The Wooden Style
The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, elevated the Senju clan to the pinnacle of power, relying on the inheritance of bloodline and barriers. Just hearing his name could ignite a fire in people's blood.
The Wood Release was the ultimate symbol of the Senju.
After losing their Wood Release bloodline, the Senju clan remained strong, but lacked the soul that set them apart from other clans. This was the limit of bloodline inheritance. The fundamental difference between clans lay in their unique legacies. Much like the Uchiha and their famed Sharingan, which belonged to them alone, the Senju were meant to be symbolized by Wood Release. Yet, after the first generation, this heritage was completely severed.
This was the root of the Senju's decline.
They lacked peak powerhouses—no leader was untouchable anymore. At best, their chakra was slightly stronger and their recovery ability was above average compared to normal humans. Even compared to distant relatives like the Uzumaki clan, famed for their sealing arts against Tailed Beasts, the Senju paled.
What did they have left?
But now, everything was different.
With the ground trembling, one lush tree after another sprouted from the soil. It was the beginning of a vibrant, thriving forest. Under Senju Yukika's guidance, a thick ring of trees began growing around the Senju's land. These would become their natural fortress!
The trees Yukika created weren't ordinary.
If they were just normal wood, fire would easily consume them. But true Wood Release could absorb chakra—once tangled, it was a nightmare for the enemy. Building on this foundation, Senju Hashirama had once created even grander techniques like the "Flower Tree World," which could immobilize enemies and release paralyzing pollen.
Through this, Hashirama could unleash wide-scale attacks effortlessly.
Understanding the principles of Wood Release, Yukika couldn't help but think that the Uchiha's defeat during the Warring States era was well deserved.
Though Yukika's version lacked the true essence of Shinsutamoku (True Several Thousand Hands), merely transforming chakra into life energy to nourish tree growth already demonstrated wood affinity. And that was crucial.
From his position in the air, Yukika could clearly see the change in how everyone below looked at him.
He had declared his goal—to surpass Senju Hashirama!
Even Wood Release itself must be pushed beyond the First Hokage's achievements.
The wooden landscape was only the beginning. Yukika wanted to reshape people's thoughts, gradually replacing Hashirama's legacy with his own. The true representative of the Senju clan would be him, Senju Yukika!
Although he couldn't yet use complex techniques like Wood Dragon Jutsu, Yukika envisioned modifications—turning wood dragons into nunchaku, or creating colossal versions. He studied Hashirama's techniques again and again, determined to break traditional limitations.
After all, wooden puppets were ugly.
Below, many of the clansmen cried with joy.
The Senju's symbol had returned!
This proved that one day, more Senju would awaken wood-style powers like Yukika. Even the faint, eerie glow some sensed was a good omen.
"The Senju legacy… hasn't been severed," Uzumaki Mito sighed, her gaze tender and full of encouragement as she looked at Yukika.
In him, she saw both Hashirama's kindness and Tobirama's decisiveness. The Senju clan's resurgence was inevitable.
This was exactly Yukika's plan.
Asura was gone, but his power had merged into Yukika's bloodline. Yukika's descendants would inherit it. Even if diluted, it didn't matter—the Senju lineage would endure. If given enough time, Wood Release might even become a natural bloodline trait of the Senju once more.
Therefore, Yukika's future wife would have to endure some "bittersweet" hardships.
Happy hardships, naturally…
Besides Asura, another thought struck Yukika.
If Madara had absorbed Indra's power after death, would he have awakened the Rinnegan?
He wasn't sure—but it was worth experimenting.
Meanwhile, distant from all this—
The villagers of Konoha, drawn by the commotion, walked out of the village, gazes filled with disbelief.
When they saw trees blossoming around the Senju compound, mouths dropped open.
This was Wood Release—the signature of the First Hokage!
And now the Senju wielded it again...
What did this mean?
Senju Yukika could rally an army, even rebuild Konoha itself, if he wanted.
This was the true power of Wood Release—it was the soul of the Senju, and its return signaled the beginning of something terrifying.
The invincible clan of the Warring States era was stirring again.
"The effect is achieved," Yukika smiled as he looked down.
The vast forest he had created with chakra was a natural barrier. His unique chakra made the trees act like his own eyes. Even without activating sensory techniques, he could spot threats near the Senju territory instantly.
If someone like Uchiha Madara, who once bullied the Nine Tails, dared to come, Yukika would be the first to sense it and intercept him.
This was necessary.
The Senju would still take time to fully transform.
Meanwhile, they remained vulnerable and needed protection.
Yukika wasn't afraid of threats, but ambushes were always troublesome. Now, with both the chakra forest and Mito's hand-crafted barrier, a prototype of "Xuye Palace" (Void Night Palace) had been established.
Only through stability could they endure fate's trials.
Yet, just as stability seemed within reach, new ripples stirred beneath the surface…