Hyuga Tenin cursed a few more times, rubbed his temples irritably, and waved his hand to dismiss the meeting.
After everyone had left, he rose and returned to the back hall.
Back in his room, he let out a deep sigh and sank wearily onto the luxurious fur rug, resting his forehead in his hand as he sat in silent thought.
"Father, have some tea. Don't worry yourself too much."
An eight-year-old girl dressed in white came over with a cup of freshly brewed strong tea. She set it down in front of him and spoke softly.
"Tamamo, it's you. Sigh!" Hyuga Tenin looked up and saw his daughter. He gave a weary sigh, then picked up the cup and drained it in one go.
"I'm sorry, Father. This happened because I was too reckless last time." Hyuga Tamamo bit her lower lip, her voice tinged with regret.
Hyuga Tenin shook his head and let out a long breath. "It's not your fault. Ever since we attacked the Uchiha Clan Compound last time, we've been enemies. Whether or not you went after Uchiha Shin, they would have made their move. The only difference is when. Right now, I'm just angry with the Senju."
"Father, do you mean the Senju did it on purpose...?"
Hyuga Tenin stood up and gave a cold snort. "Hmph. With the strength of the Senju Clan, if they'd truly wanted to come to our aid, how could one Uchiha Dou have stopped them?"
"But haven't we already agreed to become their vassal clan? What would they gain from this? They'd only be letting the Uchiha grow even more arrogant."
Hyuga Tenin slowly shook his head. "Tamamo, you're clever, and you have a unique understanding of ninjutsu, but some things take experience to see clearly. A vassal clan? Heh... The Hyuga have our own bloodline limit, our own traditions, our own territory, and one of the greatest powers in the Warring States Period. Tell me, with strength like ours, if we're willing to call them our main family today, then we're their vassal clan. But if we change our minds tomorrow, what can they do about it?"
Tamamo considered his words. "But wouldn't that mean they risk letting the Uchiha grow stronger?"
Hyuga Tenin gave a derisive laugh. "That's why they sent reinforcements. Senju Rajin is at the Kazama River, facing off against Uchiha Dou while fishing, isn't he? That's a show of force. If the Senju choose, they can increase their commitment at any time and rush over to help us. Besides, they know the strength of the Hyuga well. With the Uchiha as they are now, they'd have to mobilize their entire clan to destroy us. It wouldn't be easy."
"Tamamo, you're part of the Hyuga Main Family, so you must understand some things clearly. The Warring States Period is a place where people speak with their fists. Why can the Senju act with such confidence? Because their fists are strong. Why can the Uchiha act so arrogantly? For the same reason. Today's enemies aren't necessarily enemies forever. In this world, if the rewards are great enough, even someone who killed your father can become your ally. Likewise, brothers can turn against each other for the sake of profit.
"The Hyuga are in this situation because we're a wolf who got caught between two tigers. The greedy snake swallows the elephant, but it's all right. The clan's food stores can last another half a year, and the Uchiha are fighting on two fronts. We still don't know how things will turn out."
Hyuga Tenin stood, opened the door, and strode outside, his steps firm and resolute. He had buried all his frustration and worry deep in his heart.
Hyuga Tamamo watched her father's retreating figure, radiant and dazzling in the light.
"Someone, deliver my orders: the Great Elder, Hyuga Shinshu, is to handle clan affairs. I'm going to the front lines myself."
The three-clan war, which had ended only a few months earlier, had flared up again at the hands of the Uchiha Clan. The fighting on the battlefield was already raging. The Uchiha Clan had committed everything this time, even recalling the two Kage-level Experts stationed to the north and south and sending them to the battlefield.
Uchiha Tajima remained at home, receiving the latest battle reports each day and keeping a close eye on the situation so he could send support at any moment. On top of that, he had to watch the clan's northern and southern borders, especially the southern one. Three major clans—the Fuma Clan, the Aburame Clan, and the Chiba Clan—were based there. If anything happened, Uchiha Yutaka might not be able to handle it.
Still, none of this tension affected Uchiha Shin. His days were comfortable, for many reasons. One of them was that he had moved.
In this life, Uchiha Tajima had adopted him, and he had lived in a small house within the clan residence. It had enough room, but Shin still felt cooped up there. It had become especially uncomfortable after Uchiha Tajima began to distrust him, so he had used the reward he received for killing the Blood Ninja last time to buy a house.
The previous owner had been an elderly member of the Uchiha Clan who had died of old age. In the Warring States Period, living to a ripe old age was quite an achievement. Strength was secondary; you needed a lot of luck. So Shin thought the house had excellent feng shui and insisted on buying it.
It had cost him a total of fifty thousand gold coins, which was quite expensive, but Shin felt it was worth the price.
He was now sitting in a second-story pavilion in his new home. The pavilion had a lovely atmosphere and was called the Wind and Rain Pavilion, because one could sit there and listen to the wind and rain.
The weather at the end of March was especially pleasant. Cherry blossoms filled the courtyard, their petals drifting lightly on the breeze—a beautiful sight.
A table of fine red sandalwood stood before Shin, covered with fruit and pastries. A small bottle of sake sat in front of him. Across from him sat a person with an irritated expression, with another small bottle of sake and a cup before him. He was around eight or nine years old: Uchiha Madara.
Since Shin had moved into this house, Madara had visited several times. The more he looked at his own little house, the less he liked it. But he didn't have enough money to buy a place of his own, so he kept coming over every few days. After trying the food made by the maid, he came even more often. Of course, every time he came, he'd ask Shin the same thing. Like now.
"What'll it take for you to come to the battlefield with me?" Uchiha Madara asked gloomily. He poured himself a cup of sake and drained it in one gulp.
Shin picked up a pine nut and tossed it into his mouth. He was already immune to the question. He'd lost count of how many times Madara had asked in the past seven days.
"What's the point of all this fighting? It's so disruptive. Look at the cherry blossoms falling all over the courtyard—it's the perfect season to enjoy them. What's the battlefield but an eyesore? Sitting here admiring the blossoms and drinking is much more pleasant. Besides, why do you always try to drag me along? If you want to go, then go. I'm not stopping you."
Uchiha Madara was so frustrated that he fell silent, grumpily eating his food.
Shin smiled softly as he watched the cherry blossoms drift down before him. "Now this is living."
Before you continue