I do not own any rights in regards to either Naruto or The Gamer. I know, it's sad right.

I was woken up by the bright streams of light pouring through my window, the light hurt my already throbbing head. If the massive headache I had was any indication, I should try to avoid crying as much ever again.

I was still lying awkwardly on my couch, the night had been a long one and the picture of my parents was still clutched in my hand. I was lucky I hadn't damaged it in my sleep, I sat up slowly with my pounding head. I gently placed the photo back into the wallet that had been its home for the last thirteen years. I didn't really have anything in my old wallet put a few ryo, so switching everything over only took a minute. I set my new wallet down on the coffee table and placed my head in my hands.

"My head is killing me…"

I groaned as I rested back into the couch, before I could get to comfortable though, a gleam of gold caught my attention. I looked to the table and saw the source, I had gotten so caught up in finding the photo that I'd completely forgotten the few items left to look over.

I shifted from my spot leaning back against the couch to leaning over the table, three rings and a necklace stared back at me. Two of the articles were simple enough to identify, a set of simple gold bands rested in front of me.

"I'll have to find a place to hide these."

For now though I would just reseal them into the storage scroll, my place wasn't exactly the safest to have something like this lying around. The necklace though was odd, it looked like a sort of black steel chain with a small pendent hanging from it. The pendant had the engraving of a clan symbol on it, a pair of crossed katanas over the image of a mountain.

I wasn't exactly familiar with all the clan symbols of Konoha, but I don't think I have seen any seal like this around the city. I was just going to give up on it until I could head to the library and research it, but then I remembered the skill I had gotten yesterday with Naruko.

"Observe"

Mark of the Hashira

Type: Amulet

Rank: Heirloom (Blood Bound)

A necklace given to the children of the main family of the Hashira clan, the necklace is a sign of respect and position. It cannot be worn by anyone not of their bloodline without suffering dire consequences.

(Kenjutsu skills +10% exp gain, Honored by any loyal member of the Hashira Clan)

{Blood Bound: If worn without "Bloodline: Hashira" perk the wearer suffers severe shocks until removed.}

I stared at the information screen dumbstruck, one again, by the gravity of the item I was holding. So I was part of a clan, or at least one of my parents was. If I had stopped to think about my actions I would probably not have simply thrown the necklace around my neck, it did worn about what would happen if I wasn't from the main houses bloodline. I was too excited though, and found myself wearing it before I had given it the least amount of thought.

I froze immediately, waiting for the intense pain to begin. After a few moments though, I couldn't resist the smile that made its way across my face, or the small bit of laughter that came with my relief.

I looked to the last piece of jewelry on the table, a large ring with a flat top that seemed to have a seal pressed into it was shining dimly in the light. The clan seal on it look familiar this time at least, I couldn't place where though. I looked like one of the tools I had seen the priests that sometimes travel though Konoha use for meditation.

"Observe"

Senju Clan Head Ring

Type: Ring

Rank: Heirloom (Blood Bond)

Belonging to the Clan Head of the Senju main family, this ring is their mark of office and a symbol of position within the clan. The ring was created by the son Asura Ōtsutsuki, and the first to take the name Senju, and has been passed down through his decedents ever since.

(-5% to all CP costs, Honored by any loyal member of the Senju Clan)

{Blood Bound: If worn without "Bloodline: Senju" perk the wearers chakra is rapidly drained until removed.}

I….was not prepared for that.

Ping*

A Quest Has Been Completed.

To move forward, first look behind!

Primary objective: Find information about your parents. Completed*

Completion Reward: 2000 exp, Family Heirlooms, Proceeding Quest Unlocked

Ping*

Your Status Information Has Been Updated.

Your Level Has Risen By 1.

Your Level Has Risen By 1.

Your Level Has Risen By 1.

Ping*

A new quest has been created.

To Reclaim a Legacy!

The legacy of your blood runs deep into Konohagakure no Sato, confront your Hokage and claim your right to be counted among your ancestors.

Primary objective: Gain recognition as a member of the Senju Clan

Additional Objective: Take the Name Mitsuru Senju

Completion Reward: 2000 exp, ?

Completion Failure: Will have to try again at later date, Loss of Family Heirloom

Accept (yes/no)

I read and read over each of the boxes, trying to make sense of the information in front of me. I could feel my body tense as I went to the edge of panic and hysteria, but then the edge to the emotional suddenly disappeared. I was still panicky and high strung, but I could think at least.

It had to be "Gamers Mind" stepping in again, though why it affected this and not my near breakdown last night I wasn't sure. I suppose it could only apply to negative emotions like panic and fear, but figuring out the skills specifics would have to wait for now.

If I am reading this right, then I'm a Senju, which is a whole other level of insane.

Now I didn't get much from the history lessons in class, but even I knew the basics of the villages founding. The two largest clans of the time, the Uchiha and the Senju, came together after centuries of warfare to make a village where they could keep their families safe and stop having to fear one another.

I didn't think there was any Senju left, let alone that I might be one. I pressed "Yes" to accept the quest. I wanted to see where this would all go.

If had any family left alive, or any hope of finding out what my dormant kekkei genkai was, I would probably needed to have spoken to the Hokage eventually regardless. I closed out the rest of the boxes, though I noticed one the said my status information had changed.

"Status Window"

Status Window

Name: Mitsuru "Takehiko"

Job: The Gamer

Level: 4 Next Level: 500/1000

Title: Konoha Academy Student

Specialization: N/A

HP: 220 (+12/hour)

CP: 700 (+49/minute)

STR: 5

VIT: 11

DEX: 9

INT: 15

WIS: 14

LUK: ?

Perks:

Kekkei Genkai: [Chakra Aspect/The Gamer], this bloodline limit is passed down through the [Hashira Clan], awakening on the family member's thirteenth year. It creates a state of subconscious within your chakra, allowing it to take on the aspect of the user's nature. Once formed, the individual's aspect cannot be changed or altered.

(Job: The Gamer, CP +400)

Kekkei Genkai: [?], ? ? ? ?

(Dormant: +1 WIS per lvl, +1 VIT per lvl)

Bloodline: [Hashira], The Hashira Clan is counted among the founding Samurai clans of the Land of Iron. The name Hashira, meaning "Pillar", represents their importance to the Land of Iron's military strength. Their unique bloodline limit, normally manifesting as armor composed of chakra, is said to be the reason for the clan's high rate of survival in engagements with shinobi.

(Kenjutsu skills +30% exp gain, Kenjutsu skills +20% effectiveness, DEX +1 per lvl)

Bloodline: [Senju], The Senju clan descends from Asura Ōtsutsuki, the youngest son of the Sage of the Six Paths. Asura's inherited the sages "body", and through him, the whole of the Senju line as well. This grants the Senju more malleable chakra, leading to their competence in most fields that involve the manipulation of chakra. The Senju are a one of the founding clans of Konohagakure, and the ideological progenitors of the "Will of Fire".

(-20% to all CP costs, +10% to all skill exp gains, +1 INT per lvl)

Skills:

[Gamer's body (passive) lvl/MAX]

Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world as it were a game.

After sleeping in a bed, the user recovers all HP, CP, and cure minor status effects.

[Gamer's mind (passive) lvl/MAX]

Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through, allows a peaceful state of mind. Enables immunity to psychological status effects, immunity to genjutsu from users the same level or lower of the user.

[Observe (Active) Lv1 EXP: 60%]

A skill to find out a target's information, more information is revealed as this skill increases in level.

Status Effects:

Malnourishment: (Moderate effect) Due to a lack of appropriate nutrition the individual is suffering from malnourishment, this results in a weakened body and a slower rate of growth.

(Physical skill effectiveness -10%, Physical skill exp gain -10%, HP -40, rate of bodily growth -20%)

Money: 6700 Ryo

Points: 9

I got up from the couch, my legs unsteady beneath me, I needed to go see the Hokage before I lost my nerve. Though, how I was supposed to start a conversation about this with him in the first place I had no idea. Not to mention figuring out how to get in to see him in the first place.

I hurried through my routine quickly, my shower was too quick to call enjoyable, and I simply threw on the same pants from yesterday and grabbed one of my few shirts before nearly sprinting out of the building.

I was going so fast that I nearly missed the fact that Chika wasn't near the building again. I would have to check up on her later tonight, it wasn't like her to suddenly disappear. If she wasn't around when I got back tonight, I would have to go ask around at some of the bars and gambling dens. I suppose most wouldn't worry if a working girl disappear for a few days, but last time she vanished, she had been in the hospital from a beating a "client" had given her.

"I hate that she still won't tell me who it was."

I shelved the worry for later and got back on my way to the center of the city, the Hokage Tower was highest point in the village, with the exception on the Hokage monument. I made it to the center of village in nearly record time for me. The fact that I hadn't woken up to nearly noon meant that I was greeted by the sight of a fully alive Konoha. The Commerce district was a mass of activity as every family seemed to be out and enjoying the last day of the weekend.

The Hokage Tower was down the main road of the village, so of course the road was absolutely packed. I maneuvered through the crowd and found myself quickly in the smallest area of Konoha, the Governmental District. The area wasn't composed of many buildings really, the Hokage Tower was in the middle of the small circular area, surrounding it was the shinobi library, T&I headquarters, and the main barracks for any shinobi currently tasked to the police force.

I entered through the wide glass double doors of the Tower and made my way to the long staircase that wound around the tower, leading to the entrances of the various offices housed here.

There was an elevator of course, but only jonin, those escorted by one, or important clients of the village could take it. Everyone else had to walk up the twelve story towers stair way to reach either the tenth level where the mission briefing room was, or the twelfth story where the Hokage's office was. I hadn't been back to the tower since the academy brought all of the students here for a field trip, most of us had ended up awe struck when we had been filed into the mission briefing room and the Hokage had been there to talk to us for a small while.

He had only asked us a few questions, why wanted to be shinobi and how we felt our time in the academy was going. He had struck me as a rather harmless old man, that was until Iruka-sensei had told us what most of the elemental nations called him, the "Kami no Shinobi". That quickly corrected any notions I might have had about the Hokage's strength, though I was always curious why they also called him "The Professor".

I arrived at the entrance to the twelfth level to see the open door way and two seemingly bored nin in chunin flak jackets. They eyed me closely as I passed, but did make an effort to stop me. The reception area for the Hokage's office was large, the walls were painted an off white on the bottom with the top half a deep green, chairs lined the office walls, and in the center of the room was the secretaries wrap around desk.

The woman behind the desk looked up and smiled, she looked to be in her early fifties and her mostly grey hair and dark yellow eyes did nothing to detract from her friendly atmosphere.

"Observe" I mumbled the order while I walked closer to the desk.

Mio Kaneko

Lvl: ?

HP: ?

CP: ?

A skill, [Observe], has risen by 1.

I suppose they wouldn't let just anyone guard the entrance to the Hokage's office. I couldn't see her information like I could see Naruko's; our levels must be too far apart for me to see anything then.

"What can I do for you young man?"

She gave me a small smile, I wonder if she was used to kids just wandering in here. It would explain why the chunin at the door didn't bother stopping me.

"I was wondering if I could see the Hokage?"

Yeah, this was probably a common occurrence for her, I thought she'd get annoyed with me, but she just grinned a little wider in amusement of me. I get the feeling she's used to being bothered by people my age, thought I can't imagine why someone my age would be wondering up here for no reason.

"Would you mind telling me the reason why? The Hokage is generally to busy to just sit down and talk unfortunately."

Ah, she probably thought I was just trying to talk to the "fabled" Hokage and was trying to let me down easy. I could appreciate that under normal circumstances I would never get time with the Hokage, I wasn't even an actual shinobi of Konoha yet.

I reached into my pocket and grabbed the Senju signet ring, I had tried putting it on before I left the apartment, but it still too big for me to ware. I placed the ring on the desk in front of her and did my best to smile politely.

"Could you give this to the Hokage and ask if he is willing to see me?"

She picked up the ring on the counter and after examining it for a moment, her whole body seemed to freeze in shock. She looked over at me, her eyes were now sharp and calculating as she studied me. "Wait here for a moment, please"

She stood stiffly and walked out from behind the desk, my ring clutch in hand, and went to the large wooden doors to the Hokage's office. She knocked briefly and after a moments pause, entered.

I moved away from the desk and toward the row of chairs, I found myself fighting the urge to pace as the seconds ticked by. After what was the longest minute of my life the secretary exits the office and looks at me with her previous smile as she motions toward the door.

"The Hokage will see you now."

I nodded and thanked her as I moved into the office, she closed the doors behind the moment I was over the threshold of the office. I stood frozen under the probing gaze of the man before me. The Kami no Shinobi sat in front of me, his eyes sharp and this mouth caught in a firm line. I gritted my teeth and fought the urge to cower, the man in front of me was far more terrifying than the kindly old man I had met on my first trip here.

After a few more moments of his searching, his frown disappeared and a small kind smile replaced it. His eyes softened and I felt like I given permission to breathe again, he motioned for me to come closer. My legs nearly shook as I neared him, there was no point in trying to use observe on him, if his secretary's level was too high for me to use the skill then it would be useless on the Hokage.

"Would you care to introduce yourself young man?"

It sounded like a question, but I got the feeling that nothing in his words left me any room to refuse the request.

"Mitsuru Takahiko"

His smile turned a bit gentler as he must have heard the lingering fear in my words. He lifted up my ring and ran his thumb over the Senju crest imprinted in it. "Can you tell me how you came into possession of this Mitsuru-kun?"

I swallowed thickly as I tried to gather my courage to tell him what little I had discovered. "I found the ring in the scroll that had my late parent's effects."

The Hokage's eyes widen slightly at that, I wonder if he had though I had stolen or simply found the ring before my explanation. He looked me over again, this time from head to toe, seemingly trying to take in all of my features.

"Was there anything else in scroll?" The Hokage's voice was tight now, it almost sounded like he was in pain over the conversation.

"I found a picture of my parent's, along with a necklace with another clan symbol carved into it."

"May I see them please?"

I didn't want to hand them over, giving the secretary my ring was the only way I could think of to get in. Parting with the other two as well, was not something I wanted agree too. It was the Hokage asking though, and I couldn't deny that I needed his help to get all of this sorted.

I removed the necklace from around my neck and placed it in his out stretched hand, and I pulled out my father's wallet and took out the picture. I laid it on the desk in front of him as he looked over the necklace in his hands.

The Hokage looked critically at both the ring and the necklace before looked over to the picture on the desk. When he saw the photo he went still, his mouth hanging slightly agape at the image in front of him. He quickly shook his head in a slight movement, likely attempting to clear it of his own lingering shock and confusion.

"Boar" The Hokage called out lowly and within a moment a man in a boar anbu mask was kneeling to the side of the Hokage's desk. The Hokage motioned for him to step closer, boar moved quickly and then leaned. The Hokage spoke in a voice to quite for me to hear, I just hoped this wasn't where I ended up locked in some prison cell. All of the academy students had heard the stories of people who got dragged off by anbu to never be seen again.

"Mitsuru-kun" the Hokage called my attention from my worried musings. "I need you to let Boar-san here take a sample of your blood to confirm your connection to these items."

"Do I need to go with him or…" My question was cut short when the anbu drew a kunai from the weapons bag at this hip. He held out his hand, I looked to the Hokage who nodded with a reassuring smile. I held my hand out, and quicker than I could react he dipped his kunai into the center of my palm, not so deep to call it a stab, but deep enough to coat the tip of the knife in my blood.

Ping*

Through continuous hurt, a skill "Physical Damage Resistance" has been created.

[Physical Damage Resistance (passive) lv1 Next lvl: 0%]

The body's durability has improved, thus reducing the amount of damage taken from physical damage.

2% decrease in damage from physical attacks.

The anbu briefly bowed to the Hokage before disappearing in a brief plum of thick smoke. "He should be returning soon." When I nodded in acknowledgement of his statement he continued on, "So Mitsuru-kun, tell me a bit about yourself."

Was he trying to keep me from being too nervous?

Good luck with that, but then the Hokage had just asked me a question, and I don't think it would be wise to ignore the man who was about to decide on a large part of my future. I swiped the window closed as I made to run my hand through my hair.

"I'm a third year student in the shinobi program at the academy, I'm an orphan, and I…don't really know if there's anything else worth mentioning…" I hadn't ever notice before, but I don't really have much of a life outside of the academy, playing video games at home and…"

"I do like gambling sometimes…"

Did I really just say that outload? I heard a long suffering sigh and looked to see the Hokage with his head in his hands. I could have sworn I heard him murmur something like "Not another one", he quickly recovered though and looked back at me with a weary grin.

"So you're almost at the graduation exam then, are you looking forward to being a shinobi of Konoha?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama" I didn't really know what else to say, "If I pass in the first place" would not have been a good choice of words. I really needed to start training, I could only hope that I could make it up to scratch before I had to take the test. I only had a week to get there, but with my Bloodline limit it might be possible. I did not want to spend another year in the academy dodging the threat of minor starvation.

Speaking of bloodline limits though, I wonder if the Hokage knew anything about my dormant one. The information about it was all greyed out, but if my Chakra Aspect came from the Hashira side, which I'm assuming it did since the Hashira description said "almost always" when it described the effect of the kekkei genkai in the family. Then what could I have gotten from the Senju side?

"Hokage-sama, may I ask a question?"

He looked up from examining the ring in front of him with a somewhat sad expression, "Of course Mitsuru-kun, what would you like to ask?"

"Did the Senju clan have a bloodline limit?"

His face grew thoughtful for a moment before nodding to me with a smile. "The Senju did have a one yes, though is considered a lost kekkei genkai now."

That surprised me, so we did have one then. At least I had a chance at finding out what it was now. I was about to ask what he meant, when the Boar masked anbu popped back into the room.

"Hokage-sama" he said with a bow before handing a slip of paper to the Hokage and vanishing again in a puff of smoke.

"It would seem that my guess was correct, your father was a Senju. Considering the likeness to her in the picture though, the blood test was more a formality for the paperwork than anything else."

I stared blankly at him for a long moment. It was one thing to have my own abilities tell me that I had a family, a history. It was another to have the Hokage sit there and tell you that it was so obvious that testing it was only a formality.

What do I say to something like that, "thank you" just didn't seem to cover it.

"Do know much about your clan, Mitsuru-kun?" The Hokage asked in a soft tone. I shook my head, I didn't trust myself to speak properly at the moment.

"The Senju clan was, along with the Uchiha, responsible for founding this village. The first Hokage was a man by the name of Hashirama Senju, and by the genetics you match to, your great great grandfather. I met him when I was a child, he was a great and kind man." He got a far off look in his eyes I saw often in the eyes of veterans of the last two shinobi wars when they shared their story with one another.

"I can answer your questions about the Senju bloodline limit as well. Do you know how a kekkei genkai is passed?"

I remembered that class at least, "Bloodline limits are passed from parent to child." It was probably the simplest version of the answer, but I didn't know much more than the basics of it.

"Essentially yes, normally all children born from a parent with a kekkei genkai inherit it, however in very rare cases it can skip a child. Whenever this happens, the odds of that child ever having children with the bloodline limit nearly vanish."

The Hokage pulled out a long wooden pipe from a drawer in his desk and lit the contents in it before caring on. "You see Hashirama had nine sons, and of those nine all but one inherited his kekkei genkai "Mokuton"."

"What is Mokuton?" I was so wrapped up in the lecture I didn't realize I had interrupted the Hokage until my mind caught up with my words. "Sorry" I mumbled as I felt myself try and shrink back into my chair.

The Hokage laughed a bit to himself, "Don't worry child, I'm sure this is all quite a bit for you to take in." He paused and took another long intake from his pipe. "Mokuton, is the ability to generate and control wood and other flora. It's a "nature transformation" kekkei genkai, which means that it allows the body to generate a charka type different than the normal five most people are born with. Though nothing is without its draw back, the human body is only born naturally allowing for five types of chakra to be safely channeled. This is why people born to the abilities of this type, always find themselves unable to generate whatever elemental chakra is in direct opposition to their kekkei genkai."

Ping*

Your Status Information Has Been Updated.

Through listening dutifully to the teachings of an instructor you have gained 1 INT.

Through listening dutifully to the teachings of an instructor you have gained 1 WIS.

"We have gotten off point however, where was I…ah yes, the nine sons of the first Hokage. You see, while the first eight had the Mokuton, the last son did not. An as fate would have it, the first eight sons would die young in the events of the first shinobi war. Even the second Hokage, the first Hokage's brother, died young saving me and several others from a force composed of the twenty five strongest shinobi Kumogakure had during the first shinobi war. Most of the Senju were whipped out during the war, and the years leading up to the second war were difficult for what little was left of your clan.

"When the dust settled after the first war only one member of the Senju clan was left who was not already an elder, your great grandfather, Sakai Senju, was the ninth son of the first Hokage. He had two children…your grandmother and you great uncle. Sakai did not live long after his wife died in the birthing of their second child, I am sorry to say he drank himself to an early grave soon after."

The Hokage stopped to refill his pipe before continuing on, I was getting a very strong idea why they called him "The Professor" now. That he could remember all of this from the top of his head was a little amazing, but then again he wasn't remembering lines he had read from a book, he had lived during the events he was describing.

"Your grandmother, as your blood says you are a direct descendent of the first Hokage and there is no one else alive whom you could actually have children from that line except her, is Tsunade Senju."

"…I'm going to have a heart attack before I even get chance to take the graduation exam." I thought before placing my head in my hands and willing the new headache away. I should have remembered the name earlier, Tsunade Senju, one of the Densetsu no Sannin, and until me the "last" Senju.

The Hokage's chuckle let me know that I had actually said that out loud, I really need to make sure that doesn't become a habit.

"I was Tsunade's sensei actually, and I must say in the little while I've known you, you do remind me a fair bit of her."

Judging by his tone, I'm not sure if I should be taking that as a compliment.

"Tsunade is perhaps the greatest medical-nin to have ever lived, and that along with her incredible strength led many hail her as the greatest kunoichi alive." The Hokage's face grew thoughtful again, though his eyes carried a great sadness in them. "She left Konoha after the deaths of both the man she loved, and her little brother. I'm afraid those stories are hers alone to tell, you will have to ask your grandmother herself if you wish to know."

"What about my father?"

The Hokage merely shook his head and took another long breath through his pipe. "With the exception of random visits to old friends, Tsunade never spent more than the old week or so in the village. I've not seen her in person in over a decade, though I do get the occasional letter from her apprentice to help me stay informed. Though, it has been a good two years since the last one. However, rumors of her various activities always make it back to Konoha eventually. Threw all of that time however, I was never made aware of your father's existence."

He was trying not to say it, but it wasn't so hard to read between the lines. "Do you think she left him to be raised an orphan like I was?" The thought left me angry, that she would leave her child alone with no idea of who he was…

"I do not know, nor will I belittle her by guessing at her actions or motives." He frowned at me, his eyes hard as the Hokage seemed to grow defensive of his student. "That is another thing you will have to discuss with your grandmother herself."

I just stood there, my eyes forced shut as I dealt with my own anger. I gotten a few of my questions answered, but that had only led to more difficult ones. I had a grandmother, but did she abandon my father? Did she raise him outside the Village, and if so what was he doing here when the Kyubi no Yoko attacked.

"Tsunade is very dear to me Mitsuru-kun, while I won't ask you to forgive her absence. I would ask that you reserve judgement, at least until you've had the chance to speak to her."

I knew what he was really asking, to give a chance to a stranger. I've never met the woman, the only things I really knew about her were her legend and the fact that she was never there. "If she didn't even know I existed though, could I really blame her for not being there?"

I nodded hesitantly in agreement, I want to know the history between my father and her, until I could talk to her and figure it out though, I wouldn't damn her before I knew her side of the story.

"Good, I'll send out a few messengers and see if I can get news of your existence to her. Until then however," He picked up my necklace from the table and looked at it wearily, "I will need you to keep your mothers ancestry a secret." He must have seen the confusion on my face because he sighed slightly before explaining.

"This necklace has the symbol of the Hashira clan engraved into it, a samurai clan from the Land of Iron. I've seen similar ones on members of their main family on past visits, and I must say your mother carries many of the features typical to their main family. The Land of Iron have always been a neutral force in the shinobi world, I would rather not give them provocation by seemingly having kept a progeny of one their largest clans in Konoha without their knowledge." The Hokage's eyes narrowed slightly, I got the express impression that this wasn't so much a request as it was an order.

"Hai Hokage-sama" I quickly replied to the thinly veiled instruction, "Will I ever be able to meet that side of my family?" I tried to shake off how odd the word felt coming out of my mouth. That I actually did have family now, even if none of them knew I existed, was a concept that would take some getting used to.

The Hokage smoked his pipe briefly before smiling kindly and nodding, "I will likely have to wait until you reach chunin, and an opportunity presents itself to travel to the Land of Iron. Delicate situations like this are…better handled in person." He placed the necklace down and moved the items closer to the edge of the desk, then motioning to me that it was alright to take them now.

I was busy placing the photo back into my wallet as the Hokage continued to stare at nothing while deep in thought. I tried to put on the ring again and was quickly reminded that it was simply to big right now. I undid the on the necklace's chain and slid the ring onto it so that it rested next to the medallion, I quickly refastened the necklace around my neck.

"I do not know if you wished to remain out of the limelight Mitsuru-kun, but I'm afraid I will have to tell the council that a new heir to the Senju is in Konoha."

I quickly looked back up to him as he started to speak, his entire demeanor was serious…and grim. Was having people know who I am that big of a deal? I know the Senju was important in Konoha once, but the whole clan is only two people now. One hasn't been in the village in over a decade, and the other who wasn't even a genin yet. Honestly though, I had been too caught up in trying to figure out how to get to this moment, that I didn't bother to consider what might happen next.

"I understand Hokage-sama, though I would like to make a request then." Yeah, this was probably pushing it a bit.

"Oh, and what would that be?" His eyes turned curious, though his serious demeanor never lessened.

"If I'm going to become part of the clan, then I would like to take the name." I didn't really have too much attachment to my last name, especially after finding out it was given to me by a random stranger. As a Senju though, I had family and a history. I'm sure that not everything about it was going to be pleasant, especially if the Hokage's reaction to my being unveiled to the council was any indication.

The Hokage studied me for a long moment, "Are you sure? There will be no hiding it from anyone then, are you ready to take the pressure that name carriers?"

I wasn't, and if I had to guess I'd say we both knew it. I knew nothing of politics or clans, I wasn't even a very promising student. I refused to back away though, the name was mine and I wasn't going to let that connection go.

"Hai Hokage-sama"