After the Masked Man had left for good, Masashige Hagoromo suddenly said, "Naoyasu, did you hear that?"
A man in his thirties stepped out from behind the tent flap, where Izuna had been standing moments earlier. The crest of the Hagoromo Clan was emblazoned on his armor.
Naoyasu Hagoromo was a top-tier jōnin of the Hagoromo Clan, and he served as the captain of Masashige Hagoromo's secret bodyguard team.
The Hagoromo Clan didn't possess a Kekkei Genkai like the Uchiha or Hyuga, but, like the Senju, they had their own particular strengths.
The Senju Clan's specialty lay in their abnormally vast Chakra reserves. Hashirama Senju, in particular, was practically bottomless. On the battlefield, it seemed as if he could never run out of Chakra.
The Hagoromo Clan, on the other hand, possessed an exceptionally keen sense of perception.
Their perceptive abilities were quite unique, too: they had outstanding hearing.
Though Naoyasu Hagoromo's overall strength hadn't reached Kage Level, his sensory abilities were masterful—perhaps even on par with Tobirama Senju's.
The Masked Man's final words before leaving had been quieter than a mosquito's buzz, but Naoyasu had still heard them.
"Clan Leader, that man just said he couldn't be away for long."
"Couldn't be away for long... couldn't be away for long..."
Masashige Hagoromo repeated the words, then looked up and asked, "With your sensory abilities, you still couldn't tell how he appeared?"
Naoyasu Hagoromo replied, "It definitely wasn't the Body Flicker Technique. It was some entirely new ninjutsu. By the time my senses detected him, he was already inside the tent."
"He's no ordinary man... Naoyasu, who do you think he is?"
At that, Naoyasu Hagoromo narrowed his eyes slightly. "My guess is that he's from the Shimura or Sarutobi Clan."
A strange glint flashed in Masashige Hagoromo's eyes. "So you think the same?"
The Masked Man had referred to Furukawa Sarutobi and Keizou Shimura as "Furukawa" and "Keizou," which suggested that he knew them.
And before leaving, he'd muttered to himself that he "couldn't be away for long."
The most likely reason was that he belonged to one of those two clans. He'd come here without permission, and had to hurry back before Furukawa Sarutobi and Keizou Shimura noticed.
"But if he really is from the Sarutobi Shimura, why tell us this intelligence?"
Naoyasu Hagoromo asked, puzzled.
After thinking for a long while, Masashige Hagoromo slowly said, "Perhaps he's against Furukawa Sarutobi and Keizou Shimura."
"Clan Leader, you mean..."
"Infighting within ninja clans is quite common. That Masked Man could well be a member of the Sarutobi Shimura opposed to the current clan leaders. He told us such important intelligence because he wants to use us to bring down Furukawa Sarutobi and Keizou Shimura."
As he spoke, Masashige Hagoromo shook his head. "But for now, these are only our guesses. All we can do is wait and see."
"What about the Fūma Four Clans..."
Masashige Hagoromo's eyes grew intent. "Stay on guard at all times. We must not let our guard down!"
"Yes!"
What Masashige Hagoromo and the others didn't know was that after leaving the Hagoromo camp, Izuna hadn't left the Five Allied Clans Army's territory.
Instead, he turned around and used the Flying Thunder God to slip into the Onigawa Clan's camp, the one closest to the Hagoromo camp.
Unlike Masashige Hagoromo, who was busy working out a strategy, Kenji Kōkawa—the new clan leader who had taken over from Kōkawa Yokōichi—was holding a female ninja with a passable face and a curvy figure in his arms, getting up to all sorts of unspeakable things.
"Clan Leader Kōkawa, what a fine time you're having~~"
A hoarse voice rang out, and Kenji Kōkawa went limp on the spot.
What a useless man. No wonder he's only an elite jōnin.
Izuna sneered inwardly.
"Who are you?!"
Kenji Kōkawa jumped to his feet.
His first move wasn't to pull up his pants, but to snatch the katana from beside the table.
"Don't be nervous. I'm on your side. I came to tell you something about your Onigawa Clan—or rather, something about the entire Northwest Four Clans."
Only after Izuna returned to his room in Stone City did he take off his mask.
"That Masashige Hagoromo has probably already started to suspect I'm on the Sarutobi Clan's side."
At the thought, a sly smile tugged at Izuna's lips.
He'd said those things on purpose to lead Masashige Hagoromo in that direction.
But this was only the first step.
For this spider to draw all those ninja clans—the prey—into his web, it would take time.
Around noon on the third day.
Autumn had long since arrived. No matter how strong someone made their body, they were still only flesh and blood. When the autumn wind swept past, it was hard not to shiver.
"Vice Clan Leader, we intercepted intelligence from the Ino-Shika-Cho Three Clans. They've all rejected Masashige Hagoromo's request for an alliance."
The Uchiha Reconnaissance Ninja reporting to him couldn't hide a hint of delight in his voice. The enemy's numbers hadn't increased, which was undoubtedly good news for their side.
"But Sarutobi and Shimura are watching us like hawks..."
Izuna thought to himself, but didn't say it aloud.
Even Uchiha Madara didn't know that he was secretly operating as "Kite," let alone these clan shinobi.
Izuna then sent the reconnaissance ninja to scout around the Five Allied Clans Army's camp.
He heard that Masashige Hagoromo hadn't shown much anger over the Ino-Shika-Cho clans' rejection.
Izuna could understand that reaction.
Because of "Kite," Masashige Hagoromo already suspected the Four Clans.
He could barely manage his current allies. Add three more, and who knew what might happen?
"Report!"
Another reconnaissance ninja flashed before Izuna using the Body Flicker Technique.
"Vice Clan Leader! Masashige Hagoromo is leading five hundred enemy troops in an attack!"
Two months had passed since they'd arrived at Northwest Stone City. Enemy attacks had long since become as routine as eating.
"Pass on my orders. As usual, use defensive formations and avoid fighting whenever possible."
Izuna waved his hand as he gave the order.
But the reconnaissance ninja, kneeling on one knee, hesitated for a long moment without answering, "Yes."
After a pause, the ninja looked up. "Vice Clan Leader, it's been over two months. Apart from the First Battle, we've stuck to a cautious defensive strategy the whole time. Shouldn't we... start attacking?"
Izuna didn't answer. He merely raised his chin slightly, his eyes dark, and stared down at the ninja.
Even without using his Sharingan, he made the other man break out in a cold sweat.
"I-I'll pass on the order right away!"
With that, the reconnaissance ninja hurriedly left using the Body Flicker Technique.
"What a bunch of impatient fools."
Izuna's expression darkened.
They'd barely held out for two months before losing patience. With endurance like that, they thought they could defeat the Senju of the Forest?
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