Senju Clan

Senju Clan

The Senju clan (千手一族, Senju Ichizoku) was considered the strongest clan in the world during the war-torn era before the founding of the hidden villages. Together with their rivals, the Uchiha clan, they were responsible for founding Konohagakure and making the village into what it is today.

The Senju clan gained their fame in the era before the founding of the hidden villages. Where other clans focused on mastering one particular skill, the Senju were masters in all skills, from Ninjutsu, to Taijutsu, to Genjutsu. Because of this, they were feared as "the clan with a thousand skills" (「千の手を持つ一族」, "sen no te o motsu ichizoku"), which gave them their name Senju (千手, "a thousand skills", "a thousand hands").

The most famous member of the clan was their leader, Hashirama Senju. His unique Wood Release ninjutsu even gave the clan the nickname the Senju clan of the Forest (森の千手一族, Mori no Senju ichizoku). This Wood Release, and his ability to control the Tailed Beasts, made him the greatest shinobi of his time.

The Senjus' place at the top of the shinobi world was undisputed, but there was one clan that was able to stand up to them: the Uchiha clan. Whenever one country hired the Senju, their enemies would hire the Uchiha, and vice versa. This led to a rivalry between the two clans and, more specifically, between the leaders of the clans, Hashirama and Madara Uchiha.

However, in a world of constant bloodshed, Hashirama had a dream of peace, and a great love for his fellow men. Known as the "Will of Fire" (火の意志, "Hi no Ishi"), this belief made the Senju clan propose a truce to the Uchiha clan. Weary of fighting, and persuaded by Hashirama's great charisma and negotiation abilities, the Uchiha accepted, ending their bloody rivalry. Only Madara was against this truce, believing the Senju would one day destroy the Uchiha clan. He was forced to accept, but his humiliation wouldn't end there.

Some time after the alliance between the Senju and the Uchiha was signed, the Land of Fire hired them to stabilize its borders, and the clans created a permanent settlement within the country. Thus, Konohagakure was founded, and, with it, the system of one Hidden Village per country. As the system spread throughout the world, the constant violence stopped, and Hashirama's dream began to become a reality. But it would soon start anew after Hashirama was elected as the First Hokage; a move that humiliated Madara even more, and made him decide to leave the new village, eventually returning to attack it.

Throughout the years, the Senju retained their supremacy over Konoha, and made the village into what it is today. After the First Hokage's death, his younger brother, Tobirama Senju, stepped up to become the Second Hokage. Although likely not a Senju by blood, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who would become the Third Hokage after the Second's death, was trained by both the First and Second. His successor, Minato Namikaze, was the student of Jiraiya, who was a student of the Third. Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, was not only a student of the Third, but the granddaughter of the First and the grandniece of the Second. All of them strongly held to the Will of Fire philosophy.

It is unknown if the Senju clan currently still exists as an organization. There are no known people with the Senju name currently alive, although the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, might be an official Senju. It is very possible that the Senju clan disbanded into smaller clans and families, especially since they never had a specific skill or technique like the Uchiha or Hyuga clans. However, their legacy lives on strongly in the hearts of the people of Konoha

Wood Release (木遁, Mokuton; English TV "Wood Style") techniques combine earth and water-based chakra to create wood. Wood Release techniques can be produced from anywhere, including the user's body, as the user's chakra is literally converted into a source of life. Hashirama Senju was the originator of this ability, evidenced by the fact that none of his relatives have been shown capable of using Wood Release. The First's ability to use these techniques was the reason for him being given the title of Hokage, and with Wood Release Secret Technique: Birth of Dense Woodland he was able to grow the trees that served as the foundation of Konohagakure. Orochimaru, in his quest to harvest the First's abilities, injected his DNA into 60 test subjects, and out of the 60 only Yamato survived.

A possibly unrelated technique, but unique to the First and Yamato, is the Hokage-style Sixty-year-old Technique - Kakuan Entering Society with Bliss-bringing Hands. This technique produces a seal "sit" (座) on the user's hand that can suppress a tailed beast's influence over its host. This is done by producing wooden dragons from the ground that attach to the host and force the tailed beast's chakra to recede. The First Hokage's Necklace aids in this technique's execution, but its exact role is unclear

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