Chapter 10 Yan Sheng: Hmm?
The lingering heat of the Fire Release technique still floated in the air, the scorching air currents swirling up fallen cherry blossoms in the courtyard, refracting a hazy halo in the sunlight. Yan Sheng's gaze followed the scattering petals, his thoughts drifting away.
If the explosive power of Fire Release could be integrated into Moon Breathing...
***
Because of his illness, Yan Sheng was closely watched by Jia Zhi, and coupled with his physical discomfort, he was indeed unable to do anything else. Therefore, he behaved very well for the next few days.
Five days passed in a flash. Yan Sheng's illness improved slightly, but the peace in the clan was shattered.
......
Spring, the season of renewal. The wild cherry blossoms by the river have bloomed, their pink and white petals drifting in the wind, floating on the water, and carried away by the murmuring stream.
Uchiha Tajima stood on the high platform of the clan's territory, gazing at the lush green mountains and forests in the distance.
Throughout the winter, for the sake of their clan's sustainable development, the Uchiha and Senju clans tacitly concealed their strength, and border clashes decreased significantly. But he knew this was merely an illusion of peace.
Uchiha Tajima sneered. He knew better than anyone that Senju Butsuma was not someone who would behave himself.
What a coincidence.
On the other hand, Senju Butsuma thought the same thing.
at the same time.
Deep underground, Black Zetsu emerged from the shadows, his jet-black body blending seamlessly with the rock face. He toyed with a kunai in his hand: one side bore the Uchiha fan emblem, the other the Senju clan crest.
“Humans are so stupid.” He grinned, revealing a sinister smile. “Just a tiny spark is enough to make them kill each other.”
He slowly sank into the ground, like a drop of ink seeping into rice paper, moving silently towards the direction of the Thousand Hands.
The land of the Thousand Hands Clan.
The clan chief, Senju Butsuma, was listening to his eldest son's report.
"Father, the border outposts have been redeployed." Hashirama stood before the map, pointing to several key locations. "If the Uchiha attack, we can respond immediately—"
"Clan leader! Something terrible has happened!" A ninja rushed in, "Our patrol team downstream of the Naka River... has been wiped out!"
The Buddha's face suddenly darkened: "Who did this?"
The ninja gritted his teeth and said, "The initial assessment is that it's an Uchiha. Besides the scorch marks left at the scene, there's also..." He trembled as he handed over a bloodstained shuriken with the Uchiha clan crest engraved on its hilt.
Hashirama clenched his fists tightly: "This is impossible! The Uchiha clan never—"
"What?" Senju Butsuma slowly turned his head, his cold gaze falling on the eldest son.
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
I can't say...
It cannot be said that he knew or befriended the Uchiha clan.
Hashirama lowered his eyes, suppressing all his doubts: "...It's nothing."
Senju Butsuma's gaze lingered on the eldest son's face for a long time before he finally let out a cold snort: "Prepare to retaliate."
at the same time.
The Uchiha clan also received the devastating news.
"Our supply depot in the northern forest has been destroyed." The Uchiha ninja who reported this knelt on one knee, his voice laced with suppressed anger. "Besides traces of Water Release techniques, we also found..."
He opened his palm, revealing a bloodstained shuriken with the Senju clan crest engraved on its hilt.
Tajima's Sharingan instantly turned crimson: "What a splendid Senju Butsuma!"
Madara stood behind his father, his brow furrowed. Something felt off. This winter, the two families had tacitly maintained their distance, and he had just met with Hashirama a few days ago, exchanging pleasantries. Neither family seemed inclined to break the temporary peace. Why this sudden change...?
There was no time for him to think it over; Tajima had already given the order: "Madara, take a team and intercept them upstream on the Naka River."
***
On the banks of the Naka River, the ninjas of the two clans clashed once again.
The scorching fire dragon's flames collided violently with the surging water barrier, instantly filling the entire battlefield with billowing steam. Through the white mist, Madara stared intently at Hashirama opposite him.
"Wait a minute!" Hashirama maintained a defensive stance with both hands, his voice filled with anxiety.
"Wait?" Madara sneered, glancing sideways at Izuna behind him who was fighting the enemy, before looking away, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "When you were attacking us, why didn't you tell us to wait?"
Izuna, who had been distracted by Madara, couldn't help but smile upon hearing this. He casually deflected a shuriken aimed at Madara's back, pleased that his brother hadn't been fooled by the other's words.
Hashirama keenly noticed Madara's fleeting shift in gaze. Following his friend's gaze, he saw Izuna and immediately understood. Without making a sound, he adjusted his position, and under the cover of the mist, made a gesture behind his back with his left hand, silently mouthing to Madara: "I understand!"
Ban's lips twitched, and he almost couldn't maintain his cold expression.
This idiot is still the same as ever, even in a tense situation like this...
The two pretended to fight.
A sharp water blade pierced the air, forcing Madara to dodge. In that split second, he and Hashirama exchanged a knowing glance.
See you at the usual place tonight.
Izuna vaguely noticed the subtle interaction between the two and frowned suspiciously. At this moment, the enemy attacked again, forcing him to concentrate on the battle and leaving him no time to think further.
After fighting for a while, Madara and Hashirama felt it was enough. The mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight shone down again. Madara watched Hashirama's retreating figure as he pretended to be defeated, his grip on the kunai tightening and loosening repeatedly.
They're putting on quite a convincing act.
Then, he casually unleashed a powerful fireball, while already planning his meeting that night.
far away.
The shadows of the trees swayed, and sunlight was cut into dappled patches by the dense foliage. Black Zetsu slowly emerged from the shadows, a cold smile flashing in his eyes.
"Fight... make the fighting even more brutal," he murmured.
The reincarnations of Indra and Ashura have finally appeared, namely, the current Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama. He has waited too long for this fateful showdown. It has not been in vain for him to deliberately intensify the conflict and hatred between the two clans over the years. As long as the reincarnation of Indra is consumed by anger and obsession, his plan can proceed smoothly.
After all, the Rinnegan is an essential key to unlocking the mother's seal. And to awaken these eyes, Indra's reincarnation must be plunged into complete darkness.
Black Zetsu grinned, a silent smile spreading across his face.
***
Midnight had passed when the moonlight was obscured by thin clouds, plunging the room into darkness.
The baby sleeping soundly in the cradle suddenly opened its eyes, its gaze clear and bright.
His body, still weak and unwell from his illness, was not yet fully recovered, but his senses were not diminished. His gaze was sharp as a knife, piercing straight towards the corner of the courtyard outside the window—
A cherry blossom petal moved strangely even in the absence of wind.
Why is it described as windless? Apart from this cherry blossom petal, all the surrounding grass leaves and petals remained motionless, but it seemed to be manipulated by invisible fingers, turning over strangely.
Then, black, viscous threads seeped from its edges and silently burrowed into the soil, as if it had never existed.
Yan Sheng: Hmm...?
A note from the author:
----------------------
In the original story, Madara and Hashirama were caught red-handed by each other's families before they became certain that they were from opposing clans (actually, Madara was unaware of this, as Hashirama had already discovered that Madara was an Uchiha).
This has been changed; both of them know x.
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