Such a large amount of food would be a tempting prize for any clan. But it was impossible to transport it back. During the Warring States period, communication technology wasn't as advanced as it would be in the era of the five great villages, but that didn't mean intelligence wasn't valued. For a major operation like a food transport, the person in charge would send messages back to the clan via summoning animals or couriers every day, or even every half-day, to report that the process was secure. If communications were cut off, it meant something had gone wrong, and the clan would immediately send investigators. By then, not only would they be unable to move the grain, they'd run into Uchiha reinforcements.
*Crackle...*
The sound of fire filled the air as ten carts of grain were burned to cinders.
Shimura Ri walked over to Izuna, his tone much more respectful than before. "Mr. Tobi, what are your plans now?"
"I must return to our camp first, of course. Our four clans are also short on food. I hope the Shimura and Sarutobi will be able to send a shipment..."
Before Izuna could finish, Shimura Ri immediately took out a map from his robes. A route from the Sarutobi and Shimura lands to the encampment of the four clans was marked in red. "Rest assured, Lord Keizo has arranged everything. As soon as I return to the clan and report, we can transport the grain over and formally meet with the representatives of the four clans."
Izuna took the map. "Don't forget, our cooperation is a secret from the Hagoromo. We will meet you midway to escort you."
"The envoy your clans send should also be someone of significant rank. It is a good way to show the sincerity of our cooperation."
Shimura Ri nodded in understanding. "You can rest assured on that point. We will take our leave now."
After retrieving the bodies of their fallen ninja, Shimura Ri and his men quickly withdrew.
Not long after they left, Izuna removed his mask and cloak, returning to his usual attire. A small team led by Uchiha Zuoxiu arrived.
"Vice-Clan Head!" Uchiha Zuoxiu and his men bowed their heads in a simple salute. Their bodies couldn't help but tremble as they saw the burned remains of the grain and the corpses of the Uchiha ninja on the ground.
Izuna gave them a cool glance. "They completed their mission admirably. Retrieve their bodies and give them a proper burial."
"Yes, sir!"
As Izuna was about to leave, he remembered something. "By the way, we still have some Lapis Obsidian in the clan's inventory, don't we?"
Lapis Obsidian was a special type of ore that, when mixed into the forging process, could enhance the sharpness and durability of ninja tools. If used for carving, it could last for hundreds of years without deteriorating.
"That... I believe we do have some left," Uchiha Zuoxiu replied.
"On my orders, use it to craft a memorial stone. Carve the names of these fallen clansmen onto it, so that future generations may honor them."
Izuna's idea was an imitation of Konoha's future Memorial Stone—the very one Kakashi would one day speak of to his three genin, the one bearing the names of heroes like Uchiha Obito, Gekko Hayate, and Sarutobi Asuma.
"Yes, Vice-Clan Head." Lapis Obsidian was a precious ore for crafting weapons. Had it been for any other purpose, Uchiha Zuoxiu and the others might have objected, but for this, they had no complaints.
Soon, the team departed with the bodies of their fallen comrades. Their grief was fleeting; the dead are eventually forgotten by the living.
After Uchiha Zuoxiu's team left, Izuna put his mask back on and sped toward the Five-Clan Alliance's territory.
*This war is about to end!*
***
The Uchiha were facing a food shortage, but their opponents, the five clans led by the Hagoromo, were not faring much better.
***
Hagoromo Masanari decided to temporarily halt his attacks on the Uchiha. First, he would join forces with the four other clans and consolidate their food supplies. Then, he would choose a day to strike.
For half a year, Hagoromo Masanari and his people had remained wary of their four allies, but thankfully, no major incidents had occurred. The Sarutobi, Shimura, and Senju clans had also made no moves, allowing Masanari's frayed nerves to relax slightly.
"Lord Hagoromo."
At the sound of the voice, Masanari's expression hardened. Hagoromo Naoyasu, hidden in the shadows, quietly gripped the hilt of his katana.
"Tobi..."
As guarded as ever, Masanari asked, "What intelligence have you brought this time? Have the Sarutobi and Shimura finally decided to act?"
Izuna did not visit often. Over the past six months, he had appeared no more than five or six times, sometimes going an entire month without showing himself. But each time he came, he delivered critical and accurate intelligence, forcing Masanari to take him seriously.
"You guessed right. The Shimura and Sarutobi are preparing to officially enter the war!"
"What?!"
Both Masanari and the hidden Naoyasu were stunned. After half a year of inaction, they had begun to doubt the truth of Tobi's claims. But now, he had suddenly dropped a bombshell: the two clans were finally on the move.
"The Sarutobi and Shimura know you're short on food, so they've decided to send a shipment as a welcoming gift. Of course, this gift is only for the other four clans. It has nothing to do with the Hagoromo." Izuna chuckled, then continued, "At the same time, they'll be sending high-ranking members of their clans as envoys to formalize the alliance."
"How can I trust you?" Masanari demanded impatiently.
Izuna produced the map Shimura Ri had given him and tossed it to Masanari. "This is the supply route the Sarutobi and Shimura will be taking. The circle marks their planned meeting point."
Masanari quickly unfolded it. The route indeed began at the Sarutobi and Shimura clan lands and led straight toward his position. The circle was drawn around a small settlement called Liang Town.
"Tobi... no, Mister Tobi, have the Sarutobi and Shimura clans already set out?" After seeing the map, Masanari's form of address for Izuna had changed. With a map in hand, it was highly unlikely the man was still lying.
"Shimura Keizo has already dispatched high-ranking ninja from his clan to Liang Town. What you need to do, Lord Hagoromo, is intercept and kill them before they arrive."
Masanari paused, considered the logic, and nodded. But another problem immediately occurred to him. "But when the four clans arrive in Liang Town and find that the Sarutobi and Shimura's men aren't there, won't they become suspicious?"
Warfare involved far too many variables. Even if he eliminated the envoys from the two clans, the core problem wouldn't be solved. When the appointed time came and the other side failed to show, the four clans would likely suspect him. At that point, the Five-Clan Alliance would likely collapse into catastrophic infighting.
"That's why you must act quickly." Izuna dropped another bombshell. "The Uchiha have run out of food."
"The Uchiha are out of food?!" Masanari was shocked yet again.
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