Betrayal's Feast

Masashige Hagoromo was indeed fast. In just two hours, he had transformed Izuna's former residence—a place that, aside from a bed and a table with chairs, was completely empty—into a respectable dwelling.

Tonight, the five clans planned to hold a victory banquet here for their conquest of Uchiha Stone City.

However, this would be a victory banquet filled with killing intent.

After Masashige Hagoromo's arrangements were complete, Izuna's shadow clone voluntarily dispelled. Miles away, at a temporary base, Izuna's main body received all the memories from the shadow clone simultaneously.

"Director Sora."

Izuna called out.

Sora Uchiha, who had been leaning against a large tree nearby, eyes closed, preparing for a short nap, suddenly jolted awake. He jogged over, asking anxiously, "Vice Clan Leader, what are your orders?"

"Notify all clan members, prepare their weapons, and get ready to counterattack and retake the city!"

Sora Uchiha's heart leaped. He quickly relayed the order.

Nearly twelve hours had passed since they reached the temporary base. Aside from the severely injured, everyone else had eaten their fill, rested, and was ready to depart.

Soon, excluding the severely injured left behind at the temporary base, all nearly three hundred combatants of the Uchiha Northwest gathered.

"Listen up, we'll infiltrate to within three miles of Stone City and wait for the signal from within the city. We'll charge in all at once and end this war completely."

Signal?

The more than two hundred Uchiha ninjas exchanged confused glances. A Uchiha Chunin raised his hand and asked, "Vice Clan Leader, who will give us the signal?"

"Masashige Hagoromo."

Izuna replied calmly.

This answer stunned everyone into collective bewilderment once more.

Masashige Hagoromo?

Wasn't he their number one enemy?

He would give them a signal to attack himself?

It was completely incomprehensible!

"Move out!"

Izuna's eyes had already activated their three-tomoe Sharingan. He turned and leaped into the trees. Seeing this, his clan members, despite having a belly full of questions, quickly followed.

Uchiha Stone City, in Izuna's former residence.

The spacious main hall had already been elaborately decorated by Masashige Hagoromo.

Currently, Masashige Hagoromo sat in the central main seat.

Slightly below him, on the left, were the two clan leaders Saito and Watanabe. On the right were the clan leaders Fuma and Onigawa.

In front of the five men, the tables were laden with food and fine wine. Two guards stood behind each of them.

"Today, we were able to take a bite out of the Uchiha. Looking throughout the entire Sengoku period, aside from the Senju, only our five clans have achieved this."

Masashige Hagoromo laughed heartily, raising his wine cup. "Here's to the four of you."

Watanabe, Saito, and the other two clan leaders raised their wine cups in return, saying, "Clan Leader Hagoromo is too kind," before draining their cups.

Masashige Hagoromo wiped his mouth, then suddenly changed the subject, sighing deeply. "It's a shame that one thing has spoiled the whole pot, like a rat dropping in soup. It makes me very displeased."

"Oh?"

The Fuma Clan Leader, who had lost an arm, turned his head and asked in confusion, "May I ask what has displeased Clan Leader Hagoromo?"

Masashige Hagoromo gave a strange smile. "Actually, it should be four. I, Masashige Hagoromo, believe I conducted this transaction with utmost sincerity, yet I did not expect betrayal. Although there are rat droppings, if we fish them out early, perhaps we can still drink."

The clan leaders of Watanabe, Saito, Fuma, and Onigawa exchanged glances, a tacit understanding flashing in their eyes.

"What do you four clan leaders think?"

The moment Masashige Hagoromo finished speaking, he slammed his wine cup down.

BANG!!!

The ceramic wine cup shattered instantly, and as the sound of breaking echoed, the next moment—

THUD!!

The wall behind Masashige Hagoromo was smashed open. At least twenty Hagoromo ninjas, clad in armor and wielding ninja swords, glared at the four with murderous intent.

Just as Kite said!

The four thought in unison.

Clan Leader Watanabe sneered, "So Clan Leader Hagoromo intended to discard us after we served our purpose. Unfortunately, we are not so easily dealt with."

With that, Clan Leader Watanabe slammed his hands onto the table before him. The palm strike, infused with Chakra, shattered the wooden table, scattering the food.

The sound of approaching footsteps could be clearly heard from outside. A Hagoromo Jonin appeared beside Masashige Hagoromo using the Body Flicker Technique and reported in a low voice, "Clan Leader, the four clans have surrounded the mansion."

Hmph, just as Kite said.

Masashige Hagoromo thought to himself, a cold smile forming on his lips. He ordered his subordinate, "Send the signal, let the reinforcements come."

"Yes!"

The Hagoromo Jonin disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique.

"Six months ago, I sincerely invited you to cooperate, and now this is how you repay me?"

Masashige Hagoromo turned his gaze to the four clan leaders.

You colluded with the Sarutobi Shimura clans, intending to deal with the Uchiha first and then eliminate us. And you have the nerve to talk about sincerity?

The Watanabe and the other three clan leaders couldn't help but sneer. The Fuma Clan Leader responded directly with a single kunai, but Masashige Hagoromo easily dodged it.

"The three of you, attack!"

Clan Leader Saito clasped his hands together, "Wind Release: Crushing Harm!"

A cylindrical, rapidly spinning wind pressure attacked like an invisible flood dragon.

Clan Leader Watanabe immediately cooperated with an attack, "Fire Style: Headhunter!"

Wind Release and Fire Release were the two most easily combined elemental affinities. After being developed by the Uchiha Clan, other ninja clans constantly referenced and imitated them.

Two B-rank ninjutsu, wielded by two ninjas at the peak Jonin level, combined to unleash power exceeding A-rank ninjutsu.

"With just the four of you, I don't even take you seriously."

Masashige Hagoromo's hands moved like afterimages, quickly forming hand seals, "Hagoromo Secret Technique: Yang Release: Five-Pointed Star Seal!"

Golden light flashed, forming the outline of a shield, blocking the combined wind and fire attack for a moment.

However, the residual force of the attack was redirected to other parts of the main hall. Izuna's former residence instantly exploded. With a booming sound, nearly half of the area was engulfed in flames.

"Attack! Kill them!"

Masashige Hagoromo shouted, waving his hand, and the Hagoromo ninjas who had been lying in ambush behind him swarmed forward.

"Anyone from the Hagoromo clan will be killed without mercy!"

The opposing four clans were not to be outdone. Facing the "traitors" from both sides, their hatred was even more extreme than when they faced the Uchiha.

The sounds of fighting and shouting erupted within the Uchiha city.

Whoosh~~~ Bang!!!

At this moment, a colorful light ascended into the high altitude of the stone city, finally transforming into a multicolored firework that exploded in the sky.

Izuna, who had been lying in ambush in the dense forest outside the city's east gate for a long time, couldn't help but beam with joy upon seeing this. "Attack!"

It really was a signal!

The other Uchiha clansmen were both surprised and delighted. Seeing Izuna charge towards the city gate first, they eagerly grabbed their weapons and rushed towards the city that had fallen less than twenty-four hours ago.

And just before the attack, Izuna summoned the ninja hawk used by the Uchiha Clan for communication via a summoning jutsu, sending a message back to Madara Uchiha in the clan territory.