Family

After some time the door opened and the Senju family came in the room. Tsunade immediately hugged me. Any tighter and she might have broken my ribs. Mother and father in law could only place their hand on my back. A long awkward silence with only my crying could be heard.

I didn't think I had anymore tears. To think I was moved, from arguably such a small kindness. This was the first time anyone apart from my father and Tsunade had shown genuine care though. It wasn't like my new in laws were saints, they clearly wanted to use me for the future of their clan. Yet I could feel their sincerity, the rage they were exuding made me feel oddly at ease.

Right I had a family now. I would protect them no matter the cost. Fuck fate. The fact I even existed was a giant fuck you to fate. Pretty sure I'm not canon.

Right… that woman will be handed over to me. I'll show her what fathers jutsu could really do. Hmm am I emitting killing intent? Right…I now have a lot more chakra then I used to. Get it under control Ren. She'll pay. She'll pay. She'll pay. Soon. Soon. Soon.

I need to become an official genin for that. I originally wanted to wait to join Minatos and Kushinas class since we're the same age though. Plans change, revenge first. The man named Hikaru wouldn't be handed to me, if that bitch was latching on to him it meant he was important, but I'd find a way to get rid of him too. I need more power, I wouldn't have to wait if I had more power.

As Ren was going into a spiral. Mira and her husband Kenzorama didn't know what to say. The killing intent coming of the kid was almost visible, and theirs was starting to show too. Mother had relayed the information of what happened to the boy but what could they ever say. Even if they wanted to torture that woman until she regretted even living, it would never bring the boys father back. All they could do now is be his new family and try to make him forget his pain.

Suddenly they heard a whisper at their back.

" You two lets leave. She's the only one that can help him right now."

So the night passed and Tsunade didn't let go for a single second. Eventually the two drifted into sleep, nothing needed to be said. Ren could feel her love and he wanted to hold onto it for as long as possible.

When Ren woke up the next day he nearly suffocated. Maybe such big…assets…were not such a good thing. It seems at some point in the night a cover had been placed on them.

"Tsunade wake up."

"Wake up!"

" Please wake up I can't breathe!"

Eventually the mumbling and movement under her managed to wake up Tsunade. As she moved off him Ren could be heard taking deep gulps of air.

"How are you feeling Ren?"

"I need to get stronger Tsunade. In this world I can't protect you or our family as I am now."

Looking her straight in the eye.

"I promise I'll become the strongest in this world and I will always protect you."

Tsunade didn't know what to say, for the first time she saw the boy as a man. They weren't the most inspiring of words but the desperation to protect her from any harm could be seen in his eyes. Not just her but that care extended to all of her family. He wanted to protect them all and it touched her heart.

She took this chance to take a good look at him. He was definitely calm but he seemed to have had great physical changes. That rapid influx of chakra seemed to have settled over night and made him grow to her height. Seems he fed all his excess chakra reserves to his body subconsciously. She thought he probably wanted to be her equal and he most likely would try to be taller than her in the future. What a silly man, she could take care of herself. The sixteen year age gap still bothered her but in the shinobi world it wasn't that uncommon. Not to mention sixteen years, the Daimyo's often had wifes up to 40 years younger than them or maybe even more.

"I need to go to the land of water Tsunade. As long as it's there I can rapidly increase my strength."

"If it's water release techniques you want, we have plenty Ren. There's no need to go to such a dangerous country."

"No I need to find the Hozuki clan I need one of their techniques."

" The Hydrification Technique I'm guessing."

Ren looked stunned. The hell, she knew about it?

" My grand uncle studied water release extensively, naturally he had a good idea of all the Land of Waters techniques. I'll ask father to provide you grand uncles secret technique scroll. There's no need for the trip."

So it came to be that the next year of my life was spent in Uzushiogakure. My status of fiancé was quickly spread in the village and after the initial weird looks every one seemed to accept it.

In the first month since I was handed Tobiramas scroll I used said entire month to learn the multi shadow clone jutsu. I couldn't actually use it in the end though. Quite frankly it wasn't safe to use with my chakra reserve but I could use the original and so I did. I could make at most two clones at first but as I spent my time relentlessly training jutsu, I eventually was able to make the full dozen.

The main jutsu I learned over the past year apart from the shadow clones are Hydrification, water bullet, water clone, water severing wave , and last but not least I finally managed to find those pesky Eight Gates. I was only able to open 3 of them but I was determined to get stronger and nearly killed myself trying to open the fourth. The only reason I had managed to advance so quickly was due to character save and load.

Tsunade gave me quite the scolding the day I tried to open the fourth gate. It was the first time in months that I remembered she was older than me. Recently I had grown two inches taller than her and she stopped seeming older than me in my mind. My sixth birthday was a subtle reminder though.

For the first time in my life I had people surrounding me on my birthday. It's an event I could never forget.

Grandma Mito quite suddenly gave me a wine gourd. It was unique though as it was made with chakra metal and inlaid with some Fuinjutsu seals. As long as you poured chakra into it, it would provide drinking water. Perfect for my Hydrification technique.

My in laws gifted me a replica of Tobirama's armor. Apparently my father in law wanted to make a more elaborate and ornate armor but settled on this after he was told I was being uncannily similar to Tobirama.

They weren't wrong though, at this point I was really becoming the second coming of Tobirama. I was using most of his self made techniques and was steadily researching the others. I'm not sure how he would feel about it but I was planning on reviving my father. Unfortunately impure reincarnation was one of the techniques not included in the scroll I was given. I digress.

Tsunades gift was the one that was awkward. She gifted me a large bottle of Sake. I wasn't sure what drinking laws were but I knew I shouldn't drink at 6 years old. A fact mother in law kindly reminded her of.

Despite such grand gifts Nawaki's gift ironically was the one I was looking forward to the most. A coupon for Ichiraku Ramen. The shop was opened this year and not lacking customers.

After all this time we had all grown closer. Tsunade and I actually started sleeping in the same room. Father in law often came and played a few rounds of shogi with me. As for Nawaki well his similarities to a shonen protagonist were uncanny, the guy was just likable and we were truly brothers. Naturally such good times had to come to an end.

Nawaki had turned eight years old and was heading to the academy. I decided to tag along. It was earlier than I wanted but plans change. Naturally with both of us pleading and me saying I would leave a thunder god kunai in the village. My in laws relented and agreed to move back to the Senju compound in Konoha.

It was finally time to return to the village.

It was finally time to settle some old debts.