Scheming

Tobirama answered respectfully, "Yes, Father. I'll make the arrangements at once."

As he turned, he brushed past Hashirama and left a quiet sentence behind. "Big Brother, this time... I'm sorry."

Senju Butsuma gave a cold snort. Without so much as looking at Hashirama kneeling on the floor, he strode out of the meeting hall.

The heavy wooden doors slammed shut behind him with a deafening bang.

After Senju Butsuma left, the second elder hurried forward to help Senju Hashirama up. "Young Clan Head, get up quickly..."

The third elder sighed. "The clan head is only trying to end the war as soon as possible.

Haven't enough of our Senju Clan members died over these years?"

Hashirama slowly rose to his feet, his eyes full of pain. "But sacrificing allies in exchange for victory... what meaning does a victory like that even have?"

The fourth elder patted his shoulder. "Young Clan Head, you're still young.

War has always been cruel. Sometimes, difficult choices have to be made."

"No, there has to be a better way..." Hashirama clenched his fists, his gaze gradually firming. "I'm going to find the Uzumaki clan head and tell them not to send medical ninja to the Kaguya Clan..."

The three elders' faces changed drastically at his words. The second elder hurriedly covered his mouth. "Young Clan Head, watch your words! If the clan head hears this..."

The third elder nervously looked around. "Young Clan Head, I advise you not to do that.

If you ruin the clan head's plan, who knows how much longer the war between us and the Uchiha Clan will drag on."

"That's right! Young Clan Head!" the fourth elder also urged from the side. "If the Uzumaki clan head finds out about this, he might cut ties with us outright. It's even possible they could side with the Uchiha Clan."

"Young Clan Head, for the sake of the bigger picture, please give up this idea as soon as possible!" the second elder said earnestly.

Hashirama closed his eyes in pain.

After a moment, Hashirama slowly said, "I understand. I'll return to the clan grounds now..."

After leaving the meeting hall, Hashirama went to the mountaintop behind the clan grounds.

Moonlight cast mottled shadows across his face.

"Big Brother." Tobirama's voice came from the shadows.

Hashirama did not turn back. "You got what you wanted. What are you here for?"

"I was merely obeying Father's orders." Tobirama's tone was so calm it was almost cold.

"Besides, the Uchiha Clan are all vicious, unforgivable fiends.

If we don't wipe them out to the last, I fear even more innocent clansmen will die by their hands..."

"So that means sacrificing the Uzumaki Clan's trust?" Hashirama suddenly turned around, anger flickering like fire in his eyes. "They are Mother's clansmen!"

Tobirama was silent for a moment, then spoke coldly. "Big Brother, you're always like this... leaving mercy for the enemy, and hesitation for your own people."

Hashirama forced down his anger. "Tobirama! This isn't mercy! It's a bottom line!

If we can even betray our allies, then what difference is there between us and those shameless scum?!"

Tobirama smiled coldly. "The difference is that they live, while our people die."

Hashirama's breath caught, as if his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer.

Tobirama continued, "Everything Father has done is for the future of the Senju Clan.

War is not child's play. It cannot be won with ideals and naivety."

Tobirama paused, then turned his back to Hashirama, his voice hard as iron. "The next time we meet, I hope I no longer see a big brother blinded by womanly kindness.

Instead, I hope to see a true Senju Hashirama who can protect his clansmen, whatever the cost."

As his words fell, his figure turned into an afterimage and vanished into the night.

"...Whatever the cost?" Hashirama murmured softly, his voice filled with deep exhaustion and struggle.

The next afternoon, at the Uchiha clan grounds.

Uchiha Tajima sat high in the main seat of the meeting hall, his crimson Sharingan faintly visible in the dim light.

Madara, Izuna, and Qin Mo knelt in order on the left, while the five elders of the Uchiha Clan sat on the right.

Uchiha Tajima's fingers lightly tapped the low table. "I received a message from the Kaguya Clan.

Two days from now, the Uzumaki Clan will send ten medical jonin to their Kaguya clan grounds.

Butsuma's son, Senju Tobirama, will lead a fifty-man squad to escort them."

The second elder's brows were tightly furrowed. "There is something suspicious about this.

Although the Uzumaki Clan has ties of marriage with the Senju, treating bloodline disease consumes the caster's life force. How could they agree so easily?"

The third elder said coldly, "Unless... the Senju Clan offered them terms they couldn't refuse."

"I don't think so," the fourth elder analyzed calmly. "The Uzumaki Clan has many medical ninja, but only just over thirty medical jonin. To send out a third of their foundation all at once...

I truly can't think what benefits the Senju Clan could offer to move the Uzumaki Clan."

The fifth elder agreed. "I also think Old Fourth is right.

The most likely possibility is that that old fox Butsuma deceived Uzumaki Ashina, and the others of the Uzumaki Clan did not suspect anything."

Before he finished speaking, Uchiha Tajima raised a hand to stop him, then turned to look at Madara, Izuna, and Qin Mo, who had remained silent the whole time. "What do the three of you think?"

Madara slowly said, "Father, there's no need to bother with the Uzumaki Clan.

We can directly coordinate with the Kaguya Clan and attack from both front and rear. First, capture Senju Tobirama alive. As for the other Senju Clan small fry, kill any who refuse to surrender.

Those ten medical jonin from the Uzumaki Clan can be abducted back to our clan grounds and used to treat our severely wounded clansmen."

Izuna immediately agreed. "Big Brother is right. As long as we take down Butsuma's most valued son, he won't dare refuse to yield."

Qin Mo said softly, "Big Brother and Second Brother both make a lot of sense. Capturing Senju Tobirama alive is indeed the primary objective.

But as for those ten medical jonin, I think letting them go would benefit us more."

"Oh?" Tajima looked at Qin Mo with interest. "Your reason?"

Everyone also turned to Qin Mo.

Qin Mo coughed, cleared his throat, and said, "Letting them go, first, shows goodwill to the Uzumaki Clan and lays the groundwork for winning them over in the next step.

Second, it can destroy the alliance between the Senju and Uzumaki Clans. Even if we cannot win over the Uzumaki Clan, we can still make the Uzumaki Clan maintain a neutral stance and help neither side."

A glimmer of approval flashed in Tajima's eyes. "An excellent plan!"

The second elder stroked his beard and nodded. "Killing two birds with one stone.

It weakens the Senju Clan while also splitting the alliance between the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan."

A rare smile appeared on the third elder's gloomy face. "If Uzumaki Ashina learns that Senju Butsuma used them, resentment will inevitably take root in his heart.

At that point, even if they do not join us, they at least will no longer fully support the Senju."

The fourth elder pondered for a moment, then added, "Moreover, letting the medical ninja go will make the Uzumaki Clan owe us a favor.

In the future, if they want revenge on the Senju, perhaps they will take the initiative to seek our cooperation."