Naruto: The Senju Patriarch

"What - What did you say?" 

"I don't think I can repeat it anymore times, Master Katsuro…" 

The now trembling Katsuro looked at the shinobi giving the latest report of the war. 

His heart pounded and his mind rattled against his skull. Why- WHY? The pain in his heart was unbearable. All the memories fractured before him. All their training sessions. All their meals they spent laughing together with Granny Mito. The first day they met seemed like a dream that was slowly becoming blurry. 

I promised Granny Mito. I promised I would keep them all safe. 

Katsuro fought against the river of tears that dared to burst from his eyes and the dam of emotions that threatened to break his mind. How would Tsunade react?

Tsunade…it's been so long. Where are you? Especially at a time like this?

"Are you sure?" Katsuro's eyes became distant. He hoped that this was just a big misunderstanding but deep in his heart he knew it wasn't. I should have listened to my gut, back then. I could have stopped this, and Nawaki … Nawaki should still be alive.

His life had changed permanently. Grief and fury swallowed his heart whole.

His chakra burst in giant spikes and waves, and the entire compound fell silent. The news had reached the Senju Patriarch. Crows flocked away from the surrounding area, and gusts of wind blew the lifeless leaves off of the trees. 

"The information still isn't very clear, Sir, but don't worry - I'll make it a priority to find out what happened to Senju Nawaki," the messenger replied. Seeing Katsuro's sheer pain and heartbreak made him feel personally attached to helping the Senju leader however he could. 

"Lord Senju?" the messenger prompted. Katsuro was looking up at the clouds. This cruel world wasn't done with Katsuro, even after the death of his parents. The death of Nawaki - a boy who he considered his younger brother - left him unable to react. 

"Yes, you may go," Katsuro briefly mumbled, before turning his back to the messenger and heading back inside the compound. The rest of the Senju remained indoors, not wanting to disturb their leader, who emitted a cold, silent, deadly aura. 

Rain began to pour from the clouds, like tears. But his own did not come as expected, the news had not truly hit him yet. The wounds from losing a loved one, which had slowly began healing since Granny Mito's death and Katsuro finding happiness in his relationship with Tsuande, had been reopened and released all of his hate for this cruel, counterfeit Shinobi world.

Only Kushina waited for Katsuro under the protection of the roof of the courtyard. They watched him trudge heavily through the dirt and wind and rain towards them and step inside with them.

"Suro…" Kushina whispered, holding back her own tears, hugging Katsuro's arm. He looked to his younger sister. This can't go on. All the death. All the lies. All the pain. Nawaki was gone. Tsunade hadn't been in contact with him in months, only sending Kushina a single letter to take care of her room while she was away fighting. And, Granny Mito was no longer here to help them through things. 

Katusuro had tried so hard to be the perfect leader for his people. He had promised to keep them safe, but couldn't even save the one man who he had thought of as his younger brother. And, he couldn't even save Granny Mito. He couldn't even save his parents. 

All this time, Katsuro had tried to accept death as it came, but he had slowly realised all this suffering, all these negative moments, all the problems in his life- all of it was because he wasn't strong enough. 

Patriarch and Genius of the Senju. Descendant of both the Senju and the Uzumaki. Student of Uzumaki Mito and Hatake Sakumo. Rival to the Root and the Hokage. One of the youngest, most respected prodigies of Konoha. Yet, none of it was enough. 

His mind went back to his conversation with his teacher just before the war, "war is coming Katsuro and you will need to be ruthless. War is harsh and has no eyes, it will not care for who you are or how powerful, it will take all the same. You cannot be as you are now, hesitation has no room, it will only strip your family from you. Your friends, your people. There will come a time one day you will have to act, it is what you have been training for. One day you will need to fulfill your duty, it may not be today, it may not be tomorrow but one day. On that day, remember Katsuro. You must kill the boy, kill the boy and let the man be born."

—

Katsuro stood outside the Hokage's office, preparing himself for the Clan meeting he was about to enter. To his side stood Kaito. The elder Jonin had privately expressed that he felt it necessary to join the war, considering that Konoha was losing, and he hoped to turn the tide fuelled by the recent disaster. 

"There is no Senju clan if Konoha falls," Kaito had reminded him. That being said, Kaito did not express his wishes publicly, and showed solidarity with the Patriarch to prevent discontent at a crucial time, proving his loyalty and intelligence - 2 things that Katsuro valued greatly. As a result, Kaito had become something akin to a 'right-hand man' for Kaito, especially in Tsunade's absence, and as such, Katsuro had brought him along to the Clan meeting, hoping for useful input and insight. The two of them stood in silence for a moment, before nodding to each other, and entering the office.

Around him, representatives of many clans were gathered - however, many of them were not leaders of their clans. They're all at war, Katsuro thought, a small twinge of guilt stabbing at him. Maybe I should be too. He shook himself out of his thoughts - he couldn't make decisions based off his feelings after all - it wasn't just his own life at risk - his clan was trusting him and relying on him to make the correct decision for them all, just like Granny Mito had said they would, and Katsuro was not about to let any of them down.

"Katsuro," the Third Hokage spoke, his voice worn down with the tiredness of a man leading the losing side of the war.

"We have quarreled before, but right now, I care not for old grudges or grievances. Konoha is losing, everyone here knows that. Without the help of the Senju, Konoha may fall. So let me cut to the chase."

The man hailed as the Professor took in a deep breath of his pipe, swallowing his pride.

"I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure, ask you, Senju Katsuro, Patriarch of the Senju clan - will you and your clan fight alongside me, and the rest of Konoha, to defend our people, and our home?"

Katsuro stared at the Hokage for a moment, before looking at the room. Despite the clan representatives trying their best to maintain neutral poker faces, he could still pick up on one major feeling from all of them - desperation. Finally, the Patriarch turned to Kaito, who merely nodded, affirming the decision that Katsuro had already made in his heart, into his mind. For a moment Katsuro hesitated, but seeing the need in the eyes of the others around him confirmed his decision.

"We will." 

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