Hagoromo Naoyasu's eyes narrowed slightly. "I suspect he's from the Shimura or Sarutobi clan."
A flash of understanding lit Hagoromo Masanari's eyes. "I see. So you're thinking the same thing."
The masked man had referred to Sarutobi Furukawa and Shimura Keizo as "Furukawa" and "Keizo," suggesting a familiarity between them. And just before leaving, he had muttered that he "can't be away for too long." The most likely reason was that he was a member of one of those two clans and had slipped away to meet them. He had to return quickly to avoid being discovered by Furukawa or Keizo.
"But if he really is from the Sarutobi or Shimura, why would he give us this information?" Naoyasu asked, puzzled.
Hagoromo Masanari pondered for a long while before answering slowly, "Perhaps he opposes Sarutobi Furukawa and Shimura Keizo."
"My lord, you mean..."
"Internal strife is extremely common within ninja clans. That masked man could very well be from a faction within the Sarutobi or Shimura that opposes the current leadership. He gave us this crucial information because he wants to use us to bring down Sarutobi Furukawa and Shimura Keizo." Masanari shook his head. "But this is all just speculation for now. The only thing we can do is wait and see."
"And what about the four clans?"
Hagoromo Masanari's eyes hardened. "Watch them constantly. We cannot let our guard down for a second!"
"Yes, my lord!"
***
What Hagoromo Masanari and his men didn't know was that after leaving their camp, Izuna didn't depart from the Five-Clan Alliance's territory. Instead, he turned around and, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, slipped into the encampment of the Kikawa clan, the one closest to the Hagoromo's.
Unlike the busy Hagoromo Masanari, who was engrossed in strategy, the new head of the Kikawa clan, Kikawa Kenji, had taken over from Kikawa Yoichi. He was currently embracing a buxom kunoichi of passable looks, occasionally engaging in certain... indescribable activities.
"Having a good time, Lord Kikawa?"
The raspy voice startled Kikawa Kenji so badly he immediately went limp.
*What a useless welp. No wonder he's only at the level of an elite jonin,* Izuna thought with contempt.
"Who are you?!" Kikawa Kenji shot to his feet. His first move wasn't to pull up his pants, but to snatch the katana from the table beside him.
"Relax. I'm on your side. I've come to share some intelligence that concerns not just the Kikawa, but all four of the northwestern clans."
***
It was only after returning to his room in Stonecastle that Izuna removed his mask.
*That Hagoromo Masanari fellow is probably eighty percent certain I'm from the Sarutobi clan by now.* A cunning smile touched Izuna's lips. He had spoken that way deliberately to lead Masanari to that very conclusion.
But this was only the first step. *If this spider wants to lure all these prey-like clans completely into my web, it will still take some time.*
***
It was noon on the third day. The season had long since turned to autumn. No matter how much one trained their body, they were still mortal flesh and blood. When the autumn wind blew, one couldn't help but shiver.
"Vice-Clan Head, we've intercepted intelligence from the Ino-Shika-Cho clans. All three have rejected Hagoromo Masanari's request for an alliance." The Uchiha scout delivering the report couldn't hide the joy in his voice. That the number of their enemies hadn't increased was undoubtedly good news.
*But the Sarutobi and Shimura are watching like hungry tigers...* Izuna thought, though he didn't say it aloud. Not even Uchiha Madara knew about his clandestine activities as Tobi, let alone the other clansmen.
Izuna then sent the scout to gather more information from around the Five-Clan Alliance's encampment. He learned that Hagoromo Masanari hadn't shown much anger at the Ino-Shika-Cho's refusal. Izuna understood his reaction. Thanks to "Tobi," Masanari was already suspicious of the four clans under his command. He could barely manage his current allies; adding three more to the mix would only create more chaos.
"Report!" Another scout appeared before Izuna in a flicker of movement. "Vice-Clan Head! Hagoromo Masanari is leading a force of five hundred to attack!"
Two months had passed since they'd arrived at Stonecastle in the northwest. Enemy attacks had become as routine as daily meals.
"Relay my orders," Izuna commanded with a wave of his hand. "Assume a defensive formation, same as always. Avoid fighting whenever possible."
However, the scout kneeling on one knee hesitated for a long moment, not once answering with a "yes." After a pause, the scout looked up. "Vice-Clan Head, it's been over two months. Aside from that first battle, we've been fighting defensively this entire time. Shouldn't we... be going on the attack?"
Izuna didn't answer. He just tilted his head slightly, his eyes cold, and stared down at the man. He didn't even activate his Sharingan, but the scout broke out in a cold sweat under his gaze.
"I... I will relay the order at once!" The scout quickly departed using the Body Flicker Technique.
*A bunch of impatient brutes,* Izuna thought, his expression dark. They couldn't even hold out for two months. With so little patience, how could they ever hope to defeat the Senju of the Forest?
The other clans of the Warring States period described the Uchiha as "madmen" precisely because of their reckless, life-or-death fighting style. But here, on the Uchiha's northwestern front at Stonecastle, under the command of Vice-Clan Head Uchiha Izuna, things were different. For four consecutive months, after one satisfyingly fierce battle upon their arrival, Izuna had ordered his clansmen to adopt a strategy of avoiding conflict in dozens of engagements, both large and small.
This strategy had stymied the Five-Clan Alliance led by the Hagoromo, preventing them from breaching the fortress. The two sides were locked in a stalemate.
The Uchiha forces at Stonecastle numbered around four hundred ninja. Izuna's defensive strategy had made many of them restless. They began to whisper amongst themselves that they should be on the offensive, that holing up like cowards was unbearable.
Just as these murmurs started to spread throughout Stonecastle, Izuna issued a new decree: "Those who engage in battle without authorization will be executed."
The order sent a chill through the entire army. No one dared to speak of attacking again.
However, even though Izuna had used his authority as Vice-Clan Head to silence the restless clansmen for the time being, a new problem was emerging. It was apparent from that morning's breakfast: the portions had been noticeably reduced. If even his rations as Vice-Clan Head were smaller, the situation for the others was undoubtedly worse.
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