The Grand Elder seemed pleased, but he had gotten pleased a little too soon.
The Second Elder, who was at the front, suddenly sent back word that they were facing attacks from three clans. The pressure was immense, and they might not be able to hold out.
Uchiha Takashi read the battle report the Second Elder had sent back. A total of 800 Uchiha clansmen were currently stationed at the front, and only a little over 600 were still fit to fight.
The enemy clans' allied forces already numbered over 1,000. Even excluding the wounded, they still had over 900.
No wonder the Second Elder's battle report had been so grim.
After reading the Second Elder's letter, the Grand Elder fell silent for a moment, then turned to Uchiha Takashi. "Third Elder, what do you think about the situation at the front?"
Uchiha Takashi glanced at the battle report, then said, "The balance of fighting strength at the front is 600 against 900, and nearly everyone the enemy has deployed is an elite.
"The pressure on the front is considerable. If I remember correctly, we still have 300 elite clansmen in the clan grounds, all of whom have awakened their eyes.
"I have an idea... I'll personally lead 100 men around to attack the enemy from behind. As long as we can withstand this wave, reinforcements from the Hyuga Clan will arrive.
"When that happens, the battle line will stabilize, and we might even be able to push them back."
The Grand Elder frowned. "You want to lead them personally? What if something happens to you?"
Uchiha Takashi said nothing, simply activating his Sharingan at a leisurely pace. Seeing the pinwheels spinning within his eyes, the Grand Elder understood.
"All right, then. No, 100 is still too few. Take 150! You'll leave tonight..."
"Don't worry, Grand Elder," Uchiha Takashi said. "I'll make the Senju Clan obediently keep the peace with me for a few years."
The look in Uchiha Takashi's eyes left the Grand Elder momentarily dazed. Those words almost made him see Ryō Uchiha in his place.
He still remembered that young, spirited clan leader declaring confidently, "I will lead the Uchiha Clan to a complete victory over the Senju!"
At the same time, he remembered what Ryō Uchiha had said before his final battle: "I will win three years of peace for the Uchiha! Even if it costs me my life!"
As he watched Uchiha Takashi walk away, the corners of the Grand Elder's mouth slowly rose.
"The Uchiha Clan... will surely rise!"
Late that night, 150 elite Uchiha clansmen had assembled, with no shortage of elites possessing mitsudomoe and futatsudomoe among them.
Every one of them belonged to the absolute core of the Uchiha Clan. They were the Uchiha's final trump card!
Standing at the very front, Uchiha Takashi looked over the people behind him. His gaze swept over them one by one before finally settling on a familiar figure.
Homura Uchiha... His Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly spun within his eyes.
Sensing the gaze directed at him, Homura Uchiha slowly raised his head, his face filled with anger that would not wash away.
"Homura, you..."
"Takashi! I know what you're going to say! You can't talk me out of this. I've already made up my mind. I'm going to avenge Aka! I'll let Aka's spirit in heaven see how our Uchiha Clan tramples the Senju Clan underfoot!"
Uchiha Takashi closed his mouth. He knew this childhood friend of his all too well. Aka Uchiha had been one of Homura Uchiha's two most cherished companions.
The moment Aka Uchiha had died on the battlefield, revenge had become the only thing on Homura Uchiha's mind.
His parents had died on the battlefield early on, leaving only his younger sister at home. Aside from Kyō Uchiha and his younger sister, most of his childhood memories held only Uchiha Takashi and Aka Uchiha.
"When will vengeance ever end? Only by repaying hatred with kindness. But if you repay hatred with kindness, what do you repay kindness with?" Uchiha Takashi shook his head and walked away, murmuring under his breath.
The moon gradually moved higher into the sky, its bright light shining on the ground.
Bathed in moonlight, the 150 clansmen advanced through the darkness, making barely a sound.
There were only dark silhouettes moving through the dense forest.
Uchiha Takashi had chosen an obscure route that did not appear on the map. In fact, it was not a road at all.
It was simply a forest. The route cut through its entire length, circling around the left side of the front and allowing them to strike directly at the main camp of the Three-Clan Allied Forces confronting their front line.
His plan was to launch a surprise attack on the Three-Clan Allied Forces under cover of darkness. It was simple, straightforward, and distinctly Uchiha.
But this plain plan was effective. Even if the Three-Clan Allied Forces knew the Uchiha would attack at night, they would never expect the Uchiha to strike from behind.
At most, they might guess that the Uchiha facing them at the front would send a small squad to raid them under cover of darkness. They would never imagine that an elite Uchiha force could emerge from the rear supply route they trusted.
After walking for an unknown length of time, Uchiha Takashi suddenly stopped. The clansmen following him stopped as well.
Uchiha Takashi slowly parted the leaves. Through the gaps, his Mangekyō Sharingan spotted pinpricks of light.
It was a Senju Clan supply convoy, transporting supplies to the front under cover of darkness. There were roughly a hundred or so of them.
Crouching nearby, Homura Uchiha saw that they were from the Senju Clan and immediately felt an irresistible urge to charge.
Uchiha Takashi promptly grabbed him. "Calm down! We can strike whenever we want, but we cannot expose our objective!"
Seeing Uchiha Takashi's stern expression, Homura Uchiha reluctantly drew his hand back. Forcing down his desire for revenge, he hid among the trees.
Uchiha Takashi simply watched as the Senju Clan's supply convoy slowly passed before him, heading toward the Three-Clan Allied Forces' main camp farther away.
"Follow them..." Uchiha Takashi ordered quietly, leading the clansmen behind him as they carefully followed the Senju Clan's supply convoy.
The convoy had no idea an Uchiha squad was following them and continued carrying out its transport assignment.
When they reached the main camp, their Senju banner fluttered noisily in the night breeze. A Senju clansman jogged forward and knocked on the camp gate.
Soon, two heads appeared above the camp wall. The Senju Clan's supply convoy hurriedly held a torch beside their banner so the men on the wall could see it clearly.
Only after confirming that the arriving group was a Senju Clan supply convoy did the men on the wall open the camp gate.
Watching the Senju Clan's supply convoy enter the camp, Homura Uchiha immediately said to Uchiha Takashi, "Takashi, hurry up and attack!"
Uchiha Takashi merely watched in silence, giving no order to attack. Beside him, Homura Uchiha burned with impatience, as restless as an ant on a hot pan.
"Why haven't you ordered the attack yet? Are you afraid? Don't you want to avenge Aka?" Homura Uchiha gritted his teeth. "Are you a coward?"
Uchiha Takashi merely gave him a calm glance, then said, "I'm the commander. Behave yourself! I have my own plan!"
"You... you'll regret this?" Homura Uchiha blurted out instinctively.