Chapter 36: The Festival
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During those three days, Senju Morin maintained the same rhythm as before—shuttling daily between the Hokage's Office, the Forbidden Techniques Archive, and the Senju clan compound. He handled village affairs with steady efficiency while continuing to carry out the rigorous training regimen he had set for himself.
Yet among the Senju clan members—many of whom were unusually restless—an unmistakable sense of anticipation began to spread. It felt as though the clan was preparing for some momentous event.
Coupled with the thunderous cheers that had erupted from the Senju compound several nights earlier, countless Konoha shinobi could not help but speculate wildly.
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On the day of the ceremony itself,
just as dawn's light began to break—
Morin had already changed into a formal montsuki haori, pale green in color and embroidered with the Senju clan crest. Leading a large contingent of clan members, he arrived outside Kōga Shrine.
At the same time, Uzumaki Mito, escorted by several female attendants, also arrived—bringing with her seven-year-old Tsunade.
At this age, Tsunade could not yet comprehend the true significance of the ceremony. To her, it seemed like nothing more than a change of name—hardly worth making such a fuss over.
Still, the sheer number of clan members present, along with the solemn and restrained atmosphere, made her nerves rise despite herself.
Mito sensed this immediately. She gently drew Tsunade into her arms and whispered soothing words to calm her.
As the widow of the clan's former patriarch, Senju Hashirama, a highly respected elder within the clan, and Tsunade's own blood relative, Uzumaki Mito had every reason—indeed, every obligation—to be present.
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Kōga Shrine occupied a site blessed by nature itself.
One side of the shrine rested against a lush mountainside, where a silvery waterfall cascaded from a modest cliff, pouring ceaselessly into a clear pool below. The sound of flowing water echoed softly, mist drifting through the air, lending the sacred grounds an added sense of purity and spiritual weight.
The vermilion torii gates stood wide open. Amid the surrounding trees, several shrine buildings emerged faintly into view—ancient, dignified, and solemn.
Elder Senju He had already been waiting near the waterfall. The moment he saw Morin approach, he hurried forward and bowed deeply.
"Lord Morin."
After that, the elder took up a wide wooden ladle, scooped clear water, and assisted Senju Morin in completing the Rite of Purification by Flowing Water—washing away the dust and defilement of the mortal world with living water, cleansing body and spirit so that one might face the ancestors and accept the mantle of duty.
Little Tsunade then stepped forward as well, repeating the same ritual with visible nervousness.
Once both had completed their purification, the gathered Senju clansmen surrounded Morin once more and escorted him forward, passing through the shrine's gates.
Soon, the procession arrived at the site of the festival proper—before a vast open-air altar.
High-quality white sandalwood incense had already been lit in the censers surrounding the altar. Its faint, lingering fragrance mingled with curling plumes of smoke, lending the space an air of increasing sanctity and solemnity.
Another clan elder, Senju Taigo, was already waiting there. He would serve as master of ceremonies, guiding all participants through the remaining rites.
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The Clan Head Succession Ceremony:
The first half of the ceremony was Morin's formal Clan Head Inauguration.
Under Taigo's guidance, Morin stepped forward and presented the Three Offerings to the ancestors—rice wine, rice stalks, and pure water.
These symbolized, respectively: reverence toward the ancestral spirits, prayers for the clan's prosperity, and respect for the purity of bloodline and vitality of life.
He then personally lit the incense upon the altar. Thin blue smoke rose straight upward, disappearing into the sky.
At the center of the altar were three sacred objects:
A broad-bladed greatsword.
A seemingly unremarkable kunai.
And a massive scroll.
The greatsword was a relic of Senju Hashirama.
To affirm the legitimacy of Morin's succession, the elders had deliberately brought forth the First Hokage's weapon—a blade Hashirama had wielded through countless battles, including the final confrontation with Uchiha Madara.
A closer look revealed scattered scratches and marks left by various jutsu over the years.
Though it was neither a symbolic heirloom like the Uchiha fan nor forged from divine materials, its significance was beyond measure.
The second item was a kunai once used by Senju Tobirama.
At first glance it appeared ordinary, but engraved along one side was Tobirama's unique Flying Thunder God formula—a strange pattern centered on two concentric circles, from which six angular lines radiated outward.
The final item was the clan genealogy scroll, passed down through generations, bearing the Senju clan's long history and the glory and honor accumulated over a thousand years.
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The ceremony proceeded slowly, with measured precision.
Taigo unfurled the ritual text and began chanting in a deep, solemn cadence, recounting the history of the Senju clan and extolling Morin's deeds.
Morin led all clan members in formal worship before the altar.
Once the rites were complete, Uzumaki Mito stepped forward under the watchful gaze of the entire clan. She lifted Hashirama's greatsword from the altar and handed it to Morin.
Morin received it with both hands, firmly grasping the sheath and hilt.
Below the altar stood a massive wooden post, symbolizing the clan's enemies.
Channeling chakra through his body and arms, Morin raised the greatsword and cleaved downward in a single, clean vertical strike—splitting the post cleanly in two.
He then set the sword aside and rapidly formed three unfamiliar hand seals.
With a clear, resonant cry, a water dragon surged upward from the shrine's waterfall, coiling through the air above before dispersing into a fine, misty rain.
This was the new clan head's blessing upon his people—rendered all the more awe-inspiring through ninjutsu.
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Morin returned to the altar, personally lifted the genealogy scroll, and accepted a brush from an elder.
On the newest page, he wrote:
"Clan Head — Senju Morin."
He then took the Clan Head Seal and pressed it firmly beside his name.
One elder had suggested using blood for this step, but Morin—mindful of the countless dangerous jutsu that exploited such things—declined, choosing ink instead.
Thus, the Clan Head Succession Ceremony was formally concluded.
Compared to the gravity of the first half, the Tsunade Repatriation Ceremony that followed was noticeably lighter in tone.
A third elder stepped forward to publicly recite Tsunade's bloodline and read letters from her biological parents.
Uzumaki Mito took the genealogy scroll and wrote the name:
"Senju Tsunade."
Morin followed by stamping the Clan Head Seal beside it.
With that, the ceremony was complete.
Morin returned the genealogy scroll to the altar, raised Hashirama's greatsword high, and swore before all present to restore and elevate the Senju clan.
Finally, he lifted a sake vessel from the altar and shared the consecrated wine with all clan members—signifying unity under the ancestors' witness.
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As the procession departed the shrine, Morin did not remove the clan haori bearing the Senju crest. Instead, he wore it naturally beneath his robes.
The ceremonial Hokage mantle—symbol of Konoha's authority—was draped casually over it.
In Morin's view, family was his true foundation.
The rise of civilian shinobi was merely an inevitable trend of the village era. Relying solely on clan bloodlines to produce ninja was far too slow—only by drawing in the vast civilian population could Konoha maintain its overwhelming numbers and enduring supremacy.
Morin had never intended to resist this tide.
All he sought was to guide it—
and bend it toward the future he had chosen.