This was left by the flames of the Two-Tails.
As for Uzumaki Hiro'umi, the eldest among them, his injuries were the lightest.
But this wasn't because he was the strongest among them. It was because every time battle broke out, Izuna ordered Uchiha Shin and the others, saying things like "Hiro'umi is Mito's grandfather, our future relative by marriage; no one is allowed to hurt him."
These words enraged Uzumaki Hiro'umi to no end every time. Over time, he couldn't help but start worrying.
Could it be that Mito really has been done in by that damned Uchiha Izuna?
As soon as this thought arose, Uzumaki Hiro'umi shook his head to deny it.
What am I thinking?
That child Mito shoulders the responsibility of the Uzumaki clan. I watched her grow up.
She would never forget the mission she carries.
However, Uzumaki Hiro'umi overlooked the issue of "feelings."
Especially the feelings of a young girl.
In front of the map, Senju Yuma spoke. "We haven't been able to take Uchiha's Shirotani Pass for a long time. Does anyone have a good strategy?"
Everyone looked at each other. Finally, Senju Unkan spoke up, "Clan Head, forgive me for being blunt. Our Senju and Uzumaki allied forces are three times the number of the Uchiha. The reason we cannot take it lies with Uchiha Izuna..."
Once these words were spoken, the scene fell into a brief silence.
The combination of the Mangekyo Sharingan and Sage Arts greatly reduced the drawbacks of the Mangekyo.
Coupled with the Tailed Beast, he was simply a forbidden technique artillery platform, blasting away recklessly so that the Senju and Uzumaki clans dared not get too close.
Uzumaki Hiro'umi spoke in a deep voice, "In this old man's humble view, as long as we can take down, no, stall Uchiha Izuna, then Shirotani Pass is not a problem..."
Pausing for a moment, Uzumaki Hiro'umi continued, "In my opinion, the only person who can achieve this... is Senju Vice-Clan Head alone."
The Senju Vice-Clan Head was, naturally, Senju Hashirama!
But right now, Senju Hashirama was in charge of the main battlefield at Mount Congyun as the Commander-in-Chief. How could he just run over to the north?
Seeing everyone silent, Uzumaki Hiro'umi spoke again, "Now, my granddaughter is in the hands of that Uchiha Izuna. As Vice-Clan Head Hashirama's fiancée, shouldn't he come to support?"
Uzumaki Hiro'umi inevitably mixed in some personal motives. After all, Mito had been in Uchiha Izuna's hands for too long.
It made the ominous premonition in his heart grow more severe.
Senju Yuma spoke up then. "I actually have a plan. Would you gentlemen care to listen?"
"Clan Head, please speak!"
Taking about fifteen minutes, Senju Yuma laid out his plan.
After a long silence, Uzumaki Hiro'umi nodded. "That is indeed a possible solution..."
"Report!"
At this moment, a Senju intelligence ninja entered the tent and handed a letter to Senju Yuma. "Clan Head, Vice-Clan Head Hashirama, along with the Elders, requests your instructions regarding borrowing a path to the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. The decision-making group headed by Vice-Clan Head Hashirama has already finished signing. Only yours is left."
Regarding the matter of borrowing the road, Senju Yuma, Senju Hashirama, and the others all thought they could sell the Sarutobi and Shimura clans a favor.
Of course, Senju Hashirama gave another speech about how this would help with the future village construction and so on.
Naturally, no one paid attention to these seemingly empty remarks.
The official road was completely controlled by the Senju clan, so they weren't afraid of Sarutobi Furukawa or Shimura Keizo trying any clever tricks.
If they did, they would ensure they died without a burial place.
However, what puzzled Senju Yuma and the others was why the Sarutobi and Shimura wanted to travel thousands of miles to declare war on the Hyuga.
"It has been hundreds of years since we last officially went to war!"
"I haven't heard of any feud developing between our two sides recently, either."
Senju Yuma took the letter, read it quickly, and said, "Just as well. I have a letter for Hashirama, too."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield at Mount Congyun, inside the main Senju camp.
Senju Hashirama had already received the missive from Senju Yuma.
Aside from agreeing to grant passage to the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, Senju Yuma stated he was preparing to secretly transfer half of the northern forces—led by Senju Unkan—back to the Mount Congyun front.
Consequently, Senju Yuma's northern front would shift to a defensive strategy.
The goal was to assist Senju Hashirama in conquering the frontal battlefield with maximum speed. After all, Mount Congyun was the key. As long as they achieved victory here, it didn't matter whether Shirotani Pass fell or not.
Once the Uchiha army was defeated, Uchiha Izuna would naturally have no choice but to obediently return Princess Mito.
"Truly amazing, Izuna," Hashirama murmured. "His strength is likely already above Madara's... No, it's possible he is even above mine."
After finishing the letter, Hashirama let out a broad grin and passed it to Senju Tobirama and the others to read.
"Uchiha Izuna..."
Senju Tobirama grit his teeth. He felt a deep sense of refusal to accept that he had been left so far behind without even realizing it.
Ever the devoted brother, he couldn't help but shout, "Even so, he absolutely cannot defeat you, Big Brother."
"Haha! We won't know that until we fight," Hashirama laughed heartily.
Uzumaki Wakou, the Uzumaki Clan Head, spoke up. "Vice-Clan Head Hashirama, Clan Head Senju Yuma's intentions are clear. He wants us to capture Mount Congyun quickly."
Senju Hashirama scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Mount Congyun is one of the Uchiha's most critical defensive lines. It won't be that easy to take..."
"Big Brother, your fiancée is still in Uchiha Izuna's hands," Tobirama reminded him from the side. "Whether for public or private reasons, you must treat this with your full strength. Don't go easy on Uchiha Madara."
"I haven't been going easy on him, Tobirama," Hashirama said with a frown.
"Vice-Clan Head Hashirama," a voice called out.
Another intelligence ninja entered the main tent and produced a scroll. "This is the latest report from the Intelligence Division. It says the Hyuga have sent an envoy to the Uchiha."
Hyuga Tenso had been in a foul mood lately.
Although the Gekko clan was a subsidiary of the Hyuga, following the assassination of their patriarch, they had united with other vassal clans to cause an uproar.
This wasn't entirely surprising. While they were subsidiary clans, the Hyuga's control over them was nowhere near the strict, absolute dominance the Main House would hold over the Branch House in future generations. After all, the Caged Bird Seal did not exist yet.
Hyuga Tenso's original plan had been to first soothe the Gekko clan's emotions, and then personally send a deputy to the Sarutobi and Shimura lands to negotiate and clarify why they had killed Gekko Fūha.
Of course, Hyuga Tenso still harbored doubts about whether Gekko Fūha had actually been killed by the Sarutobi.
In the Warring States period, everything boiled down to one word: profit.
Aside from the Senju and Uchiha, whose blood feud was so deep it could never be unraveled, other ninja clans acted based on interest. Only those two truly wanted nothing more than to wipe the other from existence.
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