"You seem to be in pretty good shape, Izuna."
Early the next morning, Izuna met up with Madara at the entrance to the clan grounds. The two of them were preparing to head out separately—one to Hatake, the other to the Kaguya clan—to stop them from also throwing in with Senju.
Izuna's expression flickered for a moment, then he let out a light laugh. "Is it that obvious?"
For once, Madara shrugged and complained, "Your face is basically blooming."
Izuna didn't mind. After all, he'd taken Mito. No matter how high your status was, once you crossed that line you were no longer a boy—you'd become a man. And when the woman was someone you loved, how could you not be happy?
Back to the point: this time, Izuna and Madara each led a ten-man squad.
Once the group got too big, it was easy to be discovered.
Especially on Madara's side.
To reach the island where the Kaguya clan lived, they had to pass by the Senju clan's territory and through the seas near the Land of Whirlpools.
Both clans possessed exceptionally keen sensing abilities.
Back when Izuna had snatched Mito, he'd left a Flying Thunder God mark in the Land of Whirlpools. Last time, he'd also left one on the Kaguya island.
He'd originally considered helping Madara's group in the identity of "Yuan."
But thinking about it more carefully, if he supported the Uchiha too much under the name "Yuan," it would be easy to arouse suspicion.
That identity was simply too sensitive—even within the main Uchiha clan, it couldn't be exposed.
Still... in the original story, the Kaguya were a ninja clan of the Land of Water, weren't they?
Their island lay between the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Water anyway.
Leaning toward either country wouldn't be strange.
Maybe, in the original story, Senju Hashirama's overwhelming Wood Release made the road to defeating the Uchiha far easier than it was now, so he never needed to ally with the Kaguya.
Now, because of Izuna's interference, the original timeline had already been overturned beyond recognition.
And that had dragged the Kaguya into this war as well.
In any case, both Izuna's and Madara's missions might run into Senju Hashirama—it depended on what heaven decided.
The world was unpredictable. Even Izuna couldn't foresee everything.
With Izuna included, the two eleven-man teams set out separately.
"Vice-Clan Head, once we reach the Hatake clan grounds, what exactly should we do?"
As they advanced, a Uchiha Jonin behind him spoke up.
Their goal was to stop Hatake from siding with Senju, but the specific plan still hadn't been decided.
Negotiate?
Or...
Strike?
"Depends on the situation."
Izuna moved at the front, leaping swiftly along the branches as he replied, "If we can arrive before Senju, then leading with courtesy and only resorting to force if needed is obviously best. I'm not a killing maniac. If we can solve it without violence, then we don't need violence."
"But if Senju gets there first—or they've already reached an agreement with Hatake—then don't worry about anything else. Attack."
At that, Izuna's eyes turned cold and vicious. "Not just Hatake. I want everyone in the Warring States to understand just how terrifying it is to side with Senju and stand against the Uchiha."
"Yes!!!"
The ten Uchiha Jonin behind him answered in unison.
Hatake's clan grounds lay along the northeastern coast of the Land of Fire.
It was a port-town style settlement.
The advantage of a place like that was that it eliminated at least half their worries.
Because on one side was the sea—no enemy was going to come from the ocean to attack them.
Second, coastal land wasn't suitable for growing crops. Even with fishing, their resources were nowhere near the level of powerhouses like Senju and Uchiha, who held vast tracts of land and even had mines and underground industries.
According to the Shadow Investigation Department's investigation, Hatake Suiya wasn't like Gekko Fūha—whom Izuna had killed—someone who yearned to elevate his clan into a great Warring States power.
Though he was a Kage-level expert, his temperament resembled the Third Hokage's: he only wanted Hatake to survive the chaos of the Warring States and live to see peace.
He had never thought to create that peace with his own hands.
...
It took Izuna's group two days and one night to reach the outskirts of the Hatake clan grounds.
There, they rendezvoused with the Shadow Investigation Department's intelligence operative.
When they arrived, they found the agent badly injured, his right arm wrapped in thick bandages.
With the Sharingan, Izuna examined him and saw that the man's right arm had nearly been chopped off entirely!
Sensing their looks, the operative grit his teeth. "It... it was Senju Tobirama!"
"Senju Tobirama?"
"Senju's number one speedster?"
"Senju's Vice-Clan Head? He's in Hatake?"
The Uchiha Jonin immediately began whispering among themselves.
Izuna's gaze sharpened, and he signaled the operative to continue.
Suppressing the searing pain in his shoulder, the operative went on. "Vice... Vice-Clan Head, you're one step too late. Yesterday at dusk, Senju Tobirama led a small squad to Hatake. I never imagined his sensing would be that strong—he found me almost immediately..."
"Cough, cough!"
After a violent fit of coughing, the operative continued, "I... I only barely escaped his Flying Thunder God Slash with my life."
"Take him down to rest."
Izuna waved, issuing the order.
Once the man was carried away, Izuna began to think.
But first, he couldn't help sighing inwardly. Madara, your luck is terrible.
If Senju Tobirama was at Hatake, then Senju Hashirama was probably at Kaguya.
Izuna should have seen it coming.
Strong against strong, weak against weak.
Kaguya's strength was still a tier above Hatake's.
And between the Senju brothers, it was only natural that the stronger one—Senju Hashirama—would go persuade Kaguya, while the weaker one—Senju Tobirama—would go persuade Hatake.
People tended to believe what they wanted to believe, and Izuna was no exception.
All he could do now was pray Madara would return safely under Senju Hashirama's hand. He couldn't protect him forever.
"Vice-Clan Head, Senju got here first. What do we do?"
The situation suddenly turned against them, and the Uchiha Jonin at his side asked anxiously.
"We still don't know whether Senju Tobirama has succeeded."
Izuna motioned for them not to let panic scramble their minds.
Senju Tobirama might be a seasoned, ruthless politician, but compared to Senju Hashirama's... gift for persuasion, he was still a tier short.
Hatake was a strong clan too; they shouldn't be talked into surrendering overnight.
"All of you, set up an ambush outside the Hatake clan grounds. I'll go in alone and find out how their negotiations are going. We'll decide the next step based on my signal."
That was Izuna's decision.
"Vice-Clan Head... alone?"
Even knowing Izuna's strength, they couldn't help worrying.
In most people's eyes, going deep into enemy territory alone was the same as walking into almost certain death.
"With Senju Tobirama's Sensing Technique, you heard it yourselves—if you go, he'll spot you in an instant. It would be pointless."
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