Drawing on his understanding of ninjutsu, Yanbai developed a Wood Release version of the Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, using Wood Release to unleash a barrage of fists from behind him. Since he already knew the principles behind Kaguya's techniques, he quickly "created" many seemingly powerful techniques that no one else could learn.
In the entire Senju Clan, only Yanbai and Hashirama Senju could use Wood Release.
Across from him, Hashirama immediately formed hand seals and countered with Wood Release ninjutsu.
The two siblings acted as if they were playing a turn-based game: you dig a hole, I plant a tree... They were having the time of their lives.
As they fought, the siblings began singing silly songs together, training amid laughter and playful antics. Their laughter had a way of soothing people's hearts.
"Sure enough, everyone has their match. Yanbai seems more like a normal child around Hashirama..."
Butsuma Senju stood with his arms folded, watching Yanbai and Hashirama Senju study Wood Release ninjutsu from a distance.
Tobirama Senju stood beside his father, staring silently at Yanbai.
In a short span of time, Yanbai had revealed a great deal about himself to Tobirama Senju.
Sometimes, even Tobirama Senju could not understand how Yanbai truly felt about him.
It was not entirely accurate to say Yanbai disliked Tobirama. If anything, Yanbai had let Tobirama see his true colors.
Tobirama Senju had seen both Yanbai's dark side and his bright side.
Tobirama Senju believed he was probably the only person in the world who had seen the utterly dark version of Yanbai.
To Tobirama Senju, Yanbai was a younger sibling who was half darkness and half light.
As for Hashirama Senju, Yanbai showed him only his lovely side. Apart from being overly clingy, Yanbai was an adorable, clever, perfect younger sibling in Hashirama's eyes.
Watching Yanbai and Hashirama Senju study ninjutsu in the distance, Butsuma Senju asked Tobirama beside him, "Apart from gathering intelligence on the major ninja clans, has Yanbai done anything else lately?"
The question immediately reminded Tobirama Senju of what had happened that morning, but he shook his head. "Yanbai has to use clones to constantly listen to reports from the returning birds and write everything down. He also studies Buddhism and ninjutsu with our eldest brother at the same time. He has no time for anything else."
Butsuma Senju seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "That's good, then. The matters involving the Uchiha Clan and the Hagoromo Clan are nearly settled, and our clan is preparing to take commissions again. This time, it won't just be you and Hashirama. Kawarama and Itama need to be ready too."
"Yes, Father." Tobirama Senju's expression did not change. He lowered his head, a sharp glint flashing through his red eyes.
The Uchiha Clan's grounds lay south of the western stretch of the Naka River.
Their formidable strength allowed their numbers to flourish. Though war raged outside and the Uchiha Clan regularly suffered losses, their strength meant that more of them survived than members of other ninja clans.
Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound, life was peaceful and prosperous. The clan members dressed well, with both the tailoring and styles conveying dominance and strength.
The communal kitchen on the clan grounds.
With a cold expression, Madara Uchiha held a long blade and deftly prepared ingredients according to the training method Yanbai had previously given him.
Uchiha Izuna stood straight behind Madara. He cautiously surveyed their surroundings, then said quietly at Madara's back, "I'm sorry, Older Brother. Father used a technique on me. I couldn't resist."
Madara Uchiha's hands abruptly stopped, and he frowned.
After Yanbai had come to see Madara Uchiha.
For reasons Madara Uchiha himself did not understand, he had slept for two days before waking up.
When he woke, Madara Uchiha learned that his father had suddenly ordered every rat and cockroach on the clan grounds killed and burned. Mosquitoes and flies were to be eliminated as well.
To anyone else, this order would have seemed perfectly normal.
After all, those creatures spread disease and ruined food supplies.
But Madara Uchiha and his younger brother Izuna knew better than anyone why Uchiha Tajima had specifically insisted on killing all those animals.
By the time Madara Uchiha woke, it was too late to stop Tajima's "household pest extermination campaign." The deed was already done.
Because of this, Madara Uchiha's sense of impending danger went through the roof, and he spent every day looking for ways to train harder.
But to Uchiha Izuna, Madara Uchiha's silent, frenzied chopping of melons and vegetables in the kitchen looked like "self-reproach" and "venting his anger."
In their eyes, Madara Uchiha spending all day holed up in the kitchen was nothing short of frittering away his ambition.
"Brother, I didn't mean to reveal information about him. I hope that rat friend is still alive..." Uchiha Izuna said quietly.
"I don't blame you, Izuna." Madara Uchiha set down his blade and turned to Uchiha Izuna. "...What worries me now is his revenge, and whether we can withstand it."
At that, Uchiha Izuna's eyes widened. "Older Brother... how will she take revenge?"
Madara Uchiha looked up at the sky and said, sounding rather resigned to life, "Ah... probably, maybe... hmm, the sort of revenge that leaves you so humiliated and furious you awaken your Sharingan?"
The instant Madara Uchiha finished speaking, his eyes suddenly shifted into the Sharingan.
Suddenly, a fluttering sound rang out-the beating of a bird's wings.
Ever since Tajima's ruthless slaughter of household pests, birds and similar creatures had not appeared on the clan grounds for quite some time.
Yet now, a bird of prey had appeared in the sky.
It was an imposing eagle. Gliding with its wings spread, it dropped a package toward the Uchiha Clan Head's residence-a very heavy scroll.
At the sight, Madara Uchiha's brow and eyes twitched. "...It's here. That's his revenge."
A sense of foreboding lingered in Madara Uchiha's heart. He felt he should not go home right now... He had no evidence whatsoever; he simply did not want to face Yanbai's "gift."
Uchiha Izuna wore a peculiar expression. "Older Brother, shouldn't we go back and take a look?"
Madara Uchiha thought for a few seconds, then said quietly, "You go back first. I'll head home once I finish up here..."
Uchiha Izuna could not help glancing aside, where he discovered that Madara Uchiha had requested a great many ingredients from the other clan members. He would not be finished anytime soon.
He could only agree to his brother's suggestion.
Little did he know that, as Madara Uchiha watched him leave, he thought, Izuna hasn't suffered enough of Yanbai's beatdowns yet. He'd better get more used to them.
Despite what Madara Uchiha had said, his hands did not slow down.
In fact, shortly after Uchiha Izuna left, Madara Uchiha finished his work.
Uchiha Izuna had barely entered the house when Madara Uchiha arrived, but he remained outside rather than going in immediately.
The closer he got to home, the stronger that strange sense of urgency became.
After a few minutes, however, Madara Uchiha finally composed himself and pushed the door open.
Standing in the entryway, Madara Uchiha could hear Uchiha Izuna's voice echoing through the main hall, sounding so embarrassed he might cough up blood. "On ×× day of × month, ×× year, at × hours and × minutes in the evening, beneath a bright moon and sparse stars, Uchiha Eiji of house number ××× in the Uchiha Clan Compound took advantage of his Older Brother Senya's absence on a mission to sneak into his Older Brother's residence and have an affair with his sister-in-law. First, he..."
After reading that sentence, Uchiha Izuna said in pained distress, "Father, I... could I please stop reading?"
He had barely finished when Uchiha Tajima's unhurried voice rang out. "Keep reading... Madara, come listen as well."
Madara Uchiha: "..."
That brief passage alone was enough to give Madara Uchiha a bad feeling.
But faced with his father's "gracious invitation," he could only steel himself and go inside.
Before you continue