Mito's heart began to race. She subconsciously grabbed the corner of Izuna's clothes.
"Want another round? Or have you come to a decision?" Izuna moved Mito behind him, the three tomoe in his eyes transforming into the crimson, shuriken-like Mangekyo Sharingan.
After a long stare-down, Matatabi finally spoke. "My name is Matatabi... you already know that. Use that name to call me from now on."
The Mangekyo in Izuna's eyes reverted to normal black pupils. A smile spread across his lips. Matatabi's answer was a concession.
"Don't worry, I won't summon you unless it's for a battle. In a few years, you'll see just how right your decision was."
Lying back down on the ground and entering a state of feigned sleep, Matatabi half-opened her left eye and glanced at him, her expression full of disbelief.
"Let's go."
His objective was achieved. Not only had he acquired a Tailed Beast, but his Sage Art training was now officially on track. And more importantly...
Izuna glanced at Mito beside him, an inscrutable smile on his face.
"What are you smiling at?" Sensing a hint of intimacy in his smile, Mito's cheeks flushed, and she chided him.
"Nothing." Izuna suddenly took her hand, bent down, and lifted her onto his back.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Mito's face instantly turned as red as an apple. She pounded his shoulder in a mix of embarrassment and anger.
"We're in a hurry now, and you're too slow. This is faster," Izuna replied with an "I'm doing this for official business" attitude.
Mito felt a sense of powerless frustration. His reason was so plausible she couldn't refute it. But could she not guess the little thoughts going through his mind? Although she had grown up as the princess of the Uzumaki clan, sheltered by her great elder grandfather, Uzumaki Hiro'umi, and had little contact with boys her age, it didn't mean she was completely clueless.
***
Uchiha Madara had been having a major headache lately.
This was the first war with the Senju since he had become clan head. Although the Senju still had superior overall military strength, he had been very confident at the start. By wiping out the Hagoromo and absorbing the four clans, the Uchiha had gained a massive amount of resources. And though Izuna was temporarily away, he himself had obtained a new power: the Mangekyo Sharingan. He feared no one.
For the first half-month of the war, things had gone smoothly for Madara. The enemy was led by the near-Kage level Senju Buken and Senju Hashirama's younger brother, Senju Tobirama. While Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique was troublesome, one of Madara's Mangekyo abilities allowed him to predict the future, perfectly reading the trajectory of his movements.
After getting used to it, Madara was confident he could handle Senju Tobirama even without using his Mangekyo. And with his Mangekyo Sharingan active, Madara was certain he could take on both of them at once. He had built up immense prestige within the Uchiha and the four allied clans through his outstanding battle record.
But that was only for the first half of the month.
When Senju Hashirama arrived with five hundred Uzumaki reinforcements, the tide of battle changed dramatically.
Just yesterday, he and Senju Hashirama had met on the battlefield for the first time. The thrilled Madara had gone all out from the start, activating his Mangekyo Sharingan, intending to teach Hashirama a lesson.
He hadn't expected Hashirama to be even more ridiculous. He had used a never-before-seen Wood Release technique. With a single jutsu, "Deep Forest Emergence," he had altered the entire terrain of the battlefield, stunning the thousands of ninjas from the Uchiha and their four allied clans.
After a fierce ten-hour battle, Madara finally broke his promise to Izuna and activated his Susanoo, just barely managing to carve a path for his clan to retreat.
***
At that moment, it wasn't just Madara; all his subordinates were deeply wary of Senju Hashirama's Wood Release.
"Clan Head, how should we deal with Senju Hashirama now?" Uchiha Sen asked from below.
He asked how to deal with "Senju Hashirama," not "the Senju." This alone showed that Hashirama had become as formidable as his entire clan.
A flicker of annoyance crossed Madara's face. He slammed a hand on the table and rose to his feet. "He's just one man! What are you afraid of? Am I, Uchiha Madara, any weaker than him?"
Seeing their leader's rising anger, the men below quickly bowed their heads and replied in unison, "We wouldn't dare!"
Once they had settled down, Madara crossed his arms, his presence filling the tent. "However, that technique of Hashirama's is indeed troublesome. The next time we engage, I will face him one-on-one. The rest of you will focus your attention on Senju Tobirama and the others!"
Uchiha Ise, who had come from the northwest and witnessed the power of Izuna's Mangekyo Sharingan, eagerly spoke up. "Leave it to you, Lord Madara, and there will be no problem! A Mangekyo Sharingan, the same as the Vice-Clan Head's, will surely be enough to handle Senju Hashirama."
Madara's gaze sharpened. If the Mangekyo didn't come with such a staggering burden, he wouldn't be so concerned. But to maintain morale, he could not reveal its drawbacks. It was a secret known only to a select few among the Uchiha's highest echelons.
"Alright, all of you are dismissed," Madara commanded. "To prevent a surprise attack, reinforce the defensive barriers. Prepare for a long war with the Senju!"
After everyone had left the main tent, Madara had only just sat down when Uchiha Zuoxiu flickered into existence inside, kneeling before him with a grim expression. "Clan Head!"
"A message has arrived from Lord Shin at Shirotani Pass to the north. During last night's battle, Senju Yuma suddenly led a force of two hundred men in a flanking maneuver. Our clan suffered heavy losses. He requests reinforcements!"
Madara had just been about to take a sip of tea to soothe his dry throat. Hearing this, he slammed the cup he had just raised back onto the table. "What did you say!?"
"That old bastard!" Madara cursed.
The war had been raging for nearly a month, yet Senju Yuma had not once been seen on the main front at Mount Congyun. Madara and the others had assumed the Senju clan head was commanding from the rear. They never imagined he had been hiding at the Shirotani Pass front all along, waiting for a moment of weakness to strike. That hidden arrow had now been loosed, piercing a vital point of the Uchiha.
It was an undeniably brilliant move, one they had not anticipated. That old bastard Senju Yuma was surprisingly capable of such unconventional tactics. As a clan head, he was neither leading his main army from the front like Madara, nor was he commanding from the rear. Instead, he had secretly embedded himself in a secondary battlefield.
And now, the primary commander for the Senju at Mount Congyun was Senju Hashirama. *Does this mean he's already planning to abdicate in favor of a more worthy successor?*
A few minutes later, Madara's anger subsided. Seeing this, Uchiha Zuoxiu asked again, "Clan Head, should we dispatch reinforcements?"
*What reinforcements do I have to send?* Madara wanted to retort, but he swallowed the words before they could escape.
Just then, Uchiha Enka walked into the tent with a ninja hawk perched on his forearm. "Clan Head, a message from the Vice-Clan Head."
Madara raised an eyebrow and gestured for the hawk to fly to his arm. He removed the secret letter.
He opened it and read for a long time before letting out a heavy sigh. "Izuna was a step too late this time."
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