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Chapter 85 is out on patreon
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To tell the truth? Absolutely out of the question.
The System might be a bit of a troll sometimes, but it was his greatest trump card. It could never be exposed. Besides, even if he confessed about the System, the other party wouldn't believe him anyway.
Since every other explanation was full of holes, Xuan thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and decided to stick to one story and never let go.
He took a sip of tea, put the cup down, and spoke softly. "The Crow Clone and the Rasengan are my own creations."
Uchiha Tajima frowned slightly, tapping his fingers twice on the table. "Then what about that Ninjutsu you used last night to move back and forth through space? Did you create that yourself, too?"
Xuan had already prepared his excuse. He couldn't claim to have invented that one; it would be too fake. With a straight face, he said, "That Ninjutsu... when I was injured, I dreamed of an old man. He taught it to me in my dream. By the way, he called himself Otsutsuki Hagoromo."
"Otsutsuki Hagoromo?" Uchiha Tajima's frown deepened.
The founder of the Uchiha clan was Indra, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths. Although countless years had passed, there were still fragments of records regarding the Sage's true name. Hearing this name, he was somewhat suspicious.
Of course, believing Xuan's story was impossible. Tajima was a pragmatic warrior, not a fool. Even a ghost wouldn't be fooled by such an explanation.
"Your explanation... is very hard to convince anyone," Uchiha Tajima said, staring at him sternly, his aura radiating authority without anger.
Xuan met his gaze without fear and said firmly, "I am telling the truth."
The two stared at each other for a full five minutes. Finally, Uchiha Tajima withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, "Is that so?"
He didn't bring up the topic again. Standing up, he said, "We've wasted enough time. The Clan Meeting is about to start. Come with me."
Xuan silently regulated his breathing, wiping away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead. Staring down a Kage-level powerhouse for so long created an immense, invisible pressure.
Moreover, he could clearly feel Uchiha Tajima's dissatisfaction with his answer when he stood up. This signified that Xuan would be kept away from the core of the Uchiha clan's leadership in the future—at least, as long as Tajima was alive.
"Heh... 'as long as he is alive.' In the Warring States period, people die very quickly!"
A cold light flashed in the depths of Xuan's eyes, disappearing in an instant. He started to stand up, but his legs went soft, and he stumbled, almost falling back down. He smiled bitterly. After sitting in seiza for so long, his legs had gone numb.
Picking up the Ama-no-Kumo sword, he followed Uchiha Tajima into the Meeting Hall. Most people had already arrived. Xuan spotted Uchiha Madara sitting in the back at a glance and went straight over to sit cross-legged beside him. Phew, much more comfortable.
Uchiha Tajima took his seat at the head of the hall. A few more people arrived shortly after. Once everyone was present, Uchiha Tajima spoke calmly.
"Does everyone know about what happened last night?"
The people below nodded one after another.
Uchiha Tajima continued, "Originally, I thought it was just a girl from the Hyuga clan messing around, so I didn't take it too seriously. Unexpectedly, that old coot Hyuga Kamimune sneaked over as well. Fortunately, we discovered it in time, and I didn't arrive too late.
"Regrettably, he still managed to escape. However, he took a solid hit from me. Based on my estimation, given his age, it will be difficult for him to recover without at least a month of rest. This is a golden opportunity. What does everyone think?"
Uchiha Sen stood up abruptly, his face flushed with anger.
"The Hyuga clan is becoming more and more presumptuous! To think they've bullied us right at our doorstep! Do they really think that just because they sought refuge with the Senju, they can do whatever they want? Clan Head, I am willing to lead the men personally to wage war against the Hyuga! If we don't teach them a lesson, how will our Uchiha clan establish a footing in the ninja world?!"
The rest of the Uchiha clansmen were filled with righteous indignation. For the Uchiha, whose arrogance was etched into their very bones, being bullied at their own front door was no different than someone standing in front of them and urinating on their heads. It was an unbearable humiliation.
Uchiha Tajima coughed lightly, suppressing the noise of the crowd.
"Since everyone agrees to wage war against the Hyuga clan, then we shall fight. However, the Hyuga are not some average small clan; we need a detailed plan. Furthermore, since they have shamelessly become vassals of the Senju, we must also guard against the Senju's movements."
Another middle-aged Uchiha stood up. His name was Uchiha Takehito, and he was also a Peak Jōnin.
"Clan Head, since we have decided to declare war on the Hyuga, we must first determine the scale. Will it be a small-scale retaliatory skirmish, a medium-scale local war, a large-scale total war, or perhaps... a war of extermination?"
Uchiha Tajima sneered, the killing intent in his eyes unconcealed.
"The Hyuga clan must pay the price for this. However, since we have lost the Kazama Pass and the Valley, the Senju hold the initiative, whether they choose to send reinforcements or attack us directly. We must have a powerhouse of sufficient weight to lead a team to block them."
Thinking of this, Uchiha Tajima fell into deep thought. A moment later, he asked, "What is the situation on Uchiha Tō's side?"
The Uchiha members below looked at each other and began to whisper in low voices.
Uchiha Sen spoke up, "Clan Head, do you intend to recall Lord Tō? Is that really necessary? He is currently monitoring over a dozen medium-sized clans. Although they have been peaceful in recent years, if Lord Tō leaves rashly, it's hard to guarantee they won't cause trouble."
[Lore Context: The Balance of Power]
The Hyuga Clan, as a first-rate clan of the Warring States, openly possessed two Clan Head-level (Kage-level) powerhouses: their leader, Hyuga Ten'nin, and their Great Elder, Hyuga Kamimune.
The Uchiha Clan, as one of the two great clans of the ninja world, possessed four Clan Head-level powerhouses. Besides Uchiha Tajima, there were Uchiha Gōten, Uchiha Fujin, and finally, Uchiha Tō.
However, Uchiha Gōten, the former Great Elder, had died on the battlefield two years ago. During a Senju sneak attack, he was ambushed by four Kage-level opponents—Hyuga Ten'nin, Senju Butsuma, Senju Rakan, and Senju Unma. He sacrificed himself to cover the retreat of the then-younger Uchiha Tajima.
This meant that the current Uchiha clan actually only had three active Clan Head-level powerhouses.
Uchiha Fujin was stationed in the South, deterring three major first-rate clans: the Chiba, the Aburame, and the Fuma, preventing them from acting rashly.
Uchiha Tō was stationed in the North, threatening the security of over a dozen medium-sized clans.
To the West lay a country where it rained constantly; it was chaotic and messy, generally ignored by the major powers.
To the East lay the territories of the Senju and Hyuga clans, where most of the conflicts took place.
Uchiha Tajima let out a cold laugh. "They are just some medium-sized clans; there is no need to care about them. Recall Uchiha Tō."
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he escalated his order.
"Not only Tō. Recall Uchiha Fujin from the South as well. This time, we are going to make the Hyuga pay a sufficient price."