It was known that there was a piece of news that once shocked the entire Konoha Village.
That was, the daughter of the "God of Ninja," and "Current Clan Head of the Senju Clan," Senju Hashirama, did not choose to marry within the clan, but instead married into the Land of Fire Daimyo's family in a manner similar to a political marriage.
She married an ordinary person who was not a Ninja.
And the little Hime of the Senju Clan, born a few years ago, was only named "Tsunade" and no longer inherited the "Senju" name.
Instead, due to her kinship with the Land of Fire Daimyo, she was enfeoffed as "Tsunade Hime," meaning the Hime of the Land of Fire.
Senju Tobirama also hoped that after the Senju Clan in Konoha Village took the lead, the other great Ninja Clans that founded the village, such as the Hyuga, Uchiha, and Ino–Shika–Chō, would also follow suit.
Thereby achieving the grand vision of no more distinctions between Ninja Clans, and all Ninja of Konoha Village becoming one family.
If this were to happen, it would also be considered the fulfillment of his older brother Senju Hashirama's long-cherished wish.
However, as soon as he expressed even a hint of this idea, the Ninja Clans, led by the Uchiha, displayed unprecedented resistance.
Even after Uchiha Setsuna was arrested, the Uchiha radicals, who had previously been suppressed, showed signs of resurfacing, and the Konoha Village prison was infiltrated multiple times within just three days... Ultimately, due to the outbreak of the First Ninja World War, Senju Tobirama was completely preoccupied in a short period and had no choice but to reluctantly abandon his plan to semi-forcibly implement this policy.
While greatly angered, Senju Tobirama merely devised the Uchiha Police Force specifically for the Uchiha Clan, and then dropped the matter, dedicating himself entirely to the Ninja World War.
At this point, it is not difficult to understand why there was such a significant divergence between the younger and older generations within the Senju Clan.
For the younger generation, their teens and twenties are a time full of passion, where they yearn to gain honor and power by achieving great deeds.
Only by keeping the Senju Clan intact would it be more beneficial for them, providing them with protection and securing more rights and interests.
Otherwise, if the Senju name were gone, wouldn't their dignified thousand-year-old renowned family all become common Ninja?
Wouldn't their numerous clansmen, who once moved together on the battlefield and in the village, also become a scattered mess?
And after several generations of intermarriage, would their descendants with impure bloodlines still be considered part of the Senju Clan? Wouldn't they gradually fade into obscurity and become mediocre?
At that time, let alone being comparable to their old rivals, the Uchiha Clan, they might not even be able to surpass small and medium-sized Ninja Clans like Sarutobi, Shimura, Inuzuka, and Aburame, who could only exist at their mercy during the Sengoku period.
However, for the older generation, it was different; due to their seniority and achievements, each of them held important positions in Konoha Village and could live well even if they left the Senju.
Furthermore, because of the fierce battles during the Sengoku period, two of the clan elders even had no direct descendants, so they had fewer concerns.
Moreover, for those who had lived through the Sengoku era, they held a blind adoration for Senju Hashirama, who had brought peace to the chaotic world, and this emotion naturally extended to Senju Tobirama.
As a result, they almost instinctively supported all decisions made by the Senju brothers.
Outside the "Kouga Shrine," the location where the Senju Clan meeting was held, the departing Senju clansmen were clearly divided into two groups.
Senju Mori was surrounded by over a dozen young clansmen, but he did not look at any of them, instead casting his deep gaze towards the north of Konoha Village.
"Waiting for the Clan Head to return... I'm afraid you will never wait for him again," Senju Mori thought to himself.
In Senju Mori's view, the correct timing often plays a crucial role in the ultimate success or failure of an endeavor.
The reason he chose to stand up at this clan meeting, to challenge several highly respected clan elders, and even to form factions and openly question Clan Head Senju Tobirama's decisions in public, was because the moment he had been eagerly waiting for had finally arrived.
Senju Tobirama had gone to the Land of Lightning with his "Shadow Guard Squad" to sign an alliance.
The so-called "Shadow Guard Squad" was actually Senju Tobirama's six disciples, whom he was almost training to be Hokage successors.
They were Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Utatane Koharu, Homura Mitokado, Akimichi Torifu, and Uchiha Kagami.
They all seemed to be powerful individuals, but unfortunately, this Shadow Guard Squad failed to protect their Hokage.
There was nothing wrong with the invitation for an alliance from the Land of Lightning itself, but there was a powerful faction within Kumogakure that opposed a ceasefire.
Unlike the First Hokage and the two future Raikage of Hidden Cloud Village, the Second Raikage was not only a clansman of a different Ninja Clan but also a man who deeply loved peace.
Therefore, he chose to ignore the dissenting voices within the village and used his authority as Raikage to forcefully push for the signing of the alliance.
Ultimately, the Gold and Silver Brothers, who had achieved great merits in the First Ninja World War, rallied the pro-war Ninja and angrily launched a coup.
After successfully assassinating the Second Raikage, the two would lead their elite Ninja units to hunt down Senju Tobirama and others within the Land of Lightning.
And in order to protect Hiruzen Sarutobi and other "young inheritors of the Will of Fire," Senju Tobirama, as Hokage, chose to personally stay behind to cover their retreat, and ultimately died at the hands of the Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers.
Although Senju Mori was fully aware of the future development of events, he was unsure of the exact day this major incident would occur.
Senju Mori mused that if he were to plan this coup, he would wait until the day the alliance was officially signed, or even immediately after the alliance was completed, before launching it decisively.
That would undoubtedly be the most relaxed moment for both the Second Raikage and Senju Tobirama.
Opportunity knocks but once.
No matter what, he had to act as soon as possible.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared beside Senju Mori and whispered a few words into his ear.
Such a ghostly appearance could only be a Body Flicker Technique.
This person's name was Senju Tao, who had just turned eighteen this year and was a newly promoted Jonin from last year.
Including him, there were twelve people gathered around Senju Mori, all elite Ninja from the younger generation of the Senju Clan, and their Ninja rank was uniformly Jonin.
Among them were close friends who grew up with Senju Mori, friends made in his subsequent Ninja career, and even clansmen he had saved or impressed with his strength on the battlefield during the First Ninja World War.
Senju Mori had already revealed parts of his plan to them and assigned specific tasks to each person.
After all the other Senju clansmen had walked far away, Senju Mori turned around and sternly instructed:
"The matters within the village are entrusted to you. You must control the situation before I return, and absolutely do not let..."
"This matter concerns the survival of you, me, and the entire Senju Clan. You must not be negligent."
"When I am not here, follow all of Yuu's arrangements and do not act on your own initiative."
"Yes!" the group responded in unison.