Impatient Madara

The elders' faction, seated to Madara's right and led by the three elders, exchanged glances, each seeing helplessness in the others' eyes.

Such a major matter, yet they were not given a proper explanation. Was this an attempt to suppress the old guard?

To the elders, Izuna's refusal to explain the whole sequence of events before dragging Uchiha Soshu out midway to change the subject was clearly an act of excluding the older generation.

But this time, they had overthought it. Madara and Izuna did indeed intend for the new generation to replace the old, but this was not where they meant to show it.

After all, even Madara only knew half of the full story, while people like Uchiha Soshu knew merely the barest details.

Everything else had been carried out according to Izuna's instructions.

But since the elders wanted to think that way, they could think whatever they liked.

It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway.

Uchiha Soshu continued, "Following the Vice Clan Leader's orders, our Intelligence Department has been tracking the Shimura Clan's movements. We can now more or less confirm that Shimura's target is the Four Clans of the northwest—the Fūma, Watanabe, Saitō, and Onikawa Clans, who were just defeated by us on the northwestern battlefield and signed the Truce Agreement."

"What?"

Everyone at the banquet frowned in unison. Keizou Shimura's string of actions had left them completely baffled.

His initial ambush on Uchiha's food transport convoy could still be explained as Shimura trying to profit while Uchiha was weakened.

But now, with the clan leader personally leading the group toward the Four Clans in the northwest, what was he trying to do?

They simply could not guess Keizou Shimura's purpose.

Although Uchiha Shin was dissatisfied with the "exclusion" by the younger generation led by Izuna, he truly could not figure out the purpose of Keizou Shimura's trip. In the end, he could only lower his head and ask Izuna, "Vice Clan Leader, do you know Keizou Shimura's purpose this time?"

Originally, the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans had remained neutral toward the Senju Clan and Uchiha.

Naturally, Uchiha and the Senju Clan had also remained neutral toward them. Without any particular reason, they would not attack members of those two clans.

But now, Shimura's people had dared to ambush Uchiha and even killed members of the transport convoy. They had already formed a grudge with Uchiha.

How could the vindictive Uchiha possibly let them go?

"If I'm not mistaken,"

Izuna said with a smile carrying a hint of conspiracy, "before long, Shimura will join forces with Sarutobi to declare war on the Four Clans."

Everyone was utterly confused.

They had first ambushed Uchiha, and now they were going to wage war on the Four Clans. If what Izuna said was true, what was Keizou Shimura's reason for doing all this?

The Four Clans' territory was far from the lands of Sarutobi and Shimura. Even if they defeated them, it would be difficult to take over their territory. They could only seize supplies, cutting the value of their gains by at least half.

Compared to the Four Clans, Sarutobi and Shimura had far better targets if they wanted to expand.

"Vice Clan Leader, is that really possible?" Takihiko Uchiha asked in disbelief.

If Keizou Shimura truly intended to declare war on the Four Clans, there could only be one explanation: the two sides had a grudge.

But no one had ever heard of any feud between Shimura and the Four Clans.

"Lord Takihiko, do not doubt the Vice Clan Leader's words. You should know that the Vice Clan Leader's decisions on the northwestern battlefield have never been wrong."

The moment Takihiko Uchiha asked the question, Ise Uchiha, one of Izuna's most die-hard supporters, eagerly rose to his feet and shouted.

On the northwestern battlefield, Izuna had also issued a string of baffling orders that had drawn considerable criticism from those under his command.

Yet in the end, Izuna had led the entire clan to a resounding victory.

From then on, a large number of ninjas from the northwestern clan territory, including Ise Uchiha, became Izuna's die-hard loyalists.

Takihiko Uchiha frowned. This brat was weaker than him and a generation beneath him in seniority, yet he dared to contradict him in front of so many people.

Just as the atmosphere between the younger and older factions grew awkward, Madara, the clan leader, spoke. "Izuna, if things truly unfold as you say, and the Shimura and Sarutobi Clans declare war on the Four Clans of the northwest, how should we Uchiha respond?"

Izuna rose to his feet. "They say the enemy of our enemy is our friend. Since Shimura is already our enemy, I think we can lend the Four Clans a hand. Having just suffered defeat, they cannot possibly be a match for Shimura and Sarutobi."

Madara nodded knowingly. "Then we absorb them as subordinate clans of Uchiha?"

"Exactly."

"Good!"

Madara raised his wine cup. "Then I will personally take part in this battle!"

Having served as clan leader for a year without once setting foot on the battlefield, Madara had long been unable to contain the excitement in his heart.

Even Izuna had returned in triumph. As the clan leader, he naturally could not fall behind.

"Clan Leader, whether the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans will actually declare war on the Four Clans is still unknown."

The Great Elder poured cold water over Madara's enthusiasm.

Madara huffed inwardly. His brother-obsessed nature flared up as he snorted. "When has Izuna's judgment ever been wrong? Great Elder, just wait and see!"

At this victory banquet, the older faction led by the elders did not drink happily at all.

The younger faction led by Izuna had been in the spotlight the entire time.

If Sora Uchiha, who had also earned merit in the north, returned, they might have had a little more say.

Unfortunately, Sora Uchiha was still recovering from his severe injuries in Northwest Stone City and was unable to attend this victory banquet.

Not long after Izuna returned to his courtyard, Madara came looking for him and asked why the Shimura Clan had declared war on the Four Clans.

Although he had acted as though he completely trusted Izuna's decision at the victory banquet, he was actually very curious and could not understand why Keizou Shimura had done such a thing.

"Led by Satoshi Ri of the Shimura Clan and Domoto Sarutobi of the Sarutobi Clan, a total of twenty-four experts at jonin level or above from the two clans died at the hands of the Hagoromo Clan."

Twenty-four experts at jonin level or above had died!

Even with Madara's temperament, he instinctively opened his mouth wide upon hearing the news.

Not even the Uchiha or Senju Clan could ignore losses of that magnitude.

This was no mere loss of face—it was like having their lungs completely pierced through!

Then, an idea struck Madara, and he hurriedly asked, "How did they end up fighting the Hagoromo Clan?"

That was another question.

Why had the Shimura Clan become entangled with the Hagoromo Clan, which Izuna had already wiped out, after the Uchiha and the Four Clans?

Izuna smiled. "I used a small trick. Don't ask about the details, Older Brother."

"In any case, you only need to know that the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans have also suffered a major loss in strength. If they join forces with the Four Clans, our Uchiha Clan's victory will be practically certain. But be careful not to overuse the Mangekyō Sharingan."

Madara stared directly at Izuna. After a moment, he laughed soundlessly. "Izuna, I feel like I can't quite see through you anymore."

Izuna shrugged with a light laugh. After the two brothers chatted for a while, Izuna brought up his intention to leave the clan territory for some time in the near future.