Preparing to Harvest

The Uchiha are described by the various clans of the Sengoku period as "madmen" because of their suicidal fighting style.

On the battlefield of Stone City in the northwest, under the leadership of the clan's vice-leader, Izuna Uchiha.

For four consecutive months, aside from the very first battle upon arriving at the northwest front, where the Uchiha had a truly satisfying fight with the enemy.

In the following four months, across dozens of battles large and small, Izuna Uchiha had ordered his clansmen to adopt a strategy of avoiding direct confrontation.

This prevented the five-clan allied forces, led by the Hagoromo Clan, from breaking through the city, leading to a stalemate.

The total number of Uchiha ninja in Stone City, the northwest stronghold, was about four hundred. Due to Izuna's strategy of avoiding battle, many clansmen were already growing impatient.

They were privately discussing adopting an offensive strategy, tired of being like turtles in their shells.

It was simply too unbearable.

However, just as these voices began to spread throughout Stone City, Izuna issued another order: "Those who engage in battle without authorization will be killed."

Upon hearing this order, the entire army fell silent.

No one dared to mention initiating an attack again.

However, even though Izuna, using his authority as vice-leader, managed to silence the restless clansmen for the time being.

New problems soon surfaced.

As evident from breakfast this morning, the portions had significantly shrunk.

Even his own food as vice-leader had been reduced, let alone the situation for the other clansmen.

After breakfast, Sora Uchiha immediately went to Izuna's room to report the shortage of food.

"How much longer can we hold out?"

Izuna asked.

The wrinkles on Sora Uchiha's face twitched, and after a long pause, he said with a pained expression, "Ab-approximately one month."

"Was today's meal reduced?"

Izuna asked again.

"Yes, if we do this, we should be able to last another half a month. I plan to reduce meals from now on."

Izuna pondered for a moment and said, "No, let everything remain as it is. For the reduction in this morning's meal, just explain to the subordinates that the cooks accidentally spilled the rice."

Sora Uchiha was shocked. "Vice-leader, this... If we do that, we won't last long!"

"Isn't there still enough for a month?"

Izuna narrowed his eyes. "Within a month, this war must end."

End the war within a month?

Sora Uchiha's eyes widened.

The war had already been going on for half a year, yet neither side had made any significant progress, and their losses were roughly equal.

This was all due to Izuna's advocated strategy of avoiding battle.

Although the Uchiha hadn't lost many people, neither had the Hagoromo.

But what surprised everyone the most was that in half a year, the Senju Clan had truly made no move.

Even so, Madara and the others had not relaxed their vigilance against the Senju in the slightest.

Perhaps they felt the Uchiha hadn't been worn down enough and were waiting for an opportunity for a decisive blow.

After Sora Uchiha left, Izuna took out his black robe and spiral mask, muttering to himself, "It's been half a year already, you should have made up your minds by now, right?"

After disguising himself as a Kite, Izuna opened his system skill tree for the first time in half a year.

[Skill Points: 35]

Despite being in a time of war, Izuna had barely participated in frontline combat for the past six months.

He spent most of his time arranging formations and commanding. The rate at which his skill points grew could only be described as "pitiful."

These skill points were mostly acquired by tricking clan leaders like Masashige Hagoromo.

The evening of the next day.

The situation was extremely similar to that of half a year ago. Furukawa Sarutobi and Keizou Shimura, two clan leaders, sat opposite each other, enjoying a dinner that, while not luxurious, was plentiful.

For the past six months, neither the Sarutobi nor the Shimura clans had participated in any wars.

Unlike the Uchiha, who were in a tense wartime situation with severe food depletion, their meals were naturally more generous.

"The two clan leaders seem to be in high spirits."

A hoarse yet familiar voice rang out.

This time, they didn't nervously draw their weapons. Instead, they calmly waved their hands, signaling the surrounding guard ninja to stand down.

Izuna slowly walked out from a dark corner of the main hall and said in a deep voice, "On the battlefield, we can only eat dough to fill our stomachs."

Furukawa Sarutobi spread his hands and pointed to the roasted rabbit on his table. "If you don't mind, you can join us. But you're wearing a mask, so you can't eat, can you?"

Izuna's tone remained calm. "But fortunately, we still have dough to eat. The Uchiha will probably have to eat tree bark soon."

Everyone's expression collectively changed. Keizou Shimura's eyes lit up. "You mean the Uchiha are running out of supplies?"

"Absolutely accurate intelligence."

Furukawa Sarutobi frowned. "You managed to get intelligence on the Uchiha Clan?"

Among the ninja clans of the Sengoku period, there was no doubt that the Uchiha Clan's intelligence was the hardest to obtain.

Their Sharingan, even a single tomoe, was the perfect tool for gathering information and preventing leaks.

Even major events like Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha taking over as clan heads were only known to the other Sengoku clans after a long delay.

Let alone a major issue like a cutoff of supplies; even if it were true, it would have been strictly sealed.

"I investigated it myself."

Izuna replied.

Furukawa Sarutobi was rendered speechless.

With the opponent's uncanny and masterful Body Flicker Technique, it was indeed possible, no, highly possible, to obtain intelligence from the Uchiha.

"So, what do you want?"

Keizou Shimura asked.

"I also investigated another matter. In about five days, a batch of food will be transported from the Uchiha territory. This can be considered Izuna Uchiha's lifeline,"

Izuna spread his hands. "I've also found the route, but it will be very difficult to intercept it while avoiding Izuna Uchiha's eyes. Therefore, I would like to ask the members of the Shimura and Sarutobi clans to help me burn this batch of food."

"Secondly, our own food supplies are also running low. We hope that those of you who haven't been fighting for a whole year can lend us some of your food. These two matters will serve as our letter of submission to the Six Clan Alliance."

In Izuna's words, the six clans naturally referred to the Fuma, Saito, Watanabe, Onigawa, Sarutobi, and Shimura clans. The Hagoromo had been completely labeled as enemies by Izuna.

"At that time, the Uchiha's strength will be greatly reduced due to lack of food. After we and Hagoromo capture Ishijo, you of the Sarutobi and Shimura will send supplies to support us, and then we will eliminate Hagoromo."

Speaking up to this point, Izuna's tone was filled with excitement. "With such large territories within our easy reach, wouldn't you two clan leaders be tempted?"

Furukawa Sarutobi gasped, while Keizou Shimura could no longer contain himself and stood up to ask, "How many men will be needed to burn the Uchiha's reinforcement food?"

Izuna's expression under the mask was ecstatic.

It succeeded!

The rice planted half a year ago was finally ready to be harvested!