Authors note: Wow some of you guys are really unhappy with the Cat summon and the Raikage's actions. Let me explain myself a little...
Cat- I never said he can learn Sage mode from the Cats...and who said Shikomu will only have 1 summoning contract, or stay with the Moonshadow till the end? Have a little faith.
Raikage- I have reasons for my actions...just read on ahead and eventually you will see.
Welp, haters gon hate (Especially from henceforth since the changes are a lot), but happy readings!
Chapter 55: Cat is out of the bag
"Also, it seems like your bloodline is something you're unaware of..." Yoru's mom spoke in a low, knowing tone, her massive form still as her glowing yellow eyes studied me carefully.
My heart froze.
No way.
Was this what I thought it was?
"You possess something rare... the Senju bloodline," she continued calmly, "Like the founding father of the Hidden Leaf himself."
I didn't respond, but my mind was running.
She gently lifted a massive paw and pointed toward the far side of the Moonshadow territory. "We once had a Senju contracted to us. Your chakra feels eerily similar… warm, boundless, rooted in life. That's how I know."
I met her gaze for a moment, unsure of what to say.
"If you already knew," she said, curling her tail around Yoru protectively, "then I imagine you're keeping it a secret. I'll respect that. If it wasn't a secret, your Kage would've already made it public."
She paused, then smiled ever so slightly.
"How about you head over there—" she gestured again, "That grove hasn't been touched in decades. It's rich in nature chakra, and it once served as a training ground for our previous Senju contractor."
I bowed my head slightly.
"I understand."
Without another word, I walked toward the grove. I could already feel it—the overwhelming pulse of nature. The trees whispered, and the wind was heavier here. It felt like the earth itself was alive beneath my feet.
The game... it had finally unlocked a place for me to train my Wood Style.
Something I had never dared attempt before.
Until now.
I spent the next week inside the Moonshadow Clan's territory, taking every moment to train in my Wood Style.
This opportunity—to train without distraction, without prying eyes, in a place deeply rooted in natural chakra—would rarely come again.
The trees here whispered things I didn't fully understand. The very air carried an older kind of power.
Each root I grew, each branch I manipulated—it all felt smoother here, more natural.
But eventually, like all good things, it came to an end.
With a quiet word and a flicker of chakra, I reverse summoned myself back to the Hidden Leaf.
The familiar scent of firewood and wind greeted me—but something else, too.
A presence.
Standing not ten feet from me, arms calmly folded, was Naido-sensei.
"Shikomu," he said, his voice calm as always.
There was a flicker of something else in his eyes. Restraint, maybe. Couldn't really tell when sensei was being serious or trolling me.
"Follow me."
I didn't question him. I simply nodded and walked beside him. He took a route I had never seen before, winding behind buildings, slipping through alleys, passing rooftops and gates as if the entire village was built to hide this one secret passage.
What struck me wasn't the route itself, but the way he moved—purposefully, but discreetly.
Not a single soul laid eyes on us.
Not a single whisper of our passing echoed through the air.
Still, I said nothing.
It wasn't my place to ask.
Eventually, he stopped in front of a thick set of doors. He opened them without knocking, and I followed him inside.
The scent of tobacco hit me instantly.
The Hokage's office.
The Third sat behind a sea of scrolls and papers, pipe loosely in his lips, his age more prominent now than the last time I saw him.
"Ah, young Shikomu," Hiruzen said as he looked up. "Take a seat."
I bowed slightly and obeyed.
He inhaled from his pipe, letting the smoke curl above him in lazy circles.
Then, with a sigh, he set the pipe down gently and folded his hands.
"There is something I must tell you," he said, his voice heavier than usual. "Officially, to the world… you have been deemed dead."
I blinked.
"…Come again?"
The room was quiet.
The wind outside rustled the papers on his desk.
He didn't repeat himself.
Just let the silence stretch.
Naido-sensei said nothing beside me, his expression unreadable.
"You were declared dead one week ago. Killed in action, during a special operation under the wartime directive," the Hokage finally explained.
"Your name has been removed from deployment rosters, payment lists, and civilian registries. To anyone outside this room, Shikomu no longer exists."
"…Why?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm brewing behind my ribs.
The Hokage leaned back slightly.
"Because, Shikomu… from this point forward, your path will be one the world must not see."
My lips parted slightly, but no words came.
I looked at Naido-sensei, and for the first time, I saw a little emotion of pride other than his either deadpan or sarcasm.
"The Anbu," Hiruzen said. "Your sensei has vouched for you. Your survival, your training, your loyalty—he believes you are ready. And I've decided to trust that belief."
So that's what this was.
This wasn't just a conversation.
This was an invitation.
An identity lost… to gain another.
A weapon forged in silence.
The world may believe I was dead.
But I was never more alive.
I sat there, silent.
There was no pause. No "what do you think?" or "do you accept?"
I had no say in the matter.
This was not an offer.
It was a command.
The Hokage had spoken, and I was being inducted into the ANBU.
A part of me wanted to feel annoyed—this was my life, after all. But the other part of me…?
Well, it was calm.
I didn't mind.
Truthfully, I had always known this path and didn't mind taking it.
Still, I sat straight, expression unreadable.
I am a shinobi now.
And when your Kage commands you… you listen.
"You will have your chance to finish any personal training you feel is required," the Hokage continued, taking a long drag from his pipe. "And there will be missions. None of which will be officially recorded under your name, of course."
I nodded.
"Your death will remain recorded. You are to inform no one."
He paused here, locking eyes with me again.
"When I say no one, I truly mean no one. Other than Naido, Jiraiya, and Kakashi...and some exemptions—no one else in this entire village must know you're alive."
I gave him a slight bow.
"Understood, Lord Third."
But in my mind, I was already moving pieces on the board.
There were ways I could send signs.
Ways that only Ayumi and Yuki would pick up on.
They'd figure it out, eventually at least, I had faith in that.
But Naruto…?
Yeah. No way he'd keep that quiet.
Even if I told him in a coded message, he'd probably scream it out loud across the Hokage Monument and ruin everything.
So… he couldn't know. Not yet.
Maybe not for a long time.
This wasn't just about trust—it was about survival. If Danzo got even the slightest hint I was alive, he'd dig until he knew everything.
And I was 90% sure… he had no clue.
This move? This entire promotion? It was done in secret. Hidden even from the Elders.
A fact the Hokage confirmed seconds later.
"The Council doesn't know. Danzo doesn't know. It will stay that way."
Good.
For once, I was grateful for the chaos the war had caused. It gave cover for moves like these.
But I was not Naive, I knew sooner rather than later Danzo would figure this out.
But then, the Hokage opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a sealed scroll. The paper was dark. The wax insignia on it was not one I recognized.
He passed it to me with a neutral expression.
The second I took it, something in my chest tightened.
Chakra perception wasn't necessary.
The scroll gave off weight.
"What's this?" I asked, a little cautious now.
The Hokage exhaled a bit of smoke and looked at me quietly for a second before replying.
"This is something you don't know... because you're an orphan."
My brows furrowed slightly.
"It is standard practice for the village to conduct a bloodline and chakra affinity analysis on any orphan who shows high potential."
My grip on the scroll tightened.
"In this world," he continued, "strength doesn't come from nowhere. Almost always, it's tied to lineage. So when someone like you appears—an orphan, showing elite aptitude—it becomes necessary to verify their background. For your own safety… and ours."
He gestured toward the scroll.
"Your test was performed before the war began. It was quietly arranged by your sensei."
I turned to look at Naido-sensei.
He didn't say anything.
Just gave me the slightest nod.
I looked back down at the scroll, slowly unraveling it.
The script was ancient.
Elegant.
But the contents…
There was no denying it now.
Senju.
It seems like everyone would now know about my bloodline…it was only a matter of time before pedomaru made his way towards me.
...
What do you guys think of this development?
Authors note:
You can read some chapters ahead if you want to on my p#treon.com/Fat_Cultivator