At the end of the dilapidated street stood a mansion. But the dust and fallen leaves covering the ground told Mingye that no one had walked here in a long time. He smiled faintly. He hadn't expected the so-called clan of samurai and ninja to have fallen into such a sorry state. No wonder his elder brother hadn't come in person and had only sent a letter telling him to come. He walked up to the mansion's entrance and knocked.
"Who is it?!"
The voice was full of vigor and caution. The door opened a crack, and a pair of sharp eyes appeared, sizing Mingye up. Unfortunately, he couldn't sense any of this. He smiled calmly and said,
"I'm an envoy from the Uchiha Clan. Are you really so afraid of us?"
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, the gate creaked open. Mingye sensed the person who had spoken slowly walking away from the entrance. He didn't think much of it and stepped inside, following the man's path.
"Young man, you're a ninja of the Uchiha Clan?"
As Mingye entered the main hall, an elderly voice reached his ears. Yet he couldn't sense even the slightest trace of chakra. His brows furrowed, then relaxed, and he replied calmly,
"I've heard the Hatake Clan is skilled in swordsmanship. Those who master it can conceal themselves like a sword in its sheath. Seeing it today, I can say the stories were true."
"Nothing special, nothing special. These are merely a few humble skills passed down by our ancestors. I naturally wouldn't dare cast them aside. I didn't realize you were blind, young man. This old man has been a poor host."
The old man's voice rang out again. This time, unlike before, Mingye sensed a faint trace of chakra, so weak it was almost imperceptible. Realizing the old man was signaling his location, he walked toward him. Using the sense of touch and movement around him, he quickly found a tea table and sat down calmly on his knees.
"Young man, you're quite capable. To think you can use your sense of the air around you to find your way. No wonder you seem just like anyone else despite being blind. Remarkable! Truly remarkable!"
"I am Uchiha Mingye."
"I am Hatake Zangshuo."
After exchanging names, Mingye suddenly felt playful and asked,
"So you're the head of the Hatake Clan. I never would have guessed. May I ask you something, if you don't mind?"
"Oh? What do you want to know, young man?"
"Are all members of the Hatake Clan really born with white hair?"
"Heh heh heh! It's no mere rumor."
The old man was curious about what Mingye wanted to ask. He hadn't expected Mingye to point at his own head and ask only about his hair color. He laughed heartily and took a sip of tea before answering. Mingye couldn't see, which was why he'd been curious. After hearing the old man's answer, he took the letter tucked into his sleeve and placed it on the tea table.
"I came here today for one reason: to unite the clans. And I don't mean that merely as a figure of speech. The clans would come together to establish a village, settle conflicts between their ninja, and put an end to their fighting. They would live together in harmony while each clan retained its secret techniques and traditions. We would establish a ninja force, with a five-year term of service. Anyone over fifteen could join, and they could retire at twenty."
The old man took the letter but didn't open it. The six characters, "Written by Madara Uchiha himself," left him momentarily stunned. He'd heard that the Uchiha had changed leaders and hadn't thought much of it. Now that he looked back, the new clan head's name was indeed Madara Uchiha. He turned to Mingye, hoping to read some clue in his expression.
"The Uchiha Clan has quite grand ambitions."
Mingye answered without changing his expression. After this matter was settled, he would need to return to his clan at once. Madara's plans were about to begin. A month of preparation had allowed Madara to make thorough arrangements: on the barren land Mingye had once requested, they would build a proper village, not merely another secret Uchiha base.
"We only want to put an end to pointless fighting. It's time the world knew peace."
"Heh heh heh! Would you allow this old man a few days to consider it?"
Though his expression remained calm, the old man understood what lay behind Mingye's words: the Uchiha Clan had already begun to act. This was no threat. They would absolutely follow through.
"Take your time, sir. We have plenty of it. But you'll need to give me a date so I can make preparations and report back to my elder brother."
The old man's laughter didn't move Mingye in the slightest. Ever since he'd killed that unyielding young man from the Fuma Clan, Mingye's heart had grown cold once more. Whatever goodness he'd possessed had been mercilessly erased. As a result, he'd become increasingly rational. He answered the old man.
The old man was taken aback and asked again,
"Your elder brother is...?"
A smile tugged at Mingye's lips as he replied,
"Madara Uchiha."
The old man was no stranger to the ways of the world. Mingye's words had two meanings. First, he was the younger brother of the clan head, a man of high standing. His coming in person was already a great show of respect. Second, the Uchiha Clan wouldn't wait forever. The time the old man gave them would be the final deadline.
"Heh heh heh! I understand. Then how about giving this old man a month?"
"Then I'll see you in a month."
A month was neither long nor short, and Mingye was satisfied with the arrangement. He didn't linger. Rising to his feet, he nodded to the old man, then vanished in a swirl of mist the moment he stepped out of the house.
"The Clone Technique? No, that was a clone with chakra! Heh heh heh! What in the world have I done to deserve this?"
After delivering the letter, Mingye used the Reverse Summoning Technique to return to Ryūchi Cave. Ara, who had already followed the clansmen back, then reverse-summoned him. In just a few breaths, he was back at the Uchiha Clan's base.
He appeared directly in the newly rebuilt study and jokingly said to everyone present,
"There aren't many ninja in the Hatake Clan."
"According to our records, there are only five or six. But don't underestimate them. Even I need Susanoo to withstand their swords."
After drawing the map on the screen, Izuna turned to Mingye and warned him not to be careless. Mingye shrugged and sat down nearby, then teased Izuna. "I'm not stupid enough to fight them head-on. They've agreed to think it over. They need a month."
Izuna nodded. After thinking for a moment, he looked toward Madara, who sat at the head of the room, reviewing documents.
"A month? That should be enough time. It gives us a fairly generous window. Big brother, next we should deal with the matter we just discussed."
"What happened?"
Mingye asked curiously. Madara's expression turned grave as he answered,
"We just received an intelligence report. The Senju Clan's ninja are moving east. The entire clan has left the central region of the Land of Fire. We don't know what they're planning."
As the Uchiha Clan's greatest enemy, the Senju had continued to fuel their hatred, despite Madara's efforts to avoid further conflict. And Senju Hashirama had always been someone Madara cared about, so Madara often kept a close eye on the Senju Clan's movements.
"It's been three years since we last saw him."
Mingye smiled faintly, seeming to reminisce about their amusing childhood. Izuna didn't respond. Instead, he thought for a moment before saying,
"They're probably heading to the Land of Whirlpools. I've heard the Uzumaki Clan there has some blood ties to them. And from what we've learned, the Uzumaki Clan of the Land of Whirlpools possesses extremely powerful Sealing Jutsu."
Mingye knew the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan would form a marriage alliance. Before long, Senju Hashirama, head of the Senju Clan, would marry the daughter of the Uzumaki Clan's leader. That woman was the famous Princess of the Land of Whirlpools and the first Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Mito.
"Why do they need Sealing Jutsu? I've looked into the Uzumaki Clan. They're known for their immense chakra, but they don't have much combat ability. Otherwise, they wouldn't be confined to a tiny corner of the Land of Whirlpools, ruling over a small kingdom. I honestly don't know what the Senju Clan is thinking."
Mingye's words made Madara furrow his brows. After thinking for a while, he smiled and looked at Mingye and Izuna.
"Whatever they're planning, that's no longer the most important matter. What we can do now is deal with those who've been so accommodating to them while they're away."
"Big brother, you mean...?"
As Madara's right-hand man, Izuna had spent the past three years helping him handle most of the clan's affairs. So when Madara said this, Izuna could already guess what he meant.
Madara nodded to Izuna, then explained the situation to Mingye.
"There are three targets. Over the past three years, I don't know what Senju Hashirama has done, but three clans have begun to gravitate toward the Senju: the Haguro, Togakushi, and Kurohabaki Clans. They're the ones who've shown their intentions openly. If those three clans join the Senju, it'll give the Senju Clan a substantial boost in power."
"The Senju Clan has never been a clan that rallied around blood ties alone. Though they haven't made any major moves in the past, that doesn't mean they've been fighting alone. Their abilities and the legends passed down about them have earned them considerable prestige among the smaller clans. If they wished, those smaller clans would surely place their faith in them. It wouldn't be difficult for them to join."
Mingye nodded as he thought aloud. During his three years at Ryūchi Cave, he'd learned a great deal about the legends surrounding the ninja clans: the Uchiha, the Senju, and even the Uzumaki. But those weren't what interested him most. The clan he was truly curious about wasn't yet well known, but was already the most powerful clan in the Land of Lightning: the Yotsuki Clan.
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