Chapter 11 - Senju Clan Affairs

Later in the day, after Mikumo had carefully memorized everyone on her grandaunt's scroll, she spent the rest of the time hanging out with her grandmother.

"Grandma, when can I start attending the academy?"

Towa sat on a cushion looking out into the courtyard as she slowly sipped tea.

"You can start tomorrow. The current year of classes just started two weeks ago, so you're not too far behind."

Mikumo was excited upon hearing she can attend soon.

'Tomorrow? Wow, I didn't think it'd be that soon. Nice.'

Towa turned to the side and waved her hand.

"Ayane."

Ayane came over and knelt down next to Towa.

"Yes, Towa-sama."

"Please register my granddaughter for the ninja academy. I want her to be able to start tomorrow."

"It shall be done, Towa-sama."

Ayane then neatly stood up, and as soon as she did, she disappeared with a shunshin.

"Shunshin no Jutsu?"

"Yes, dearie. It's among many of the shinobi basics you'll be learning."

Mikumo nodded and took a sip of her tea as she examined her surroundings.

'Hm. I don't know if these servants are of Senju blood or not, when we came in I didn't really see too many people other than Tsunade and servants.'

"Grandma, where are all the other clan members at? I only see servants around."

Towa gripped her tea cup tightly upon hearing the question, but her face didn't change.

"After Mito-sama passed away two years ago. The clan has been in rapid decline. Now there are very few of us left. Even Mito-sama's homeland was destroyed last year."

Towa sighed sadly and took another sip of her tea.

Mikumo didn't say much as she knew about these events from her knowledge of the anime.

'Destroyed already? and also right after Mito passes away? Calling it a coincidence would be insulting.'

Towa turned to look at her granddaughter and rubbed her cheek.

"In this life, things aren't always what they seem. Doubly so when it comes to shinobi affairs."

"Do you mean that someone is instigating the decline of our clansmen? and it's also related to the destruction of Mito-sama's homeland?"

Towa was surprised by the insight of her granddaughter, she patted her head in admiration.

"You are very bright, dearie. I too have these concerns, but I haven't been able to confirm them. I've long left the shinobi life, and the only trusted attendant I have is Ayane. So even if I'm concerned, I can't act without reliable information."

Mikumo thought about the situation and reflected on her past memories.

'Right now, Tsunade is the only remaining leader of the clan. While grandma, although has a certain level of influence, has no real power over the clan. After grandma passes away, Tsunade is the only one left, and she's already semi-retired and turning a blind eye to the clan's affairs and Konoha in general. In such an environment, if the remaining clansmen start dying off in missions, there's no one left to raise a complaint after grandma passes away.'

"Grandma, how many clansmen do we have left?"

Towa thought for a bit before answering.

"Excluding you, we only have roughly forty ninja clansmen left and a handful of civilians."

Mikumo nodded before continuing.

"And currently what's the rate of birth and death within our clan?"

"There have barely been any children born in years due to our decline, and our shinobi are constantly on missions. We were already on a slow decline even before Mito-sama passed away due to the war, now there seems to be a report of a death in the clan every month."

Towa said with a sad sigh. Mikumo started calculating in her mind.

"Grandma, this is not good, at this rate the clan will be extinct in just a few years. There must be something wrong, how can the higher-ups let this go on? The Senju clan was one of the two founding clans of Konoha."

Towa didn't say anything for a long time and kept staring into the courtyard.

"...There's nothing that can be done at this point. I don't have the strength anymore to handle this problem, nor do I have the authority."

Mikumo was a little irritated at what she heard.

"No grandma, but you have the status. Let's just ask Tsunade-hime for help, she has the authority and the strength. You can't give up on your clan, there must be something deeper going on, if you don't do something, no one will."

Towa pondered for a long time over her granddaughter's words.

Mikumo could tell that there was no fire in her eyes at all.

'This is just too sad, never mind the fact that at some point it might lead to my own endangerment because of my Senju blood, I can't just watch my distant cousins die off without at least trying to do something.'

"Towa-sama, is this something Toka-sama would have wanted? Did she sacrifice her life just to see her clan go extinct?"

Mikumo spoke not as a granddaughter at this moment, but as a clansman.

Towa's hand shook and she bit her lip.

"What do you know, this wretched clan thinks of nothing but self-sacrifice. You're too young to speak of the clan's affairs."

"Perhaps, but what I do know is I care about my family, and I care about you. Don't wait for an inevitability, the hands of fate move only for the bold. Towa-sama, your family needs you."

Towa turned and stared into her granddaughter's stern eyes.

"...You have Toka's eyes, that's for sure."

Towa looked down into the already chilled cup of tea.

"I understand, I will do what I can. Go and call one of the servants for me."

Mikumo nodded and stood up to walk towards the exit of the compound.

Towa then looked up to the sky.

"Sister...maybe the clan is doomed after all. Mikumo, even at such a young age, has wisdom and resolve beyond her years. She's inherited your will, my dear sister. If that's the case, then I can only follow in her wake."