Izuna, who had been practicing hand seals nearby, stared fixedly at the terrain map.
"There are only three crosses. What do you expect our big brother to figure out from that? My foolish little brother, are you being an idiot again?"
Madara gave Izuna a swat and pointed upstream along the Shinano River.
"If the Senju want to intercept the Hyuga's flanking maneuver, they'll have to set up defenses along the Shinano River."
"But the upper reaches of the Shinano River lie in the Land of Birds, and across from the Land of Birds is the Land of Earth."
"If the Senju and Hyuga go to war in the Land of Birds, there's a very good chance they'll draw the Land of Earth into the fighting."
"At that point, the battle will be beyond the Senju's control."
Izuna nodded vaguely. He hadn't understood everything, nor did he know why moving close to the Land of Earth would put the battle beyond the Senju's control.
He didn't even know why the Senju had to control the course of the battle in the first place.
Still, he would engrave all of this deeply in his mind. When he was older, everything they said here would nourish his growth.
Jing Xiu and Madara could both see what Izuna was thinking. The three of them were born on the same side, and no one was more worthy of their trust than each other.
So, since Izuna wanted to learn, the other two were willing to teach.
Picking up where Madara had left off, Jing Xiu pointed at Greenleaf Cliff.
"Ultimately, if the Senju conceal their main force around Greenleaf Cliff, it's simply one possible tactic for taking the cliff."
"There are dozens upon dozens of tactics like that, and they're all problems the frontline commander-in other words, Madara-will have to handle as he directs the battle."
"So there's no point discussing the deployments here ahead of time."
Madara looked at Jing Xiu with open admiration, then pointed at Eight-Banner Plain. "Once the Senju shift their focus to the Naka River, they'll have to confront one question."
"Why do Father, Butsuma Senju, and Hyuga Tennin hold the title of the Three Shinobi World Heroes?"
Izuna answered excitedly, "Because all three are exceptionally powerful."
Madara nodded and continued, "But why are the Uchiha and Senju the only superpowers among the shinobi clans? Why are the other bloodline families only considered great clans?"
Izuna scratched his head and pondered for a long time, but eventually shook his head.
Madara gave Jing Xiu an inquisitive look, but Jing Xiu merely rolled his eyes at him, showing no desire to answer.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Madara's eyes. He pointed at the ground beneath their feet, then looked around. "The Uchiha and Senju have a thousand years of history behind them. So do the Hyuga."
"If the Senju attack our clan compound by the Naka River, they'll have to consider whether it holds any hidden reserves of strength."
"If those hidden reserves stop them, they'll face the possibility of being attacked from both front and rear and having their main force wiped out."
"Given the current state of the war, Butsuma Senju has no reason to take such a risk."
"If he really does it, even if the Uchiha Clan Compound can't hold off the Senju, the Uchiha's desperate final counterattack will still cripple them."
"At that point, both the other great clans in the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, which lies closest to the Senju, will be happy to join the fun."
On the front lines at Greenleaf Cliff, Madara's recollection ended. He gave the Uchiha elites gathered there a clear, orderly account of the three brothers' prewar discussion.
Only after hearing it did they understand just how important their young clan leader's strategy was.
The strategy made full use of Greenleaf Cliff's favorable terrain-the only advantage the Uchiha currently possessed.
Butsuma Senju had not come to the Greenleaf Cliff battlefield in person at the outset. Instead, he had entrusted the battle to his eldest son.
The Senju prodigy, Hashirama Senju, who was likewise only twelve years old.
When Madara first saw the mushroom-headed Hashirama Senju on the battlefield, he seemed to sense the touch of destiny. This Mushroom Head is interesting!
Hashirama Senju led the charge, opening hostilities with Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique.
Madara grew so excited he was almost manic. "It's always been the Uchiha who strike first. I never thought the Senju would beat us to it this time."
He waved an order, stopping the Ninjutsu Squad just as they were about to unleash Fire Release. Instead, his own hands flew through hand seals as he cast the Uchiha signature Fire Release technique.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
Merciless water and fire collided and tangled together.
Greenleaf Cliff seemed to be bathed in clouds, severely obscuring the battlefield.
The Uchiha had originally held the high ground, overlooking the entire battlefield and clearly observing every Senju movement. Now, the enormous cloud of steam produced by the clash of water and fire severely obstructed their view.
Madara raised his eyebrows, inwardly wary. The world really is full of remarkable talents. This Mushroom Head looks like a clueless fool, but he actually came up with such an ingenious battle plan.
What he didn't know was that the mushroom-headed Hashirama Senju was praising someone inwardly as well. My little brother Tobirama truly is the Senju's greatest strategist. To think he came up with such a clever way to break the enemy's defenses.
With just one ninjutsu, we weakened the Uchiha's terrain advantage and even dealt a blow to their morale.
Faced with Hashirama Senju's clever offensive, Madara chose to overcome cunning with force. Leading the Uchiha's elite jōnin, he charged down Greenleaf Cliff.
He made it look as though they were staking their lives on one desperate attack.
The Uchiha's morale rose a little as well.
Just as Madara descended halfway down the slope, the Senju happened to charge within roughly two hundred meters of him.
Madara formed a sword-finger gesture with his left hand, but between his index and middle fingers, he held a bright yellow paper talisman.
The next instant, he poured a great surge of chakra into the bright yellow talisman, and a massive explosion erupted beneath the Senju Vanguard Unit's feet.
These were the same powerful explosive tags infused with natural chakra that Jing Xiu had used to ambush the Hyuga chunin.
Hundreds of explosive tags detonated in orderly, rhythmic batches, throwing Hashirama Senju, who was charging at the very front, into a frantic scramble.
Fortunately, Hashirama Senju was proficient in both Earth Release and Water Release.
Relying on Earth Release's formidable defensive power, he barely managed to protect himself.
The Senju Vanguard Unit, however, suffered devastating casualties.
Hashirama Senju had to acknowledge him inwardly. The Uchiha's young clan leader has a few tricks of his own!
The first probing clash between the Senju and Uchiha ended with Madara and Hashirama staring at each other.
Over the course of the day, both sides won and lost engagements, but overall, the Senju Clan suffered greater losses.
As Butsuma Senju read Hashirama's report on the first battle, he felt somewhat dissatisfied.
Hashirama has keen instincts and formidable fighting strength, as well as unparalleled charisma.
Troops he personally leads into battle tend to have higher morale than other units.
But his grasp of people's hearts is still far too weak!
Tobirama seems to have some talent in that regard.
He looked at the shame-faced Hashirama. "Tell me, do you think you won this battle or lost it?"
Hashirama hung his head, looking despondent.
Even when Butsuma Senju questioned him, he remained grief-stricken.
"Hashirama Senju! Raise your head!"
Unable to bear the sight any longer, Butsuma Senju rebuked his eldest son.
When Hashirama met his gaze with tear-filled eyes, Butsuma felt more wistful than dissatisfied.
"Father, today... today, seventy-seven of our clansmen died. All because I commanded them poorly!"
Butsuma Senju cut his son off. "Do you still not understand?"
"If you still can't see yourself clearly, even more people will die on the battlefield in the future. Even I might lose my life because of a mistake in your command!"
"The sacrifice of these clansmen serves to light your way forward!"
"Hashirama, my son, do you see the guidance these seventy-seven clansmen have given you?"