"During the Warring States Period, what exactly allowed the Hagoromo clan to stand on equal footing with the Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki?"
The Hyuga clan with their Byakugan and the Kaguya clan with their Shikotsumyaku (Macabre Bone Pulse) were never ranked alongside those four major powers. Shiraishi had always been curious about the secret behind the Hagoromo clan's prestige.
"As one of the direct descendant lineages of the Sage of the Six Paths, the Hagoromo clan first gained possession of the Amanonuhoko (Heavenly Jewelled Spear) left behind by the Sage. Second is their unique talent for Talisman Crafting."
The Snake Queen (Shirohebi-hime) narrowed her eyes as she watched the vast ranks of the Hagoromo clan settling outside the Kingdom of Roran, explaining the clan's extraordinary nature to Shiraishi.
The Amanonuhoko was the "Heavenly Sword of Creation" belonging to the Sage of the Six Paths—a divine weapon that could only be wielded by one with a powerful "Heart-force."
In Shiraishi's original era, the authentic spear had long been lost; the version used by Uchiha Obito was merely a weapon mimicked through Yin-Yang Release.
Unlike other bloodline clans, a leader of the Hagoromo could only truly become the Clan Head if they possessed the Heart-force required to command the Amanonuhoko. Otherwise, they were unfit to lead.
The Amanonuhoko, huh...
Might be a nice weapon to snatch for Tomoko?
For some reason, seeing the burning intensity in Shiraishi's gaze, the Snake Queen knew exactly what he was plotting.
"I advise you not to try. The Amanonuhoko is not as simple as you imagine."
The spear's abilities were unique. Aside from the Sage of the Six Paths and the Hagoromo clan, no other lineage in the shinobi world—not even the gifted Senju or Uchiha—could control it.
It was precisely because of this weapon that the war to suppress the Hagoromo clan had dragged on for three years.
"There is no weapon or tool in this world that cannot be mastered. The Sage of the Six Paths has been dead for ages; why should the divine artifacts he left behind only be wielded by his bloodline descendants?"
Ever since the incident with Uzumaki Tomoko, Shiraishi's perception of the Sage had shifted. Since he had traveled to this era and encountered the decisive battle between the Hagoromo, Uchiha, and Senju, the Amanonuhoko had become a prize he was determined to take.
After the Hagoromo clan was eventually wiped out, Konoha went to great lengths to destroy all literature and records pertaining to them—a testament to how deeply the Hagoromo had scarred both the Senju and Uchiha.
Many members of those two great clans had perished at the hands of the Hagoromo. In fact, Senju Butsuma's fourth son, Senju Kawarama, died in battle against them. (The third son, Senju Itama, was the one killed by the Uchiha).
With blood debts piled high on both sides, the great reconciliation between the Uchiha and Senju saw Senju Hashirama invite the Hagoromo to join in building the Hidden Leaf Village.
They refused. The ensuing conflict lasted three years, and now, the Hagoromo had reached their breaking point.
From the start, the Hagoromo never believed the Senju and Uchiha would maintain their peace. They assumed even a brief alliance would crumble into betrayal.
They hadn't expected the "honeymoon period" between Madara and Hashirama to last so long.
Currently, the Leaf's influence in the heart of the Land of Fire was expanding rapidly, aiming for unification. The feudal lords supported by the Hagoromo were crushed within a month.
"The second ability you mentioned, Sage... Talisman Crafting? Is it just because their explosive tags are high quality?"
In Shiraishi's time, most of the craftsmanship behind talisman seals had been lost. The most common one remaining was the explosive tag; even the Lightning Talisman Shiraishi integrated into his ninja tools was one of the few rarities to survive.
The Snake Queen gave Shiraishi a reproachful look. "That joke isn't funny. In the early days of the shinobi world, talismans weren't limited to simple explosive or lightning tags. There were talismans with immense, reality-warping functions."
A thousand years ago, the Sage of the Six Paths obtained the Sage's Talisman (Amulet)—a treasure of Mount Myoboku—to revive his brother, Otsutsuki Hamura.
The two then joined forces to seal Kaguya. In that legend, that miraculous talisman of resurrection played the pivotal role in turning the tide of battle.
Each of the Three Great Sage Regions has its own inherited Sage Talisman. Mount Myoboku possesses the heaven-defying effect of resurrection, while the talismans of the other two regions naturally possess corresponding powers.
"What's with that look in your eyes?"
The Snake Queen finished her explanation only to find Shiraishi's eyes practically glowing.
"Lord Sage... ahem..."
Taking a step back, the Snake Queen looked warily at Shiraishi as he crept forward. "Don't stutter. What are you trying to say?"
Facing her defensiveness, Shiraishi scratched his head awkwardly. "How come I've never heard of Ryuchi Cave having a Sage Talisman before?"
"Our Sage Talisman doesn't have the power of resurrection. Besides, crafting them is incredibly difficult. In a thousand years, Mount Myoboku has only ever had one, and it cannot be remade.
As for the Ryuchi Cave Talisman, it is even more dangerous than Myoboku's—it is a unique existence that distorts reality and illusion. Don't even think about getting your hands on it."
She glared at Shiraishi fiercely. If he dared to persist, she looked ready to eat him alive.
By utilizing the unique Sage chakra to carve formulae into tags, the Sage Regions could produce incredible effects. Mount Myoboku's reached the level of Rinne Rebirth, reviving Hamura.
The Hagoromo clan inherited the Sage's talisman-making methods in their entirety, giving them a transcendent status during the Warring States period.
They possessed hundreds of varieties of tags: for strengthening, weakening, and even boosting Genjutsu, Taijutsu, and Chakra.
Furthermore, because controlling the Amanonuhoko required a complete mastery of Yin-Yang Release, the Hagoromo were masters of the secret arts. The Ino-Shika-Cho clans of the Hidden Leaf were actually distant branch relatives of the Hagoromo lineage.
Meanwhile, inside Roran, the contemporary Queen Sari (Saya), the future First Kazekage Reto (currently the Great General of the Land of Wind), and the high-ranking members of the Hagoromo were receiving a terrifying update.
"In this punitive expedition... Uchiha Madara has personally taken the field."
The mention of Madara caused the atmosphere to become suffocatingly heavy. Even the mighty Hagoromo clan paled in comparison to such a legendary powerhouse.
After three years of war, the Hagoromo no longer sought glory—they only sought survival. But clearly, Konoha intended to pull them out by the roots.
The current head of the Hagoromo, Hagoromo Suzumi, was the wife of the previous leader. Her husband's skull had been personally crushed by Madara on the battlefield; she knew his horror better than anyone.
"Lord Suzumi, harboring fear before the battle has even begun is a bad omen. The Uchiha's Genjutsu will crush your will instantly," Reto sneered coldly, his sharp eyes seeing right through her trembling state.
"You—!"
As they argued, a voice suddenly echoed through the conference hall: "Since you are all here, I won't waste any more time."
Uchiha Madara?!
In an instant, the entire conference center was engulfed in a sea of flames. The most legendary warrior of the shinobi world, Uchiha Madara, had arrived in the ancient kingdom of Roran!
Clad in his black combat suit and iron-red armor, he carried the Uchiha Flame Fan (Gunbai)—a relic passed down through generations made from the branch of the Divine Tree.
It was nearly indestructible and possessed the "Uchiha Reflection" ability, capable of rebounding ninjutsu back at the opponent—he had even reflected small Tailed Beast Bombs in the past.
This was Uchiha Madara at his absolute peak in the Warring States era!
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