Uchiha Tajima

The Uchiha Clan's territory was less of a settlement and more of a tribal encampment.

The houses were low-slung wooden structures; while not refined, their layout was quite logical, possessing a unique charm of its own.

Madara led Uchiha Kei and the other boy to the largest wooden building, then turned his head to say, "This is our Uchiha Council Hall. Wait here for a moment while I go speak with my father."

Uchiha Kei waved his hand dismissively, but Hashirama's expression grew somewhat flustered.

This was the Uchiha Clan's territory, after all!

As the young heir of the Senju Clan, coming alone into the territory of their mortal enemies, the Uchiha—no matter how he looked at it, it was sheer madness!

He wouldn't end up being carried out horizontally, would he...

Noticing Hashirama's anxiety, Uchiha Kei patted his head. "Relax. With your teacher here, there is nowhere in this world we cannot go."

The statement was incredibly arrogant, yet strangely, Hashirama felt an unprecedented sense of security.

It was a feeling he had never even experienced from his own father.

"Who are you? Why have you come to our Uchiha?"

A stern-faced little brat walked up to the two of them, tilted his head back, and spoke in a tone filled with menace.

Uchiha Kei turned his head, and upon seeing the child putting on such a serious front, a name surfaced in his mind.

"Uchiha Izuna?"

"You know me?"

The young Uchiha Izuna was taken aback.

"It really is him."

A smile appeared on Uchiha Kei's face as he reached out to ruffle the boy's hair.

This kid had truly been serious from a young age.

In the anime, Uchiha Izuna didn't appear many times, but he was always stone-faced—a trait he actually shared with Senju Tobirama.

Don't let his few appearances fool you; he was a key figure who shifted the course of the ninja world.

After Uchiha Tajima passed away, given the friendship between Madara and Hashirama, the two clans should have joined forces long ago.

It was precisely because of the little brat standing before him that the war between the two clans had never ceased.

It wasn't until he carelessly died at the hands of Senju Tobirama that the two clans officially became locked in an endless blood feud.

Uchiha Izuna deserved much of the credit for the twisted, awkward personality Madara developed in later years.

"I'm asking you, how do you know who I am?"

Seeing the guy in front of him remain silent, the little brat couldn't help but get angry.

In the entire Uchiha Clan, aside from his father and his brother, who dared to ignore him like this?

And to think he actually dared to touch his head!

It was utterly arrogant!

"I am your brother's teacher."

Uchiha Kei smiled, completely unbothered by the little guy's tone.

"Teacher?"

Uchiha Izuna was startled.

In the entire Uchiha clan, there were only two people he feared.

One was his father, Uchiha Tajima, and the other was his brother, Uchiha Madara.

This guy in front of him was his brother's teacher?

How could he not know about this?

"Impossible! If you were my brother's teacher, how could I not know?"

Just as Uchiha Kei was about to reply, footsteps echoed from within the Council Hall.

"Izuna, don't be rude."

A tall figure stepped out from the Council Hall, with Madara following close behind.

"I am the head of the Uchiha Clan—Uchiha Tajima. I thank you, sir, for saving my son."

Uchiha Tajima looked at Uchiha Kei, his gaze profound.

"It's nothing. I like Madara quite a bit; it was just a small favor."

Uchiha Kei waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Heh, please wait a moment, sir. I have some matters within the Uchiha that require my attention."

Although Uchiha Tajima spoke with a chuckle, his tone was filled with an undeniable authority, and his eyes fixed sharply upon Hashirama.

Hashirama recoiled a step, his face turning somewhat pale.

The members of the Uchiha Clan filed out of the Council Hall, grinning hideously as they advanced toward Hashirama.

They had been looking for a chance to deal with the Senju Clan for a long time, and now that the young heir of the Senju had broken into their territory alone, it was nothing short of a gift from the heavens.

The next moment, several figures lunged toward Hashirama.

Every one of them was a jonin-level ninja with three-tomoe Sharingan!

Just as they were a palm's breadth away from Hashirama, they abruptly froze in mid-air.

"Don't!"

Seeing Uchiha Kei wave his hand, a terrifying scene echoed in Madara's mind, and he couldn't help but feel anxious.

"I wonder what Clan Leader Uchiha Tajima intends to do to my student?"

Uchiha Kei paused his waving hand and raised an eyebrow at Uchiha Tajima.

"You... are you also of the Uchiha Clan?"

Uchiha Tajima's brows furrowed tightly. The moment Uchiha Kei waved his hand, he had seen the Sharingan.

A Mangekyo-level Sharingan!

"In a way, but not entirely."

"This brat is an enemy of our clan. If we capture him, the Senju Clan will be forced to hold back! As a member of the Uchiha Clan, do you not understand this?"

Uchiha Tajima assumed he was a clansman who had been left outside, and his tone grew heavier unconsciously.

"I said, not entirely. You should save your clan leader's authority for someone else."

Uchiha Kei rolled his eyes.

This old man really couldn't read the room.

He didn't believe Madara hadn't reported his strength, yet this old man still decided to make a move.

Was he fearless, or just too confident in his own power?

"Hmph!"

Uchiha Tajima let out a cold snort, and his own polygonal Mangekyo manifested.

"The Uchiha are not the only ones who possess the Mangekyo!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two more people stepped out from behind him, each possessing Mangekyo-level Sharingan.

Tsk, the Warring States period really was a battle of gods; they actually had three Mangekyo users.

Uchiha Kei clicked his tongue in wonder, marveling at the strength of the Uchiha Clan.

However, what could three Mangekyo change?

"Amaterasu!"

Three jets of ink-black flames struck from three different directions.

Uchiha Kei stood unmoved, quietly waiting for the Amaterasu to descend.

"Thud."

With a dull sound, the three Amaterasu flames hit something as they neared him, emitting a muffled noise.

Then, they vanished without a trace.

Ding, attack detected, automatic defense activated.

Uchiha Kei chuckled; the system was quite reliable.

"How is this possible!"

Uchiha Tajima and the two other Mangekyo users were stunned.

Although Amaterasu was the most basic offensive technique of the Mangekyo, they were all Kage-level; even their most basic attacks possessed power that could not be ignored.

To be blocked so easily?

The key was that the person before them hadn't done a thing!

"Playing tricks!"

The Mangekyo user on the left snorted coldly, pouring his full ocular power into his eyes.

"Illusion World!"

In an instant, an imperceptible ripple of energy surged forward.

Ding, mental attack detected. Would you like to counterattack with tenfold force?

Uchiha Kei smiled happily and silently clicked "Agree."

"Pfft!"

The Mangekyo user on the left spat out a mouthful of blood, his body sent flying high into the air before crashing heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Qiaomu!"

Uchiha Tajima's heart sank, and he rushed over to check on him.

Upon checking, he was even more shocked.

Chakra...

It was gone!

"Rest assured, you won't die. Just get some good rest, and your chakra will recover."

Uchiha Kei had a clear understanding of Qiaomu's injuries.

"Who exactly are you, sir? And what is your purpose in coming to our Uchiha clan?"

Uchiha Tajima's gaze was gloomy.

The young man before him was unfathomable!

Since when had such a figure appeared in the Shinobi World?