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Gulu~~
Hearing the loud protest coming from Uzumaki Mito's stomach, Izuna couldn't hold back his laughter and burst out laughing.
Uzumaki Mito's face turned as red as her hair, and she angrily shouted, "What's so funny? I haven't eaten since this morning!"
She had struggled through the entire night, then caught up on some sleep in the morning before starting to help Izuna practice. Before that, she had consumed a significant amount of chakra and energy.
Only now did her stomach protest, and it was surprising she had lasted this long without eating.
"I've got some dry food," Izuna said, standing up. He let go of Mito's hand and started rummaging through his ninja pouch.
The sudden disappearance of his touch left Mito feeling strangely empty. She quickly shook her head and clasped her hands in front of her chest, berating herself. Mito Uzumaki, what are you thinking? You even said you wanted to kill him to avenge Grandpa!
"This food isn't exactly gourmet. Will it offend the princess of the Uzumaki clan?" Izuna teased, holding out a piece of dried bread.
"I'm not that delicate!" Mito snapped, though a soft chuckle escaped her as she grabbed the bread and stuffed it into her mouth as if she were angry.
Izuna smiled, watching her. He handed her some water, saying, "Eat slowly, don't choke."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Mito started coughing violently just as Izuna finished his sentence.
"Stubborn woman…" Izuna muttered under his breath, stepping forward and gently patting her back.
The Uchiha and Senju clans were at war. This was the first major confrontation between Madara Uchiha and Senju Hashirama since they had risen as the most powerful figures of the Warring States Period.
Madara, due to his bond with Izuna, hadn't been using his Mangekyo Sharingan excessively, which meant he could likely endure the conflict for a long time. Izuna's condition, on the other hand, wasn't as strong. Before leaving the clan, Izuna had reminded Madara to contact him immediately if anything went wrong.
For now, the reports coming in from the battlefield indicated that both sides were evenly matched, giving Izuna some peace of mind to focus on mastering senjutsu and tracking down the tailed beasts.
Time flew by, and nearly half a month had passed.
At midday, Izuna opened his eyes from within Mito's sealing formation. Tadpole-like markings appeared on the corners of his eyes, a clear indication of having entered Sage Mode.
However, Izuna's Sage Mode wasn't yet complete. He had only learned to control the nature energy through the Jugo clan's methods, keeping it within a manageable range.
"This feels entirely different from before," Izuna muttered as he stood up, testing his body. He pulled out a kunai and gave it a few swift swings.
His strength and speed felt on an entirely new level compared to the past. Despite not being a sensory-type ninja, Izuna could now sense the movement of animals several miles away—an impressive enhancement from senjutsu chakra.
Still, what disappointed him was that his eyesight hadn't improved, at least not significantly. Sage Mode seemed to offer relief but not a cure. Perhaps the natural energy he harnessed from the Jugo clan's methods wasn't as effective as the regenerative cells of Hashirama Senju.
Regardless, this was a major breakthrough.
"So, this is senjutsu chakra?" Mito's voice interrupted his thoughts. She walked over and stared at the markings on the sides of his face with wide eyes.
"Thanks, Mito," Izuna said, placing his hands on her shoulders.
Flustered, Mito quickly shrugged off his touch, her face reddening. "Don't misunderstand! I… I only helped you because I'm interested in senjutsu chakra, not for any other reason!"
Izuna couldn't help but chuckle. Mito certainly had her tsundere moments.
Just then, an eagle screeched overhead. Izuna glanced up and saw it was the Uchiha clan's messenger eagle. He raised his arm for the bird to land on, then removed the small scroll attached to its leg.
Izuna's playful expression vanished as soon as he read the message.
"What happened?" Mito asked, noticing the sudden change in his demeanor.
"The Senju clan has mobilized," Izuna said gravely. "Senju Hashirama has led a group of five hundred Uzumaki warriors to the frontlines. They're being commanded by Uzumaki Wako and… your grandfather, Uzumaki Hiroyuki."
Mito's body trembled at the mention of her grandfather. It was highly unusual for elders like him to head to the battlefield, but his presence could only mean one thing: she was his primary concern.
After a long pause, Mito forced out a response. "Don't forget, you're my prisoner," she said weakly.
Izuna smirked and teasingly tapped her nose. "Is that so?"
Mito shot him a glare, though the look seemed more intimate than hostile.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield at Mountain.
In the Senju camp located on the eastern front, Senju Takema welcomed Senju Hashirama, along with Uzumaki Wako, Uzumaki Guanghai, and the other reinforcements.
The Uzumaki clan had committed not only troops but also Uzumaki Guanghai, and, more importantly, Senju Hashirama, the strongest warrior of the Senju clan, was about to make his grand debut in battle.
Hashirama wore a bitter smile, reflecting on the inevitable conflict between Senju and Uchiha.
After the initial formalities, Uzumaki Guanghai could barely contain himself and demanded, "Have you found any trace of my granddaughter, Mito, the fiancée of Senju Hashirama?"
Senju Takema responded, "Elder Guanghai, we've been investigating her whereabouts, but so far, we've found no leads regarding Princess Mito."
"How can that be?" Guanghai clenched his fists. "Could Mito have fallen into the hands of those Uchiha scoundrels?"
Senju Tobirama stepped in to reassure him. "Don't worry, Elder Guanghai. If Uchiha Izuna has captured Mito, he'll either use her to undermine our morale or as leverage in future negotiations. In either case, Mito's safety shouldn't be in danger."
Guanghai exhaled slowly, calming himself. "That better be the case. But we must rescue Mito as soon as possible."
Uzumaki Wako, the leader of the Uzumaki clan, then asked, "Where is your clan leader, Senju Kawaragi?"
Takema explained, "He's overseeing the northern front. If we can secure victory there, we'll gain a critical route to strike at the Uchiha."
"The clan leader is handling a side battlefield?" Wako and the other Uzumaki warriors were visibly surprised. Usually, the head of a clan would lead the main battlefield, leaving secondary fronts to lesser leaders.
Senju Tobirama, smiling, turned to his brother. "Our clan leader left full command of the main battlefield to you, brother. You're leading us in this war."
The Uzumaki were once again stunned. Hashirama had been given authority over the main battlefield, suggesting his power had now surpassed even that of the Senju leader himself.
Hashirama's smile only grew more bitter. He had no desire to fight Uchiha Madara, but there was no turning back now.
(End of the Chapter).
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