Tobirama Senju didn't refuse. He only asked that none of the Senju Clan members known to the Uchiha Clan be sent.
After all, ever since Konoha was founded, Hashirama Senju's reputation as the God of Shinobi had spread far and wide. Tobirama had also recruited quite a few shinobi from outside the clan, so this was a perfect chance to send them out and put them to the test.
After that, to ensure the plan went off without a hitch, the Tsuchigumo Clan began requesting information on the Uchiha Clan, especially intelligence on Uchiha Raimon. Once they confirmed he had no summoning beast, they began waiting for Tobirama Senju to put his plan into action.
"They say the Senju Clan is the Clan of Love, but now it seems that's nothing more than a rumor. They publicly claim to have put aside the grudges left over from the Warring States Period, and say joining the village means joining together. But now it's clear they're still fighting each other in the open and behind the scenes. Thank goodness our Tsuchigumo Clan didn't join the village and only has an alliance with it. If we had teammates like that, we'd get screwed over so badly we'd be spitting blood. Things are better this way. Since we haven't joined the village, we don't have to take part in dividing up their spoils, much less go on missions!"
"In this situation, we won't be competing with them for resources, and we can still act as their external support. Besides, we're helping them eliminate an Uchiha rival. Surely Tobirama Senju has no reason to betray our Tsuchigumo Clan!"
Qingzhu couldn't help thinking.
A few days later,
Tobirama Senju informed them that the operation was beginning.
After receiving all the basic intelligence on the Uchiha Clan from Tobirama Senju, along with intelligence on Uchiha Raimon's signature techniques, the Tsuchigumo Clan began its operation. First, they hired wandering shinobi to set up the first ambush along the target's route. Then, Tobirama Senju's trusted men would strike along the second route the target would have to take while retreating.
Finally, the Tsuchigumo Clan would handle the cleanup.
Tobirama Senju had agreed to the plan. He wanted to see whether the Tsuchigumo Clan had the strength to take down Uchiha Raimon.
If they could, that would prove they were strong enough to be Konoha's allies. After all, with the Uchiha Clan's various secret techniques at his disposal, Uchiha Raimon was on the level of a clan head.
If the Tsuchigumo could take him down, they must have someone of comparable strength. With his older brother staying out of it, gaining an ally of that caliber would benefit the village. And if the other side killed Uchiha Raimon, they would become the Uchiha Clan's sworn enemy.
Tobirama could also use the secret he knew about them to keep them in line whenever he wanted.
It was a win-win-win.
That was what Tobirama Senju had happily concluded back then.
He hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
The mission had actually failed!
So this is what you Tsuchigumo meant when you said you'd guarantee success?
I paid such a steep price. I nearly exposed the pawn I'd planted in the Uchiha Clan; even the intelligence agent I'd placed among them was exposed. And this is all your Tsuchigumo Clan has to show for it?
So much for your Tsuchigumo Clan's reputation for strength, built over hundreds of years. With abilities like these, you think you can form an alliance with Konoha? You must be out of your minds!
Because of this,
As Tobirama Senju stared at the Tsuchigumo Elder before him, he no longer saw any reason to form an alliance with them.
Besides, rather than making them Konoha's allies, he might as well make them the Senju Clan's "allies," have them work obediently for the Senju, and let them remain free and independent outside Konoha.
That would also let them avoid Konoha's rules and regulations.
Behind his impassive face, Tobirama Senju was already plotting all manner of schemes. Out loud, however, he said, "Whatever the case, your mission has failed. You have to start over. In the shinobi world, shinobi who fail their missions have no reason to go on living!"
"However, I can give you one more chance."
"Take out Uchiha Raimon, and the terms we agreed on will still stand. Or take out an Uchiha elder of comparable rank. If you can't do that, I can't promise I'll keep your mission secret!" Tobirama Senju said impassively, leaning back slightly as if the Tsuchigumo Clan's threat didn't concern him in the least.
In his view, although the Tsuchigumo Clan talked a big game, they didn't actually have the strength to threaten Konoha. After all, their performance so far had been a huge disappointment.
When Qingzhu heard Tobirama Senju's words, rage surged through him. He clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly with anger.
"Tobirama Senju, you've gone too far!" Qingzhu roared, his voice ringing through the air, brimming with barely contained fury.
"Perhaps I should have my big brother talk to you!"
Tobirama Senju remained calm, as if he didn't take the Tsuchigumo Clan seriously at all. He looked away from Qingzhu and resumed working on Konoha's paperwork at his desk.
"Hmph. We'll see!"
Humiliated, Qingzhu turned and walked away.
At the door, Qingzhu suddenly stopped. With his back to Tobirama Senju, he said, "Perhaps you should send someone to look at the battlefield where our Tsuchigumo Clan struck. Then you'll know whether the problem was with your intelligence! But it seems our Tsuchigumo Clan doesn't have to ally with Konoha after all. Your Konoha Shinobi Village claimed you could put aside the grudges from the Warring States Period, yet you're still going after shinobi from your own village. How could we possibly dare to be your allies?"
Once they reached the foot of the Hokage Office Building,
Shiromoku Tsuchigumo, Qingzhu's attendant, had heard Tobirama Senju's insults from outside as well. Looking furious, he asked, "First Elder, are we just going to let this go? That bastard actually dared to insult our Tsuchigumo Clan like that!"
"Heh. Don't let it bother you. One day, he'll regret it! Unfortunately, we underestimated the Uchiha Clan."
Qingzhu shook his head, then sighed. Even though they had prepared thoroughly and completely avoided direct combat with the Uchiha shinobi, they had still underestimated the Uchiha Clan's strength. Just how had the other side escaped?
The Tsuchigumo Clan's forbidden technique, Dohatsu-ten, accumulated Natural Energy continuously. Every direct descendant of the Tsuchigumo Clan had the technique implanted in his body at birth.
The amount of Natural Energy each person could accumulate depended on his constitution and talent. Some could store only one unit a day, while others could store a hundred. As a result, even when they used the same forbidden technique, Dohatsu-ten, the damage varied. Even at its weakest, though, its range of destruction spanned several kilometers. The Tsuchigumo Clan members themselves had no way of predicting how much Natural Energy would accumulate.
Naturally, whenever a clan member prepared to use Dohatsu-ten, the others stayed as far away as possible.
Otherwise, if they got caught in it,
they would simply be throwing their lives away for nothing.
And it wasn't as if the attack's range was unreasonably terrifying. The technique was implanted at birth, followed by more than a decade of bodily changes that cultivated an affinity for Natural Energy. The user then accumulated Natural Energy he couldn't use himself, resonated with the energy of the world around him, and unleashed it all at once. A range like that was perfectly normal.
Unfortunately, this method of fighting didn't suit the whole clan attacking together. It would be a waste.
So the Tsuchigumo Clan's usual approach was to keep the peace and avoid fighting their enemies whenever possible. They would rather claim a territory and enjoy playing daimyo than take on missions like other shinobi.
If they truly couldn't avoid a fight, they prepared in advance and sent a clan member to infiltrate the enemy clan and unleash a suicide attack. Once Dohatsu-ten was activated, it would generally wipe out the entire enemy clan. Without time to prepare, not even someone as powerful as a clan head could evade the instantaneous blast. The attack could happen at any time—while people were eating or sleeping. It completely bypassed shinobi defenses, with no warning at all.
On top of that, after every battle, the Tsuchigumo Clan destroyed the site and covered it up with Earth Style.
And so,
to this day,
the forbidden technique had never been exposed to the Ninja World.
It wasn't that the Tsuchigumo Clan didn't want to build up its reputation and deter enemies from outside.
The problem was that although Dohatsu-ten, a Natural Energy-based forbidden technique, was devastating, not everyone was suited to accumulating Natural Energy. If the technique failed, the user would certainly die.
Every year, countless members of the clan died because of it.
The Tsuchigumo Clan relied on having many children and continually screening its large population.
Even so, only a few dozen shinobi possessed the technique, and each was a vital asset to the clan. They absolutely couldn't be spent carelessly. This time, they had no choice. They had to intimidate Konoha, a newly established shinobi village.
So they had chosen a young clan member with mediocre talent to make the sacrifice.
At the end of the operation, the Tsuchigumo Clan had, unusually, left behind the traces of the attack rather than cleaning them up.
After all, to stand against a shinobi village made up of dozens, even hundreds, of clans, they had to demonstrate enough strength and ruthlessness to show that the Tsuchigumo Clan wasn't to be trifled with. Only then could they hold back those people's endless greed.
Now even someone like Tobirama Senju will have to look at our Tsuchigumo Clan differently! That attack had a range seven kilometers in diameter! Konoha will have its hands full now! Qingzhu thought, a smug smile appearing on his face.
He turned to Shiromoku Tsuchigumo and continued, "All right, let's return to the Tsuchigumo Clan's headquarters. I doubt it'll be long before Tobirama Senju can't hold back and comes to win us over. When that happens, our Tsuchigumo Clan will have all the leverage!"
Shiromoku Tsuchigumo's face lit up with excitement. He nodded vigorously and replied, "That's right! When the time comes, we'll make Tobirama Senju kneel before our Tsuchigumo Clan's crest and beg us for mercy!"
With that,
the two of them left Konoha.
Meanwhile,
Tobirama Senju was still waiting arrogantly for the Tsuchigumo Clan to give in, apparently convinced they were nothing special.
Unfortunately, even a coolheaded and brilliant man like Tobirama Senju, with the God of Shinobi standing watch over him, had underestimated the many hidden strengths that had emerged in the Ninja World.
Before long, he would regret his carelessness.
Before you continue