"What?"
A group of Uchiha clan members were stunned by their clan leader's words. Even during the fiercest battles against the Senju Clan, he hadn't recalled the two. Now he wanted to summon them back? Was the clan leader planning to fight a war of extermination?
Uchiha Zhan hurriedly protested, "That won't do, Clan Leader. If those two leave, the south and north will definitely run into trouble. We can't do that!"
Uchiha Tajima said coldly, "Don't worry. I've already worked out a plan. Call back Uchiha Yutaka, who just left for the Land of Yuze, and send him south. I'll also send two Peak Jonin with him to intimidate the Chiba Clan, the Aburame Clan, and the Fuma Clan, so they at least won't cause trouble."
Uchiha Yutaka, formerly the Third Elder of the Uchiha Clan, hadn't yet reached Kage Level, but he was one of the strongest Peak Jonin—an expert at Quasi-Kage Level.
"As for the north, there are only a dozen or so mid-sized clans. Zhan, take two Peak Jonin and bring Dou back. You should have no trouble keeping those clans in check. I won't be joining the battle against the Hyuga Clan this time. I'll stay at the clan's headquarters, and if any of you need support, I'll rush over at once," Uchiha Tajima said methodically.
Shin, seated below, gave a slight nod. Having seen Uchiha Tajima's arrangements, he had to admit the clan leader had some ability. He'd mobilized the clan's greatest strength while maintaining their hold over the surrounding clans. That kind of skill wasn't learned in a day or two.
"All right, that's it for troop assignments. Let's discuss our campaign against the Hyuga Clan."
"Clan Leader, what scale of battle are you planning to fight?" one of the Uchiha Clan's Peak Jonin asked.
Uchiha Tajima considered the question before replying, "To be honest, given the Hyuga Clan's strength, we might be able to wipe them out if no one interferes. But that would require committing the full strength of our clan, and even then, the campaign might not go smoothly.
"The reality is that we can't ignore the north and the south, and that ties down a great deal of our strength. Besides, if we commit too many forces against the Hyuga, the Senju will be all too happy to charge straight into our heartland. We can't allow that.
"But if the war is too small in scale, we won't hurt the Hyuga Clan at its roots, and the whole thing may be pointless."
He fell into thought. The Uchiha clan members below began discussing among themselves. Losing Kazama Valley had hurt them badly, allowing the Senju Clan to support the Hyuga without any worries. The situation was very unfavorable for the Uchiha.
While everyone was discussing, Shin quietly asked Madara, "Madara, I remember you said that the Hyuga Clan's territory had more mountains than anywhere else in the Land of Fire, and that they didn't produce enough food, so they had to buy most of it from the Senju or other clans. Is that right?"
Madara nodded. "That's right. Why do you ask?"
A cold smile tugged at Shin's lips. He leaned toward Madara and whispered, "If that's the case, I have a plan. I'll tell you now, then you can present it to everyone in a moment. Don't say it's my plan—just say you came up with it yourself."
Madara looked puzzled. "If you have a plan, why not just say it yourself? Why go around in circles?"
Shin glared at him and whispered irritably, "Why do you have to ask so many questions? It wouldn't be appropriate for me to say some things. Do you get it?"
Madara shook his head without hesitation.
Shin ignored him and quietly explained his plan in his ear. Madara's eyes lit up, and he nodded with a smile.
Everyone was still discussing how to attack the Hyuga when a voice suddenly rang out. "I have an idea."
The voice sounded like a child's, but it was filled with confidence. It carried clearly through the noisy hall.
Everyone turned toward the sound. Uchiha Madara had risen to his feet. He paid no mind to the gazes fixed on him and strode forward.
Though he was only eight, Uchiha Madara seemed born with a natural Haki. He would never know stage fright.
Of course, the Uchiha clan members present all knew Madara. He and Uchiha Shin hadn't been qualified to attend the Clan Meeting, but their talent was so extraordinary that they were considered unprecedented in Uchiha history. They had also joined forces to kill a Hyuga Jonin, so an exception had been made for them.
"Haha, I wonder what young master Madara has in mind. Why don't you share it with us? It'll give everyone something to consider," Uchiha Zhan said with a laugh. He didn't believe a child could come up with any good ideas.
Madara paid no attention to him and instead turned to say, "Father, do we have a map of the Hyuga Clan's territory?"
Uchiha Tajima was curious to hear what his son had to say. He searched through a pile of scrolls on the desk, pulled one out, and had someone bring over a folding screen and hang it up. It showed the Hyuga Clan's territory.
Madara walked over to the map and pointed at it. "Most of the Land of Fire is flat, but according to this map, the Hyuga Clan's territory has more mountains than anywhere else in the country. That's our advantage."
Uchiha Zhan and the others frowned as they examined the map. "More mountains means the terrain is easy to defend and hard to attack. How is that an advantage for us?"
Madara sighed helplessly. "Food. You can't grow crops in the mountains, so their food production is limited. They have to rely on imports. Do you understand now? We don't need to invade their territory at all."
By now, some people had begun to understand what Madara meant. They weren't unintelligent, after all. But in this world of powerful ninja, even though it was the Warring States Period, battles were still fought primarily through direct combat. The study of military strategy was far less developed than in the Warring States Period of another world. That could be considered one of the drawbacks of personal strength being so powerful.
Uchiha Zhan's expression cleared. "If that's the case, then..."
"Then we only need to block the roads leading out of their territory and cut off their food supply. They'll inevitably run out of food. Once they're hungry enough, we can march straight in. Of course, it would be best if they all starved to death," Madara said with a cold smile.
He didn't go into detail. The people present were all veterans of the battlefield. Once he'd given them the idea, they could fill in the rest of the battle plan themselves.
Uchiha Tajima nodded in approval from the back. Because of the mountainous terrain, there weren't many major roads leading into the Hyuga Clan's territory. The Uchiha Clan could easily blockade them all, freeing up more troops to hold off the Senju.
A Peak Jonin stood and praised him. "Clan Leader, the young master is a genius not only in ninjutsu but also in matters of war. With the young master leading the next generation, our Uchiha Clan will surely defeat the Senju and stand at the very pinnacle of the Warring States Period."
The others joined in praising Uchiha Madara. Madara's face reddened slightly, and he coughed twice to hide his embarrassment. After all, it hadn't been his idea, so hearing all this praise felt a little awkward.
Shin watched from behind the crowd, his heart full of scorn. This is only the first step. I'll have to help Madara build even more prestige within the clan. Only when his reputation is strong enough will he be able to win everyone over and become clan leader as soon as Uchiha Tajima suddenly dies. I hope that day comes soon!
Before you continue