On the battlefield at Greenleaf Cliff, Madara faced off against Hyuga Kiyomei.
Before Hyuga Kiyomei could respond to Madara's words, a Hyuga elder standing behind him sneered. "Uchiha brat, you're still too young."
"Even if you intend to start a war, would those old men behind you agree?"
Madara wore a sneer of his own, his gaze fixed on Hyuga Kiyomei. "What's wrong? As the Hyuga's leader, can't you even control the dogs behind you?"
"If your dogs keep running out to bite people, I'm going to be very unhappy."
Hyuga Kiyomei turned his cold Byakugan gaze on the Hyuga Fourth Elder who had spoken.
The Fourth Elder keenly caught a trace of killing intent and was inwardly horrified. That brat Hyuga Kiyomei actually showed killing intent toward me. Does he have a death wish?
Without my support, how could he have become our leader?
By relying on that Third Elder who can barely walk without trembling?
Only after the Fourth Elder fell silent did Hyuga Kiyomei look straight at Madara Uchiha. "Enough, Madara!"
"Let's dispense with the pointless bickering. We both know why we're meeting today."
Madara said nothing, merely signaling the Uchiha Second Elder behind him with a glance.
Although the Uchiha Second Elder's political stance differed from those of Madara and the Uchiha First Elder, he still supported Madara unconditionally when dealing with outsiders.
Holding a document, he stepped between Madara and Hyuga Kiyomei. "This is the alliance agreement we've drafted."
Hyuga Kiyomei also took the Hyuga Clan's alliance agreement from the Hyuga Fourth Elder.
Just as Madara took hold of the Hyuga's alliance agreement and Hyuga Kiyomei took hold of the Uchiha's, the ground across Greenleaf Cliff began to shake incessantly.
Madara remained perfectly still, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed on Hyuga Kiyomei before him.
Hyuga Kiyomei likewise kept his Byakugan fixed on Madara Uchiha.
A few breaths later, a Hyuga Jōnin arrived to report. "A large number of ninja have appeared at the foot of Greenleaf Cliff. We suspect they're from the Senju Clan."
"The cliff is shaking because the dam upstream on the Shinano River has been destroyed." (Note: the character 川 means river.)
"The Shinano River's water level is rising at a terrifying rate. If we don't withdraw now, the surging river will soon sweep us away!"
"Please make your decision, Lord Kiyomei!"
Madara Uchiha had also received word from his clan. He exchanged a glance with Hyuga Kiyomei, and both saw excitement and battle lust in the other's eyes.
"Hyuga Kiyomei, let this battle prove the Hyuga's sincerity in cooperating."
Hyuga Kiyomei nodded. "Then I ask our Uchiha friends to show me the glory of the Uchiha as well."
Madara gave Hyuga Kiyomei a long look, then ordered the Second Elder beside him, "Assemble the Uchiha army."
He knew very well that no one wanted to see an Uchiha-Hyuga alliance less than the Senju.
The Shinano River was the largest river in the Land of Fire, flowing from north to south. The Naka River, where the Uchiha Clan lived, was its largest tributary.
At present, the Uchiha appeared to lack top-tier fighters.
That was because their staunch ally, the Hagoromo Clan, had been guarding against the Land of Whirlpools.
Ever since the defeat at Ueno, the Uzumaki Clan of the Land of Whirlpools had been stirring, seemingly planning to seize a share of the spoils while the three great ninja clans fought.
"Young clan leader, where should we deploy our troops?"
The Uchiha Third Elder entered Madara's command tent with every combat-ready Jōnin in the clan.
Madara pointed at the terrain map, recalling Jing Xiu's advice before his trip to Greenleaf Cliff. "Greenleaf Cliff is a perilous location to begin with. It's our clan's frontline, separating the Senju from the Hyuga."
"If our clan forms an alliance with the Hyuga, the Senju will inevitably intervene."
"The Senju Clan Compound lies directly west of Greenleaf Cliff. I suggest our clan take advantage of the high ground and block the Senju army head-on."
"The Hyuga's Byakugan can effectively scout enemy movements. Have them circle around to the rear and strike straight at the Senju's home."
"Just like our clan's defeat at Ueno."
Although Madara thought Jing Xiu's strategy was sound, he still had some concerns. "Leaving aside whether the Hyuga will give their all to the flanking attack..."
"If our clan faces the Senju army head-on, won't our casualties be high?"
Jing Xiu had not expected the twelve-year-old Madara to still possess compassion. He was not yet the Asura of the Ninja World who would one day slaughter his way across the world.
He asked Madara just one question. "Can the Hyuga hold off the Senju?"
Madara returned to the present and pointed north of Greenleaf Cliff. "The Shinano River runs along the eastern side of Greenleaf Cliff before branching into the Naka River and the Hokugō River."
"The widening river has cut us off from any potential Hyuga support. It has also increased the risk of the Senju using the river to infiltrate our clan compound on the Naka River."
"After all, the Senju Clan excels at Earth Release and Water Release. Besides, surprise attacks are what they love most."
Every Uchiha present, including the Second Elder, found Madara's reasoning sound.
Pointing at the terrain map, Madara continued to explain his strategy. "The rising waters of the Shinano River have separated our clan from the Hyuga, but they've also cut off the Senju's chances of launching a surprise attack on the Hyuga."
"Right now, Greenleaf Cliff is like a nail driven into the Senju's southeastern flank."
"That's why I'll lead you all in holding Greenleaf Cliff to the death."
"As long as we hold Greenleaf Cliff, even if the Senju want to send troops south from Ueno to raid the Naka River..."
"They'll have to consider the possibility of troops from Greenleaf Cliff joining the First Elder defending the Naka River to trap them between us."
The Uchiha Jōnin understood Madara's strategy.
In Madara's strategy, Greenleaf Cliff's position was rather like the "mid lane" in a battle-arena game.
If the Senju chose to attack the Naka River directly through the top lane, Madara and the Uchiha First Elder stationed there would wipe out the invaders together.
If the Senju chose to assault Greenleaf Cliff, Madara could use the terrain to tie down their army with a smaller force.
That would buy enough time for the Hyuga to circle around to their rear.
The Third Elder considered this, then asked, "What if the Senju leave only a small force at Greenleaf Cliff?"
His question sent quite a few Jōnin into thought.
An attractive smile curled Madara's lips, as though he had remembered something amusing.
He had asked Jing Xiu the very same question.
He vaguely remembered how Jing Xiu had looked at him as though he were an idiot. "If the Senju really station only a few ninja at Greenleaf Cliff to confront our clan, where do you think their main force will go, Madara?"
Madara thought for a moment, then drew three crosses on the terrain map. "Naturally, the Senju's main force has three options."
"First, set an ambush to annihilate the Hyuga force circling around for a surprise attack."
"Second, launch an all-out assault on our clan compound on the Naka River."
"Third, pretend to retreat while actually lying in ambush, waiting for our main force at Greenleaf Cliff to attack the small force they've left behind."
"But that would turn the Senju clan members stationed at Greenleaf Cliff into bait. They'd be the first to die."
"That goes against the 'ideology of love' the Senju have always preached."
Jing Xiu gave a contemptuous smile. "Those so-called ideals are nothing more than beliefs the people at the top use to bind their clan together."
"At their core, they're just an illusory halo. What damn good are they?"
Madara also felt that so-called "love" and "war" were merely a clan's false outward facade.
If "love" could make Madara the strongest in the shinobi world, he would "love" more than anyone else.
Jing Xiu pointed at the three crosses Madara had just drawn. "Then you should understand now!"