Uchiha Suicide Squad

After "Kite" informed Furukawa Sarutobi and Keizou Shimura of the Uchiha supply transport route five days from now, he departed.

Judging from the route marked in red on the map, the masked man had been right. Bypassing Northwest Stone City, guarded by Izuna Uchiha, from the Five Allied Clans Army battlefield to launch a surprise attack would be exceedingly difficult.

By comparison, approaching from Sarutobi Shimura's side would be much easier.

"Have you decided to make a move, Keizou?"

Furukawa Sarutobi asked with a frown.

"This is a golden opportunity, Furukawa."

A crafty smile appeared in Keizou Shimura's eyes. "Not only that—once Hagoromo is dealt with, we can take care of the other Four Clans as well!"

Furukawa Sarutobi's expression changed drastically. "You mean...?"

Keizou Shimura merely gave a sinister smile. "That fellow called Kite is far too dangerous. He can come and go freely even within our clan with his space-time technique. We must eliminate their forces."

Keizou Shimura's plan was dark and despicable.

He intended to first agree to "Kite's" proposal and join forces with the four northwestern clans to eliminate Izuna Uchiha's forces and the Hagoromo Clan.

Then, when it came time to divide the territory and spoils, he would deal with the Four Clans as well.

In Izuna's words from his previous life, it was black-on-black robbery!

If Izuna had been there, he would surely have sighed. As expected of the ancestor of that old fox Shimura Danzō.

But the prerequisite was that all of this had to be true.

"Keizou, doing this... isn't it inappropriate?"

Furukawa Sarutobi could not bear it in his heart. Compared to Keizou Shimura, who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, he still had some bottom line.

"Hmph, Furukawa, you're too naive. If you don't want to, then just watch from the sidelines. The Shimura Clan will handle this matter."

Upon returning to the clan grounds, Izuna discovered that his Skill Points had jumped from 35 to 55 in one go, and he could not help but rejoice.

It seemed he had successfully lured Keizou Shimura into the trap.

Izuna immediately spent the Skill Points to unlock Flying Thunder God Second Stage. His Skill Points quickly fell from 55 to 15, but the skill tree changed accordingly:

[Flying Thunder God Technique (B-rank): Learned] → [Flying Thunder God Second Stage (A-rank): Learned] → [Flying Thunder God Third Stage (S-rank): Locked, Required Skill Points: 80]

Flying Thunder God Second Stage was a modification that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had made based on Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God Technique.

It was faster and more flexible. It could not only be used with swordsmanship, but also combined with ninjutsu.

Feeling the changes in his Flying Thunder God, Izuna subconsciously clenched his fist and grinned viciously. "Not bad. Just thinking about how the technique I use is more advanced than that bastard Tobirama's puts me in a good mood for no reason."

Within the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Although the Senju Clan had made no moves over the past half year, the Uchiha did not let down their guard in the slightest. They continued to establish defenses at Mount Kumogakure and remained vigilant at all times.

"Clan Head, Lord Izuna has a confidential document. He ordered this subordinate to deliver it to you personally."

Ise Uchiha knelt on one knee before Madara and took a small scroll from his robes.

Normally, messages like this would be entrusted to the Uchiha's summoned Ninja Hawks or Intelligence Ninjas specially assigned to the task.

Yet Izuna had ordered Ise Uchiha, who had originally been stationed at the front lines, to make the trip himself. That alone proved how critical the information in this secret letter was.

After Madara accepted it, Ise Uchiha immediately vanished from the room with the Body Flicker Technique.

He knew he was not qualified to learn of such matters.

After opening the scroll, Madara's eyelids twitched more violently the further he read.

Five minutes later, Madara rose and walked to the candle stand. He held the scroll over the flame, and it soon burned into ashes.

"You've actually planned things to this extent... Izuna..."

Madara muttered to himself before suddenly raising his voice. "Call in the Zetsu Unit."

Zetsu was the name of the Uchiha Clan's corps of death-bound warriors.

Though they were also Uchiha ninja, they might have lost their parents in war, or perhaps their wives and children.

They were people who had already lost the meaning of their own survival and lived only for revenge.

The only destination they desired was the battlefield—where they could kill as many enemies as possible before going to the next world to reunite with their deceased loved ones.

The previous clan head, Tajima Uchiha, had recognized this and established the special unit known as Zetsu. Put simply, they were a suicide squad.

"Clan Head!"

Before long, Zetsu One, the leader of the Zetsu Unit, arrived in Madara's room. He bowed his head and waited for orders.

Zetsu One was naturally not his real name. Like Konoha's future ANBU and Root, once one entered the organization, one used a codename.

Unlike the flashy codenames such as White Fang and Tenzō, the Zetsu Unit simply used "Zetsu" as a prefix followed by a number.

"I have an extremely important mission for you. It will determine the outcome of the northwestern border battlefield."

A trace of reluctance flashed through Madara's eyes, but it quickly vanished. "However, this will also be your final mission."

Madara's meaning was clear—completing this mission meant death!

However, Zetsu One replied without hesitation, "If our lives can secure victory in this war, we are willing to go to that world without hesitation."

Madara's face was filled with approval. "Very good. Listen carefully. Your mission this time is to cooperate with the Vice Clan Leader. Set out tomorrow night and transport a batch of provisions..."

On the northern border of the Uchiha Clan Grounds, not on the official road but along an extremely steep mountain path.

To the rumble of hoofbeats and the creaking of wagon wheels, around twenty people dressed as merchants led ten carriages along this mountain road, one that was rarely traveled under normal circumstances.

However, on the stone cliff not far across from the mountain road, concealed behind massive boulders, a group of people watched the caravan with predatory eyes.

"How strange. Merchants actually aren't taking the official road."

"Maybe they're afraid of being robbed by bandits."

"No, look at them. They're hauling ten carriages, yet they haven't hired any ninja escorts. That's far too strange."

All of them were ninja from the Shimura Clan, nearly sixty in total, silently observing this peculiar caravan.

Their leader was named Satoshi Ri. His strength was at the peak of jonin, even reaching Quasi-Kage level. He was undoubtedly the strongest member of the Shimura family apart from Clan Leader Keizou Shimura.

"Of course it is, because that caravan is disguised Uchiha."

Izuna, dressed as the masked man, appeared behind Satoshi Ri's right shoulder. "It's just that the Uchiha idiots are terrible actors and have exposed quite a few flaws. First, they've all disguised themselves as merchants instead of leaving a few people in their true appearance, which only makes them more suspicious.

"Second, in order to stay hidden, they avoided the official road. But this mountain path is far too steep and unsuitable for a caravan to travel on, making it look very suspicious."

Satoshi Ri glanced at Izuna. "Are you joining the battle too?"

Izuna's tone was indifferent. "You want to see my sincerity? Fine by me. But make sure the job is done cleanly."