The True Warring States Period

After Uchiha Tajima agreed with and encouraged Uchiha Shin's bold ideals and ninja way, the conversation in the room returned to everyday matters.

For a powerful ninja like Uchiha Tajima, a clan leader, there was so much Uchiha Shin could learn from him, whether it was combat experience or insights into ninjutsu.

So Uchiha Shin quickly seized this rare opportunity that evening and began asking Uchiha Tajima, who was sitting beside him, for advice.

After all, as the old saying went, you only regretted not learning enough when you needed what you'd learned.

If he made the most of his time now, asking more questions and learning more, his chances of survival on future battlefields would be that much greater.

Uchiha Tajima had no intention of hiding anything in response to Uchiha Shin's questions and doubts.

No matter how you looked at it, for parents in this era, raising their children to become independent ninja was their duty.

So Uchiha Tajima was quite happy to help, answering Uchiha Shin's questions.

As for four-year-old Madara and three-year-old Izuna, although they had been born in this chaotic era, and although the era would make them mature early as they grew up...

Compared to Uchiha Shin, a transmigrator, their desire to grow stronger quickly, their urgent determination to work hard and survive in this twisted, chaotic era...

Was clearly nowhere near as strong as Uchiha Shin's.

Perhaps after they went to the battlefield and faced the cruel reality of comrades, friends, and family dying in battle, they would quickly mature.

Uchiha Shin glanced at Madara and Izuna, who were playing and roughhousing nearby, and couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh.

Was the old saying really true? The more you knew and understood, the more troubles you had?

Just as Uchiha Shin was about to ask another question about the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.

Uchiha Tajima frowned and turned toward the doorway. A sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

The clan's ninja all knew that this was usually Uchiha Tajima's private time. Unless something especially important had happened,

No one in the clan would disturb him, their clan leader, at this hour.

"Lord Tajima..."

"Kawasuke and the others have returned from their mission."

"Seven were killed in action, and five were seriously wounded!"

The ninja outside, Uchiha Shiro, bowed as he reported to Uchiha Tajima inside.

"Hmm?"

Hearing that members of his clan had been killed or injured, Uchiha Tajima immediately sprang to his feet, his expression turning solemn.

After all, in the Warring States Period of the Naruto world, training a capable ninja could take a clan years, or even more than a decade.

But dying on the battlefield could happen in an instant.

So every ninja, whether Genin, Chunin, or Jonin, was extraordinarily precious to the clans of this era.

Ninja were not born in especially large numbers to begin with. On top of that, the total population of a ninja clan was limited by land, food, resources, and all sorts of other factors.

So you could say that whenever a ninja clan lost a ninja in battle and couldn't replace them right away, even if the fallen ninja was only an ordinary Genin...

The clan's strength was effectively weakened, if only a little.

And every ninja clan had enemies who could threaten its survival.

Perhaps the death of just one Genin could tip the balance between two evenly matched clans.

The severe consequences that followed—such as being defeated by a once-evenly matched clan and then wiped out—were entirely possible.

This time, seven of the ninja who had gone out on the mission with Uchiha Kawasuke had been killed, and five more seriously wounded...

Even for the Uchiha Clan, whose strength now ranked among the best in the Land of Fire, such heavy losses were enough to deal a painful blow to the entire clan.

After all, even the Uchiha Clan, one of the strongest clans in the Land of Fire, had rival ninja clans of its own. The Senju Clan, for example.

Uchiha Tajima couldn't bear to imagine what would happen if the Senju Clan, their enemy, learned of this.

The Senju Clan would surely take advantage of their vulnerability, seize this opportunity, and launch an attack on the Uchiha Clan.

With that thought, Uchiha Tajima quickly stood up.

He had to learn the full details of the mission Kawasuke and the others had undertaken. Why had a perfectly good battle plan gone so badly wrong?

How had it led to such heavy losses?

Uchiha Aoi, who was in the bedroom, had also heard the commotion outside.

She said nothing. Instead, she walked into the living room, understanding at once, and quickly helped Uchiha Tajima put on his armor.

Come to think of it, the women of the Warring States Period in Naruto were quite gentle.

At home, they took care of the children and all the housework. Outside, they helped their husbands carry out missions and fight.

Uchiha Shin thought carefully about the women from the world he'd come from...

Heh. No, he wouldn't dare. He really wouldn't.

Uchiha Shin was afraid he'd be killed with a single punch from someone with twenty years of strength, haha.

Once he had put on his armor, Uchiha Tajima headed outside without a change in expression.

When Uchiha Tajima reached the door and opened it, preparing to leave...

He suddenly turned around and looked at Uchiha Shin, Uchiha Madara, and Uchiha Izuna, who were sitting beside the low table.

"Shin, since you've already stated your ideals and your ninja way..."

"And decided to take on the responsibility of ending war and completely changing this twisted world."

"Then come and witness the cruel truth of a ninja's life in this era!"

"Madara and Izuna, you should come too. You'll be taking the path of a ninja sooner or later anyway..."

"Coming face-to-face with the cruel truth behind this world early might help you understand sooner what it means to be a ninja."

Looking at his three sons' still-youthful faces, Uchiha Tajima, their father, let a trace of a cruel smile cross his lips.

"Yes, Father!" ×

After hearing Uchiha Tajima's words, Uchiha Shin, Madara, and Izuna quickly got to their feet, put on their shoes in the entryway, and followed close behind him.

My sons, as your father, I can only make sure you encounter the cruel truth of this era, the cruel truth behind this world of ninja, as early as possible...

Although, at your age, the truth may be cruel.

But only by recognizing this cruel truth early, then becoming familiar with it and adapting to it,

Might you, my sons, be able to go to battlefields in the future without losing your lives so easily because of your excessive naivety.

This is the only thing I can do for you now as your father.

Uchiha Tajima led Uchiha Shin, Madara, and Izuna, following Uchiha Shiro as they hurried toward the Uchiha Clan's destination. As they went, Uchiha Tajima couldn't help thinking to himself.