This stark contrast in battle tactics between Izuna and Madara made the four northwest clans, who had suffered major losses against Izuna, realize the profound differences between the two Uchiha brothers.
"If given the choice, I'd much prefer Uchiha Izuna to lead the war."
Ryoukai Watanabe, the new leader of the Watanabe clan, thought to himself as he narrowly dodged a Wind Release attack from a Shimura clan ninja and countered with a Water Release jutsu.
Uchiha Madara's relentless aggression undoubtedly boosted morale on the battlefield, but as a leader, Ryoukai favored the calculated approach of Uchiha Izuna.
Such commanders aim to achieve maximum results with minimal losses, something Watanabe deeply appreciated, having already endured the horrors of a prolonged war. However, now as newly allied subordinates to the Uchiha, the four clans found it challenging to voice their preferences openly without risking strained relations.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"
Suddenly, Wind and Fire Release techniques combined, forming a massive fire tornado rivaling the power of an S-rank jutsu.
Madara, foreseeing the attack through his Three Tomoe Sharingan, swiftly drew the legendary Uchiha Gunbai from his back and used it to block the incoming inferno.
Boom!
The roaring flames swept past Madara, scorching everything in their path. After ten intense seconds, the fire dissipated, revealing Madara unharmed as he waved the remaining flames away with his fan.
"Is that the legendary Gunbai, passed down through the Uchiha clan?"
An older man with gray-streaked hair, appearing around fifty years old, leaped down from the front lines, accompanied by a middle-aged ninja with a fierce countenance. They were none other than Sarutobi Furukawa and Shimura Keizo, the heads of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
"Sarutobi and Shimura clan leaders have joined the battle!" exclaimed a Chunin from the Onikawa clan in shock.
Madara's lips curled into a smirk as he raised his fan, pointing it at the two leaders. "After hiding in the back for half a month, you finally show yourselves?"
Throughout the battle, Sarutobi Furukawa and Shimura Keizo had stayed behind, directing their forces from a distance, while Madara had led every attack personally. Seeing the clan leaders appear on the battlefield, Madara's disdainful remark was inevitable.
Shimura Keizo, maintaining a stoic expression, responded, "Uchiha boy, when I fought your father, Uchiha Tajima, you were barely out of the cradle."
Madara's smirk faded, replaced by a deadly seriousness. "Do you want to join him in the afterlife?"
Madara despised being belittled for his youth, and with no further words, he charged forward, wielding both his fan and scythe with a ferocious intensity.
As dawn's first light touched the windows, the Uchiha compound buzzed with activity. The clan members rose quickly, starting a new day filled with duties. While the warriors fought on the front lines, those in charge of logistics at the rear were no less occupied, managing supplies, guarding against raids, and ensuring the clan's operational stability.
Izuna's brief absence had caused a backlog of tasks, highlighting just how critical his role was.
Uchiha Sashu arrived at Izuna's mansion with a stack of documents needing review. He had already used the excuse that "the deputy chief was too exhausted" the previous night to justify the unprocessed paperwork. He knew he couldn't use the same reason again without arousing suspicion.
Sashu knelt at the door, just as he had the day before, and announced, "Deputy Chief, I've brought the documents that need your approval."
"Thank you. Please bring them in."
Izuna's voice responded from within, startling Sashu for a moment before his face brightened with relief. He quickly slid the door open, entering to find Izuna seated cross-legged at his desk, finishing the remaining reviews from the previous night.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing the surprised look on Sashu's face, Izuna asked without turning fully around.
Sashu quickly grasped the unspoken message in Izuna's gaze: his absence was not to be discussed. Realizing there had been no critical mishaps, Sashu bowed his head, replying, "Nothing, sir."
Izuna's implication was clear—he did not want anyone knowing he had left secretly. For a trivial matter like this, Sashu saw no reason to draw unwanted attention or risk displeasing the deputy chief.
Izuna began reviewing the morning's documents. The first scroll detailed Uchiha casualties and required medical supplies, while the second outlined the ongoing war efforts against the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
One report caught Izuna's attention: the Sarutobi and Shimura clans were heavily concealing their losses. Despite dispatching a large number of Jonin, the report showed they had lost as many as twenty elite ninjas, a significant blow to their fighting power.
Izuna immediately realized that Sarutobi Furukawa and Shimura Keizo were bluffing to mask their clan's weakened state, a tactic to prevent other clans with past grudges from sensing vulnerability.
Izuna knew better than to let this information spread, as it would only deepen the enmity between the Uchiha and these two clans, solidifying a never-ending feud.
(End of the Chapter).
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