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In the teachings of the Shinobi Sect, every clan member is an inheritor of Asura's will.
Even without Senju Hashirama's existence, they would never have chosen the Uchiha to act as the world's enforcers. Doing so would be akin to denying the sacrifices of their predecessors who had fought and bled for their beliefs.
Not even the Sage of Six Paths himself had the right to demand such a decision from them. If he did, he would risk losing the faith of his followers.
They chose to support Konohagakure partly out of respect for Hashirama, but more importantly, because they valued the village's prosperity and growth.
To nurture the Senju of the Forest and suppress the wicked Uchiha—this was the unwavering conviction held by every member of the Shinobi Sect.
Yet, just as they were about to act upon their beliefs, Hashirama, the very man seen by countless people as their beacon of hope, unexpectedly turned against them at a crucial moment.
Kaname staggered as he pushed himself up from the ground, his mind still dazed from the blow he had received. He could not comprehend why he had been struck so suddenly.
As confusion clouded his thoughts, he caught sight of the latest reincarnation of Asura. The man had silently approached the little Uchiha girl and crouched down beside her, his demeanor gentle as he offered comfort.
"Does it hurt?" Hashirama's voice was soft, carrying a warmth that was completely out of place in the tense atmosphere.
"It's not too bad, really. Thank you, Uncle Hashirama~" Uchiha Nagisa responded sweetly, her tone obedient and sincere.
Her instincts told her that this kind Senju, who shared a close bond with her father, bore no ill intentions toward her.
"That's good." Hashirama nodded firmly at Haruto, his expression bright with approval. With a broad smile, he praised, "You did well. Anyone who dares to threaten the village must not be spared."
Though these words were directed at his friend's son, they were also a clear warning to Kaname.
Hashirama would never forget the kindness the Shinobi Sect had shown him, but he would not tolerate anyone making a move against Konoha.
This was his absolute bottom line—an unshakable principle that no one, no matter who they were, could ever cross.
Those who did… would die.
Kaname took a deep breath, suppressing his impulse to continue fighting. He knew that the boy's dōjutsu was formidable—without using his full power, he would not be able to match him.
And as for the reincarnation of Asura standing before him…
No one understood the depths of Hashirama's power better than Kaname. Even if the man was nearing the limits of his strength, he remained an opponent Kaname could never hope to surpass.
"You are truly determined to reject the Shinobi Sect's proposal?" Kaname's tone was heavy, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
"I have made myself clear," Hashirama's face darkened, his calm gaze exuding an oppressive force that made Kaname feel as though a mountain were crushing down on him. "Anyone who seeks to interfere with Konoha is my enemy."
He turned his head, looking toward the distant battlefield where the sounds of fierce combat rumbled through the skies. His voice remained steady but carried an undeniable warning.
"You have ignored my will time and time again, and now you dare to lay hands on Konoha's shinobi in plain sight."
"Do you intend to leave this village alive?"
This was no mere question—it was an outright threat.
With both sides now tearing away any pretense of diplomacy, it was clear that Hashirama would protect the Uchiha, while the Shinobi Sect could never accept an alliance with their sworn enemy.
That left only one path forward: conflict.
The Shinobi Sect held themselves in high regard, believing that no matter which side they chose, their faction would ultimately dominate the shinobi world.
Konoha had simply been the easiest choice, not a necessary one.
If they so desired, Sunagakure and Kirigakure were options. Even Kumogakure and Iwagakure could be considered.
"Very well… Very well indeed." Kaname turned on his heel and swiftly made his way toward the outskirts of the village.
Every unit of the Shinobi Sect had their own assigned objectives during this operation.
Outright war was always the last resort—if they could achieve victory without bloodshed, it would be the ideal outcome.
Of course, he did not believe that the great shinobi villages would accept Konoha's rule without resistance.
Now that negotiations had failed here, he felt it was necessary to move quickly and seek out other nations.
"We're just letting him go?" Haruto frowned in dissatisfaction, clearly displeased with Hashirama's decision to let the tiger return to its mountain.
"It's not always necessary to fight to the death." Hashirama chuckled heartily, his demeanor shifting back to his usual, easygoing self. He looked like an old man burdened with the weight of the world—even though he was only in his early thirties.
Watching the powerful enemy retreat, Haruto let out a deep sigh. He knew the situation was far from optimistic.
The Shinobi Sect was utterly domineering. If they dared to attack the Hokage and his sister within Konoha itself, then what was there that they wouldn't do?
Those ancient texts were nothing but lies. The so-called benevolence of the Shinobi Sect was a sham. In reality, they were nothing more than a band of tyrants who did whatever they pleased, abusing their strength to impose their will on others.
If his father were still alive, those bastards wouldn't even dare step foot inside Konoha's borders.
"In the end… it's because I'm still too weak."
"Even with my Complete Body Susanoo, I can barely reach the initial stages of the Super Kage level."
"This won't do. I need to train harder."
"My father was able to suppress the Senju back then, and Ryūchi Cave played a crucial role in that victory."
"Using the Curse Seal to store the Senjutsu chakra… It seems I must make a trip there."
Determined, Uchiha Haruto resolved himself to shoulder the responsibility of protecting both Konoha and his clan.
---
Meanwhile, high above in the sky, Masaki, the envoy representing the Shinobi Sect, was still locked in an intense battle with Hyūga Yayoi.
He was neither an Asura reincarnate nor a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths—merely a powerful warrior recruited by the Shinobi Sect from the outside world.
Thanks to the Sage's arrangements, he and many others had slumbered for a thousand years, untouched by the passage of time.
Having spent centuries immersed in the Senjutsu-rich environment of Shikkotsu Forest, Masaki's already formidable physique had gradually evolved into one perfectly attuned to natural energy.
His mastery over Senjutsu was unparalleled. He required no special aids—by simply manipulating natural energy, he could soar effortlessly through the sky.
"Your attacks will never land on me," Masaki said with a smirk, shaking his head.
With natural energy at his command, he could predict his opponent's every move before it even happened. How could anyone possibly hope to challenge him?
No matter how powerful an attack was, if it couldn't hit its mark, it was meaningless.
Lifting a single hand above his head, he gathered natural energy and chakra, forming a rapidly spinning shuriken in his palm.
This was a technique created by Asura himself—one that required no hand seals and could be infused with any type of energy at will.
Without a doubt, it is an ultimate jutsu of the highest caliber.
"Such a boring trick." After exchanging countless blows, Hyūga Yayoi had already grasped the enemy's abilities.
As expected of a Shinobi Sect warrior—his strength was extraordinary. Even among Super Kage-level combatants, he was a force to be reckoned with.
There were very few people in the entire shinobi world capable of evading her Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion.
"The Shinobi Sect is indeed formidable." she thought to herself, momentarily filled with admiration. However, her hands did not slow in the slightest.
A brilliant golden beam erupted forth as the golden wheel shot straight toward the enemy's Senjutsu-enhanced shuriken.
When it came to a contest of raw offensive power, Yayoi had never feared anyone.
Senjutsu? Did they really think she couldn't use it too?
*BOOOOM!!!*
A shockwave burst outward, dispersing in all directions. Once the surge of energy dissipated, the enemy's figure was nowhere to be seen in the sky.
"Did they flee?"
Yayoi remained silent for a long moment before finally descending onto the rooftop of the Hokage Building.
"Relay my orders—declare a total manhunt for all members of the Shinobi Sect."
To dare launch an open assault like this—the Shinobi Sect had now placed itself in direct opposition to Konohagakure.
Their conflict had become irreconcilable, and a battle between them was now inevitable.
Since that was the case, she might as well take control of the situation from the very start.
"And another thing—immediately compile a list of ten grave crimes committed by the Shinobi Sect and make them public in a proper manner."
"The accusations can be anything. Stealing an old lady's underwear, prying open a widow's doors and windows—do I really need to teach you how to do this?"
Uchiha Kochou: "…You bitch. Who the hell are you trying to insinuate here?"
She had come to discuss countermeasures with Yayoi, yet the first thing she heard upon arrival was an indirect jab at herself.
A widow? So what?
Widows are popular—Kyōsuke-sama happens to like this kind! Does that make you mad?
Does it? Does it? Does it?
Without paying the slightest attention to the woman's grumbling resentment—because those perpetually unsatisfied types were always like this—Yayoi turned her gaze toward the distant sky.
There, remnants of a fierce battle between two super-Kage-level shinobis could still be faintly seen.
"A true war is coming," she murmured.
"Indeed," Kochou replied.
Standing at the peak of Konoha's power, the two women gazed upon the entire village, occasionally devising sinister strategies against their enemies.
To stand against Konoha, the Shinobi Sect would undoubtedly seek alliances with other nations.
In the worst-case scenario, Konoha might find itself pitted against four enemy forces simultaneously.
That would be the ultimate test of their war capabilities.
Compared to that, the conflict with Kumogakure had been nothing more than a mere skirmish.
---
To the north of Konoha—
Kaname was making his way toward Iwagakure.
"Damn Konoha… Damn Uchiha… I will make sure you all perish without a trace."
A thousand years of solitude had not diminished the bloodthirsty malice within him.
His brother's death had fueled his hatred, directing all his vengeance toward the entire Uchiha clan.
Had it not been for the bond with Senju Hashirama, he never would have come to Konoha in the first place.
But now, with all pretenses cast aside, he no longer had any reason to hold back.
Retribution was all that mattered.
After all, for reasons unknown, the Sage of Six Paths had ceased restraining anyone's actions.
As long as the objective was achieved, they were free to act however they pleased.
"That damned brat, and that wretched little girl… When the time comes, I will personally send you both to the underworld."
*BOOOOM!!!*
Before he could even finish his thoughts, an overwhelming force suddenly struck him.
Like a skipping stone, Kaname was sent careening across the ground, bouncing repeatedly before tumbling far into the distance.
By the time he finally came to a stop, his mouth was filled with blood and filth—his yellowed teeth nearly all knocked loose.
"Ughh… Damn it… Who the hell—?!"
His eyes darted around in search of his assailant.
Soon, his gaze landed on a treetop above him, where a man stood, looking down at him with utter disdain.
"You were just saying… you wanted to kill who?"
Uchiha Madara's voice carried the same arrogance as ever.
Though his body was not in peak condition, he was still in far better shape than Hashirama.
Thanks to the Outer Path Gedo Statue, which granted him an endless supply of life energy, maintaining his combat strength for a short period was no issue at all.
Initially, he had no intention of getting involved.
But then, a White Zetsu he had cultivated through the Gedo Statue had brought him an urgent piece of intelligence—
The Shinobi Sect had appeared in Konoha and had engaged in a fierce battle against the Hokage and Uchiha Haruto.
That alone was of little concern.
What truly set him off… was that they had attacked Uchiha Nagisa.
The memory of that beloved little princess, cherished by the entire Uchiha clan, surfaced in his mind.
Madara's gaze darkened.
If he didn't step in now, how could he ever be worthy of the title "Cool and Handsome Uncle"?
Kyōsuke's son and daughter both looked up to him with admiration.
And though Madara had no descendants of his own, he had long since come to see those two as his responsibility—ones he must protect at all costs.
He could turn a blind eye to many things. Wars could be fought if people wished for them. But there were lines that could never be crossed.
Just like Hashirama, Madara had his own red lines.
And whoever dared to cross them—
WOULD DIE.
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[Chapter End's]
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