The Path to Becoming Stronger

Feeling the blurriness in his eyes, Izuna couldn't help but feel exhausted by the drawbacks of the Mangekyo.

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of one person—Obito Uchiha.

This pseudo-big boss of later generations who used the name "Madara Uchiha" and Kamui to show off everywhere.

But what made Izuna ponder even more was that with only one Mangekyo Sharingan, he could use Kamui almost without restriction, which was a bug.

Even though Obito Uchiha couldn't use Susanoo because he only had one Mangekyo, the number of times he used Mangekyo skills, Kamui, was too frequent.

After all, the reason he could deceive and trick so many strong individuals in the ninja world into believing that he was "Madara Uchiha" was all thanks to his masterful Kamui.

Every time the masked Obito appeared, he would use Kamui.

To put it another way, Izuna, Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha, and others who also possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

If they didn't use Susanoo and only used Mangekyo skills like Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, using them so many times would surely blind their eyes.

A better comparison would be Kakashi. Although it was the same person's eye, he would be exhausted and even collapse every time he used Kamui.

But Obito Uchiha was completely unfazed, as if nothing had happened.

Why could Obito Uchiha use Kamui so casually? So frequently that it rivaled the number of times the Crown Prince spun a Rasengan.

Izuna pondered for a long time, and the conclusion he reached was—Hashirama Senju's cells.

Obito Uchiha had Hashirama Senju's cells transplanted into him by Madara when he was on the verge of death, which allowed him to use some simple Wood Release.

And Hashirama Senju's cells were used to death in later generations.

Just Danzo and Orochimaru, among others, tried to awaken Wood Release by transplanting Hashirama Senju's cells.

And the arm-amputated Naruto Uzumaki also had an arm re-cast using Hashirama Senju's cells.

In other words, the reason Obito Uchiha could use Kamui so limitlessly was very likely because he had Hashirama Senju's cells transplanted.

That stuff, not to mention eliminating, could at least greatly offset the side effects.

But Izuna didn't really want to use this method.

Firstly, he didn't want to become like Danzo, neither human nor ghost, nor did he want to become like Madara later with a face of Hashirama tattooed on his chest.

Secondly, he couldn't get Hashirama Senju's cells right now.

Even if he got them, he wouldn't know how to implement their use.

But even so, this still gave Izuna a breakthrough in reducing the side effects of the Mangekyo—Sage Chakra!

Hashirama Senju's cells contained Sage Chakra, and it was likely that Sage Chakra could resist some of the side effects of the Mangekyo.

Moreover, his Wind Release: Rasengan needed to evolve into Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, which also required Sage Chakra.

"Sage Chakra..."

Izuna muttered to himself.

The most famous ones were naturally the Sage training grounds of the Konoha Sannin—Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave.

Unfortunately, he didn't know where any of them were.

Mount Myōboku also required the guidance of those toads.

Izuna closed his eyes and pondered again, thinking of another place where Sage Jutsu originated.

A kid named "Jugo" under Sasuke Uchiha.

His clan was naturally able to absorb natural energy and enter Sage Mode, but they were also prone to losing emotional control.

Orochimaru, by studying Jugo's Sage Mode, developed the "Cursed Seal," and Sasuke Uchiha also learned Sage Jutsu through the Cursed Seal.

"I remember that clan was on a small island in the north... Did they appear during the Warring States period?"

Just as Izuna was thinking, Uchiha Soshu appeared again.

However, this time he didn't use the Body Flicker Technique but walked over with large strides through the main entrance. "Vice Clan Leader, the celebration banquet is about to begin."

Izuna snapped back to reality and realized that while he was lost in thought, time had passed from day to night.

"Soshu, go and investigate some personal matters for me."

"Yes, please instruct me."

The celebration banquet was held in Madara's mansion, located in the central area of the Clan Grounds.

When Izuna entered the main hall, Madara, as the host and clan leader, naturally sat in the central seat.

The three Elders, who had unified opinions and could even counter the clan leader's orders, sat in the three seats at the forefront to Madara's right.

Further down were elite Jonin and above, like Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Takihiko, who had previously supported Uchiha Gakugyo as clan leader.

On Madara's other side, to the left, were representatives of the younger generation, such as Uchiha Soshu and Uchiha Enko, who were of the same generation as Izuna and Madara, and Ise Uchiha, whom Izuna brought back from the north.

The empty seat at the forefront on the left was undoubtedly Izuna's.

After everyone was seated, Madara stood up and raised his cup. "Today, first, I want to thank Izuna and the many clansmen from the northwest for their bloody battle and for defeating the Five Clans..."

Madara wasn't a man of many words, but congratulating someone wasn't beyond him. After a few pleasantries, he was the first to drain his cup.

Following Madara, the First Elder and others took turns giving speeches. Their eloquence was clearly far superior to Madara's, eliciting constant laughter from Ise Uchiha and the others returning from the Northwest Stone City.

After the third round of drinks, Ise Uchiha suddenly said, "On the northwest battlefield, due to the urgency of the war, we didn't have time to investigate this matter..."

At this point, Ise Uchiha stood up and faced Takihiko Uchiha, who was serving as Administrator and responsible for grain transportation. He said, "When there was a grain shortage on the northwest battlefield, a batch of grain allocated to us by the Clan Head was, according to the Deputy Clan Head, attacked by the Shimura Clan, resulting in the complete destruction of the grain. Do you, Gakugyo-sama, know about this?"

Takihiko Uchiha was startled by this. All eyes at the banquet turned to him. The First Elder, Kōshi Uchiha, frowned and said, "Oh? Is that so?"

The grain transport team was ambushed by the Shimura, and he, the First Elder, didn't even know about such a major event?

Takihiko Uchiha was momentarily speechless. He truly didn't know about the ambush of the transport team.

Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy, Izuna smiled faintly and raised his hand, saying, "Never mind, everyone. This matter was being handled in secret to begin with, so it's only natural that Gakugyo-buchō wouldn't know."

Instantly, all eyes shifted from Takihiko Uchiha to Izuna.

"Izuna... no, Deputy Clan Head, what exactly is going on?"

Uchiha Shin, a peak Jonin and a supporter of the former Uchiha Gakugyo, asked.

"This matter is also key to defeating the Five Allied Clans Army. There's no need to go into the specific details of what happened before and after; the crucial point is how we Uchiha proceed next."

Mid-sentence, Izuna gave Uchiha Soshu a meaningful look.

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Soshu immediately stood up and said, "According to our Intelligence Department's investigation, yesterday, Shimura Clan Head Keizou Shimura, along with 30 Shimura ninja, headed towards the western region."