"Reformation"

After sending the man and the dog into the dungeon, the two Senju members pulled out a manual titled General Interrogation Methods of the Senju Clan and began to study it, as they possessed little knowledge in this area.

After reading it, the expression on Hiugo's face was incredibly colorful; he had expected some profound and sophisticated interrogation techniques, but it turned out to be extremely simple and crude, looking more like a perfunctory piece of work.

The book divided Senju interrogation methods into two types:

One was to shatter the darkness within the enemy's heart through the lashes of a whip, thereby reforming the enemy and extracting information.

In the parlance of his past life, this was simply torture to extract a confession.

The other was to send for the captive's family and use the power of kinship to reform them.

To be honest, understood through the lens of his past life, this was just taking relatives hostage to force a confession.

"What is this nonsense? I'd have been better off not reading it at all."

Hiugo curled his lip and stopped looking; he was certain this book must be meant to fool children. He refused to believe that the dignified Senju Clan lacked specialized torture ninjutsu.

Tobirama glanced at it symbolically for a moment and sighed.

"Tobirama, why are you sighing?"

"I suddenly feel like I've become stupid for actually believing your words and reading this kind of book. Have we been spending too much time together lately?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Being with me should make you feel your intellect evolving."

Hiugo gave a light huff and said, "It doesn't matter if the book is useless; I have my own methods, far more effective than that trashy manual."

"You have methods?"

Tobirama cast a suspicious look at him.

Hiugo didn't bother to explain, walking straight to the cage where the man and the dog were being held.

Inuzuka Kurenai sensed someone approaching and opened his eyes, staring coldly at the two. Because he had just been fed medicine, his voice was weak as he said, "Kill me. I won't tell you a single thing about the Inuzuka Clan."

Hiugo shook his head and said:

"What kind of ghost talk is that? We are the loving Senju; how could we kill people so casually? Not only will I not kill you, but I will also tell you exactly how I plan to handle you."

Inuzuka Kurenai sneered. Love? A man who used rabbits that had been through a cesspit as bombs claimed to be a proponent of love. He felt speechless and closed his eyes, refusing to look at the youth before him.

"First, there is your Tetsumaru, your good brother. Judging by the look of things, he hasn't become a 'father' yet, but that doesn't matter—I'll take care of it personally."

"I plan to use my spare time to have him mate with other small and medium-sized families. I've checked the records; pups born from a ninja dog and an ordinary dog have a high probability of being ninja dogs. I believe that, given the quality of the Inuzuka Clan, they would be very willing to spend a sum of money to cultivate a batch of ninja dog descendants."

Upon hearing this, Inuzuka Kurenai's eyes turned red as he grabbed the iron bars of the cage. "Don't go too far! How could you defile Tetsumaru's noble bloodline so casually? Especially with ordinary dogs! Even if they do produce ninja dogs, they would be inferior products."

"True, the resulting ninja dogs certainly wouldn't be as good as Tetsumaru, but inferior products are still ninja dogs. Having some is better than having none, wouldn't you agree?"

"Don't worry, I have a second plan that can perfectly satisfy your desire to protect his bloodline."

"A ninja dog is, at the end of the day, just a dog. If they live a dissolute life in private, they are prone to disease—what you call bloodline defilement. So, I think it would be best to simply surgically remove the 'parts' that spread the bloodline."

The parts that spread the bloodline?

Inuzuka Kurenai felt a chill in his lower regions. "You... you actually want to do such a deranged thing to Tetsumaru? Is this the love that you Senju preach?"

Hiugo chuckled softly. "How could that be? You will have to experience these things too; love is about equality."

"Wha... what?"

"You know those small families are really eager to improve. I heard that since we are selling Inuzuka ninja dogs, they've been asking if they could 'invite' you to be a guest for a few days... Ah, I think it's a wonderful idea. It might just be an opportunity for the Inuzuka Clan to branch out..."

Tobirama silently noted Hiugo's words. In reality, he knew clearly that these were all things his good brother was making up on the spot. Ever since the battle ended, the two of them had been sitting together reading books; there was no time to look at any other data.

However, this kind of thinking was unique in the Warring States period, as clans possessed a unique pride regarding their own bloodlines—what they called clan honor—and rarely harbored designs on the bloodlines of other clans.

But now, having encountered Hiugo, who lacked any sense of clan honor, such tactics were naturally employed. Coupled with his natural aura of being "not a good person," the opponent truly believed him.

Inuzuka Kurenai pointed at Hiugo, unable to speak, before spitting out a mouthful of blood and fainting.

"Playing dead?"

Hiugo raised an eyebrow and signaled the two Senju chunin in charge of guarding to prepare to take Tetsumaru out first.

Inuzuka Kurenai's eyes snapped open instantly, his voice trembling as he said, "I will not betray the clan, but I can tell you about the Aburame Clan."

Hiugo signaled the Senju chunin to stop and nodded.

"That works. Tell me, why is the Aburame Clan supporting the Onmyo Clan?"

"The Onmyo Clan provided the Aburame Clan with insects that had long since vanished from history. For the Aburame Clan, such an opportunity to enhance their own strength is truly rare."

"Next question: does the Aburame Clan still have their reconnaissance squad?"

"As far as I know... no. The Aburame Clan is merely squeezing the Onmyo Clan dry. As long as the other side has no new 'insects,' they will withdraw and stop interfering."

"Then why not just seize them? Isn't the Onmyo Clan already fallen from the ranks of the great clans, and isn't Onmyo Seimei away from home?"

"These things are hidden by the Onmyo Clan within their summoning beasts. If they don't want to hand them over, the Aburame Clan wouldn't be able to find them on their own."

Hiugo nodded. "That's enough for today. If there are developments, I'll come find you again next time."

"Tetsumaru..."

"I will refuse for now; you don't need to worry."

The two turned and left the dungeon.

Tobirama spoke up:

"It seems this war is now a contest of the Yin-Yang Clan's foundations. The situation with the Inuzuka Clan is much like that of the Aburame Clan; as soon as their 'things' are exhausted, we will surely be able to take down the Yin-Yang Clan."

Hiugo nodded:

"The defeat of the Yin-Yang Clan is only a matter of time. The only question is whether they will be wiped out."

Extermination could be considered the most profitable method in any battle, equivalent to completely erasing a surname, plundering the remaining assets of the clan, and turning them into history.

"Father is currently using the pretext of Onmyo Seimei bullying the weak and seeking revenge for our clansmen; total extermination is quite possible."

As a major clan, the Senju were no strangers to wiping out other groups throughout their history, though they often carried the banners of righteousness and love while doing so.

"The outcome of this war is now just a matter of time. The only way to end it quickly is for Onmyo Seimei to return to the Yin-Yang territory, or for True Sun Teacher to appear."

"Appear... do you think Teacher isn't dead?"

"Mm. Yesterday, I saw someone whose heart was on the right side. I feel that the world is vast and full of wonders; as long as I haven't seen a corpse, it doesn't count as death."

As he said this, Hiugo looked at Tobirama.

Besides, even if he were truly dead in the future, he could still be summoned back. What a shameless ninjutsu Impure World Reincarnation was...

Tobirama felt that Hiugo's gaze was strange and silently took two steps back.

"What are you dodging for?"

"I read a book once. It told the story of a man and another man."

"...I have a fiancée, you know."

"That man had one too..."

"Get lost!"