Inviting Them to Plot

It was no surprise that Uchiha Tenshu was hiding away in his secret chamber, plotting and scheming.

Meanwhile, after discussing things with Uchiha Tenshu, Elder Uchiha Raimon sent his trusted subordinate, Ash, to invite several elders who usually supported him to come and confer.

At that moment, Uchiha Raimon knew that he had been ambushed and killed once. If not for the Sharingan's heaven-defying ability to alter his death and bring him back to life, he would already have been dead, separated from his two daughters forever. He would never have known what might happen to them in the future, or whether they could grow up safely without his protection.

Uchiha Raimon's heart had long been filled with hatred. He had simply hidden it well behind his usual expression, never letting it show. How could he not want to tear his enemy limb from limb?

On top of that, he had learned that there was a traitor in the clan: Uchiha Ming. With his plans for what lay ahead, Uchiha Raimon knew that his serious injuries would keep him from taking much action for a while. He could only rely on his allies to make their move.

"If those few stand on the same side as me, they'll be enough to put restrictions on Uchiha Ming. Even if we can't take his life for now, we can still ruin his plans!"

"What I need to do now is pave the way for Tenshu's growth and secure his position as heir. As long as my body can hold out for a few more years, I can first make sure Tenshu has the support of these allies. That way, even if I'm gone, Tenshu will have grown strong enough, with their support, to handle whatever comes next!" Uchiha Raimon thought, hoping his allies would keep the bigger picture in mind.

Not a moment was wasted, and Uchiha Raimon did not have to wait long.

With a ninja's lightning-fast pace, finding a few people within the clan was a piece of cake.

In the blink of an eye,

Ash hurried back with several people in tow.

Three figures rushed up behind him, hurrying toward Uchiha Raimon like gusts of wind. Their faces were etched with burning worry. Like startled birds, they quickly examined Raimon's condition, afraid something might have happened to him.

These three men, together with Uchiha Raimon, made four in all. They were the people in the clan who cared most about it.

To them, the clan's interests came before everything else, with the village's standing coming second.

Their responsibilities made that clear: one oversaw all aspects of the clan's development, like its brain; one was in charge of forging weapons, like its armory; one handled the distribution of supplies and prisoners, like its logistics corps; and one oversaw the planting and storage of food, like the clan's granary. They had all been the main force on the battlefield during the Warring States period, loyal men who had risked their lives for the clan.

However, it was precisely because these men had endured the storms of the Warring States period that they had developed this distinct way of doing things.

Even now, in the village's peaceful era, they still maintained close unity within the clan.

For example, a few years earlier, when disputes and conflicts had erupted over growing food, the support of these three elders had allowed Uchiha Raimon to withstand the pressure from everyone else and stick firmly to the Uchiha's stance on preparing for war.

The others were different.

Those few were the only ones who still stood firmly together.

The other elders still loudly proclaimed "stability and unity" as the principle that held the clan together, making it seem as though the entire clan was one.

In truth, they were a bunch of "tortoises" who hated getting into trouble, disliked doing anything, and feared stirring things up. They had become far too immersed in the peaceful, comfortable atmosphere of the present.

Take Fourth Elder Uchiha Kin, who was in charge of the clan's merchant caravans. Like a greedy wolf, he was obsessed with making money through trade. He unscrupulously recruited followers and coveted power within the clan. He was the one who fought most fiercely with Uchiha Raimon, yet he failed to see that he was wasting the clan's potential for war.

Then there was Sixth Elder Uchiha Ryūun, who oversaw the placement of spies and the gathering of intelligence. Uchiha Raimon had also suspected him over this recent leak of information, but had put off looking into it.

Finally, Eighth Elder Uchiha Fūha handled some of the clan's daily necessities and other logistical matters. Since the work was not important, he also helped choose ninjutsu combinations for the clan and taught ninjutsu.

As for Ninth Elder Uchiha Enmon, his hatred of the Senju Clan had bred such deep resentment that he was always thinking of rebelling. He had been quietly hiding his strength, waiting for the right moment.

At least these men were better than that.

They had not turned against the clan.

But the likes of Uchiha Ming, who lurked within the Uchiha Clan and recklessly sold it out while believing he was serving it, made Uchiha Raimon feel sick and afraid.

"Don't worry! The clan's doctors have examined my injuries. I can hold on for a few more years!"

Uchiha Raimon waved a hand.

"How could this have happened?" First Elder Uchiha Mine's eyes widened. His voice was full of killing intent as he asked, "Who did this? The Uchiha Clan must never let them get away with it. Those damned bastards have to pay for this with blood!"

"Exactly! Anyone who dares challenge the Uchiha Clan must be wiped out," Third Elder Uchiha Tsuki said fiercely.

Fifth Elder Uchiha Yanagi did not even bother asking. He stated firmly, "It must have been those scum from the Senju Clan."

"That's right. The Senju Clan was involved. It was that damn Tobirama Senju who stirred things up! Unfortunately, we found no evidence, so we have no way to prove it to the village. Since we can't touch them for now, we'll have to endure it and wait for the future."

Uchiha Raimon waved a hand and said gravely, "Besides, this matter isn't so simple. There's Tobirama Senju's scheme, but there's also a traitor in our own clan. The clan gave me the route for my mission, yet I ran into three separate ambushes. If I hadn't been lucky, I might really have died there this time! So we should catch the traitor first."

"Who is it?" 3

Uchiha Mine and the other two immediately widened their eyes and demanded furiously. Anyone who dared sell out the clan deserved to die!

"Based on what we've pieced together, it's Uchiha Ming. He must have leaked my information, which led to the ambushes."

"Why would he do such a thing? What does he stand to gain? The Uchiha Clan is so much weaker than the Senju Clan right now. Why would he harm our clan?" First Elder Uchiha Mine asked, bewildered.

In response, Uchiha Raimon repeated what Uchiha Tenshu had told him.

"What? No wonder he kept cooperating with Tobirama Senju. He's sacrificing the clan to secure benefits from the village! Damn it, if Hashirama Senju weren't still alive, I'd fight them right now!" Uchiha Tsuki ground his teeth, his fists clenched tight.

"Damn it! How could there be a traitor like this!" First Elder Uchiha Mine glared furiously, his fists cracking as he clenched them.

"The most urgent thing is to restrict Uchiha Ming's movements and ruin his plans," Uchiha Raimon said. "Also, I plan to support Tenshu as the heir. I hope you'll back him. He has extraordinary talent and will surely become a peerless powerhouse who can stand against the Senju Clan."

Third Elder Uchiha Tsuki nodded. "We've all seen that child Tenshu's talent. He's both brave and resourceful. With our support, he'll surely lead the clan to glory."

Fifth Elder Uchiha Yanagi added, "That's right. Don't worry, Raimon. We'll do everything we can to help."

"Ah!"

First Elder Uchiha Mine sighed and said, "All right. Since you've made your choice, we'll support you. But as for Tobirama Senju and Uchiha Ming, with the clan's current strength, I'm afraid we can't deal with them both at once. We'll have to take our time!"

"First Elder, I understand that, of course! That's why I'm counting on you to support Uchiha Tenshu and stand with me. We'll isolate Uchiha Ming and gradually strip him of all his authority in the clan."

Uchiha Raimon nodded in satisfaction, then continued to explain his plans.

Naturally, the three elders had no objections.

"With all of you supporting me, I can rest easy. Next, we'll discuss how to deal with Uchiha Ming, then look for a chance to teach the Senju Clan a lesson."

They gathered around and began plotting their next moves. A counterattack against the traitor and their external enemy was about to begin.