Turning Hostile

Chapter 43: Falling Out

After cleaning up the battlefield here...

Uchiha Shin and Uchiha Hana, along with five ninja squads, led by Uchiha Goichi, went to rendezvous with Uchiha Tajima and the others.

In this ambush, the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans suffered the heaviest losses.

Next were the members of the Hagoromo Clan.

As for the Uchiha Clan, their losses were actually minimal; only a few genin were severely wounded or killed.

Regarding their top-tier jonin and mid-tier chunin, the Uchiha Clan did not lose a single one, which could be considered a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune.

"Clan Head."

Uchiha Goichi led his squad to Uchiha Tajima's side and offered a greeting.

Then, looking at the many soldiers of the Land of Fire kneeling on the ground with their hands behind their heads, he hesitated, looking at Uchiha Tajima as if he had something to say but was holding back.

Uchiha Tajima understood even without Uchiha Goichi speaking.

The Uchiha Clan was currently facing a dilemma...

They could either break ties with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire right now, seize this batch of standard-issue weapons and equipment, and use this opportunity to win over the Hagoromo Clan and the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans.

After all, in this battle, these clans had all lost ninjas, so in one sense, they shared a common enemy: the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

After all, under the Daimyo's underhanded tactics, the Senju Clan had been the first to willingly act as his dogs, joining forces to target other ninja clans.

Once this bad precedent was set, other ninja clans in the Land of Fire had to consider whether their own families might one day be targeted by the Daimyo as well.

Just like in the martial arts novels of his past life, infighting between sects was one thing, but if a sect was willing to act as the imperial court's lackey to slaughter their fellow martial artists...

That was truly a different matter entirely.

After all, if things continued this way, everyone would feel insecure; who would dare to befriend a sect that acted as a lackey for the court?

Just like now, Uchiha Tajima believed that anyone with a shred of political foresight would never again be willing to join forces with the Senju Clan.

After all, having a "father" figure looming over them was a major nuisance for ninja clans accustomed to their freedom.

But with the Uchiha Clan's current strength, were they qualified to break ties with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire?

Uchiha Tajima couldn't help but hesitate.

Although the ninja forces under the Daimyo were not enough to pose a threat to the Uchiha Clan.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire had money.

One of the sources of income for many ninja clans within the Land of Fire was the payment received from the Daimyo's mission commissions.

With heavy rewards come brave men; Uchiha Tajima himself dared not conclude that other ninja clans in the Land of Fire would truly be willing to draw a line in the sand against the Daimyo.

After all, money was something everyone lacked...

Whether it was for the survival of the clan or the training of ninjas, the resources required were inseparable from money.

Therefore, no matter the era or the world, it was all the same: money equals power.

If a problem could be solved with money, it wasn't a problem at all.

Just like Kakuzu in the original Naruto, wasn't he also very fond of money?

Forget it, it was better to call the head of the Hagoromo Clan and the head of the Yamanaka Clan over to discuss it together.

Uchiha Tajima decided to pass the buck; if benefits were to be shared, shouldn't the risks be shared as well?

Having made his decision...

Before long, the head of the Hagoromo Clan, Hagoromo Ryozo, and the head of the Yamanaka Clan, Yamanaka Makoto, were invited over by the Uchiha ninjas.

"Is there something else?"

"Clan Head Uchiha Tajima!"

The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans had suffered the greatest losses, and although Yamanaka Makoto dared not provoke the Uchiha Clan, the ugly expression on his face could not be hidden.

The Hagoromo Clan head, Hagoromo Ryozo, was in a similarly foul mood; he had been preparing to ask Uchiha Tajima for some compensation.

And so, before he could even bring it up to Uchiha Tajima's face, he had been invited over by the Uchiha ninjas.

"Just say what you have to say. Things have reached this point; there is nothing left to hide."

Hagoromo Ryozo said to Uchiha Tajima with some impatience.

Uchiha Tajima did not take Hagoromo Ryozo's attitude to heart; the big picture was what mattered now.

After all, in this world, there were no permanent enemies and no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

Therefore, things having reached this stage, Uchiha Tajima no longer concealed anything, and he told Hagoromo Ryozo and Yamanaka Makoto everything behind this mission commission...

Everything he had guessed and everything he feared, he laid it all out for them.

"What?"

"Are you saying this is a conspiracy by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire?"

"The Daimyo of the Land of Fire wants to use this to weaken or even eradicate the Uchiha Clan?"

"All to prepare for unifying the ninja clans of the Land of Fire?"

After listening to Uchiha Tajima, Yamanaka Makoto stared at him in shock, as if he were listening to an Arabian Nights fairy tale.

"How is that possible?"

Yamanaka Makoto muttered to himself, unable to believe it.

"Hmph, and why is it impossible?"

Compared to the narrow-minded Yamanaka Makoto, Hagoromo Ryozo possessed a much keener political eye.

"The Daimyo of the Land of Fire wants to seize both military and political power for himself."

"Although he can delegate missions directly to ninja clans without the trouble of training his own shinobi—saving him much effort and worry..."

"Still, these armed ninja clans are, after all, a source of instability."

"If the Daimyo were merely a man content with maintaining the status quo, it would be fine."

"But this current Daimyo is clearly a man of great ambition."

"I ask you, how could such a man ever feel at ease with armed family-based forces like the ninja clans existing within his borders?"

Regarding Yamanaka Makoto's shock and disbelief, a trace of contempt and disdain flickered in Hagoromo Ryozo's eyes; a ninja clan is just a ninja clan, lacking even this basic level of political awareness and foresight.

Sooner or later, they would end up as cannon fodder, destined for annihilation.

Hmph!

"Then, Clan Leader Tajima, what do you intend to do?"

"After all, you were the one who initiated this joint mission."

Hagoromo Ryozo looked at Uchiha Tajima with a piercing gaze.

"How to put it?"

"Among the ninja clans of the Land of Fire, the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan are the pinnacle, with your Hagoromo Clan coming in next..."

"I assume you have no objections to that, Clan Leader Hagoromo?"

Hearing Uchiha Tajima put it this way, Hagoromo Ryozo nodded silently.

The strength of their Hagoromo Clan was indeed a notch below that of the Uchiha and Senju clans.

"Since you agree, the rest is simple."

"I had originally intended to break ties with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire directly."

"After all, if he can play dirty, so can I."

"We ninja clans have survived since the Mythic Era; which one of us isn't built upon a foundation of countless bones?"

"As for the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, hmph, I truly do not hold him in high regard!"

Uchiha Tajima crossed his arms, a look of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"However, my only concern is..."

"With the Senju Clan willing to act as the Daimyo's dogs to persecute our fellow clans, who knows if the Daimyo has been contacting other clans behind our backs?"

"The Daimyo of the Land of Fire is exceptionally wealthy, and everyone is susceptible to the lure of money."

"There is no guarantee that some clans won't take the risk for profit and join forces with the Daimyo to deal with us."

"Therefore, I believe now is not the time for us to break with the Daimyo."

Uchiha Tajima finally revealed his true objective.

"Clan Leader Uchiha Tajima, just tell us what to do!"

Hagoromo Ryozo felt a surge of irritation after listening to Uchiha Tajima's long-winded preamble.

"First, we must teach the Daimyo of the Land of Fire a lesson, but we cannot break ties!"

"So, I have decided to withhold half of the standard weapons and equipment we are escorting, and we shall divide them among our clans."

"I estimate that at this stage, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire will not dare to tear off the mask and confront us directly!"

"He will certainly swallow his pride and pretend to know nothing about it."

As for how much each clan should receive, Uchiha Tajima did not specify.

Yamanaka Makoto and Hagoromo Ryozo were no fools; they naturally understood the subtext in Uchiha Tajima's words.

"Second, I wish to form an alliance with you, Clan Leader Hagoromo, and the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans represented by Clan Leader Yamanaka!"

"Clan Leader Hagoromo, Clan Leader Yamanaka, you must understand..."

"Only by uniting can we avoid being targeted by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and picked off one by one."

Uchiha Tajima then threw out his proposal for a ninja clan alliance.

Hearing Uchiha Tajima speak in such a manner, Hagoromo Ryozo and Yamanaka Makoto both fell into a temporary silence.

After all, an alliance between ninja clans was a major undertaking, so they had to consider it carefully.

Seeing the two of them in such a state, Uchiha Tajima smiled slightly, not pressing them for an answer.

Because Uchiha Tajima understood that under the current tide of events, Hagoromo Ryozo and Yamanaka Makoto would naturally understand how to choose.

This was an open conspiracy...