Naruto: The Senju Patriarch

Cheers erupted in the room, unusual for the normally ordered clan meetings, but the Hokage let it slide, with a relieved expression on his face.

"Thank you, child - truly," he said, and Katsuro nodded back at him. Inwardly however, Katsuro reminded himself - this man is my enemy. I will not forget it. That being said, now was not the time nor the place for that, and he too smiled with the rest of the clan representatives. 

The meeting then went onto the topic of the Uchiha reserves, who, similarly to the Senju, had mostly stayed in Konoha, although a sizable number of the clan were also fighting in the war currently. The Uchiha had their own problems with the Hokage's faction who carried Tobirama's teachings and were not trusted by the higher ups in the village. Hiruzen, Danzo and the elders feared that sending too many Uchiha would allow them to awaken their Sharingan and get stronger, but unfortunately, their hands had been forced. They were represented by Fugaku, who Katsuro hadn't seen much of recently. Fugaku, who was either eager to compete with Katsuro, or had already decided, also announced to the meeting that the Uchiha reserves would also be joining the war, and the revelation was met by a further round of cheers, and Katsuro nodded in approval at Fugaku, who returned the gesture.

"So, where will we be stationing the Senju and Uchiha?" one representative, from the Ino clan it seemed, spoke up.

"It should be on the Suna front," another representative spoke. "With the reinforcements, we'll easily be able to crush them, then move our focus to the others."

"No!" another spoke. "We're about to be crushed on the Iwa front - their Tsuchikage, Mu, has yet to make a move and we are already struggling dealing with the 4 Tails Jinchuriki leaving Mu's disciple Onoki to decimate our forces."

"Maybe we can split them up? Some go to-"

"No, let's -"

"Wait-"

From there the room descended into chaos, as different clan representatives pushed forward different ideas for where the reinforcements should go.

Suddenly, Kaito clapped loudly, and the room fell silent once more. Katsuro began to speak.

"If the Senju are to join the war, I have a condition," he said, holding eye contact with the Hokage, who raised his eyebrows.

"Go ahead," he said, suspicious.

"The Senju clan will not be separated at any point in the war. We will fight as one unit, or we will not fight at all." 

His words were immediately met by a mixture of voices, ranging from confusion to protest to approval. 

"No objections. But still, the question remains - who will lead the Senju?"

Katsuro, replied to the Hokage, who he had gained a shred of respect for, realising he did truly care for the village, even being willing to lay down his pride and ask him for help.

"I may not have been a shinobi for very long, but I've fought for my life before. I've killed before. I've faced loss in the face of war before, and mourned their deaths too." 

He looked around the room, his gaze firm and challenging.

"My clansmen, shinobi or not, trust me. They believe in me, and believe that I'll lead them. Uzumaki Mito trusted me, and made me promise that I would protect the Senju clan with my life. I promised the clan that regardless of peace or war, I would protect them. Senju blood has been shed in this war, but it will not be without consequences. You want to know who will lead the Senju to war, Lord Third? You want to know who will lead them to victory?"

He paused, and let his chakra be released, for the entire meeting to feel, challenging them.

"I will." 

Danzo decided to take this opportunity to emerge from the shadows, and spoke, sneering.

"You will lead them? You forget, Katsuro, you are not a shinobi. You are not even permitted to be on the battlefield."

Katsuro met Danzo's gaze, unfazed, but before he could speak, another voice spoke up.

"Then make him a Genin." Danzo's confident demeanor momentarily cracked, as Kaito spoke up, not bothering to hide the malice in his voice at Danzo.

"You can't -"

Interrupting the Root leader, Kaito directly addressed Hiruzen.

"Lord Third, you know that the Patriarch single-handedly took down a team of Roo- ahem," he directly looked at Danzo for a second, before returning to Hiruzen and continuing.

"Iwa shinobi - at least 1 Jonin and the rest Chunin. That calls for the Jonin rank, but we understand that the Patriarch did not take the conventional route, so the Senju clan is happy for the Patriarch to receive the Genin rank. Or shall we really have him perform the clone Jutsu right now?" 

Hiruzen looked at Kaito apprehensively - he was one of the few Senju Jonin, and by the looks of it, as skilled in negotiation as in Ninjutsu. Not to mention, he almost certainly knew of the Root's actions, and so Hiruzen could confirm the Senju higher ups knew of Danzo's treachery. He could not afford to antagonise them any further - especially not now.

"Very well," Hiruzen said, "I hereby grant Senju Katsuro the role of Genin. Any objections?" The room went deathly silent - even Danzo dared not to speak as the eyes of a Hokage, Senju Patriarch and an elite Jonin stared at him, daring him to speak.

"Then. Katsuro, you, as their Patriarch, will lead the Senju. The question is, where?"

As the room discussed, Kaito whispered something to Katsuro, who nodded, and whispered back. The older Jonin cleared his throat, and the room fell silent again, apprehensive of what the unhinged and young Senju clan representatives might say.

"We believe that we would be best positioned in Iwagakure, preferably alongside the Uchiha," Kaito said, his words met by mixed reactions.

"And why is that, may I ask?" Hiruzen inquired.

"Princess Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo and Kato Dan already have the Suma front covered, Lord Third. They'll be able to hold on even if the Kazekage makes a move. On the other hand, the Iwa front may be lost very soon - now that the 5 Tails Jinchuriki has joined the war recently and there is still Onoki as well." 

Kaito's words were met by mutters of approval, and Fugaku's too.

"The Uchiha agree to this plan."

Katsuro smiled at Kaito, proud of his senior's analytics, and the latter nodded at Katsuro in return. Ever the stoic one, aren't you Kaito?

Hiruzen spoke.

"Then it is settled. The Senju and Uchiha reserves will meet with Orochimaru at the Iwa front. Your objective is to delay the fall of our wall there, and neutralize the Tsuchikage, Mu, before he causes even greater damage to our forces. Am I clear?" 

Katsuro and Fugaku both responded.

"Yes, Lord Third."

"Then this meeting is dismissed. You leave tomorrow at dawn. Prepare yourselves, and good luck." 

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