Chapter 21 Declaration of War
In the dead of night, all was quiet.
Yan Sheng silently slipped out of the Uchiha clan's territory and headed straight for the depths of the dense forest where he had hidden the body that day. However, calling it hiding the body was a lie; he simply dragged the corpse to a concealed thicket and didn't bother to properly remove any traces of it.
Upon arriving at the location, Yan Sheng found only traces of the collapsed area and a few drops of dried, dark brown blood.
The body has disappeared.
Two possibilities: either it was dragged away and eaten by wild animals, or it was discovered and taken away by humans.
—Considering the dark thing’s unpredictable possession abilities and control methods, and the fact that it specifically chose the Thousand Hands Clan Chief’s younger brother… Yan Sheng leans more towards the latter.
Was taking the body to further provoke Senju?
Yan Sheng almost immediately understood Black Zetsu's possible intentions:
The corpse of a key Senju figure who died within the Uchiha's territory is itself the strongest evidence of suspicion. If this corpse were to reappear in some extremely humiliating manner... it would be enough to completely extinguish the last vestiges of Senju's sanity.
He should have disposed of the body and covered it up.
Yan Sheng scanned the scene expressionlessly, then left without lingering. His figure vanished into the shadows like a ghost, and he embarked on his journey back to his clan's territory.
His movements were incredibly light, each step landing precisely in the least noticeable and unmarkable positions, his breathing long and almost imperceptible, and he perfectly avoided all of the Uchiha clan's patrol routes.
This was certainly not the skill of a sickly five-year-old child; rather, it was the culmination of three hundred years of combat instincts and stealth experience. Even confined to a frail body, its essence remained. Moreover, the combination of breathing techniques and chakra granted him control far exceeding his current physical limits.
At the same time.
Outside the temporary burial place where Senju Masaharu's body was kept in the Uchiha clan compound, although the guards were strict, they could not prevent the invisible shadow from looming over it.
Black Zetsu, like flowing asphalt, slowly seeped from the cracks in the ground, coalescing into a blurry humanoid shape. It easily sensed and evaded the guards, slipping through their blind spots like smoke.
The barrier within the enclosure was rendered useless by it; it merged into the darkness and passed directly through the door.
indoor.
Senju Masaharu's body lay quietly on the stone platform.
Black Zetsu let out a silent, cold laugh. The pitch-black substance slowly covered the corpse, completely enveloping and assimilating it. Then, as if sinking to the bottom of water, it silently "melted" into the ground along with the corpse, leaving no trace.
After completing all this, Black Zetsu did not leave the Uchiha clan territory immediately, but instead possessed an Uchiha who was on duty and fast asleep.
......
As dawn broke, at the gate of the Thousand Hands Clan's territory, the guards who had worked the night shift were showing signs of fatigue, and were having a brief handover with the day shift personnel who came to relieve them.
Sudden.
A figure dressed in Uchiha clan attire burst out of the woods on the flank at incredible speed, heading straight for the gate.
"Alert!" the Thousand Hands Guardian exclaimed immediately, drawing his kunai in an instant.
However, the Uchiha did not attack directly. Instead, he threw a long, roughly cloth-wrapped object he was carrying on his shoulder toward the Senju gate.
The package rolled and unraveled on the ground, revealing a pale, stiff corpse inside.
Before the two Senju ninjas could recover from their shock and grief, the Uchiha ninja rapidly formed hand seals and took a deep breath—
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A blazing fireball shot out, but it wasn't aimed at any living person.
The flames instantly engulfed the body, and the pungent smell of burning flesh filled the air.
"Uchiha!!!" Senju roared furiously, his eyes wide with rage.
After unleashing his ninjutsu, Uchiha didn't linger. He turned and vanished into the forest at lightning speed. His entire action was swift and purposeful—not to kill, but purely to humiliate and provoke!
"Chase him! Kill him!" The enraged Thousand Hands, his eyes bloodshot, gave chase, but he couldn't catch up.
The remaining Thousand Hands stared at the charred, unrecognizable corpse, overwhelmed with anger and grief. Fortunately, he retained some reason and turned to call for the others.
***
Black Zetsu darted swiftly through the forest, sensing the overwhelming killing intent emanating from the Thousand Hands clan behind him, and let out a satisfied, hoarse laugh.
The plan was finalized.
......
Yan Sheng sat quietly in his room, his fingertips brushing across the pages of a book. Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the window.
He turned to look out the window, his dark eyes calm as an ancient well, yet a hint of understanding and coldness flickered in their depths.
Let's go back five minutes.
Outside the mortuary.
The Uchiha on duty was conducting his final inspection before the handover, as was customary. When he pushed open the door and his gaze fell upon the stone platform in the center of the room, his blood practically froze instantly—
The stone platform was empty!
The body of Senju Seiji, which should have been lying there as crucial evidence, has vanished!
"No, it's gone?!" The horrified exclamation attracted the attention of others.
......
The body was placed in a closed room, and no one would have broken in to check it without reason, so it was only discovered that it had disappeared at this point.
The news was quickly reported to Uchiha Tajima.
"Useless!" Enraged, Tajima slammed his hand down on the table, shattering it.
The Uchiha ninja on guard knelt on the ground, his face deathly pale and drenched in cold sweat: "Clan leader, please understand! I've been guarding the door the entire time, without leaving for a moment, and no one has entered or left! I... I really don't know..."
Tajima's sharp gaze almost pierced through the kneeling ninja.
With such tight security, how could a corpse just vanish into thin air? He almost began to suspect that the person before him had already betrayed the family! But... this boy's father was an elder of the clan, and he had watched him grow up; his loyalty was beyond question.
Suppressing his anger and doubts, Tajima finally shouted sternly, "Negligence in guarding! Severe punishment: confinement! Get out!"
The guards, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, retreated in shame.
Tajima's brow furrowed deeply. He absolutely refused to believe that anyone could infiltrate the clan's territory so perfectly, let alone steal a corpse right under the guards' noses without leaving a trace—unless their entire clan was blind!
There's a mole inside.
The idea slithered into Tajima's mind like a venomous snake.
A rigorous investigation targeting the entire clan was launched.
However, before Tajima could find any clues, Senju's challenge arrived.
A scroll bearing the Senju clan crest was nailed firmly to the Uchiha gate with a kunai. The Uchiha guard took it down, opened it, and his expression changed drastically after just one glance. He rushed to deliver it to the clan head.
"Clan leader! The Thousand Hands... the Thousand Hands' declaration of war!"
Tajima unfurled the scroll with a grim expression. The scroll contained vehement words, directly accusing the Uchiha of burning corpses and severely humiliating the Senju. He declared that this enmity was irreconcilable and that only a bloodbath of the Uchiha could quell his anger!
Tajima slammed the letter down on the table and had it passed around among the members present.
Madara Uchiha picked up the letter of challenge filled with hatred, his fingertips tightening slightly.
Just a few days ago, he promised his father that he would find out the truth, clear the Uchiha's name, and avoid war if possible, so that the Uchiha would not become someone else's "scapegoat." But... in the blink of an eye, war became a foregone conclusion.
But the truth is still nowhere in sight.
Tajima's gaze fell on his eldest son.
The boy was expressionless, his handsome features shrouded in an intense and heavy gloom.
Tajima sighed almost imperceptibly and said coldly, "Prepare for battle."
Moonlight shimmered on the river, torn into shimmering silver foil by the current. The trees on the opposite bank were reduced to blurry outlines in the night. Occasionally, a fish would leap out, breaking the silence and splashing a little water.
Time flies, and five years have passed.
Hashirama Senju, who once sported a rustic watermelon-shaped haircut, now has grown a head of long hair. His jet-black hair cascades down like a waterfall, straight and glossy, adding a touch of composure and majesty to his originally cheerful brows. Only the two signature strands of hair on his forehead still stick up playfully, vaguely revealing a hint of his youthful exuberance.
On the other side of the river, Madara Uchiha no longer sported his usual neat short hair. He had also grown his hair long, but the texture of his hair was completely different from Hashirama's smooth hair—his jet-black hair was even thicker, with the ends flying wildly, carrying a somewhat unruly arc. From a distance, it looked as if he was surrounded by a circle of silent burning black flames, further enhancing his sharp and imposing aura.
The two gazed at each other across the river, their long hair and clothes fluttering gently in the evening breeze.
Hashirama Senju opened his mouth and whispered to Madara Uchiha about the extremely humiliating scene that had occurred that morning.
"What?! You're saying that my Uchiha clan brought your uncle's body to the Senju Gate and burned it in public?!" Madara was utterly shocked and couldn't believe his ears.
Hashirama, suppressing his grief, said in a hoarse voice, "Madara, I believe you. But... could it be that one of your clansmen, harboring extreme hatred, did this in secret without informing you?"
Ban fell silent. He couldn't deny it immediately.
He knew better than anyone the Uchiha's fanaticism and extremism; their deep-seated hatred for the Senju clan was indeed enough to drive some members to madness. But... such a disregard for the interests of the entire clan was absolutely impossible.
Unless it's an inside job.
Speaking of traitors, isn't Father now suspecting that there's a traitor within the clan? ...The disappearance of Senju Masaharu's body is very likely the one Hashirama mentioned—the guy who burned Senju Masaharu's body at the gate of the Senju clan compound!
“I understand.” Madara’s voice deepened. “I will investigate immediately. By the way, Hashirama, could you describe the Uchiha’s physical characteristics?”
As the Senju clan's designated successor, Hashirama had long been involved in clan affairs and was naturally aware of everything that had happened that morning. He clearly described the provocateur's facial features.
Ban listened and, based on the description, quickly identified a suitable candidate in his mind.
"Okay, I understand." Spot nodded and said solemnly to Hashirama, "Wait for my news, and I will give you an answer."
Now that war between the Senju and Uchiha is a foregone conclusion, no one cares about the truth anymore. But Hashirama needs to know the truth, and he also wants Hashirama to know the truth.
***
When Uchiha Masahiko was summoned by Uchiha Madara, he was completely bewildered, not knowing why the young clan leader had suddenly summoned him.
As soon as he stepped into the room, he keenly sensed a heavy and oppressive atmosphere in the air.
Ban stood by the window with his back to him, and even just his back view exuded a chilling aura, as if a storm was brewing. Jiang Yan's heart sank slightly, and a hint of barely perceptible unease arose within him.
Ban didn't turn around, but simply gestured for him to follow, then led him into his study.
"Close the door." Madara's voice was calm and even.
Yan did as she was told, and the wooden door closed with a soft "click," as if isolating everything from the outside world, making the atmosphere inside the room even more stagnant.
Only then did Ban slowly turn around, his deep black eyes scrutinizing Jiang Yan from head to toe, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through skin and see right into his heart. He remained silent for a moment before speaking in a calm tone devoid of any discernible emotion:
"Your younger brother died on the seventh day of the sixth month last year in the battle against the Senju." Madara stated calmly, "Your parents died early. He was your only blood relative in this world. As far as I know, you brothers had a very deep bond."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan's face showed obvious confusion and a hint of barely perceptible pain. He didn't understand why the young clan leader had suddenly brought this up.
Madara didn't give him time to think, pressing on with a steady tone that carried an undeniable weight: "Do you hate the Senju?" He paused slightly, his gaze pressing down on Masahiko with a tangible intensity. "Or, let me put it another way—is your hatred for the Senju so intense that... you'd be willing to pay any price, disregard all consequences?"
A note from the author:
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A well-planned strategy is no substitute for perfect timing—I happened to be out just as Black Zetsu arrived, and we missed each other perfectly, otherwise I would definitely have discovered something.
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