too great. I used to maintain the appearance of a forty-eight-year-old, and now I have to look fifty-three. My handsome face is slipping away..."
Out loud, he simply said, "No need for thanks. You were under a genjutsu."
Tenyu slowly looked up at Hashirama. "Clan Leader, given my grave mistake, I am willing to relinquish my position as Elder and fight on the front lines for all future battles!"
Hashirama shook his head. "There may not be many more wars. I spared the Kurama clan to show the smaller clans our sincerity. Soon, I plan to visit them one by one, end this era of strife, and build a peaceful village."
"Big Brother, you still believe in that unrealistic dream?" Tobirama said coldly.
"It's not a dream. I will convince them! And as for the Uchiha, I will speak to Madara last. He shares my vision and will agree."
Hashirama's eyes gleamed with hope.
Tobirama hesitated, then shook his head. "Big Brother... during this war, I struck Uchiha Izuna with a fatal blow. He... he won't survive."
Hashirama: "..."
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