Drinking for the First Time in the Shinobi World

Hashirama Senju clapped his hands together without weaving any hand seals. With a shout, the ground instantly sank.

The earth subsided and cracks spread as countless green buds burst through, growing into thick, towering trees in the blink of an eye.

Looking out, a vast sea of trees stretched for several kilometers.

"Madara! I'm coming! Wood Human Technique!"

"Bring it on!"

From the forest, a colossal wooden figure formed from twisted trees collided with a Susanoo nearly a thousand meters tall, the deafening impact making the surrounding ninja's eardrums ache.

Seeing the spectacle their clan heads were making, neither side's forces made any rash moves. First, they couldn't possibly interfere in such a battle and might even be accidentally caught in the crossfire; second, it prevented the opposition from pulling any dirty tricks or ambushes.

Yet this exact scenario was what Madara and Hashirama had planned. Meaningless slaughter solved no practical problems, only breeding deeper hatred.

Even so, the situation among their clansmen went precisely as the two expected, though there were still unexpected developments, such as...

"Damn you, Tobirama! Hand over your life!"

"Hmph! As if I'm afraid of you!"

Uchiha Izuna had started searching for targets among the Senju crowd the moment Madara unleashed his ultimate move. Catching sight of Tobirama, his eyes instantly turned crimson and they clashed in an instant.

Izuna wielded the Blazing Fire Sword while Tobirama equipped the Thunder God Sword. Their swordplay was honed by long experience, blades flashing and trading a dozen blows in the blink of an eye.

Neither weapon was ordinary; both were crafted from chakra-conducting metal. With chakra infused, their offensive power and penetration increased further.

Yet precisely because they were old rivals, such an exchange could not immediately decide a victor.

"Fire Release! Fire Dragon Technique!"

"Water Release! Water Dragon Bullet!"

One water, one fire, they condensed in the blink of an eye. For some unknown reason, the two dragons formed from chakra actually let out roars.

Boom!

The giant dragons collided, and the mist generated by the blending of water and fire filled the battlefield. In terms of chakra volume, however, Senju Tobirama held the upper hand.

"Water Release: Multiple Water Dragon Bullets!"

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Izuna had to pant slightly after finishing a ninjutsu, whereas Tobirama strung together hand seals right after the water dragon bullets. In terms of ninjutsu output, Senju Tobirama was clearly stronger.

"Hmph! That's all the little tricks you've got."

In the past, Izuna might have chosen to bide his time, as his Sharingan gave him a greater advantage in the fog.

Yet now, possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan, his confidence soared and he chose to face the confrontation head-on.

Hum!

Another giant Susanoo rose from the ground. This startled Senju Tobirama; although he had learned about it through intelligence reports, witnessing such a terrifying technique firsthand still inevitably sent a shock through him.

Yet a moment later, Senju Tobirama grew amused. He had thought this Izuna's giant had reached the same level as Uchiha Madara's, in which case he might genuinely have been unable to match it in a head-on clash.

However, what was he seeing now?

That Izuna's giant stopped growing once it reached a few hundred meters. Compared to Madara's giant, his was completely dwarfed by more than a notch.

"Hahaha, is that it? Just this?"

"Damn it!"

Uchiha Izuna stood high above, watching Senju Tobirama burst out laughing, and instantly grew enraged out of embarrassment.

"Go ahead and laugh, I'll make sure you can't even cry later!"

Susanoo was an extension of the will and could be manipulated freely with the mind. Izuna drew the massive cleaver from behind his Susanoo and charged straight ahead. Tobirama remained unconcerned, flicking his wrist to unleash two more water dragon bullets.

The water dragon bullets were fast and possessed formidable attacking power, capable of blasting a massive crater even when colliding with rubble.

Thud!

The attack struck home, splashing water everywhere. Yet the Susanoo giant didn't waver in the slightest, not even a crack forming.

"Hahaha, is this your ninjutsu? Truly feeble!"

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Useless! Useless! Useless! In front of the Mangekyō, everything is useless!"

The mist blew away. Senju Tobirama wore a solemn expression, dodging the slash of the massive cleaver and leaping back to widen the distance while observing the giant's blind spots.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bite Explosion!"

A massive dragon head rose once more. Izuna wore a ferocious expression as he slashed down, the longsword directly cleaving the dragon's body in two from the mouth.

"Too weak! Too weak!"

Izuna grinned, revealing eight gleaming white teeth, smiling exceptionally brightly. This was his first time keeping Tobirama pinned down and fighting on the offensive, and his heart felt indescribably elated.

Time flew by, and half an hour passed. While sparring, Madara and Hashirama kept an eye on their respective younger brothers. Seeing that Izuna and Tobirama's chakra had depleted by over half, they shared a tacit understanding and ended the battle simultaneously.

"Retreat!"

"Retreat!"

Thus, an exceptionally rare casualty-free battle in history was born. The clansmen on both sides essentially just went through the motions; individual ninja who had prepared a backpack full of tools didn't use a single one. Watching the opposing figures turn and retreat, they wondered if they should toss a shuriken just to make a gesture.

"Don't just stand there!"

Madara looked back at the clansmen who kept glancing backward and barked a harsh reprimand. The intentions in the hearts of these fellows, who were holding shuriken and looking eager to try, were far too obvious.

"Oh, right away, Lord Clan Head..."

"We Uchiha do not stoop to acting like petty cowards who launch sneak attacks from behind. Why didn't you throw them when the battle started?"

The clansmen were left dumbfounded. How could he say something like that? Could I possibly have intervened in that kind of scene?

News of the battle between the two clans quickly spread across the shinobi world. People were already nonplussed by the grievances between these two millennium-long archenemies, yet this battle once again saw neither side announce any victory. After fighting and returning home, both clans shut their doors and went into seclusion, leaving outsiders unable to probe even the slightest bit of news.

Stepping slowly toward the end of the year, this was Uchiha Yuan's second year staying in the Fire Country. Compared to when he first arrived, he now carried an added sense of composure.

"Moving step by step is the only way to accomplish great things."

"Understood... sir."

"There are many paths in life, but many people do not have the choice. They are often pushed forward by the currents of history, helpless against their circumstances."

"Alright... sir."

"How brief is life, let not the fair maiden get drunk; how rare are these recurring cycles, facing my shadow makes us three~ hiccup"

"...Very well, sir."

Uchiha Haru silently poured the wine from the cup onto the ground.

"There's no wine left, sir. It's time to go back and rest."

"Hm?"

Uchiha Yuan's face was flushed red, and he reached out to take the wine bottle and shook it. It was indeed empty.

"Did I drink a whole bottle?"

"Yes, sir. You're completely drunk."

"Mh-hm, alright then."

Uchiha Yuan didn't dwell on it further. Today was New Year's Eve, but the people of the Warring States period didn't celebrate the new year; they simply felt that this marked the end of a new year, and thus believed it ought to be treated somewhat specially.

And for Uchiha Yuan, a day like this was all the more special, stirring up a trace of homesickness that led him to start drinking.

In his previous life, Uchiha Yuan's alcohol tolerance was quite good. He usually drank beer like a beverage, and two liang of hard liquor was standard accompaniment for a meal, yet today he got drunk after drinking just a single bottle.

"It shouldn't be my problem. This body is probably drinking for the first time."

Before falling asleep, Uchiha Yuan specifically found an excuse for himself so he could sleep all the more soundly.