Burning the Senju

"Since it's a misunderstanding, there's no need to inform the clan. You take this elder to the medical bay first and make sure there are no lingering issues."

"Understood, Lord Aoba."

The guard bowed, helped the craftsman up, and turned to leave.

Only after the two figures disappeared into the courtyard did Aoba turn to face a guilt-ridden Kosuke.

"Little Kosuke, don't do that again. If you hadn't explained in time, I would have almost agreed."

Aoba crouched down, her fingertips gently tapping Kosuke's forehead, her tone unusually serious.

Does everyone in the Uchiha clan have a habit of tapping people on the forehead?

"Got it, Mom."

Kosuke replied verbally, but his mind was elsewhere.

Seeing this, Aoba could only affectionately ruffle Kosuke's hair before standing up.

"Little Kosuke, you should rest for a while."

With that, she turned and walked back to her room.

Watching his mother's retreating back, Kosuke stepped forward, closed the door, and lay down on the bed.

He habitually placed his arm behind his head, closed his eyes, his thoughts a mess.

I was really scared back then.

This can't all be blamed on me, who told Han...

Flowers are similar year after year, people change year after year.

The blooming and falling of the plum tree in Kosuke's courtyard had quietly cycled five times.

The pink and white petals scattered year after year, and the height marks carved by Aoba on the trunk for Kosuke could still be vaguely seen.

The war between the Uchiha and the Senju and Uzumaki clans had begun with Uchiha Tajima personally leading elite ninja in a night raid, causing a violent explosion in the Senju's granary.

Soaring flames erupted, and the hay and grain stored in the granary instantly ignited. The fire dyed the entire battlefield crimson, and even the stars in the night sky seemed to warp in the heatwave.

Senju Butsuma and Uzumaki Kazuma, who rushed over upon hearing the news, looked grim as they gazed at the towering inferno engulfing the granary.

The Water Style jutsu the ninja desperately unleashed seemed like a drop in the bucket against the raging fire. The explosions of water and fire mixed with the crackling of exploding wood, sounding particularly harsh in the scorching heat.

Veins bulged on Senju Butsuma's forehead, his knuckles turning white from the immense force.

Finally, he let out a deep sigh, his gaze piercing through the dancing flames to the Uchiha formation on the opposite side of the battlefield, where figures flickered.

Tajima stood at a high point, holding the Uchiha Gunbai. His Sharingan glowed with a cold, scarlet light in the firelight, and a sinister curve formed on his lips.

I hope you like the Uchiha's return gift!

After a long silence, Butsuma turned to look at the granary, where the fire still raged.

Amidst the billowing smoke, he sighed dejectedly, "Withdraw the troops, Elder Kazuma. If the Uchiha could find our granary, our supply lines might also be under their surveillance."

"Damn it!"

Despite the surging unwillingness in his heart, Uzumaki Kazuma gazed at the granary ruins, which were gradually turning to ash, and could only nod heavily.

The grain had been burned to charcoal by the great fire.

Was this war, planned for so long against the Uchiha clan, truly going to end just like this?

He narrowed his eyes, looking at the faintly visible Gunbai symbol in the Uchiha formation opposite them, a complex light flashing in his pupils.

The next day, at dawn.

The battlefield was eerily silent.

"Patriarch! The Senju and Uzumaki allied forces withdrew from the battlefield last night!"

"Patriarch! The Uchiha clan withdrew from the battlefield last night!"

Two urgent reports reached Senju Butsuma and Uchiha Tajima almost simultaneously.

Senju Butsuma's face was extremely grim, his knuckles turning white from exertion: "Damn it! It must be that their plan succeeded, which is why the Uchiha made a desperate move last night!"

Uchiha Tajima, however, lightly tapped the Gunbai at his waist, a knowing cold laugh curling his lips: "Heh, did you like the Uchiha's return gift, Butsuma?"

Upon hearing the scout's urgent report, the surrounding Uchiha elders erupted in triumphant mockery: "Hahahaha! Patriarch, what if the Senju and Uzumaki joined forces? They achieved nothing more than ambushing our rear!"

"That's right! One fire and they're sent scurrying away, worthy of being the two biggest rats in the ninja world! Hahahaha~"

"Issue the order!" Tajima raised his hand, and the clamor immediately ceased. His scarlet Sharingan swept over everyone. "The entire army will accelerate its withdrawal. Old fox Butsuma has suffered such a great loss; he will surely bear a grudge."

He paused, his eyes gleaming slightly. "Raise the alert level along the route to the maximum. Guard against any desperate moves and prevent them from attacking the clan grounds again!"

"Yes!"

Everyone responded in unison and moved quickly.

"Evil Senju, Uzumaki, you will pay the price for your foolishness!"

Five days later, as the morning light just began to touch the Uchiha clan grounds, Uchiha Izuna appeared at the edge of the clan grounds with twenty elite Jonin.

"Alert!!"

With a sharp whistle, several crows flapped their wings and soared across the sky.

After the attack, the remaining guards, under Aoba's guidance, had set up many warning lines at the edge of the clan grounds.

So the moment Uchiha Izuna and his team approached, a high-pitched alarm sounded within the clan grounds, accompanied by a signal flare rising into the sky.

The next second, Uchiha Aoba and Uchiha Izuna appeared simultaneously at the main gate of the clan grounds.

The twenty Uchiha who returned with them stood silently outside the clan grounds, like statues.

"It's Lord Izuna!"

The guards recognized the elder leading the group back and immediately turned to run into the clan grounds, explaining the situation along the way – it wasn't an enemy attack.

Seeing that most of the clan's ninjas were bandaged, Izuna sharply waved behind him. The twenty standing ninjas instantly replaced the clan guards and began patrolling.

"The Patriarch and the main force won't be back for a few more days. Aoba, tell me about the situation in the clan first."

Izuna walked along the clan streets with a grim expression. Every time he saw a clan member in bandages repairing the clan grounds, his brow furrowed tighter, and his hatred for the Senju and Uzumaki deepened!

He stopped beneath the maple tree in the center of the clan grounds. The tree canopy was bare, with only a few withered leaves swirling in the morning breeze.

"Have the deceased clan members been buried?"

"No, everyone unanimously agreed to wait for you to return."

"Return?" Izuna moved to the place where the clan members' bodies were being kept frozen. His gaze swept over the bodies covered in frost. He saw that their hands were still slightly clenched as if they were about to throw a kunai at any moment. "Then let's wait for them to return... and send them off on their final journey."

A few days later, when Tajima led the clan members back to the clan grounds, they immediately went to the prepared graveyard.

The ninjas who had gone to war rushed forward to find their own family members, but more stared blankly at the list of fallen warriors before them.

"Rites complete! Present flowers!"

The clan members, holding white chrysanthemums, slowly stepped forward one by one.

The elders solemnly placed their bouquets in the center of the tombstones, while the young men knelt on one knee, brushing the dust from the corners of the gravestones with their fingertips.

When the last chrysanthemum was offered, someone's sobbing suddenly broke the heavy silence, but it was quickly suppressed into intermittent sobs.

Mourning is always brief; the living must continue to move forward.