Chapter 32

"Aaaaaahhh--!!"

Another agonizing roar pierced the sky. Uchiha Koichi halted his steps, squinting upward.

Branches trembled as a flock of birds took flight in a panicked flurry, feathers scattering everywhere... He hadn't realized there were so many birds in the clan grounds.

"Which one is this?" Uchiha Amano shook his head with a sigh. "That sound... tsk tsk, it truly makes the listener weep and the bystander mourn."

"Your pity lacks any shred of sincerity." Koichi rubbed his eyes, still feeling a lingering fear. "It's fortunate I've already awakened my Three-Tomoe; otherwise, I'd surely be the target of your mockery."

"Aaaaaahhhh--!!!"

This time, it felt as though the very earth were shaking. "No way, again?" Koichi sighed. It was just a 'little dark room'; only those with potential in the clan were allowed inside, so why was their endurance so disappointing?

...What did he mean by "just" a little dark room? Even if it were a simple dark room, anything associated with Uchiha Masahiko inevitably transformed into a lethal technique!

Uchiha Amano rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. "Right! We should add a soundproofing seal." He struck his palm, suddenly enlightened. "I knew something felt off! Hmm, I'll suggest it to Lord Masahiko later."

Koichi's eye twitched. So, that was the only thing you were worried about?

"Such loud noises will disturb the Clan Head's rest." Amano nodded with a serious expression. "We are already quite close to the inner perimeter." Another Clan Head fanatic; he was truly a worthy successor to Uchiha Zhi.

"Excuse me... what exactly is happening lately?" a passing clansman asked, his heart trembling with trepidation.

"Oh, don't worry, the Seventh Elder is just conducting some experiments," Uchiha Amano replied calmly.

The man's face turned even paler upon hearing this. Lord Masahiko, who had wreaked havoc on countless flowers, plants, and small animals—and had nearly not even spared the Matatabi—had finally succumbed to the urge to experiment on his own kin! Oh, Clan Head! Have you completely abandoned us?!

"How many tomoe have you awakened?" Koichi interjected.

"Two-Tomoe..."

Patting the man on the shoulder, Koichi said, "Then there's no need to be so curious. You'll have the chance to experience it personally sooner or later."

Hey, I really don't want that chance!

"Let's go, Koichi. By the way, the one looking after the young heir—what's his name again?"

"You mean Hoshino Zhan?"

"That's the one~" Amano tilted his head, revealing a lazy smile. Having known him for years, Koichi naturally caught the murderous intent behind it. "...You found out?"

"Heh, don't forget I used to work in the Intelligence Division," Amano said, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, his tone nonchalant.

"Don't touch him," Koichi cautioned. "That brat isn't simple, and the Clan Head has use for him. Besides, his brother is one of the leaders of the Ming Society outside."

The Ming Society was the primary base for scholars of Ming Studies and currently the most influential academic organization and source of public opinion on the continent.

Amano narrowed his crimson Sharingan, the three tomoe rotating slowly. "Ah, don't worry. The kid is lucky—I've killed too many people lately and decided to take a break to shed some of the bloodlust—I won't take his life."

Koichi stopped trying to dissuade him. People of the Uchiha clan never took losses lying down; Hoshino Zhan would eventually pay the price for his actions. Letting Amano teach him a small lesson might be for the best—at least it would show him the true scale of the world—having a good brother wasn't a panacea!

"Achoo!" Hoshino Taku, using the alias Ming Tuo, sneezed, scrambling to hold down the papers that had nearly flown to the floor.

"Taku-kun, you must take care of your health," a scholar said, pouring him a cup of hot tea. "You can leave these trivial matters to us."

Hoshino Taku smiled gently. "It is fine, perhaps it is just a bit cold this spring. Where is Takafumi? What was the matter he said he wanted to discuss in detail?"

Aoki Takafumi pushed up his glasses. "Taku-kun, regarding the rampant spread of religious deification, I have already filed a report in document number 2013."

Hoshino Taku unfolded the document and scanned it quickly. "Religion?"

"Yes, 'The Arrival of the Killing God,' 'The Birth of the Evil God,' 'The Great God of Light,' 'The Savior of the World'... they have all appeared." Aoki Takafumi's lips curled into a cold sneer. "They are developing followers, hoarding wealth, and using various banners to oppose our Ming Society. Although they haven't gained much momentum and are currently only active in rural areas, we must take precautions. We have survived great storms; let us not stumble over a few brats." As a political research organization, the scholars of the Ming Society had all faced assassination attempts to varying degrees. Without the protection of the Uchiha Group, these ordinary people would have long since been wiped out.

"Matters of ghosts and gods are always difficult to define. It is best to respect them but keep one's distance," one scholar remarked. "How can such disorganized things compete with the Ming Society?"

Aoki Takafumi remained noncommittal, turning to another scholar. "Hisanobu, what do you think?"

"We cannot even fully comprehend the affairs of the present world; to worship the illusory is utter folly."

"Most people in the world are like that right now," Hoshino Taku said calmly. "Let us see how to resolve it."

"The spread is mostly in the north. The south is the domain of our Ming Studies. Although there has been some infiltration, it is limited to the ignorant; most people scoff at it." [If you do not know life, how can you know death?]—Influenced by Ming Studies, the religious atmosphere in the Land of Lightning was not strong. "Some similar organizations secretly supported by the daimyo of other countries have been blocked at our borders by the Uchiha and Fujiwara clans. However, the Land of Lightning will eventually move toward the world stage."

The world stage—the unspoken pursuit of everyone in the Ming Society.

"Then... shall we ask the Uchiha to intervene?" To "ask the Uchiha to intervene" meant using force to crush those spreading religious superstition. The world had been steeped in violence and blood for so long that even ordinary people subconsciously used lethal means to solve problems.

"If we still need to trouble Lord Madara for such matters, what use are we?" Those who studied Ming Studies, if nothing else, would never fall behind in public opinion. "Besides, superstition cannot be banned, and the ignorant cannot be solved overnight. If we handle it poorly, we might ruin our own reputation. In such matters... blocking is not as effective as guiding."

The scholars present chewed over the words. "Taku-kun, what do you mean?"

Hoshino Taku smiled softly. "They like to create gods, don't they? We could secretly help them... that might not be a bad idea."

Aoki Takafumi met his eyes, his mind instantly clear. "Right, help them create gods—the more, the better."

"This... how so?" Many scholars were puzzled. Ro and Hisanobu explained: "When things are abundant, they become cheap; when they are close, they lose their mystery."

The scholars present were suddenly enlightened. As expected of masters of cultural work, they understood instantly. Excessive deification served no purpose other than to diminish people's faith and pull deities off their pedestals, even leading people to question the existence of gods altogether. This was the advantage monotheism had over polytheism. People believed in gods because they were supposed to be omnipotent, cold, and noble, after all!

Hoshino Taku's smile grew even softer. "Hmm, that is the public side. Occasionally, we can also dig up the private affairs of those cult leaders and provide them to the public as fodder for gossip..." As expected of a man of letters, he could make exposing scandals, smearing reputations, and destroying lives sound so refined.

If the representatives of the gods were so morally bankrupt, how much truth could there be in the "gods" themselves? This move was ruthless!

"However, we must not let the popularization of Ming Studies fall behind," Aoki Takafumi added. "We need to draft a plan as soon as possible to open free schools in the newly occupied areas of the Land of Fire. The work is trivial, but the significance is great. I hope everyone will put in the effort."

It was a rare occasion for Madara to visit the training grounds since becoming Clan Head. The sleeves of his deep blue ninja uniform were pulled tight against his wrists, the outermost layer of his matching red armor removed and set aside. A long, slender strand of sea-blue cloud-silk bound his waist-length hair from top to bottom. His left fingers gripped several thin, dark blades, his fingertips tapping against the cold steel with imperceptible force, constantly adjusting them to the optimal state. At the same time, he slowly shifted their positions in a specific rhythm; the speed was not fast, yet to an outsider, it appeared as if they were seeing only the afterimages of the blades.

Three years. He had not engaged in close-quarters combat for three full years. To deal with the Nine-Tails, which was said to have infinite chakra, one clearly could not rely solely on chakra or pure mental attacks.

The current task is to regain my feel for combat as quickly as possible and sharpen my five senses to their absolute peak.

Closing his eyes, Madara meticulously captured every tremor in the air and every trace of flow. An intangible aura radiated from him, enveloping the entire training ground.

Uchiha Tai stood at the perimeter of the training ground, waiting quietly for him to finish his training.

Izuna hurried over, and Uchiha Tai bowed slightly: "Lord Izuna."

"Good day, Second Elder." Glancing toward the training ground, Izuna immediately lowered his voice: "What did brother want with me?"

"The Clan Head received an invitation from the Senju regarding the sealing of the Nine-Tails."

"The Nine-Tails? They have news about the Nine-Tails?" Izuna frowned, his tone laced with dissatisfaction: "What is our Intelligence Division doing? How is it that we have no information at all!" Although Uchiha Etsu had withdrawn their assets from the Land of Fire, he hadn't pulled out their informants or intelligence sources there.

...And so, after two years, the family Intelligence Division headed by Uchiha Etsu was once again caught in the crossfire!

"Then... what is brother's intention?"

"The family will be left in your care for the time being, with myself and the other elders assisting you."

"Brother is going alone?" Izuna asked urgently: "How can that be? The Land of Fire is at a critical juncture, and there are new developments with the Ming Society; brother needs to oversee the big picture!"

Uchiha Tai replied calmly: "The Clan Head has already made arrangements for matters here. The Nine-Tails issue must be resolved sooner or later, and if we go, we won't be able to help—we'd only be a hindrance. Rest assured, Lord Izuna, only Senju Hashirama is going from the Senju side."

"But..."

At this moment, Madara finished his training and walked toward them. Izuna asked: "Brother, have you truly decided?"

"I am going. Why wouldn't I?" Madara chuckled: "The Senju clan will soon join this war; as allies, we naturally ought to communicate."