Chapter 71: The Senju's Ambush
The man who stepped into the firelight was none other than the patriarch of the Senju clan himself, Senju Butsuma.
"I am curious, Patriarch Butsuma," Uchiha Raizen said, forcing his voice to remain calm and level. "Have you come all this way to offer your congratulations?"
"I have come to deliver a message," Butsuma countered, his voice like grinding stones. "And after that message is delivered, you will all be my… guests… at the Senju compound."
Hearing this, the pieces snapped together in Raizen's mind. Senju Hashirama had undoubtedly achieved a level of power that rivaled the current patriarchs. Butsuma was seizing this moment of perceived Uchiha weakness—while they lacked a direct counter to Hashirama—to strike. The two years of peace had merely been a cultivation truce. Now, with his son's unprecedented growth, Butsuma was no longer willing to wait. The humiliation of his heir being held hostage for two years festered within him, and this wedding procession, isolated and vulnerable, presented the perfect opportunity to settle the score.
Raizen's eyes flickered to the six Uzumaki clansmen. Except for Yana, who stood protectively beside Madara, the other five had subtly shifted their position, moving closer to the Senju lines. This was no chance encounter. This was a carefully orchestrated trap, likely set in motion the moment the Uchiha marriage proposal was sent.
"And if our answer is no?" Uchiha Madara snarled, stepping forward, his Sharingan already spinning with furious crimson light.
"You are in no position to refuse," Senju Butsuma stated flatly. "Resistance will only mean I am forced to use… persuasive measures." As he finished speaking, a torrent of killing intent erupted from him, a palpable, suffocating aura forged through decades of bloody warfare. For those of weaker will, the sheer pressure was enough to paralyze them.
"Hah! Uchiha warriors die in battle! We do not become prisoners!" Madara roared, his chakra flaring in defiance.
Raizen, however, was not as optimistic as the enraged heir. They numbered barely two dozen. The Senju force surrounding them numbered in the hundreds. And they were led by one of the most fearsome shinobi alive. In a direct confrontation, his clansmen would be slaughtered in minutes.
"Madara, we should—" Raizen began, trying to advocate for a tactical retreat.
"Attack! Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Madara ignored him, unleashing a massive orb of fire straight at Senju Butsuma.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!" Butsuma responded instantly, a powerful torrent of water erupting from his lips to meet the flames with a furious hiss of steam.
The signal given, both sides erupted into motion. Shinobi clashed in the smoky clearing, the sounds of steel meeting steel and explosive tags filling the night. Senju Butsuma, however, did not join the general melee. His gaze remained locked on Uchiha Raizen.
"Really, you leave me no choice," Raizen muttered. He bit his thumb and slammed his hand onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
With a large puff of smoke, the massive, translucent form of Katsuyu, the Slug Queen, appeared beside him.
"Lady Katsuyu, I apologize for the abrupt summons. We require your assistance."
"Of course, Raizen-sama," the gentle voice echoed in his mind.
Instantly, the great slug split into over a dozen smaller copies. One settled onto Raizen's shoulder, while the others zipped through the chaos to land on the shoulders of the other Uchiha fighters, ready to provide healing and chakra support.
"So, it is true, what Hashirama sensed," Senju Butsuma mused, his eyes narrowing. "You have also tread that path. But do not think mastering the same art as my son will save you. Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
He wasn't going to let them stall. They were only a day's travel from Uchiha territory. If reinforcements arrived, this would turn into a protracted war of attrition. His goal was clear and immediate: capture Uchiha Madara. Everything else was secondary. The honor of the Senju clan demanded it.