151-155

Chapter 151: Night Raid on the Senju  

"Madara?" 

Uchiha Tajima looked at Madara, who hadn't responded, and called out again, a little displeased. 

"Alright, I understand, Father…" 

Uchiha Tajima's voice startled Madara, who had been lost in thought. He gave an awkward, perfunctory reply. 

"Understand? So what do you understand?" 

Seeing Madara's expression, Uchiha Tajima knew at once that Madara was lying and trying to fool him. After all, he was his son; didn't he know Madara's temperament? 

"Young Master, the Clan Head means we should set off now, or the Second Young Master might be in danger." 

Just as Uchiha Tajima was about to get angry, a trusted subordinate reminded him. After all, there was no time to argue about this now. 

"Hmph." 

Hearing his subordinate speak up, Uchiha Tajima reluctantly gave up. However, his gaze was quite unfriendly, cloudily fixed on Madara, swirling around him, wondering what he was thinking. 

Madara naturally felt Uchiha Tajima's gaze, but what did it matter? He was no longer the child he used to be. 

Madara's mature, handsome face remained unperturbed. 

Compared to his father, Uchiha Tajima, what frustrated him more was that their Uchiha clan was going to attack the Senju clan again, and on the battlefield, he might very well see that person, the one he didn't want to see on the opposite side of the battlefield. 

"Let's go!" 

Seeing Madara's pupils begin to lose focus again, Uchiha Tajima said helplessly, lest the brat drift off again. 

After Uchiha Tajima spoke, his subordinates gathered and began to leave the temporary barracks. 

By the time Madara followed them out, the people beside Uchiha Tajima had already scattered to rally their forces. 

"Father…" 

Madara looked at the slightly stooped back of the man, his temples streaked with white hair. Madara's heart seemed to be touched by something as he softly called out. 

"This battle isn't like before. Remember to stay by my side, understood?" 

Hearing Madara's words, Uchiha Tajima slowly turned around and looked at Madara in front of him, slightly surprised. Madara had unknowingly grown almost taller than him. 

With the subordinates gone, Uchiha Tajima's gentle voice, the moonlight, and the torchlight enveloped the two, forming a picture of a loving father and son. 

Just as the father and son were about to chat again to ease the somewhat awkward atmosphere, many clan members in their clan robes began to arrive, one after another. 

Their speed was undeniably impressive. 

Seeing this, Uchiha Tajima said nothing, only gave Madara a deep look, then waved his hand. 

His figure shot out like an arrow from a bow. 

Izuna's Intel 

"Second Young Master, the Senju clan's defenses are lax. There are no famous individuals guarding the mine." 

In the forest, Izuna leaned lazily against a tree, twirling a blade of grass in his hand. 

A middle-aged man knelt before him. 

The middle-aged man spoke with a fervent tone, indicating he was a fanatic. 

"What time is it now? Has the agreed-upon time arrived?" 

Izuna didn't look at the man at his feet, gazing distantly at the moon in the sky, his expression somewhat captivated. 

"This…" 

Half an hour later… 

Izuna stood on a tree, silently observing the "lambs" below. 

How did they survive the Warring States period with such poor defenses? 

Was it just because of the Senju clan's name? 

Though his thoughts raced and his expression was slightly complex, Izuna still slowly raised his wrist, then waved it. 

The chakra in the area instantly surged. 

Accompanying it were burning fuses tied to kunai, streaking across the night sky. 

"Bang…" 

"Ah! Enemy attack! Who dares to attack my Senju clan!" 

Chaotic sounds erupted after the explosion. 

Immediately after, a torrent of Fire Style jutsu surged towards the mine. 

Behind a few scattered earth walls, several bursts of water rushed towards the bright inferno illuminating the night sky, quickly evaporating. 

Izuna closed his eyes and sensed the surroundings, then paused slightly when he couldn't sense any human presence. 

He then realized that if no one went to report, wouldn't his father be ambushing no one? 

However, after that thought, he remembered the explosions and chakra fluctuations earlier; the Senju clan would definitely notice. 

Otherwise, they wouldn't be worthy of being enemies with the Uchiha clan. 

"Set up an ambush. See if there are any other pleasant surprises." 

Izuna spoke to the people around him. 

His close guards then took command. 

Such minor matters didn't require his personal intervention. 

He only needed to stabilize morale and oversee from the rear. 

"Yes, Second Young Master. You truly are incredibly insightful, easily dismantling the Senju clan's guard force." 

Hearing Izuna's words, the surrounding guards spoke with admiration. 

Hearing his subordinate's flattery, Izuna shook his head and said nothing. 

Itachi's figure appeared in his mind—the one who could easily capture him but didn't care about his identity, letting him go freely. 

"Who are you, I wonder? How interesting…" 

As he thought, a smile played on Izuna's lips, and he murmured softly. 

At this moment, he showed no trace of the obedient look he had when Itachi captured him. 

He exuded an aura of intellect. 

This aura wasn't the domineering presence of Tajima, but rather a feeling of being in control, planning everything. 

His demeanor made him appear calm and composed in the face of everything. 

Chapter 152: Serenity 

"They're fighting, how interesting..." Obito sat cross-legged atop a tree, his masked eyes, previously closed, slowly opening as he softly murmured. Then, his gaze pierced through the distance, as if seeing beyond illusion. His eyes were fixed directly on Izuna's location. 

"Nagato, I've located the One-Tails. The people of the Warring States period don't know about Tailed Beasts; they just call them giant tailed beasts." Konan gracefully descended from the air, her paper wings scattering in the wind as she landed. She then approached Nagato, who sat in his wheelchair, gazing at falling leaves. 

"If that's the case, then there's no need to rush. Let's go watch the show." Nagato's gaze subtly retracted from the sky, flickered at Konan, then settled back on the ground. It was as if he was slightly uncomfortable with staring at Konan for too long. 

"Alright..." Konan replied, her face expressionless but her tone gentle, her eyes filled with complex emotions. As a woman, truthfully, her heart felt a little weary right now. Nagato didn't speak again after Konan's answer, simply turning his wheelchair gently towards the direction his senses were drawn. The Six Paths of Pain, which he had re-collected, were rapidly reviving, infused with his vast chakra. 

The two traveled in silence, the Six Paths of Pain dispersed around them, enveloping them protectively. Konan quietly stayed behind Nagato, helping him push his chair. At this moment, Nagato's expression was complicated, though Konan didn't notice. Having arrived in this Warring States era, a doubt had begun to creep into his mind... 'After collecting all nine Tailed Beasts, will true, lasting peace really be achieved?' In history, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama of the Hidden Leaf, both hailed as "Gods of Shinobi," couldn't bring peace... All they managed was a brief, turbulent calm. After they died, chaos erupted, with endless, escalating wars. Each conflict was more brutal than the last. 

"Tobirama, the Uchiha clan is coming at us fiercely again this time. Do you have any brilliant strategies?" Sensing the activity at the ore site and receiving intel that many Uchiha clan members had left their territory, Senju Butsuma took a sip of his tea, glancing past Senju Hashirama and turning to Senju Tobirama, who was idly toying with a kunai. As for his eldest son, Senju Hashirama, he was basically hopeless. Only his second son, Senju Tobirama, inherited his excellent intellect. Especially since he already disliked Senju Hashirama for getting tangled up with that Uchiha brat, it only fueled his internal frustration. Now, in his eyes, Hashirama was just completely irritating. It was like the difference between going home for the New Year with a girlfriend versus going home alone. Or the difference between the attitude when you first arrive home and after you've been there for a while. 

"Why ask me, Father? Haven't you already made your preparations?" Hearing Senju Butsuma's direct address, Senju Tobirama didn't even lift his head. He leaned back in his chair, using his kunai to pick at his nails. It wasn't that he was being lazy or arrogant in this situation. It was just that he'd been researching jutsu late into the night, and he was quite tired. A closer look would reveal his eyes were crisscrossed with countless bloodshot veins. 

"Oh? Tobirama, you figured it out?" Senju Butsuma was slightly surprised by Tobirama's words. The teacup he was about to bring to his lips paused in mid-air, a flicker of interest in his eyes. His second son was smart, but he rarely got involved in affairs and usually didn't care much for these battles. Butsuma didn't realize that the young Tobirama, knowing he couldn't contribute much in terms of direct combat, was instead focused on researching the Uchiha clan's weaknesses and developing experimental jutsu specifically designed to counter them. In his spare time, he also gathered considerable information on Madara and Izuna from this era, planning to hit the Uchiha clan hard and unexpectedly when his time came to step onto the battlefield. Right now, he was simply biding his time, accumulating strength. Those who know, know. 

"The Uchiha clan and our Senju clan are mortal enemies. We've been fighting for thousands of years. How could they not show up wherever we do?" Hearing Butsuma's words, Senju Tobirama casually glanced around the main hall, then spoke indifferently. With his elder brother Hashirama keeping things calm, it was better for him to remain cautious. He didn't want to accidentally alienate his brother's supporters. He certainly didn't want to become a clan leader without influence. While it was usually the eldest son who became leader, there were exceptions, with a direct successor taking the position. He didn't want to get caught in that kind of pointless internal conflict. So even if he saw things clearly and had many ideas in his mind, now wasn't the time to show off. 

Listening to his father and younger brother's conversation, Senju Hashirama lowered his head, a dark cloud hanging over him. Deep down, he was already drawing sad circles on the floor... 'Don't ignore me, you jerks...' As Hashirama thought, he recalled a certain figure and began to drift off into his own world. This situation was exactly what Madara had told him: the next time they met, it would be the real deal... He still hadn't figured out how to fight Madara. Hearing Tobirama's seemingly obvious answer, Senju Butsuma felt a slight flicker of displeasure. This brat! When they were alone, he had plenty of ideas. But as soon as they were discussing things in public like this, he'd start playing dumb, never helping Butsuma save face. At that moment, both of his troublesome sons seemed useless. He found himself missing the sons he had lost. If they were still alive, how lively and valiant things would be... Sometimes he wondered if the son who inherited his brilliant mind had perhaps died by accident... leaving behind these two older, useless ones. 

"Alright, send up the signal flares. Prepare to trap the Uchiha clan like turtles in a jar!" After a moment of silence, Senju Butsuma took a sip of hot tea. Setting the cup on the table, he stood up, radiating an undeniable aura of authority, and issued his command. At this moment, he seemed like a completely different person than he had moments before. 

"Yes, sir!" As Senju Butsuma's words faded, the core members of the Senju clan dispersed, clearly going to prepare. Senju Butsuma gazed deeply at the night sky, praying that this time, they could truly land a significant blow on the Uchiha clan. In the past, he'd always favored head-on assaults, lulling the Uchiha clan and Uchiha Tajima into a false sense of security. Because even without tactics, the Senju could go toe-to-toe with the Uchiha, fighting to a four-six split. Having lulled the Uchiha for so long, it was finally time to spring the trap. Perhaps they could crush the Uchiha clan in one fell swoop and usher in a new era. 

Compared to the usually straightforward Senju clan, the Uchiha clan was slightly more inclined to employ strategies. Of course, the Uchiha clan used to prefer direct confrontation too. However, during one of their head-on clashes with the Senju, their home base was secretly raided. If Madara hadn't escaped with a young Izuna and brought him the news, the Uchiha clan would have virtually no young descendants left today. That particular 'decimation' plan nearly caused a devastating generational gap for the Uchiha clan, almost leading to their extinction. 

Chapter 153: The Abnormal Senju Clan 

"Why are there so many chakra signatures heading toward the battlefield?" 

Itachi's leisurely pace came to a halt, and he muttered to himself in surprise. He stood on the ground, staring into the distance. 

"Oh no, can the Six Paths of Pain still be used here?" 

Itachi's gaze slowly returned as he considered some unpleasant possibilities. Moments later, he stopped his thoughts and quickened his steps. 

--- 

### Madara and Tajima's Wait 

"Why haven't the Senju arrived yet?" 

Uchiha Tajima murmured to himself from a tree, the dense branches around him obscuring the night. Beside him, Madara was somewhat lost in thought, half-crouching on a branch. 

Madara's mood was complex at the moment. On one hand, he hoped their ambush would succeed, especially with Hashirama involved. On the other hand, he didn't want Hashirama to be successfully ambushed. After all, once the battle began, he wouldn't be able to protect Hashirama even if he wanted to. 

--- 

"Clan Head, the Uchiha clan is likely in that forest. Our spies haven't infiltrated the core of the Uchiha, so their information is limited." 

On a hill not far from the Uchiha's ambush site, Senju Butsuma stood at the forefront, looking at the distant forest. Behind him, members of the War Intelligence Bureau were reporting the situation. 

Senju Butsuma's face was clouded, and his expression was grim. Although he had spoken casually during the meeting, there was nothing easy about the life-and-death struggle of two warring armies. His demeanor was merely to instill confidence in his clan members. 

"You've been searching for half a year. Have you managed to catch all the Uchiha spies who infiltrated our outer perimeter?" 

After a long pause, Senju Butsuma looked at the person behind him with sharp eyes. This battle had been prepared for a long time. Since his clan member had just mentioned spies, he asked again. He asked mainly for his own peace of mind. 

This time was different from before. Almost all of those present were Senju clan members; there were no members of vassal clans, nor any other ninja from different clans fighting alongside them for other reasons, apart from a few low-level material transporters. 

--- 

"Please rest assured, Clan Head. I've followed your orders to have the controlled spies transmit false information, and those who were useless have been dealt with. Therefore, this plan is foolproof." 

Hearing Senju Butsuma's words and seeing his gaze, the man's heart tightened slightly. He lowered his head slightly and said solemnly. 

Senju Butsuma saw the confident expression of his clan member and said nothing more. 

Instead, he gave a deep look at Hashirama and Tobirama by his side, both of whom were quite heroic. They were now clad in full plate armor, carrying long swords on their backs, displaying the same heroic bearing he once possessed. 

Moments later, Senju Butsuma turned around and waved his large hand. 

--- 

The dense crowd behind him scattered like birds and beasts. From high above, these dispersing figures were trekking, preparing to envelop the forest ahead. 

Senju Butsuma's idea was to surround them, then use explosive tags and other ninjutsu to catch the Uchiha off guard, directly inflicting heavy casualties on them. 

If the Uchiha clan tried to retaliate, they would be met with attacks from all directions from the Senju clan. 

With such an attack, the Uchiha clan's lower-tier combatants would essentially be instantly annihilated. If Uchiha Tajima charged in recklessly, this would essentially be their last major battle. 

--- 

### Obito and Izuna's Perplexity 

"Uchiha Madara, where are you…" 

Obito had now concealed his presence, hiding in the forest, searching for Uchiha Madara's figure. He planned a surprise attack to eliminate Uchiha Madara instantly, to avoid any further complications. 

"Second Young Master, things are done here, and the Senju reinforcements haven't arrived yet." 

Uchiha Izuna sat on a thick tree trunk, leaning against the tree, his legs crossed. He was chewing on a wild blade of grass he had picked up from somewhere, his eyes gazing into the distance. 

Behind him, a masked bodyguard appeared, reporting the situation on the battlefield. 

"Oh, you can go now… don't disturb my view…" 

Hearing his subordinate's words, Izuna waved his hand, his body and expression showing no change. 

--- 

Sensing his subordinate's departure, Izuna's lips slowly curved into a smile. He seemed to be thinking of something pleasant and enjoying this rare moment of leisure. 

But the smile didn't last long before it vanished, replaced by a deep furrow in his brow. 

"Senju clan, what are you doing? Why aren't you coming? Are you really going to abandon the reputation and prestige your clan fought so hard to build?" 

Izuna sat upright and murmured softly. He vaguely felt that something was wrong. This was too unlike the Senju clan's usual style. 

As the saying goes, "An unusual event signals something sinister." He felt it wasn't that simple, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong. 

"Right, why is there still no movement from Father's side? Could it be… the Senju clan went to raid our home?" 

As Izuna pondered, he suddenly thought about his father's lack of movement. 

Izuna was reminded of an unpleasant childhood memory. 

--- 

"Seventh Brother!" 

From the now empty, blood-stained mine, Izuna's roar echoed. 

--- 

"What's the Senju clan doing? Logically, after the Senju clan sensed the mine was taken, they should have charged over like mad bulls, as if their ancestral graves had been dug up. Why haven't they come yet?" 

Uchiha Tajima looked in the direction of the mine, then in the direction of the Senju clan, and then quietly activated his sensory abilities. Although his senses were active, he didn't probe too far. The Senju clan's sensory abilities were extremely powerful, and if he were accidentally discovered, he would have wasted half a day for nothing. 

"This is…" 

Obito, who was searching for Uchiha Madara, felt a fleeting sensation, like a gentle breeze, and instantly pinpointed Tajima's location. His own sensory abilities were originally mediocre, but ever since he incorporated half of White Zetsu's body, this newfound ability was like adding wings to a tiger, making him incredibly pleased. 

Chapter 154: Battle Commences 

Tajima's sensory scan, like a bolt from the blue, jolted Butsuma, who stood as still as a statue. Immediately, Butsuma reined in his and his two sons' chakra signatures, making them as inconspicuous as dead fish. He wasn't sure if Uchiha Tajima could detect them, but he knew it was almost time to make their move. If they hesitated any longer and were discovered, the whole plan would likely fall apart. 

"Hm?" Uchiha Tajima's eyes, which had been closed, snapped open in surprise for a moment, then shut again. Immediately, an overwhelming wave of his own sensory chakra spread out from him. He had sensed a slight abnormality and unleashed his full sensory capabilities. Compared to ambushing the Senju, being ambushed himself would be far more disastrous, so he didn't even need a moment to consider. Tajima's chakra, shining like the brightest star in the night sky, instantly signaled Butsuma. Without a shred of hesitation, Butsuma yanked the signal flare tightly clutched in his hand. A loud boom followed, and a burst of fire shot into the sky. The fireworks exploded, and the Senju clan crest shone brilliantly in the mid-air. 

"Damn it! An ambush! All units, alert!" Seeing the signal flare in the distance, Uchiha Tajima roared, his chakra flaring immediately. However, his heart sank like a stone... In his perception, countless chakra signatures were erupting... Compared to the chakra waves coming from all directions, his own clan members were clearly too slow... 

A few seconds later, Earth Style and Water Style jutsu surged from all directions, rushing into the forest where the Uchiha were hiding. While most Uchiha clan members specialized in Fire Style, the Senju clan favored Water and Earth, with most members possessing those two affinities. Moreover, the Senju clan had a quantitative advantage in chakra and formidable physiques. By the time the Water and Earth jutsu drew near, the Uchiha's Fire Style was only just making its belated appearance. Many ninja were immediately overwhelmed. Compared to other ninjutsu, low-level Water and Earth jutsu had limited lethality. However, before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, explosive tags, slightly slower than ninjutsu, were thrown into the forest by kunai. 

"What a beautiful display of fireworks... Compared to the Uchiha's Fire Style, which was extinguished by Water Style, explosive tags are far more reliable." Senju Butsuma, with his two sons in tow, leisurely approached the battlefield with the air of a true master. Such petty tricks were only for clearing out the small fry; the real masters had to be hunted by masters like him. 

"SENJU BUTSUMA!" Butsuma's arrival, as the Senju clan members parted for him, was immediately spotted by the disheveled Uchiha Tajima. A furious roar followed. 

Compared to the tense standoff between the leaders, the surrounding area had already devolved into a chaotic clash of taijutsu and ninjutsu. While the Senju clan had abundant chakra, their taijutsu was far more refined than their ninjutsu. If Uchiha Tajima hadn't detected the ambush early, the casualties from a direct Senju surprise attack and close-quarters combat would have been far higher than those from simply throwing ninjutsu and explosive tags. Of course, while the Uchiha clan's physical prowess was somewhat inferior, they could hold their own in short exchanges. As long as the fight wasn't decided in an instant, they could generally hold their ground or parry. After all, the clan members Tajima brought with him were mostly those who had awakened their Sharingan. And those with the Sharingan could generally easily see through an opponent's taijutsu movements. 

"Heh heh, Uchiha Tajima, you're still as hot-headed as ever." Seeing the exasperated Uchiha Tajima and the fallen Uchiha clan members around them, Senju Butsuma, who had initially felt a bit displeased, now felt as satisfied as if he'd just eaten candy. 

"Since when did your Senju clan stoop to such underhanded tactics...?" Seeing Butsuma's smugness, Uchiha Tajima was furious, but halfway through his retort, he remembered that his own methods weren't exactly honorable, so he didn't continue. 

Compared to the struggle between the two clan heads, Madara and Hashirama simply stared at each other, their eyes brimming with complex emotions. Senju Tobirama, after scanning the area and failing to find Izuna, frowned slightly. Then, as if something clicked, he understood why Izuna wasn't there. 

At this realization, he began to size up the young man opposite him. That was the young clan head of the Uchiha; if he could be taken down, the Uchiha clan would practically crumble... But halfway through his observation, he noticed Madara staring directly at him. Tobirama paused. Then Tobirama looked at his elder brother and saw that his brother was gazing at Madara with a lovesick expression... Goosebumps erupted all over him. He instinctively wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and his useless elder brother. But remembering this was a battlefield, with many eyes on them, he knew he couldn't do that. With this in mind, Tobirama braced himself and took two steps forward, then stood in front of Hashirama... blocking the two rivals' intense stare-down... 

"Who are you...?" Senju Tobirama looked at Uchiha Madara's murderous eyes and heard his older brother's confused question behind him, a dark vein throbbing on his forehead... 'Can I really entrust the Senju clan to Big Brother...?' At that moment, he felt an immense pressure. At the same time, he was a little curious about what was going on with Uchiha Madara. Last time, Madara was full of bloodlust, but now... 

Chapter 155: Obito's Arrogance 

After a few seconds of standoff, Uchiha Tajima felt the surrounding battlefield becoming increasingly unfavorable. Their Uchiha clan had lost the advantage of terrain, and their formation had been disrupted by the earlier surprise attack. 

At this moment, he also felt a subtle sense of dread. He felt that if they retreated now, many more lives would be lost. The only way to break this deadlock, perhaps, was to take down that annoying Senju Butsuma. 

Thinking this, Tajima slowly drew the long sword from his back, preparing to see if Senju Butsuma had improved. 

"Tajima, old fool, are you preparing a last-ditch effort?" 

Seeing Uchiha Tajima's movement, Senju Butsuma sneered. His hand movements were unhurried as he gripped the sword at his waist. 

--- 

Clan Leaders Clash 

"Watch out for sneak attacks." 

Senju Butsuma's figure shot towards Uchiha Tajima like an arrow leaving a bow, leaving behind only his deep voice, tinged with a hint of concern. 

Senju Butsuma's figure was like a phantom, reaching Uchiha Tajima in the blink of an eye. 

Uchiha Tajima's face was calm, his eyes blood red. He had clearly activated his three-tomoe Sharingan. When the fighting started, he was incredibly focused, with no time to argue with that old fool, Senju Butsuma. 

--- 

The force of Senju Butsuma's charge was blocked by Uchiha Tajima. The long swords between them were squeezed into an exaggerated arc, as if they could break at any moment. 

"Tobirama…" 

Just as the two clan leaders began to fight, Senju Tobirama didn't stand idly by. He charged towards Uchiha Madara. 

The sword in his hand aimed directly at Madara's throat. Clearly, he was quite displeased by Madara glaring at him earlier. 

Hashirama regained his focus, and Tobirama's figure had already appeared before the mocking Uchiha Madara. 

After a few seconds of hesitation, Senju Hashirama reluctantly charged towards Uchiha Madara as well. No other reason, except that Senju Tobirama had been punched away. Compared to his charging speed, the speed of his flight backward seemed not so fast. 

--- 

"Has this guy's strength grown so much without anyone noticing?" 

Izuna, flying backward, had one eye slightly closed, the other intently watching Madara, his heart filled with turbulent emotions. 

"Young man, where's your aggression?" 

Madara's somewhat mocking voice appeared behind Tobirama, startling Tobirama's eyes, leaving him in disbelief. 

"How can the gap be this wide?" Tobirama muttered softly, his voice full of incredulity. 

"Madara, your opponent is me." 

Just as Madara's iron fist was about to strike Tobirama's face again, Hashirama's voice arrived, accompanied by a strong gust of wind and an iron fist. 

--- 

### Obito's Intervention 

"So this is what Madara looked like when he was young…" 

Obito, wandering the battlefield, stopped when he heard Hashirama's voice and looked deeply at the young man in mid-air. 

Compared to the aging Madara, this younger Madara, though slightly younger, was still exceptionally handsome and exuded a commanding aura, incomparable to his twilight years. 

Despite thinking this, Obito didn't hesitate. He formed hand signs, and thick wooden stakes shot towards Madara in mid-air. It was Wood Style from the start. 

Using Wood Style in front of Senju Hashirama—the thought itself was thrilling. He wondered if Senju Hashirama had Wood Style at this time. 

Obito's heart was filled with mischievous glee. 

--- 

"Madara, watch out!" 

Madara's fist, aimed at Tobirama, clashed with Hashirama's, and his figure slightly recoiled. Before he could land, he heard Hashirama's voice. 

Before he could react, he saw Hashirama quickly charge at him and push him away. 

He was completely stunned. 

Then he sensed the incoming attack and saw thick wooden stakes piercing directly into Senju Hashirama's lower abdomen. Fortunately, only half of them hit; otherwise, Senju Hashirama might have been killed by this attack. 

"Hashirama!" 

Madara, pushed away by Hashirama, hadn't even regained his footing before he charged towards Hashirama, accompanied by a heart-wrenching roar. 

Madara's voice instantly drew the attention of everyone on the battlefield. After all, the name Hashirama represented too much. 

"You scoundrel, how dare you!" 

Senju Butsuma clearly saw Hashirama's plight. He was now furious. Although he didn't think much of his son, only he was allowed to hit him. With someone else striking him like this, how could he sit still? 

This was also because his opponent was Uchiha Tajima, requiring full concentration; otherwise, who could harm his son right under his nose? 

Compared to Senju Butsuma, who didn't dodge his attack to save his dying son, Uchiha Tajima's heart was filled with mixed emotions, but he had no intention of stopping. The opportunity was rare; although it wasn't very honorable, compared to the loss of his clan members, this small stain was irrelevant to him. 

After all, this was already a battle of life and death; what need was there for dignity? 

Clearly, Butsuma had also put him under immense pressure earlier, causing him not to realize that the previous attack was aimed at his son and that Hashirama saved him. 

The long sword in Tajima's hand turned bright red, a technique involving fire nature chakra transformation. This sword strike was incredibly powerful. 

He was preparing to send off his old rival at once. 

--- 

"What a pity. I didn't expect Senju Hashirama to save Uchiha Madara." 

Obito stood atop a tree, looking like the flashiest guy around. He gazed down at the two great clans, Senju and Uchiha. At this moment, he could easily kill two gods of the ninja world. 

So, in some sense, wasn't he even stronger than a god now? 

Changing history, this was the moment. 

Chakra boiled, and ten massive wooden stakes shot towards Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. To achieve his goal, what was there to consider about sweeping away obstacles? 

"My nightmare, die…" 

Obito muttered, and the ten massive wooden stakes moved with tremendous force. 

--- 

"You little scoundrel, how dare you!" 

Tajima, who had been conflicted, instantly lost his hesitation. He instinctively condensed a technique in his hand and struck out at Obito in mid-air. 

How dare this guy try to harm his son right in front of him? 

Uchiha Tajima, filled with anxiety, watched as the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes rapidly transformed. 

He had originally planned to use this today, but he hadn't expected it wouldn't be used on Senju Butsuma. 

Sensing that Tajima's attack wasn't aimed at him, Senju Butsuma breathed a slight sigh of relief. He mobilized the chakra to his back for defense, and his speed increased by a few points. 

--- 

"This is…" 

Obito, who thought the situation was settled, paused. This was the aura of the Mangekyo Sharingan. It filled him with displeasure; his plan had taken another unexpected turn. 

However, despite this, Obito had no intention of giving up. The speed of the wooden stakes increased again. One of these two had to die. 

Madara, at this moment, paid no mind to the approaching wooden stakes. His eyes were only on Hashirama, who lay on the ground, his life hanging by a thread. 

His eyes were bloodshot. The three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly. 

--- 

### Tajima's Sacrifice 

"Madara, watch out!" 

Seeing his son not dodging but charging towards Senju Butsuma's unlucky son, Tajima was furious. 

He let go of the long sword in his hand, throwing it, while the pinwheel pattern in his left eye spun incessantly. A blue light appeared in the sky. 

"Absolute Zero…" 

Uchiha Tajima murmured, calling out the name of his left eye's dōjutsu. 

The wooden stakes in mid-air were instantly frozen, unable to move a single inch. 

Senju Butsuma, who had just kicked away one of the wooden stakes, paused slightly. He hadn't expected Tajima, that old fool, to have such a technique. 

A strange feeling washed over him, a fusion of murderous intent and other emotions. 

After all, as an old rival, Tajima had a new killer move, and he didn't. This was very shameful. 

And they were arch-rivals. Next time they fought, if Tajima used this move, how would he block it? 

At this moment, he absurdly thought, "Maybe my son isn't that important… I should go after Uchiha Tajima, and finish him off." 

After all, he was the strongest person in the Senju clan. If he couldn't defeat Uchiha Tajima, how would they ever compete with the Uchiha clan in the future? 

--- 

"This dōjutsu…" 

Obito's figure became ethereal. Just moments ago, he had been thinking of taking down Uchiha Madara, but now he felt a wave of fear. That dōjutsu, which seemed to freeze his blood in an instant, utterly shocked him. One wrong move and he'd be dead. 

He could only say, "He truly is Uchiha Madara's father, a tiger begets no dog." 

Seeing the wooden stakes frozen, Tajima had no time to rejoice before he felt a sharp pain in his left eye, followed by a slight warmth. 

A hot liquid flowed from the corner of his eye, quickly trailing down his cheek and dripping onto the ground. The outside world rapidly blurred. 

Panicked, he immediately stopped the dōjutsu. This was his first time using it, and he had no idea it had such side effects. 

Moreover, while this technique didn't consume much chakra, its consumption of visual prowess was terrifyingly high, as if he were going blind. Of course, this was just his first time facing such a backlash, a fear of the unknown. 

--- 

Their respective key members rushed towards their clan leaders and young masters, surrounding them. 

At last, they had caught up. 

This forced Butsuma, who had been torn, to reluctantly give up. 

Of course, there was also the reason that the old fool was exhausted and disheveled after using one ninjutsu. 

It was good that such a powerful technique came with a heavy price. This meant Tajima couldn't just use it whenever he wanted. 

"You disgraceful fool, get back here!" 

Uchiha Tajima, fearing Madara would be attacked again, grabbed him and looked furious. This unlucky son… Didn't he see that his old man was already there? Was he trying to get himself killed by going over there now? 

--- 

"You guys seem to be ignoring me, damn it…" 

Obito, who had been the center of attention, felt that fewer eyes were on him and became displeased. He instinctively used Kamui to avoid damage, feeling ignored. 

Did they not think his Kamui was incredibly cool? 

Of course, these were just random thoughts in Obito's mind. Once such thoughts arose, they were chaotic and baseless. 

--- 

A New Threat 

"What stray cat or dog dares to attack my Senju clan? Who are you? Take off your mask and speak!" 

Butsuma, having checked that Hashirama was only unconscious and not in great danger, spoke in dissatisfaction at Obito's barking. 

"Heh heh…" 

Obito laughed at Butsuma's words. 

At the same time, the Mangekyo Sharingan in both of his eyes began to spin violently. 

A large expanse of black flames suddenly appeared among the Senju clan members. 

"Ah! What is this!" 

Obito's counterattack left Butsuma stunned. What was this again? It seemed like ninjutsu but wasn't; and then there was that wood earlier. When did the ninja world gain so many things he didn't understand? 

For a moment, Butsuma felt like he was old and couldn't keep up with the times. 

Especially since even Water Style couldn't extinguish those black flames. 

--- 

"The rat has appeared…" 

Just as Obito was about to mock them, a deep voice appeared behind him. 

Accompanying it was a sharp pain in his eye socket. 

"What…" 

Obito was confused by the person who suddenly appeared behind him. 

A moment of bewilderment. 

The black flames rapidly dissipated. 

His eye… had been gouged out. The very eye that released Amaterasu. 

He couldn't imagine who could attack him at this moment and completely evade his sensory abilities. 

---