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"Shinobi Year 231: The Senju Clan Head died in battle."
"Shinobi Year 232: The Senju successfully repelled the joint forces of the Uchiha and Hagoromo Clans. Though their losses were severe, Senju Tsuru distinguished himself during this war."
"Shinobi Year 233: The Uzumaki Clan used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to defeat the Hōzuki Clan, shocking the southeastern seas."
"Shinobi Year 235: Senju Tsuru overpowered his rivals and formally took office as the head of the Senju Clan."
When he finished reading, Fukasaku closed the history book and took a deep breath.
"Black Zetsu really pulled it off. He's got real skill." Fukasaku sounded really impressed. It was hard to believe that Senju Tsuru, once seen as a burden five years ago, had slowly risen with Black Zetsu's help to lead the Senju Clan.
"Still, I suppose it was within expectations. Black Zetsu has always been smart..."
Fukasaku looked up from his study. Through the layers of toad vines, he could see the winding roads of Mount Myōboku.
Silver utility poles lined the mountain paths, shining in the sunlight. They looked out of place against the old mountain scenery, yet somehow they fit in.
"The times really are changing fast..." Fukasaku sighed softly.
The technology Gamamaru had worked so hard on was now everywhere on Mount Myōboku, spreading faster every year.
In recent years, Manji had worked hard to bring in new technology. First, they built an electrical system that lit up the whole mountain. Then, new things like radios and televisions started showing up.
Toads would gather around radios to hear news from Mount Myōboku and the Shinobi world. At night, they watched colorful images on TV, making it a regular part of their evenings.
Mount Myōboku even had its own film studio now. White Zetsu would play all sorts of roles, from famous Shinobi legends to new adventure stories. Each new movie brought crowds of toads and White Zetsu to the theater.
With both White Zetsu and toads, Mount Myōboku now had almost a hundred thousand residents, and the number kept growing quickly.
With so many people living there, Manji had to set up a currency system to keep Mount Myōboku running smoothly.
........
The Senju Clan grounds.
The clan head's residence.
At the center of the room, Senju Tsuru stood before the desk, his fingertips brushing over yellowed clan records.
No one would have thought that the boy who seemed so inexperienced five years ago would now be so confident. His eyes and expression now showed the calm and determination of a true clan leader.
With Black Zetsu's help over the years, Tsuru had managed to steady the Senju Clan after the war and slowly reorganize its different groups. His wish for revenge had only become stronger.
"The Senju Clan has recovered its strength. This is the right time to move."
"We should ally with the Uzumaki Clan and raise troops against the Uchiha," Black Zetsu suggested beside Tsuru's ear.
"That makes sense..."
Tsuru nodded. "I think so too."
After a short pause, he said, "Lately, there have been rumors in the Shinobi world that the Uzumaki Clan has gained a very frightening power."
"Correct," Black Zetsu said. "A sealing technique that lets the user take the enemy down with them. The Dead Demon Consuming Seal. It has reportedly never failed, and its power is quite terrifying."
Tsuru's face grew serious. "A power like that could change the outcome of a battle. For us, that's a good thing."
His tone changed, and he looked uncertain. "But the Uzumaki Clan just finished a big war with the Hōzuki Clan. They must be worn out. Will they really want to team up with us?"
Black Zetsu suddenly chuckled, then changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Tsuru, you still haven't married, have you?"
Tsuru paused, then scratched his head, sounding unsure. "Sage, are you saying I should marry the Uzumaki princess?"
"Exactly."
Black Zetsu nodded right away, as if this was the obvious answer.
"If you wait any longer, you'll be getting old."
"More importantly, you are the Senju Clan Head. If the Uzumaki Clan forms a marriage alliance with you, it will stabilize relations between the two clans and allow them to borrow Senju strength to recover. They have no reason to refuse."
Tsuru looked down at the clan papers on his desk, then quietly glanced at Black Zetsu, who was still attached to his hand.
Over the past few years, he really had felt physically restricted. With Black Zetsu stuck to his hand every day, a lot of things had become inconvenient.
He had been so focused on revenge and clan business that he ignored his own life. Now, thinking it over, a marriage alliance seemed like a smart idea.
As he got older, Tsuru's hopes for marriage had slowly become more realistic.
He used to dream of a perfect romance before marriage, but now things had changed.
"Good..." Tsuru raised his eyes. "I'll send someone to the Uzumaki Clan grounds at once to propose the marriage alliance."
Black Zetsu smiled. Tsuru was much more thoughtful than before. He now understood what was best for the clan and was ready to put its needs above his own happiness.
From that moment, Black Zetsu realized something important.
Senju Tsuru was no longer the same person he used to be.
He had truly become a clan leader.
........
Elsewhere, Manji walked slowly toward Kaguya's courtyard.
He knocked on the door out of habit, then opened it. The room was dim, lit only by the warm yellow glow of the television.
As soon as Manji walked in, he could sense Kaguya was there. He soon heard soft sobs.
"..." Manji frowned a little and walked more slowly as he got closer.
When his gaze landed on her, he saw Ōtsutsuki Kaguya curled up on the soft sofa.
She was wearing a loose, light-colored short-sleeved shirt that draped heavily. It hung from her shoulders, following the line of her neck and shoulders, with her collarbones partly hidden by the fabric.
She also wore fitted denim shorts that showed her long, pale legs.
She hugged her knees, resting her cheek on them, and kept wiping her red eyes with a tissue. Tears kept falling onto the sofa, leaving little wet spots.
When Manji came in, Kaguya looked up at him with teary eyes, her nose still twitching a little.
Manji frowned. "Why are you crying?"
He spoke in a flat tone.
Kaguya sniffled, wiped her tears with her fingers, and spoke in a stuffy, upset voice. "Mount Myōboku's romance drama was too touching... The male and female leads didn't end up together. It made my heart hurt."
"That's it?" Manji's face went stiff for a moment, then he quickly understood.
So she was crying over something so small... Ever since Mount Myōboku got new technology, all sorts of shows had started to appear.
There were romance dramas, historical shows, and even horror movies.
Kaguya hardly ever went out during the day. She usually spent her time in the courtyard reading or watching TV dramas. Over time, she had really become a homebody.
Manji stood and watched Kaguya sniffle on the sofa. He didn't plan to comfort her.
"Aren't you going to comfort me?" Kaguya asked, sounding annoyed.
She stayed curled up on the soft sofa. Her loose shirt had slipped down, showing the smooth line of her shoulders and neck. Her collarbones moved gently as she breathed.
Her fitted denim shorts sat at her waist, and her pale legs were crossed over the edge of the sofa, her skin softly glowing in the light.
Manji glanced at her face as if it were just part of the scenery, not stopping for even a moment.
He just asked calmly, "Kaguya, are you done crying?"
"I don't want to deal with this. I'm not in the mood for some love story. I came here because I have something important to discuss with you."
Kaguya choked.
Her heart felt even more blocked.
She was still caught up in the sadness from the drama, her eyes red and nose flushed, wishing for just a little comfort. But Manji was the same as always. After just a few words, he was back to business, not caring about her feelings at all.
She pushed down her frustration and stopped arguing. Instead, she grabbed the glass bottle of iced black tea from the table, opened it, and took a big drink.
Gulp.
The cold tea went down her throat and finally helped her calm down a bit.
Manji noticed the bottle of iced black tea and looked clearly surprised.
"You usually drink this?" He couldn't help but ask.
Kaguya still had iced tea in her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out a little before she nodded slowly, her voice still a bit stuffy from crying.
"Mm-hmm." She lifted the bottle and shook it a little. There was still more than half left. "What else is there to drink? Mount Myōboku only has water and iced black tea."
"And I'm not eating those bug soups or bug dishes the toads make. They look gross."
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