Chapter 110: Insufficient Manpower
Senju Wakama left the Hot Spring Villa. After leaving, he instructed the Senju clan members responsible for security to 'attend to' the personal safety of the esteemed Nara clan guests.
Ostensibly, they were there for security; in reality, it was surveillance.
During his sister Tsukuyo's absence from the clan lands, Senju Wakama was forced to oversee the Senju clan's current industries. The more he did so, the more he felt they lacked sufficient manpower.
No wonder Tsukuyo wanted so many ninja clans to merge.
She felt there weren't enough 'oxen and horses'!
Most ninjas knew the basic Three-Body Jutsu, making them more efficient than ordinary people – truly like 'oxen and horses.' A single ninja could perform the work of three, dedicating all their time to work, with no time for rest apart from eating and sleeping.
However, they ate well, slept well, and lived well, without having to fight battles.
The entire clan was united, collectively exploiting their 'friends' from other clans.
Even if the Senju clan didn't wish to fight, would other ninja clans spare them once they realized what was happening?
It wouldn't be that easy...
Time flew by.
After finishing a day's work, Senju Wakama also made a trip to his old father's study.
Ever since Tsukuyo moved in with the Uchiha clan, the Senju clan's internal affairs had been fully delegated to them.
Among them, Senju Tobirama handled the most complex and cumbersome tasks. The daily task of counting money before bed fell to Senju Tobirama. To protect everything they had worked so hard for, his second brother Tobirama devoted his full effort. Even his straightforward elder brother, Hashirama, was also assigned specific work projects.
Needless to say, today was another 'bountiful' day.
Senju Wakama only needed to follow the plan and manage his assigned Blind Box Lottery.
"...Father, the Uzumaki clan has replied. They stated they cannot leave their homeland and merge with us, but they are willing to intermarry and become our eternal allies."
His youngest brother, Itama, carefully reported the intelligence he held.
His abilities were not as outstanding as his brothers', and their father had him start training with basic tasks, one of which was sifting through information and intelligence.
The letter from the Uzumaki clan arriving in Senju Itama's hands was no small matter.
Senju Wakama listened in silence, scoffing inwardly.
The Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan had always enjoyed a good relationship, with intermarriages being common, making them relatives.
However, Brother Zetsu disliked the Uzumaki clan, even abhorring them, and Tsukuyo also seemed to have an aversion to them.
Senju Wakama had privately inquired about the reason.
Brother Zetsu's rationale was that the Uzumaki clan excelled at Sealing Jutsu; they might not be able to defeat you, but they could annoy you to death.
But Brother Zetsu explicitly stated that while he disliked the Uzumaki clan, he wouldn't waste his time trying to annihilate them.
Because the Uzumaki clan's inherent character would be their own undoing.
Brother Zetsu said that the Uzumaki clan, as a ninja clan, would absolutely never agree to merge with the Senju clan.
The Uzumaki clan possessed extremely vigorous vitality and a thriving population. Their practice of sealing off their mountains, cultivating forests, and raising many children resulted in overpopulation, making them the ninja clan with the largest population base.
Originally, a populous ninja clan like this should have been Tsukuyo's favorite, given the enormous number of "oxen and horses."
But that wasn't the case.
Tsukuyo didn't like the Uzumaki clan.
Their perception was limited.
While "strength in numbers" was true, a thriving ninja clan was undoubtedly stronger than one with a dwindling population.
However, a large population base gave them a strange sense of self-confidence, making them absolutely unwilling to be subservient.
Before long, the Uzumaki clan's population would swell to the point where they would be forced to establish a nation.
And once the Uzumaki clan, as a ninja clan, established a nation, it would mark the beginning of their demise.
The daimyo of various countries already feared ninja clans, and the Uzumaki clan reproduced like rabbits, birthing offspring generation after generation.
Furthermore, individual ninjas were stronger than ordinary people.
Established nations, adept at political maneuvering, would certainly exhaust every means to target the Uzumaki clan and would never allow them to develop unchecked.
The consequence of letting them proliferate unchecked was that the entire world would eventually be filled with Uzumaki descendants, leaving other nations in a passive position.
The Uzumaki clan, as a ninja clan with a long heritage, had deep foundations.
But they were a ninja clan, not nobles.
They didn't possess an invincible power to suppress the nobility of the ninja world.
Nor did they have a legacy of political maneuvering or experience in developing their people's livelihoods; these required generations of accumulated knowledge and experience.
They had a large population, but their abilities in internal affairs and diplomacy were terribly poor.
Incompetent and unwilling to be subservient.
The outcome was obvious.
Knowing all this, Senju Wakama couldn't voice it aloud.
However...
Every time such a family meeting occurred, Senju Wakama would try his best to minimize his presence.
If no one solicited Senju Wakama's opinion, he wouldn't speak, unless the issue being discussed severely affected his interests; otherwise, he would remain silent.
"...When the Uzumaki clan's letter arrived, their delegation for the marriage alliance had already reached us."
Senju Itama's childish voice echoed in the study.
Senju Wakama finally couldn't help but interject, 'We haven't even replied, and they're already here. They're convinced our clan has no choice but to marry into theirs, aren't they?'
The moment Senju Wakama finished speaking, everyone present's expressions darkened.
Senju Wakama continued, 'They aren't here to discuss a marriage alliance; they're here to give notice. There was no prior warning, merely an announcement that this is happening. This demonstrates a complete lack of basic respect.'
"What do you think we should do?" Senju Tobirama, who had been silent, finally spoke.
Elder brother Senju Hashirama and Father Senju Butsuma also looked over.
Senju Wakama closed his eyes, and after an unknown period of time, he said, '...We still need to put on a show, don't we?'
Everyone exchanged glances.
"Our new clan lands and the Entertainment Street comprise a massive space protected within Tsukuyo's 'main base'."
Senju Wakama lowered his gaze. 'We can arrange for the Uzumaki clan members to stay in our Senju clan's Old Clan Lands. Once they move in, they will certainly still need to eat.'
"To avoid future disputes, we need to entertain them without affecting our own business. We can also organize a small, yet grand, temple fair in the Old Clan Lands specifically to host the Uzumaki clan."
"Once they've eaten their fill and enjoyed themselves, we can then find an excuse to cooperate with them or send them on their way."
Senju Butsuma looked thoughtful.
Senju Tobirama spoke with a cold expression, 'We won't earn a single penny, surrender our Old Clan Lands, and still have to please the Uzumaki clan? That's not cost-effective.'
Senju Wakama couldn't help but laugh. 'Second Brother... gaining profit needs to be a slow game. We need to lure them in first. As for what profit to gain, and under what pretense, that's something to deliberate slowly, isn't it?'
In fact, Senju Wakama had already figured it out.
The Uzumaki clan might not be richer than the Senju clan, but their legacy of Sealing Jutsu was certainly more extensive than the Senju clan's.
Even the Sealing Jutsu that Brother Zetsu and Tsukuyo were wary of must be valuable. They needed to find a way to legitimately acquire these techniques.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!