Opening War

The Land of Fire was enveloped in an oppressive atmosphere, as if a storm were about to break.

Within the territory of the Senju Clan, unit after unit of troops stood at the ready. Every member wore red standard-issue armor and bound their foreheads with white headbands engraved with the clan crest of the Senju.

This time, the Senju Clan was mobilizing its full strength. The Senju, Uzumaki, and Sarutobi clans—three top-tier families—joined forces, committing a frontline force of nearly a thousand men in what could truly be called an all-out dispatch.

After completing the personnel logistics, Tobirama strode with a dragon's gait toward the central command tent. Just as he reached the entrance, he saw someone lift the tent flap and walk out.

Upon seeing the person, Tobirama immediately offered a respectful greeting, "Sister-in-law."

The newcomer wore a white kimono with red hair tied into double hair buns, adorned with a fan-shaped ornament on her head. A purple diamond-shaped mark rested on her forehead, and two spiritual charms hung from her buns, emanating an air of grace and nobility.

She was none other than the eldest princess of the Uzumaki Clan, the wife of Senju Hashirama, Uzumaki Mito.

"It's little Tobirama," Mito nodded in acknowledgment. "Are you going to report something to big Hashirama?"

"Ah, did sister-in-law need something from older brother?"

Mito made no attempt to conceal it, "I want to pitch in during tomorrow's battle, but Hashirama... Sigh, well then, I'll be heading back first."

Watching Mito depart with graceful steps, Tobirama actually quite agreed with letting her join the battlefield. She was, after all, a formidable fighting force, but she was his older brother's wife, and there were some things he could not force.

Walking into the tent, he raised his gaze to see his older brother sitting squarely in the center, flanked by a lean female ninja. Her slanting bangs covered half of her pretty face, exuding a coldness mixed with a hint of solemnity. She was one of Senju Hashirama's trusted aides, Toka Senju.

"Older brother, everything is ready. We're just waiting for you to deliver the pre-battle declaration."

"Tobirama, you've worked hard. Go get some rest." Hashirama's face carried a trace of fatigue. As the head of the Senju Clan, he chose to handle many things personally. At that moment, he was still reviewing a letter sent by the Uzumaki Clan.

Tobirama stood quietly for a moment before suddenly saying in a deep voice, "Older brother, I want to ask: after the war ends, how do you plan to deal with the Uchiha Clan?"

At the mention of this, a trace of yearning flashed in Hashirama's eyes, "I plan to reconcile with the Uchiha Clan, and then together build a shinobi village belonging to our ninja in the Land of Fire. I want to invite other clans to join us, and then carry this village forward to greatness!"

Tobirama frowned, "Older brother, a mountain cannot house two tigers. The Uchiha Clan is full of ambition. Reconciling with them is like bargaining with a tiger for its skin. My suggestion is to completely eliminate them!"

"That won't work," Toka Senju immediately spoke up in a cold tone. "Although we have the numerical advantage, the Uchiha's foundation should still not be underestimated, especially since the opposition still has the three Uchiha brothers. The price required to completely wipe them out is too high; we cannot afford it."

Tobirama nodded, "Then kill the three leaders, and expel the rest."

Momoka thought for a moment, "Feasible. If possible, it would be best to reclaim their eyes. Without the Sharingan, they won't be able to stir up any trouble."

The two of them discussed it back and forth, completely unaware that Hashirama's expression was growing increasingly gloomy.

"Enough!" Finally, Hashirama could not help but erupt, "Doing this will only perpetuate hatred. No one likes war. I believe in Madara; his heart surely yearns for peace as well. The grudges between the Senju and Uchiha clans should end with our generation."

"I listen to the clan head." Momoka immediately switched sides. In her heart, Hashirama's commands were the most important thing.

Tobirama sighed helplessly. He knew Hashirama extremely well; while he usually seemed easy to talk to, once he made up his mind about something, no one could make him change it.

"Older brother... Sigh, I'm just afraid they don't see it that way."

Uchiha Clan territory.

Yan Hong took a sip of the hot tea in his cup, letting out a comfortable sigh, "Good tea. I didn't expect Clan Head Miyakenichi to have such a unique skill for brewing tea."

The head of the Chinoike Clan, Miyakenichi, sat across from Yan Hong, skillfully handling various tea utensils, "Just a foolish hobby I messed around with in the past. I never expected it would come in handy in this lifetime."

Ever since the Chinoike and Taketori clans were incorporated into the Uchiha Clan, Yan Hong had taken on the role of communicating with and managing the newly joined clans.

"Heh, how has Clan Head Miyakenichi been feeling lately?"

Miyakenichi unhurriedly took a sip of tea, "Compared to Hell Valley, it's definitely a hundred times better. It's just a pity that this kind of leisure time is merely a flash in the pan. Coming here is when I realized that the Senju Clan is even more powerful than legends say."

Yan Hong said playfully, "What? Regretting boarding the warship of our Uchiha Clan?"

"Regret isn't quite the word, and you wouldn't travel all this way just to find someone to be buried with you." Miyakenichi shook his head, "If I'm not mistaken, you've already prepared a backup plan, haven't you?"

"Hahaha, nothing escapes a perceptive mind. If not for that incident, the Chinoike Clan under your leadership might not have necessarily failed to surpass the Yotsuki Clan."

"Stop flattering me. A single wrong move is enough to prove that I am not an outstanding leader." Perhaps because he had laid down the burden on his shoulders, Miyakenichi spoke quite candidly at that moment, "When I originally agreed to let my clansmen become concubines of the Daimyo Palace, it was simply to forge a connection with that faction. No matter who holds power among the ninjas of a country, they cannot bypass the support of the Daimyo. I thought I was taking a step ahead, but I never expected it to backfire."

Yan Hong shook his head, "Yet who could foresee such an accident beforehand?"

Miyakenichi was noncommittal, "So, since we are already in the same boat now, naturally I don't wish for such an accident to repeat itself. During that time in Hell Valley, I thought a lot. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't choose the method of a political marriage; instead, I would directly choose to control the Daimyo of the Daimyo Palace!"

Yan Hong's gaze sharpened, "You mean... genjutsu?"

A fierce look flashed in Miyakenichi's eyes, "That's right. Throughout the entire Shinobi World, when it comes to mastery of genjutsu, only three clans can control a person without a single flaw: the Uchiha, the Chinoike, and the Kurama Clan of the Land of Fire. With this kind of advantage, why not take supreme authority into our own hands?"

"Then why not just kill the Daimyo? Instead, you used genjutsu to deceive the public?"

Miyakenichi waved his hand, "Pushing some things too fast is counterproductive. The transfer of power cannot be accomplished overnight. Seizing power is easy, but holding onto it is difficult. Only by thoroughly mastering a country's operating model and then replacing it can one govern it better. Of course, this is just my personal view."

Yan Hong pondered for a moment, feeling that it was not without reason. Just then, someone outside the tent came to summon Yan Hong to attend the oath-taking ceremony, prompting him to nod solemnly toward Miyakenichi, "I have learned much."

"Merely a matter of duty."

Leaving the tent, he followed his subordinates to the central open space. The participating clansmen were already raring to go, and Izuna and Madara stood on the elevated platform in front of the formation, loudly boosting the morale of the people below.

Meanwhile, in the Senju Clan's camp, Hashirama, accompanied by Tobirama, also shouted in a booming voice,

"Tomorrow is our final battle with the Senju Clan (Uchiha Clan), as well as a decisive battle to establish the allegiance of the Land of Fire (peace). Let us pour in all our strength and end these decades of war (grudges)!"

Madara (Hashirama): "Then, let the war begin!"