Pledge of Allegiance

After confirming that everything was in order, Dark Seven vanished once more. While they held the status of bodyguards, their primary purpose was to assist Senju Meima in stabilizing the battlefield.

Shugo went to wash up, found a new set of armor, and headed back to the front lines. Having experienced what just happened, his movements this time were a bit more cautious.

The Explosive Tags on his person had been mostly depleted to blow up Kaguya Hakujin; strategic resources were rarely distributed generously, and every bit used was a bit less in reserve.

With his own talent for drawing aggro, if another elite jonin were to appear, he reckoned he would only be able to shout for his "bodyguards."

The battle raged for seven days and seven nights. The Senju ninja took turns resting and fighting, venting the pent-up frustration they had previously endured. As the Sage Body and the Shikotsumyaku clashed repeatedly, all that remained were blood and corpses.

Shugo benefited immensely from the experience. Although his personal strength had not seen a breakthrough, the quality of his Wood Style was growing day by day, and his physique was becoming increasingly robust.

His role on the battlefield began to rise as well; many weaker clansmen were saved by his black trees, and after each battle, there was no shortage of clansmen expressing their gratitude.

On the eighth day, the Kaguya offensive suddenly weakened, and they were thoroughly suppressed by the Senju. The madness that had originally defined the Kaguya seemed to have been doused by cold water.

Due to the critical situation, the Kaguya Clan head, Kaguya Taketori, appeared on the battlefield. After Dark One and Dark Seven emerged to contend with him for a moment, Senju Meima also arrived on the scene.

The clash between the two clan-head-level powerhouses carved out a separate zone on the battlefield.

After that battle, the Kaguya ninja had almost entirely retreated to their clan lands, leaving only the ninja of vassal clans to be sent out as cannon fodder to hinder the Senju advance.

"The Kaguya Clan has started sending their vassal, the Baiye Clan, into the fray. Victory is now within our reach."

Senju Xiangyang approached Shugo and said.

As the tide of battle shifted, the Senju ninja became increasingly relaxed. Their numbers on the eastern front had dropped from two-thirds to one-third, making the situation feel much more manageable.

"Senior Xiangyang, there is no need to report such news to me privately."

Shugo shook the blood from his katana onto the ground and said calmly.

Senju Xiangyang gritted his teeth and spoke:

"Young Master Shugo, to be honest, I wish to serve you..."

Currently, there were only two factions within the clan: one led by the clan head's eldest son, Senju Hashirama, and the other supported by the Second Elder and the First Elder, centered around Senju Shugo.

When power shifts, certain things are unavoidable, and choosing a side early naturally has its benefits.

Compared to the enigmatic Senju Hashirama, this youth—brave, resilient, and possessing extraordinary strength on the battlefield—was more worthy of following.

"Very well."

Shugo responded lightly as he finished off another ninja, leaving a trail of blood on the ground with a swing of his blade.

Upon hearing this, Senju Xiangyang erupted with chakra and charged forward to act as Shugo's vanguard, using his actions to demonstrate his resolve. The vassal clan had changed slightly, but after a bout of slaughter, it was clear they possessed no unique ninjutsu.

It was unknown how much time had passed when a voice, amplified by chakra, rang out across the battlefield:

"We, the Baiye Clan, surrender. We are willing to become a vassal clan to the Senju Clan!"

Hyakuya Tayu shouted loudly. If things continued like this, their Baiye Clan would be wiped out before the Kaguya Clan even exhausted their own vitality; what point was there in remaining loyal?

The Baiye Clan was considered a mid-sized family. Unlike smaller families, they had a certain amount of capital and value. He believed that as long as they demonstrated their loyalty, the Senju Clan would be able to accommodate them.

Senju Meima looked at everything with indifference and said, "Shugo, go and receive the clan emblem."

In situations where there was such a disparity in strength, the losing side was required to kneel and present their flag bearing the clan emblem to signify submission.

Normally, this task could be performed by Senju Meima or Senju Meikyo, but in order to do the youth a favor and boost his prestige, Senju Meima was happy to yield this opportunity.

Hearing this, Shugo walked straight over, and the eyes of every Senju ninja could not help but follow his figure.

Under the sunlight, the blood on the youth's armor reflected points of light, yet his expression was so calm, reflecting a maturity far beyond his years. Black wooden vines were visible everywhere, surrounding him like guards.

When he reached Hyakuya Tayu, the man was slightly stunned, but then reacted immediately, kneeling on both knees and offering the flag bearing the clan emblem with both hands.

"This is the future of the Senju Clan."

A Senju chunin couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

Under normal circumstances, he would never have said such a thing, as it was not a topic a chunin should discuss. However, at this moment, they didn't care; they simply watched as the youth accepted the flag...

Within the Kaguya clan lands, Kaguya Taketori received the news of the Baiye Clan's surrender. He sneered at the letter in his hand and crushed it on the spot.

The failure of this battle would not lead to the total annihilation of the Kaguya Clan; it merely meant the loss of a portion of their territory. The Baiye Clan was just a scapegoat pushed out to die.

One had to know that the Kaguya Clan was situated between two great clans: the Senju and the Uchiha. While they were currently fighting the Senju, they could not afford to let their guard down against the Uchiha.

These two mortal enemies had fought for years. While cooperation was impossible, both sides kept a close watch on each other's intelligence, and in certain matters of interest, there was no difference from cooperation.

Especially after the Onmyo Clan joined the Uchiha, their strength had increased significantly. If the Senju truly intended to fight the Kaguya to the death, the Uchiha would certainly find an opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

Do not misunderstand; this was not to help the Senju relieve pressure, but to use the Senju's power to gain benefits. The same logic applied in reverse; the outcome would be the same.

"Manjin, what do you think?"

Kaguya Taketori looked at the frail-looking man.

"Clan Head, without the medicine to suppress it, it is difficult for us to compete with the Senju Clan in terms of patience. If we continue to fight, we will only lose the lives of our clansmen in vain," Kaguya Manjin said weakly.

Beside him, the First Elder, Kaguya Manzhu, closed his eyes and said:

"But the supplies are difficult to gather. Although there is still a portion of medicine in the warehouse, we must never ignore future dangers for the sake of momentary gain."

His strength was sufficient to suppress the volatility within his body, allowing him to think rationally and seek the best possible decisions for the current situation.

Kaguya Manjin coughed, spitting out a trace of blood as he said:

"I do not know what deal the Hozuki Clan has struck with the Senju Clan, nor do I know if they will..."

"Are you suggesting we prioritize the safety of the 'medicine' before dealing with other enemies?"

"Yes."

Kaguya Taketori pondered for a moment before saying:

"Our cooperation with the Yuki Clan of the Land of Water has always been sound. Neither side wishes to see the losses incurred this time, so we can put that to good use."

"Manzhu, prepare yourself. In a few days, you and Manjin will make a trip to the Land of Water."

"But Clan Leader, what about the Senju..."

"It is fine to give them a bit more land; consider it merely clearing out some of our vassal families."

"Understood."

Kaguya Manzhu helped Manjin away to receive treatment.

After the two had left, Kaguya Taketori took out a scroll, upon which various names were written: Uchiha Tajima, Senju Butsuma, Hyuga Tenjin...

As the scroll continued to unfurl, four new names appeared: Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Izuna, Senju Hashirama, and Senju Shugo.

"The Uchiha side still has two young geniuses who have awakened the Sharingan, and the Senju side now has two more with bloodline limits..."

Kaguya Taketori felt a twinge of envy for the "geniuses" within those two clans, then wrote down a name:

Kaguya Manjin.

"I hope you can catch up, Manjin."

Kaguya Taketori sighed; the frantic impulse of the Shikotsumyaku was not so easily eliminated, but if one could manage it, there was a great chance of reaching a certain realm.

This was a vision that their ancestor had once "dreamed" of: a single gray bone spike that, upon striking, would ensure the death of any man or beast.

Kaguya Taketori did not truly believe in this legendary power, but the consecutive appearance of Wood Style in the rumors surrounding the Senju left him harboring a sliver of expectation...