บท 25: Earth Release & Genjutsu
Perched atop the sculpted cranium of Tobirama Senju's stone visage on the Hokage monument, Naoki sat, cradling the peaceful dawn within his gaze. The monument was an inspiring sight; the imprints of legendary wills etched into the mountain's face in the form of towering stone effigies. And from this vantage point, he could watch the day's first light reaching out, delicate fingers of gold and rose unfolding across the horizon, ushering the world out of night's embrace.
The Konoha village sprawled beneath him, quietly stirring from its slumber. Lanterns flickered out as the sun's rays took over their duty, casting a gentle morning hue over rooftops and tree lines alike. Naoki found profound peace in this tranquil scene, a contrast to the tumultuous trials and intensive training he endured recently. It allowed him a moment of reflection, a chance to ponder the legacy of the Senju and Uchiha clans, and the sanctuary they had built from blood and hope - a bastion of safety in an era of unending conflict.
Naoki's gaze was not just idle admiration. There was a depth to his contemplation, a discerning scrutiny hidden behind his calm exterior. Though he had made significant strides in his training, mastering water ninjutsu and refining his taijutsu, Naoki was keenly aware of his vulnerabilities. His strength and agility might be formidable, but they could be neutralized by a crafty adversary. The mastery of water was impressive, but it bore inherent weaknesses, susceptible to the ravaging jolts of lightning and the overwhelming solidity of earth. A cunning opponent, keeping him at bay, could render his abilities ineffective.
These concerns played a relentless symphony in Naoki's mind, pressing him to broaden his repertoire. He had been hesitant about delving into his other chakra affinity, choosing to focus on honing his water release to its pinnacle. Yet, he knew he had not yet reached a point where his mastery of water alone could suffice in every situation.
As the sun rose higher, his resolution crystallized. He would start learning his other affinity, a decision he greeted with both trepidation and excitement. Rising from his lofty perch, he set his sights on his next destination, the Senju library. Despite its proximity to his home, he had never found the time to visit, always preoccupied with training and missions. Now, however, he was eager to unlock its wealth of knowledge, a new chapter waiting to unfold in his journey as a shinobi.
After a short journey through the dappled morning light, Naoki found himself before the stately, albeit weathered, façade of the Senju library. A magnificent relic of an era past, the building bore the silent marks of time. Paint had faded, and the grand double doors were thick with decades of undisturbed dust. Yet, the library held a dignified aura, its worn exterior whispering tales of a time when it pulsed with the hum of knowledge seekers, the eager Senju clansfolk who once called it a sanctuary.
The doors were engraved with an ancient seal, the touch of Mito Uzumaki's deft hands still lingering on the timeworn wood. It was a mechanism that permitted only those of Senju lineage to trespass beyond the hallowed threshold. Recalling the familiar sequence of hand signs from his experiences with the Senju training grounds, Naoki bit his thumb and traced the patterns in the air. He placed his blood-marked hand gently against the door. The seal reacted, and the sturdy doors groaned in protest, stirring a cloud of unsettled dust as they creaked open.
The interior was a revelation, an astonishing contrast to the neglected exterior. The vastness of the library was almost intimidating, shelves stacked high and brimming over with scrolls and books, their spine-lined ranks stretching farther than his eye could perceive. The sheer volume of wisdom housed within these walls dwarfed that of Konoha's own library fivefold, a testament to the Senju's relentless pursuit of knowledge and mastery.
Naoki was taken aback, the excitement of exploration mingling with a sense of being daunted by the enormity of the task before him. The repository of knowledge was impeccably maintained, seals having safeguarded the texts from the ravages of time and neglect. The air bore a musty scent, mingling with the familiar perfume of ink and parchment, intoxicating to a knowledge seeker.
Feeling a thrill of anticipation, he strode purposefully toward a particular section of the library that held the chronicles of the Senju clan's history. A particular book, bound in faded leather, caught his eye. It was an account of the era of Hashirama Senju, a volume he selected along with a comprehensive manual on earth release techniques from a nearby section.
Settling down at a long, sturdy oak table, he laid the precious volumes before him. The silence of the library enveloped him, its vastness momentarily forgotten as he lost himself in the fascinating world that awaited him. His journey into his clan's history and the mastery of his other chakra affinity had officially begun.
For the next several hours, Naoki found himself immersed in the dust-covered pages of the ancient tome. Each line he read, each sentence that painted the grandeur of the Senju Clan's golden era, expanded his understanding of his heritage. He discovered stories of remarkable strength and honour, tales of people whose sheer might and resilience made the current strength of the clan seem a pale shadow of its glorious past.
One figure that stood out amongst these legends was his grandmother, Toka Senju. While he had been aware of her power from the stories Tsunade had shared, the accounts contained in the book were illuminating. As he read of Toka's prowess, her remarkable chakra control that rivalled even Hashirama and Tobirama, he could not help but feel a swell of awe. Yet, what left him truly astonished was her mastery in the realm of Genjutsu.
A master of illusion, Toka was said to have honed her Genjutsu to a level matched only by those wielding Dojutsu. Her formidable skills allowed her to match a Sharingan user, even outclassing the best Ketsuryugan users. The pinnacle of her art was a Genjutsu of her own creation, a technique that plunged its victims into darkness, robbing them of all their senses. A Genjutsu far superior to the traditional Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, it was a testament to the heights of her prowess.
As Naoki delved deeper into the intricacies of Genjutsu, his admiration and respect for the art form heightened. Genjutsu was an avenue seldom explored, largely ignored except by those blessed with a Sharingan. Yet, here were accounts of a non-Dojutsu user taking Genjutsu to incredible heights. This newfound respect sparked a curiosity within him, leading him to consider the prospect of delving into Genjutsu himself. With his excellent chakra control, the path seemed all the more enticing. After a thoughtful pause, he resolved to venture into the realm of Genjutsu and Earth Release.
He made his way towards the Genjutsu section, where he was struck by the sight of countless books penned by Toka Senju herself. After careful consideration, he chose to learn a modified version of the Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique. This technique, originally a D-rank Genjutsu, had been refined by Toka to reach the potency of a C-rank illusion while retaining the accessibility of a D-rank technique. A perfect starting point for his Genjutsu training.
His Genjutsu material sorted, he turned his attention to the comprehensive manual on Earth Release. Akin to Water Release, the primary rule of Earth Release was that only highly skilled users could create earth from chakra. The learning curve consisted of three stages. The first involved the manipulation and shaping of clay with chakra. The second required making earth crumble with mere chakra, and finally, to influence and control the very earth itself. As he delved into these lessons, Naoki was filled with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to embrace the challenge of mastering these two diverse disciplines.
With newfound determination fuelling him, Naoki allowed his fingers to glide over the worn edges of the chosen manuals one last time before shutting them with a soft thud. He breathed in the venerable scent of aged paper and ink, it was a scent that spoke of knowledge waiting to be unlocked, of wisdom ready to be gained. He found it comforting, a silent companion on his journey.
In the eerie quiet of the ancient library, surrounded by the grandeur of his clan's history, the weight of his choices was both humbling and empowering. The path he was about to tread was not easy, he knew, but he was ready to embrace it, challenges and all.
Slowly, he rose from the table, tucking the manuals under his arm. As he strode towards the entrance, his steps echoed in the vastness of the library, blending harmoniously with the silent hum of the countless stories contained within the old walls. The echo was a rhythmic testament to his resolve, a testament that would resound even when he was long gone.
Once outside, he allowed himself one last glance back at the stately library, a beacon of knowledge in the heart of his clan's legacy. The afternoon sun was casting a soft glow on its old stone walls, rendering them golden. A sight to remember.
As he walked away, the Senju library behind him stood tall and timeless, a silent witness to the beginnings of a new chapter in the tale of a young shinobi named Naoki, a tale interwoven with the formidable legacy of the Senju and Uzumaki clans.
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also, apologies if this is shorter than my usual chapters. And that there is no interaction just description. I believe the next few chapter will also be around the same amount of words, this is because these chapters are a preparation for the Kyuubi attack, which should be happening in the next few chapters.
Also, if you have any critiques or suggestions for the story like a certain mission or arc you wish me to write, please comment. I'm only a single entity and cannot come with a lot of ideas by myself, which is why I tend to change the story as it goes on, since I think of better ideas. The plot itself is kinda concrete, however, the journey there is not. So do give some ideas. Also do comment information about events that occurred during this time, such as missions.
So do comment and send powerstones as it feels like people are truly engaging with the story and it's a massive motivation factor for me.
Next 2 chapters:
Naoki Senju vs Tsunade Senju
The Birth Of Sasuke Uchiha
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