Preparing for War

To be honest, that was definitely out of the question. The System, while occasionally a bit of a pit, was his greatest trump card and must never be exposed. Besides, he doubted they would believe him even if he confessed.

Any other explanation would be riddled with holes. Shin pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and decided to stick to one story and never waver.

He took a sip of tea, set the cup down, and said softly, "The Crow Clone and the Rasengan were my own creations."

Uchiha Tajima frowned slightly, tapping his fingers twice on the desk. "And that ninjutsu you used last night, the one that allows you to move back and forth through space—was that your creation as well?"

Shin had already prepared his response; he certainly couldn't claim that one as his own, or it would sound too fake. With a serious expression, he said, "That ninjutsu... when I was injured, I dreamed of an old man who taught it to me. By the way, he called himself Otsutsuki Hagoromo."

"Otsutsuki Hagoromo?" Uchiha Tajima's brow furrowed deeper. The founder of the Uchiha Clan was Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths. Although countless years had passed, fragments of records regarding the Sage of Six Paths still existed, so he was somewhat skeptical upon hearing the name.

Of course, it was impossible for him to believe Shin's story. He was a staunch member of the war faction, not a fool; such an explanation wouldn't even fool a ghost.

"That explanation of yours is hard to believe!" Uchiha Tajima stared at him with a stern gaze, his aura imposing and intimidating.

Shin met his gaze without fear and said firmly, "I am telling the truth."

The two stared at each other for a full five minutes before Uchiha Tajima withdrew his gaze and said flatly, "I see." He then dropped the subject, stood up, and said, "We've wasted enough time. The clan meeting is about to start; come along."

Shin silently regulated his breathing and wiped away the non-existent cold sweat on his forehead. The invisible pressure of staring down a Kage-level powerhouse for so long was immense.

Furthermore, he could clearly sense Uchiha Tajima's dissatisfaction with his answer as he stood up, which signaled that he would be kept away from the core of the Uchiha Clan from now on—at least as long as Tajima was still alive.

Heh... as long as he's alive. In the Warring States period, people die quickly!

A cold light flashed in the depths of Shin's eyes, vanishing in an instant. He began to stand up, but his legs went soft, and he stumbled, nearly falling back down. He gave a wry smile; his legs had gone numb from kneeling for so long.

He picked up the Heaven Cloud sword and followed Uchiha Tajima into the meeting hall. Most of the people had already arrived. Shin spotted Uchiha Madara sitting in the back and went straight over to sit cross-legged beside him. Phew, much better.

Uchiha Tajima took his seat at the head of the table. A few more people arrived shortly after, and once everyone was present, Uchiha Tajima spoke calmly, "Does everyone know about what happened last night?"

The people below nodded one after another.

Uchiha Tajima said, "I originally thought it was just a girl from the Hyuga Clan acting out, so I didn't take it too seriously. I didn't expect that old bastard Hyuga Shinshu to sneak over as well. Fortunately, it was discovered in time, and I didn't arrive too late. It's a pity he still managed to escape, but he was struck by one of my attacks. Based on his age, I estimate it will be difficult for him to recover within a month. This is a great opportunity; what does everyone think?"

Uchiha Zhan stood up immediately and said angrily, "The Hyuga Clan is becoming increasingly arrogant. They've actually bullied their way to our doorstep! Do they really think they can do whatever they want just because they've sought refuge with the Senju Clan? Clan Leader, I am willing to lead men to war against the Hyuga Clan myself. If we don't teach them a lesson, how will our Uchiha Clan stand in the ninja world in the future?"

The rest of the Uchiha clansmen were also filled with righteous indignation. For the proud-to-the-bone Uchiha, having someone bully them at their doorstep was no different from someone urinating on their heads in front of them—an unbearable humiliation.

Uchiha Tajima coughed lightly, silencing the crowd. "Since everyone agrees to go to war with the Hyuga Clan, then let us fight. However, the Hyuga are not some minor clan; we need a detailed plan. Furthermore, since they have shamelessly become vassals to the Senju, we must also guard against the Senju's movements."

Another middle-aged Uchiha stood up, named Uchiha Bujin, who was also a peak Jonin.

"Clan Leader, since we have decided to declare war on the Hyuga Clan, we must first determine if this will be a small-scale retaliatory war, a medium-scale local war, a large-scale total war, or perhaps... a war of annihilation?"

Uchiha Tajima sneered, the killing intent in his eyes undisguised. "The Hyuga Clan must pay the price for this. However, we have lost Kazama Valley. Whether the Senju want to rescue them or attack us, they will be very proactive. We must have a powerhouse of sufficient weight leading the team to intercept them."

Thinking of this, Uchiha Tajima fell into deep thought. A moment later, he asked, "How is the situation over at Uchiha Dou's side?"

The Uchiha clansmen below looked at each other and began to whisper.

Uchiha Zhan spoke up, "Is the Clan Leader planning to summon Lord Dou back? Is that really necessary? He is overseeing a dozen medium-sized clans over there. Although they have been much quieter in recent years, if Lord Dou leaves rashly, there is no guarantee they won't cause trouble."

As a first-rate clan of the Warring States, the Hyuga Clan had two Kage-level powerhouses on the surface: their clan leader, Hyuga Tenin, and their great elder, Hyuga Shinshu.

As one of the two great clans of the ninja world, the Uchiha Clan had four Kage-level powerhouses. Besides Uchiha Tajima, there were Uchiha Goten, Uchiha Burin, and finally, Uchiha Dou.

Uchiha Goten had been the great elder of the Uchiha Clan. Two years ago, during a surprise attack by the Senju, he was ambushed by four Kage-level powerhouses—Hyuga Tenin, Senju Butsuma, Senju Rajin, and Senju Unjin. To cover Uchiha Tajima's retreat, he died on the battlefield.

In other words, the Uchiha Clan currently only had three Kage-level powerhouses.

Uchiha Burin was stationed in the south, deterring the Chiba, Aburame, and Fuma clans, preventing them from acting rashly.

Uchiha Dou was in the north, keeping a dozen medium-sized clans in check.

To the west was a land of constant rain, chaotic and messy, which didn't require much attention. To the east were the Senju and Hyuga clans, though most of the friction was with the Senju.

Uchiha Tajima sneered, "They are just some medium-sized clans; pay them no mind. Summon Uchiha Dou back. Not only Dou, but summon Uchiha Burin back from the south as well. This time, we will make the Hyuga pay a sufficient price."