After witnessing Kazuku's terrifying power, the black centipede lost all its vigor, fleeing desperately into the forest depths.
But its speed slowed, and it eventually collapsed headfirst before Tobirama.
The one-horned rhino suffered the same fate.
Tobirama stood rooted to the spot, his Flying Thunder God halted, his body as still as if it had taken root.
Only when the centipede crashed before him did he belatedly react.
"Dead… it's dead."
Tobirama's lips parted, realizing the centipede had no signs of life.
Its organs were shattered, blood pouring from its mouth.
Beasts of this caliber were immune to ordinary ninjutsu's lethal damage.
With Hiruzen's current strength, defeating such a creature would be no easy task.
Put another way, if Hiruzen's team could easily one-shot such beasts, Tobirama's wilderness survival training would lose its purpose.
Only by facing formidable foes could they grow.
"Encountering just one such beast would lower survival rates."
"Let alone two at once."
In Tobirama's view, even if Hiruzen's team performed exceptionally, it would take a fierce battle to resolve this crisis.
Yet…
The one who turned the tide was his brother's seven-year-old grandson!
"Is this even possible?"
Tobirama swallowed hard.
Born in the Warring States era, war was as routine to him as eating.
The average ninja lifespan was only thirty.
The main reason was children dying young on the battlefield.
Wilderness survival exercises were merely a way to simulate war.
They were worlds apart from actual warfare.
Children who survived battlefields had exceptional survival and judgment skills.
Any one of them would outshine the so-called geniuses of today.
Take Kagami Uchiha.
He was a top-tier Uchiha, bearing the clan's genius title.
He had barely awakened one and two-tomoe Sharingan.
But Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna, at his age, already had three-tomoe Sharingan!
Yet!
Whether Madara or Izuna…
At seven, they were nothing!
"No, even Big Brother at seven couldn't compare to Kazuku," Tobirama muttered excitedly, comparing Kazuku to powerhouses like Hashirama, Madara, and Izuna in his mind.
But it was true.
At seven, none of them had such exaggerated chakra.
"Especially Big Brother. At seven, he didn't even know what monstrous strength was."
"Let alone precisely control chakra to unleash it."
Tobirama was certain.
The power Kazuku had just used was the Senju clan's monstrous strength!
It was an ability where the user precisely controlled chakra, enveloping their body, and then unleashed it as an airflow!
Just as the Uchiha's Sharingan excelled at genjutsu…
The Senju excelled at monstrous strength.
But, like not every Uchiha could awaken the Sharingan…
Not every Senju could master monstrous strength.
Kazuku's father, Kima, for instance, couldn't use it.
And monstrous strength varied in potency.
After all, no two people's physiques were identical.
Even Tobirama, at full power, could only destroy a building with his monstrous strength.
But Kazuku's…
In an instant, he effortlessly one-shotted beast kings weighing at least twenty tons!
He flattened centuries-old trees within dozens of meters!
The ground beneath him was covered in spiderweb-like cracks!
If Tobirama didn't know the full context…
He'd suspect the one who unleashed that chakra and monstrous strength was his brother!
Because it was something even he couldn't do!
Yet…
That overwhelming chakra from that moment…
The terrifying power that one-shotted two beasts…
Undoubtedly came from Kazuku!
There was no other possibility.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Kagami Uchiha…
None of them had such immense chakra or precise control.
"Over generations, the Senju clan produced only Big Brother with chakra rivaling a Tailed Beast."
"One in ten thousand doesn't even begin to describe it."
"I thought Big Brother would be the Senju's unique legend."
"But now, Kazuku has appeared."
"It must be… he inherited Big Brother's bloodline."
Tobirama took a deep breath, swallowing again, his heart surging with excitement.
Since learning Madara was killed by his brother…
He hadn't felt this thrill.
Most importantly…
"Big Brother's grandson."
"My grandson, too."
"The heir and hope of the Senju clan."
"Maybe…"
Suddenly, Tobirama's eyes lit up, his gaze blazing with unprecedented fervor!
"Not only has Kazuku inherited Big Brother's chakra and monstrous strength, but perhaps even his Wood Release…"
The thought sent Tobirama's emotions soaring.
He resolved then and there…
He couldn't let Big Brother lead Kazuku astray!
His carefree attitude, frequent bouts of melancholy, and gambling addiction…
Kazuku must not be tainted by them.
"Kazuku is destined to grow into a Hokage surpassing both Big Brother and me."
"A Hokage who will lead Konoha to its golden age!"
In that brief moment, Tobirama envisioned a series of training plans.
Even…
Since founding Konoha, Hashirama had wanted to erase clan divisions.
To that end, he encouraged Senju to marry outsiders.
He led by example, marrying Mito Uzumaki.
He even suggested Tobirama marry an Uchiha.
Beyond that, he had his descendants abandon the Senju surname.
Though Tobirama didn't understand or agree with his brother's actions, he was powerless to oppose them.
After all, Big Brother was the Hokage.
But regarding marrying an Uchiha, Tobirama flatly refused.
"Now, Kazuku should continue bearing the Senju name."
"Come to think of it, Kazuku has both Senju and Uzumaki blood."
"If he married an Uchiha…"
Tobirama's mind suddenly wandered.
He didn't dislike the Uchiha—otherwise, he wouldn't have taken Kagami as a disciple.
He just believed their power required extra caution.
Kazuku's displayed talent left Tobirama in awe.
Naturally, he began planning Kazuku's future.
A classic elder's habit.
(End of Chapter)