The Uchiha Clan That Took the Clothes

The latter half of the night that followed was a bloody night in the forest.

After Hagoromo Nobuyuki, due to his overly severe injuries, Madara Uchiha never again engaged the subsequent pursuers in direct hand-to-hand combat.

Among these pursuers, quite a few ninja dogs and men either tumbled into traps bristling with sharp spikes or stepped into traps and found themselves unable to move, only to be crushed half-paralyzed by massive trees and then finished off by the two Uchiha brothers.

In truth, once Yanbai was woken up by Cherry Ink the chubby rat, he could not fall back asleep.

Though Yanbai himself did not go into the forest to directly help Madara Uchiha, he still paid close attention to Madara's situation.

Nocturnal animals watched Madara Uchiha's every move from afar and conveyed what they saw back to Yanbai.

Everything was within Yanbai's expectations.

In the Warring States period, how many people could a middling clan possibly have?

Subtracting the elderly, the weak, women, and children, having a hundred combat units would already be considered a thriving population.

The Hagoromo Clan had been fighting a fierce and bitter war with the Senju Clan beforehand, and losing at that, so how many combat units could they possibly have left?

The Hagoromo Clan's population was already reduced to a handful, yet they still chased after the two Uchiha children, only to suffer casualties exceeding half their numbers.

Therefore, the situation on Madara Uchiha's side looked like this in Yanbai's eyes.

The numerous Hagoromo Clan members pursued Madara Uchiha and Izuna.

Madara Uchiha first dispatched a solitary Hagoromo Clan ninja who had come alone.

Facing more Hagoromo Clan ninjas afterwards, because Madara himself had sustained heavy injuries, he began using the traps Yanbai had left in the forest, as well as those left behind when he and Hashirama had previously studied trap-making.

In the first round, a single exchange wiped out the ninja dogs brought by the Hagoromo Clan, killed one man, severely wounded two, and frightened off the remaining nine.

Not long after retreating, those remaining nine regrouped and continued to pursue Madara Uchiha.

In this second round, while fleeing, Madara Uchiha counterattacked alongside his younger brother Izuna, killing two more Hagoromo Clan members and heavily wounding two others. The heavily wounded ones quickly succumbed to their injuries and died, leaving the last five to chase and chase... until they stopped chasing.

Yanbai felt a sense of shame on behalf of this bunch from the Hagoromo Clan.

This was simply too disastrous; they had arrived with a dozen or so people, dropping off one by one until only five remained before they finally had a sudden epiphany.

Thirteen adults ganging up on two kids, only to have six of themselves killed and two heavily wounded, while the two bratty kids on the opposite side were still alive...

As for Madara Uchiha, he could launch counterattacks while fleeing, and instead of running when the enemy fled, he managed to strike down the enemy during the escape phase, shattering the enemy's psychological defense line while incidentally inflicting physiological trauma, thus barely surviving the crisis.

The morning sunlight sprinkled over the wild woods of the Naka River.

Perhaps because it was summer, the morning sunlight was exceptionally clear, carrying a crisp and refreshing quality that could make a traveler smile.

Madara Uchiha sat upright in a certain cave and abruptly opened his eyes.

Feeling the morning air, Madara Uchiha lowered his gaze.

Izuna was half-kneeling beside him, helping change the bandage on his left arm.

Even though, when they met yesterday, Madara Uchiha had seized a gap to tell Izuna to burn the clothes Yanbai had given him, Izuna had had no time to burn them back then. Those clothes were torn into cloth strips; first used to bind the raft, the remaining strips were then used to wrap Madara Uchiha's wounds.

Uchiha Izuna wore a look of utter worry. "Brother, why hasn't she appeared even now?"

Madara Uchiha cast a sidelong glance at Uchiha Izuna, wanting to ask, "Why must she appear?"

Yet seeing his younger brother's anxious yet expectant expression, Madara swallowed those words and remained silently mute.

From Madara Uchiha's perspective, Yanbai never owed him anything.

It was out of kindness that Yanbai treated him well, and it was entirely reasonable to ignore him and treat him like a passerby.

They were sworn enemies to begin with; the fact that the two of them hadn't fought to the death upon meeting was already quite amicable.

Many things should not be forced.

Moreover, because of the previous matter concerning their respective parents, they needed to maintain a reasonable distance from each other.

Yet, recalling the message Yanbai had sent via a rat yesterday, Madara Uchiha let out a sigh.

Madara Uchiha said nothing more. Back then, when their father Tajima had first opened his mouth, he spouted nonsense claiming Yanbai was of the Senju Clan, and Madara Uchiha had also spouted nonsense claiming Yanbai had no clansmen.

In Yanbai's letter yesterday, it was mentioned that because he had returned late and his clothes were missing, the old patriarch had grown suspicious and ordered the clansmen to find the Uchiha clan member holding those clothes.

Madara Uchiha knew that because of his late return and the clothes, Yanbai was surely grounded.

Through this brief message, Madara Uchiha could understand Yanbai's intentions.

Yanbai could not appear. Once he came, he wouldn't be bringing warmth; he'd be bringing enemy troops.

Given Madara Uchiha's current state, he felt he probably couldn't withstand a vicious beating from Yanbai's clansmen right now.

Yet Izuna was still blaming Yanbai for being cold, unfeeling, and failing to show up...

Madara Uchiha felt a headache coming on. Spinning lies was too tiring, so he simply chose silence.

Little did he know, Madara Uchiha's conflicted and painful expression took on an entirely different meaning in Izuna's eyes.

Could it be that my brother has an unrequited crush?

This thought welled up from the depths of Uchiha Izuna's heart, and he could not help but feel sorrow for his brother.

The atmosphere between the two brothers instantly turned melancholy and gloomy.

However...

"Oh? You're here..."

Madara Uchiha's crimson eyes stared toward the cave entrance, and he could not help murmuring to himself.

Hearing his brother's murmur, Uchiha Izuna abruptly looked toward the cave. He thought Yanbai had come, and then his expression froze.

For the two brothers saw a chubby rat standing at the mouth of the cave, shaking its long tail as it timidly shrank back toward the edge of the opening, its bright little eyes sneaking a guilty peek at them.

The rat was dragging a small cloth bundle behind it.

Clang-

With what was practically a conditioned reflex, Uchiha Izuna instantly drew his sword, but Madara pressed down on his arm. "Stop, Izuna!"

Madara beckoned toward the little rat. "Did Yanbai give you a message to bring me?"

The little rat cautiously looked at Uchiha Izuna, then looked at Uchiha Izuna, trembling as it scooted against the cave wall, finally pushing the cloth bundle it had brought right in front of Madara.

Madara Uchiha wore a blank expression as he opened the cloth bundle under the gaze of this familiar rat.

Inside, he found four cold rice balls exuding a fragrant aroma, alongside a letter written on the leaves that had covered the rice balls.

Besides the letter, there was also a green gemstone.

Madara Uchiha finished reading the letter swiftly, then crushed the leaves into pieces. He picked up the gemstone and held it up against the sunlight streaming into the cave.

Immediately afterward, Madara Uchiha crushed that green, crystalline stone as well, and a strange power entered his body along his fingertips.

Madara Uchiha untied the cloth strips on his left arm, and the wound actually began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Madara Uchiha's injuries were far too severe, and that energy possessing healing capabilities vanished after healing only a portion of the wounds.

Still, a treatment like this was already enough, and Madara Uchiha's physical condition had also improved.

Uchiha Izuna stared at this scene in utter bewilderment and let out a low gasp. "This is..."

"An unexpected blessing..." A smile unconsciously bloomed on Madara Uchiha's face.

Having said that, Madara Uchiha did not forget to burn the cloth strips originating from Yanbai's clothes to ashes.

Madara Uchiha spoke softly to the rat that had delivered the items to him. "Thank you. Express my thanks to her."

The little rat nodded cautiously, then sneaked back out of the cave like a thief.

The two brothers consumed the rice balls, erased the traces they had left behind, and after tidying up, prepared to return to the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

When they headed toward the Naka River, they had no idea that as they left the cave, a green figure stood within the forest shadows not far away, expressionlessly watching the backs of them departing.

That tall and slender figure wore the same style of green formal wear as Hashirama Senju, possessing the exact same hair color and eye color as Yanbai. With his arms crossed over his chest, a stern expression on his face, and a silent demeanor, he made the animals feel a chill in their hearts.

The trees and birds watched this scene quietly, all of them recognizing who that silent figure was.

He was Yanbai's second older brother-Tobirama Senju.

Tobirama Senju narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself: Well, hasn't he been found... that Uchiha clan member who took Yanbai's clothes...