Chương 13: Letters of Recommendation

The Senju compound's courtyard soaked in the dim amber of twilight. Grandmother Touka sat there as still as a boulder. She barely lifted her eyelids when Shuji pushed the door open.

"You returned?" Her voice was flat, masking any emotion. But her gaze habitually lingered on Shuji for a moment longer than necessary.

"Yes, Grandmother." Shuji sat on the edge of the corridor, with a relaxed posture.

"The Third Hokage requested me. It was about team arrangements and a promotion to Special Jonin." He shared the details about forming a team with Itachi. He did not want her to worry. Agreeing to be Itachi's captain right before the Third Hokage offered a Jonin promotion felt entirely too much like a transactional exchange. No, based on how the conversation actually went, it was exactly a transactional exchange. Touka's finger, resting against her teacup, stalled for a second.

She remained silent, her gaze drifting toward the shadows gathered in the deep corners of the courtyard.

"I need recommendation letters from two Chunin or Jonin," Shuji continued, his tone clinical, like reporting official business.

"Plus a specialized ability assessment."

"I am afraid I must trouble you for the letters."

"Recommendation letters?" Touka slowly turned her head back, her eyes fixing on Shuji's face. The words seemed to freeze the air in the corridor for a split second. She raised her teacup and took a sip. The scalding liquid failed to entirely conceal the deep calculation flashing through her eyes. Those capable of writing the letters... he was naturally referring to them. In the fragmented memories Shuji had assimilated, those people resembled distant, detached relatives.

At specific times every year, they would step foot into this somewhat desolate old estate. They always brought respectable but unextravagant gifts: delicate boxes of pastries, seasonal fruits, or rare trinkets from outside the village. The memories were slightly blurry. Some faces carried a longing for the past, maintaining an obvious respect for Grandmother Touka in their speech. The way they looked at a young Shuji was complicated. They studied him like a token connecting the past and the future.

They would pat his head or shoulder and ask boring questions. How is your progress at the academy? You have grown taller again. Their tones were gentle, carrying an elder's concern, yet layered with a distinct sense of distance. To the current Shuji, these distant relatives who only existed in fleeting holiday greetings held very little emotional weight. The connection was thin. But since he needed them now, he could only rely on Grandmother Touka, the matriarch, to coordinate.

Applying cold, adult pragmatism, this was undeniably the most appropriate, decent, and efficient route. Having an elder reach out on his behalf was far more natural than a fourteen-year-old boy directly approaching these blurry uncles and aunts for favors. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Touka set the teacup down. The ceramic clicked softly against the wooden tray. Her gaze rested on Shuji's youthful face. Fourteen. He was not small anymore.

In the shinobi world, this was an age capable of carrying heavy burdens. But to Grandmother Touka, he was still far too young. A recommendation letter was a statement of stance. An elder writing one meant acknowledging the boy as a representative of their family. A Chunin writing one meant a willingness to accept that Jonin's leadership. A Jonin writing one meant recognizing the candidate's specific merits, deeming them worthy to be a comrade-in-arms. Should she have those people write the letters?

Should she let them make contact? Should she let him step into that circle right now? After Lord Hashirama and Lord Tobirama passed away, those people liked to use any excuse to gather at the old estate. It was, in part, an attempt to maintain a bond that could offer mutual support in critical moments. Behind that bond lay expectations, burdens, and quiet calculations. The water in that particular pool was far too deep and murky for the current Shuji.

"The recommendation letters..." Touka finally agreed.

"This old woman will handle it."

"Do I need to prepare anything?"

"You only need to focus on your assessment." Touka casually slid a freshly poured ceramic cup of hot tea toward Shuji.

"You do not need to worry about the rest." Shuji took the cup, the warm sensation spreading through his palm.

"Understood, Grandmother." His response was brief and direct. Since the elderly woman intended to arrange it personally, Shuji was happy to save himself the trouble.

"The letters will be sent directly to the Hokage's office," Touka added with a flat tone. Holding the warm ceramic cup, Shuji's thoughts immediately drifted. The foundation left by the original owner of this body was exceptionally solid. He could command all five chakra natures. His chakra reserves were outstanding, which inherently meant a strong physique and strong taijutsu. As for genjutsu?

During the chaotic Warring States era, Senju Touka was a renowned genjutsu master who stood her ground against the Uchiha clan. Raised single-handedly by her, Shuji's genjutsu might not be his absolute specialization, but it was by no means a weak point. Not to mention his current state. Both the quantity and quality of his chakra had jumped to a completely new level. His mental perception was sharper, and his five senses were massively enhanced. A targeted Special Jonin assessment?

It was not a problem for the old Shuji, and it certainly posed no threat to the current one. For the current Shuji, it was more a test of his self-control. He had to precisely measure his output, displaying exactly the level of ninjutsu a standard Jonin should possess to pass smoothly. He could not afford to look like a completely different person and draw unnecessary attention. What truly occupied his mind was the sensory training for nature energy.

Through his focused meditation recently, Shuji could faintly sense the strange ripples distorting the surrounding space when his Wood Release construct attempted to absorb nature energy. Though it remained vague and hard to grasp, and he was completely incapable of actively absorbing it himself, it was still positive sign. It gave him confidence that he was on the right path. The rest simply required continuous practice. At the same time, the deep development of his Wood Release could not be neglected.

His previous attempt to channel nature energy through Wood Release ended in petrification, but failure itself was a form of experience. The trees he created were simply too weak. Did he need to reinforce the structural density of his Wood Release constructs, or did he need to develop completely new plant varieties? These were all problems demanding solutions. He had to understand the core essence of Wood Release on a deeper level and explore its profound connection to nature energy.

Senju Hashirama had carved the path before him, but there was no reason Shuji could not create his own path. Strength. Only by firmly mastering the mighty power of the Senju could he secure a position in the coming chaos and variables he knew was approaching. The assessment was merely a passing disturbance. Becoming stronger was his real focus. The night deepened, lights from the old estate blooming into hazy halos against the window lattices.

Grandmother Touka watched the boy holding his teacup, his eyes unfocused as he slipped back into thoughts of cultivation. Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly as she took a slow sip of cooling tea.