But ultimately, there is no eternal hatred, only eternal interests.
Although people had died on both sides, the Hyuga and Sarutobi/Shimura clans were far from reaching the level of hatred between the Uchiha and Senju.
The result of them fighting this battle was that no matter who won, neither side would gain any advantage.
Presumably, this war wouldn't last much longer.
An eagle's cry came from the sky. A ninja hawk, the dedicated summoning beast and messenger tool of the Uchiha clan, crossed the valley and flew to the arm of a guard ninja at the lookout tower of the Uchiha's Mount Congyun camp.
The guard ninja removed the secret letter from the ninja hawk's leg, his expression tightening.
It was a handwritten letter from the Vice-Clan Head!
The guard ninja didn't dare open it and immediately delivered the letter to Madara in the main command tent.
At this moment, Madara was wearing a thin, loose kimono. When someone walked in from the tent entrance, if they didn't come within 5 m, he couldn't see clearly who it was with his eyes alone.
Under Senju Hashirama's Wood Release, Madara's Mangekyo Sharingan was rapidly consuming his eyesight.
Being forced to use his trump card, the armored Susanoo, against Deep Forest Bloom last time had been the straw that broke the camel's back.
"Hahaha! As expected of my little brother! Go call Uchiha Enka, Uchiha Gakugyo, Watanabe Ryokai... call them all here!"
Madara rattled off the names of all the high-ranking ninja in the Mount Congyun camp in one breath, not only those from the Uchiha family but also the representatives of the four northwestern clans that were now Uchiha vassals.
The guard ninja was startled; Madara hadn't shown a smile in nearly half a year.
What exactly was in that secret letter?
To make Madara this excited.
But he didn't ask. He quickly followed Madara's orders and summoned the high-ranking personnel.
Soon, several high-ranking Uchiha representatives and the clan heads or elders of the four northwestern clans gathered in Madara's tent.
"Take a look at this, everyone."
Madara held the letter out. Seeing the joy on Madara's face, everyone couldn't help but be curious.
With the battle lines strained to this extent, what could have happened to make Madara so happy?
"This... this... this is impossible!"
"No, it can't be, right?"
"One person did... this... this is simply..."
Everyone's first reaction was the same: disbelief.
Facing an elite ninja army of five hundred led by two Clan Head-level experts, Senju Yuma and Uzumaki Hiro'umi, Uchiha Izuna had defeated them single-handedly and forced them to retreat completely from Shirotani Pass.
Furthermore, he had severed the right arm of the current Senju Clan Head, Senju Yuma, and critically injured him.
The enemy would be unable to return to the battlefield in the future.
It was estimated that in three days, Izuna would arrive with reinforcements from Shirotani Pass.
"Once Izuna arrives, the situation of the war will completely change," Madara said confidently, temporarily ignoring the issues with his eyes.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Suddenly, a fit of coughing broke out.
The source was Uchiha Gakugyo, a current Kage-level expert of the Uchiha. In the last battle, he had been interfered with by Deep Forest Bloom and then hit in a vital spot by Senju Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Slash.
He was still recovering from his injuries.
"Is Department Head Gakugyo alright?" Madara asked with a frown.
Although the man had once competed with him for the position of Clan Head, he was now one of the Uchiha's main combat assets.
Losing him would be a major blow to the Uchiha.
Uchiha Gakugyo waved his hand to indicate he was fine and forced a smile. "I'm fine, just frightened by the Vice-Clan Head's battle record."
If even the Uchiha were like this, there was no need to mention people like Watanabe Ryokai.
They were completely immersed in deep shock, unable to recover for a long time.
Madara waved his hand. "Immediately inform the entire army of this news. We, the Uchiha, have seized control of the war."
"Yes!"
The crowd was extremely pumped up as they clasped their fists to accept the order.
Senju Yuma and the others who retreated from Shirotani Pass returned to the Mount Congyun battlefield a step faster than Izuna.
However, unlike the excitement of the Uchiha, seeing the scene of their Clan Head, Senju Yuma, with his arm severed right up to the collarbone, plunged the entire group into a deathly silence.
Even now, Senju Yuma lay unconscious on a hospital bed. Everything that happened at Shirotani Pass had been told to them by Uzumaki Hiro'umi.
Senju Tobirama couldn't believe it. "No, that's impossible, right? Did Uchiha Izuna really rely on himself alone to defeat you and the Elders..."
"Although it is hard to believe, I regret to say it is the truth."
Uzumaki Hiro'umi sighed heavily. But after a year, he had finally rescued his precious granddaughter, so that counted as a small mercy in the midst of misfortune, didn't it?
But for the Senju, there was no "mercy" at all.
"Izuna's growth is truly exaggerated. I'm afraid he might already be above me," Senju Hashirama said, rubbing his chin.
"Brother, that's impossible!" Senju Tobirama immediately retorted.
Having worshipped Senju Hashirama since childhood, in his eyes, Hashirama was already the representative of "The Strongest in the Warring States."
To suddenly say that their peer Uchiha Izuna was stronger than his big brother—Senju Tobirama would never believe it no matter what.
"Vice-Clan Head, with the Clan Head currently unconscious from heavy injuries, we can only ask the Vice-Clan Head to take command of the overall situation and succeed the position of Clan Head."
Senju Unkan petitioned Senju Hashirama.
"Please, Vice-Clan Head, take command of the overall situation! Succeed the position of Clan Head!"
In the next second, the collective high command of the Senju in the main camp clasped their hands and petitioned Senju Hashirama.
Senju Yuma hadn't woken up yet, and looking at his condition, he wouldn't be able to take the field again.
Combined with Senju Hashirama's performance so far, succeeding the position of Clan Head was already a set stone.
"Everyone, please rise, please rise."
Senju Hashirama hurriedly helped everyone up. "With the Clan Head not yet awake, how can I, as a junior, take over in such a situation? Everyone rest assured, I will definitely lead the Senju out of this predicament."
Hearing this, Senju Tobirama muttered in his heart, Brother, the situation is that we have the upper hand.
Yet one Uchiha Izuna had, to some extent, overturned the momentum of the great war.
Senju Tobirama felt increasingly wary inside. Is there any way to kill that monster?
It took three days for Izuna to lead the three hundred reinforcements from Shirotani Pass back to Mount Congyun.
Upon arrival, he was immediately received enthusiastically by Uchiha Enka and the others.
This was within Izuna's expectations; after all, he had achieved such a battle record at Shirotani Pass.
But there was no time to deal with this now. He had to check on Madara's condition first.
Passing through the main camp, the gazes of all the ninja turned toward Izuna, and the excitement mixed into their whispering discussions flowed into Izuna's ears.
He lifted the curtain of the main tent. Madara, sitting in the main seat, first looked up with a frown. "Why come in without announcing yourself?"
Seeing Madara's reaction, Izuna couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and walk a few steps closer.
At this, Madara squinted slightly, then suddenly stood up in excitement, grabbing Izuna by the shoulders. "You're back! Izuna, you did a beautiful job at Shirotani Pass!"
Compared to Madara's excitement, Izuna's mood was much heavier.
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