Having lost its primary target, the Nine-Tails was being led away into the distance by the Hagoromo Clan's ninja.
Actually, from its heart, the Nine-Tails didn't want to stay here anymore either. By now it had realized this ninja village's strength was quite decent, and staying here would only mean getting beaten up continuously.
Individual ninja attacks might not amount to much, but many ants can bite an elephant to death. Though the Nine-Tails was reckless, it wouldn't willingly take a beating.
Not resolving that fire-using ninja was somewhat regrettable, but after a round of venting and crushing a bunch of ninja, the Nine-Tails' fury had dissipated considerably. After regaining some rationality, it felt this place was not suitable for lingering.
Cowardly? How could this be called cowardly? Wouldn't going back to soak in hot springs be wonderful?
The Nine-Tails gradually moved farther away until its figure could no longer be seen. The Hagoromo Clan's ninja finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just as they prepared to assess their losses, they didn't know the real opportunity had quietly arrived.
Though Tailed Beasts were natural disasters, the Nine-Tails' sudden arrival was definitely man-made. It hadn't stayed in this village long, yet it left a deep bleeding wound.
Senju Butsuma, who had been observing everything from afar, suddenly stood up. As an old ninja who had fought wars his entire life, he could still judge what constituted the most suitable battle opportunity.
It was this moment—when the Hagoromo ninja had suffered heavy losses, thought the disaster had passed, and relaxed their guard.
"Attack!"
Tonight's many events might have unfolded unexpectedly, but now that things had reached this point, Senju Butsuma's determination to annihilate the Hagoromo Clan would not change.
With his command, hundreds of ninja quickly surged toward the nearby village where the fires of war had not yet been extinguished.
The hidden eyes around them, witnessing the Senju forces' movement, remained motionless until the final ten-plus minutes, then began infiltrating the Hagoromo village from different directions.
First the Nine-Tails dealt heavy damage, then the Senju Clan's coalition forces attracted the Hagoromo Clan's main strength, leaving the enemy stretched thin and unable to cover all fronts.
If they didn't act now to rob them blind, were they really here for tourism?
Battle erupted again—or rather, only now did the real fighting truly begin.
The already half-crippled Hagoromo Clan was instantly subjected to group beating.
Charging, encounters, combat—then beating each other's brains out.
At this point, even the Fireflies organization's ninja remained outside the village. According to the mission division, theoretically they should serve as the spearhead, breaking into this village first.
However, due to Yūshin's unexpectedly effective actions, the current battle seemed to no longer need them.
Tonight, thirty Fireflies organization ninja were present—twenty combat personnel and ten medical support... During this period, the organization had urgently trained a batch of medical ninja.
Though these medical ninja could only perform simple battlefield first aid, their effectiveness in this environment still exceeded imagination.
The combat team was led by Nara Hideyuki, the medical team by Chihori... Yūshin naturally wouldn't allocate medical resources directly to the battlefield—that was too risky with unclear benefits. He would only use them in concentrated fashion.
Nara Hideyuki observed the battlefield situation. The Senju Clan in complete condition fighting the Hagoromo Clan's remnant forces gave quite the feeling of a fierce tiger entering a flock of sheep.
"We definitely won't be needed for the assault. Following Lord Yūshin's requirements, let's switch to executing battlefield rescue missions... It seems this kind of mission easily gains goodwill from allied forces."
Before truly encountering Tailed Beast village attacks, ordinary ninja wouldn't consider what chain reactions Yūshin's "pioneering" method of leading Tailed Beasts to attack enemies would produce. Therefore, as long as they carried severely wounded from the battlefield, they would earn gratitude.
Nara Hideyuki signaled everyone to remove the Senju Clan forehead protectors. After switching to their own protectors, they wore armbands depicting red crosses on their arms...
Attacking enemies would draw hatred, so naturally they needed to borrow the Senju Clan's reputation. Rescuing allies and gaining allied goodwill naturally required using their own name—not a single problem with this approach.
"Ten stay behind to guard the medical personnel; ten follow me deep into the battlefield to transport the wounded."
Honestly, ten people could accomplish very limited things, but the demonstration, sensation, and propaganda effects wouldn't diminish due to their limited rescue capabilities, because previously almost no one had done such things.
This was the first time anyone had used medical resources in an organized, large-scale manner at battlefield edges, letting many ninja know they no longer had to die like wild dogs in battlefield corners.
Originally, for this era, where were medical ninja needed on battlefields? If ninja suffered light injuries, they continued fighting—no treatment needed at all.
If they suffered heavy injuries, they waited to die obediently—still no treatment needed.
Doctors? Useless things.
But after this war, many people's views would definitely change accordingly.
On the other hand, Fireflies ninja didn't participate in direct combat but played battlefield medic roles. While basically not encountering strong enemies, afterward no one would accuse them of not bleeding for the battle.
After all, didn't reducing allied bloodshed equal increasing enemy bloodshed? If this drew criticism, they could directly bring "wounded soldiers" back to the Fireflies organization—just switching forehead protectors would make them ninja who had cast off clan constraints and were utterly loyal to the organization.
Why be so narrow-minded? Sacrificing small love for great love was the righteous path.
Well, things wouldn't be ideal to this degree—after all, those clan leaders couldn't possibly be stupid to this extent.
Just as the Fireflies organization's ninja all began entering the battlefield, the question arose: where was the key figure Yūshin?
After breaking free from the Nine-Tails' entanglement and knowing his mission had been completed very well, he immediately began hiding in this village while searching.
Because he had engaged in "widely inviting guests" to ensure the Hagoromo extermination's success rate, perhaps only some of those people would come here to join the excitement. But if so, he would have many competitors tonight... so pillaging should be done early.
Though Yūshin's main purpose was to annihilate the Hagoromo Clan, he couldn't contribute effort and strength only to gain nothing but emotional value, right?
So he understood some things should be done sooner rather than later.
Yūshin used the Mayfly Technique, beginning to drill into those distinctively styled buildings.
Wandering around this village, after the shouting and killing sounds outside went from weak to strong, then from strong to weak, Yūshin finally snuck into what seemed like a library or archive.
He saw rows of bookshelves with many scrolls arranged on them, even categorized:
Wind Release, Lightning Release, Water Release, Fire Release, Earth Release...
Yūshin pulled out a large backpack, trying to stuff these scrolls into it... Unfortunately, storage scrolls couldn't seal other scrolls, or Yūshin could have performed infinite nested storage.
Worthy of being a clan with heritage—they had not only categorized things but even recorded different difficulty and power levels of ninjutsu on scrolls with different cover colors. This "obsessive-compulsive" approach greatly helped Yūshin.
After briefly unrolling several scrolls, Yūshin discovered the value patterns within. He stuffed high-level purple scrolls into his bag with all his might, quickly looting the most valuable items here.
"Wait, where are your Storm Release and Swift Release?"
Just as Yūshin was about to turn and leave, he immediately noticed something wrong. Were only ordinary elemental ninjutsu stored here?
He used the Mayfly Technique to burrow around the area and soon discovered a secret barrier.
Yūshin didn't need to do much—he simply released the massive Nine-Tails chakra from his body, and the barrier technique in front of him was corroded away.
In this era's Shinobi World where ninja clans fought each other, every clan's good stuff was definitely treasured like a broom. Many secret techniques, barriers, and such couldn't be popularized at all... Anyway, the Hagoromo Clan's barrier level seemed just so-so.
Not even as good as the Uchiha.
After resolving the barrier and opening the secret chamber, a large scroll appeared before Yūshin.
Half a person's height, thick as a waist, with a large "Forbidden" character written outside.
Without needing to think, Yūshin directly slung this thing on his back.
Now he had a large backpack on his back and a large scroll at his waist. How to describe this? Others came to fight; he came to restock.
On the other side, the Hagoromo Clan leadership under siege fell into complete chaos. No matter how many methods they tried to resolve the current crisis, it was all useless effort... Human strength has limits—this was exactly such a moment.
"There were rumors before that the Senju Clan was gathering forces from all sides of the Shinobi World, trying to launch attacks against us. Why didn't we respond promptly then?"
"Because that wasn't the Senju Clan's style—not credible at all."
"Not credible? What about now?"
"Precisely striking us while we're out attacking other forces also isn't the Senju's style. After suffering once, don't you know to mend the fold after losing sheep?"
"Senju's style? In great world struggles, wouldn't the Senju make changes?"
"Changes? What could Senju Butsuma change?"
"Using the Nine-Tails—is that their method of change?"
"What, you still look down on such actions? Then I ask you, why are we in this embarrassing situation? Isn't it precisely because of the Nine-Tails' destruction?"
These people argued back and forth, mutually accusing each other endlessly, because at this time they seemed to have no specific measures to salvage the situation besides arguing.
"Stop arguing!"
Clan leader Hagoromo Shū roared, stopping this group's debate.
What use was saying these things now? Could it repel the Senju Clan? Hagoromo Shū didn't even know why the powerful Hagoromo Clan had been forced into this situation in just one night.
"Clan leader, terrible news—someone triggered the secret chamber's barrier!" Someone rushed over urgently to report.
Bad news came one after another. These words made Hagoromo Shū suddenly stand up. He immediately rushed toward a certain direction while desperately shouting:
"Face the enemy! Stop arguing here—all go face the enemy... Find Senju Butsuma and kill him, then the Hagoromo Clan's crisis will resolve itself!"
Well, this was somewhat wishful thinking.
Actually, a certain worst outcome had already surfaced in Hagoromo Shū's heart, but he didn't dare think in that direction.
Hagoromo Shū brought two elite ninja. Their movement speed was very fast. Just as Yūshin finished packing his luggage, they had already arrived.
The Nine-Tails chakra cloak on his body made Hagoromo Shū glare with fury. The guy before him was obviously the one who had lured the Nine-Tails here.
No, this bastard simply wasn't human.
Looking again at this guy's backpack and scroll behind him... he even dared to loot during the fire?
"Put those things down!"
Hagoromo Shū could no longer suppress his anger. He teleported to Yūshin's side and kicked him flying with a horizontal leg sweep!
Yūshin only had time to cross his arms protectively in front of his chest before the tremendous force sent his body crashing through wall after wall behind him.
The battle sounds suppressed by building walls once again reached Yūshin's ears—that old guy's hate-filled strike had kicked him outdoors.
Fortunately, Yūshin currently had his chakra cloak, so Hagoromo Shū's attack didn't cause him any real damage.
"He's lost rationality from anger. Just kicking me out like this—if I said nothing and ran away now, what could you do?" Yūshin thought to himself.
The answer was that besides jumping in rage and watching helplessly as Yūshin took away these secret techniques, this clan leader could do nothing... He couldn't abandon the village at this time to pursue Yūshin, right?
That would be truly hilarious.
Hagoromo Shū came before Yūshin and again said hatefully:
"You think using these underhanded methods can defeat the Hagoromo Clan? Do you know the Hagoromo Clan's history is almost as long as ninja history itself? As long as elite forces like us don't fall, the Hagoromo Clan will exist forever."
He's really lost his mind...
Yūshin shook his head. This was his first time meeting this clan leader face-to-face, but he felt somewhat disappointed. This person didn't seem to have the qualifications to serve as clan leader.
"For a ninja clan, high-level combat power is indeed important, but... if you lose your population base, what use are just a few of you remaining? Can the ninja clan still be called a ninja clan?"
"Or do you fundamentally not understand the meaning of the word 'clan'? Tonight, we came to destroy your population foundation... Well, that's what Tobirama Senju of the Senju Clan said."
If this old guy or some Hagoromo Clan ninja survived, if they had to have a deep impression of someone or some name, then Tobirama Senju was very suitable.
Hearing Yūshin say this, Hagoromo Shū's expression changed dramatically. At this moment, that last trace of hope in his heart also shattered... Destroying the population base—these few words were simply too cruel for a ninja clan.
So what if a few elite ninja escaped? Even if they still bore the Hagoromo surname, could that be considered the Hagoromo Clan surviving?
No, the Hagoromo Clan would perish.
"Tobirama Senju also said..."
At this moment, footsteps sounded from behind Yūshin. A white-haired ninja quickly stepped forward, soon standing parallel with Yūshin.
"You've said enough. Stop talking."
Tobirama was speechless—you're badmouthing me right in front of me?
"Uh, Tobirama Senju's... words don't need me to relay anymore. He's here, so he can tell you some things personally... Tobirama, what should you say?"
Yūshin had no embarrassed emotions—after all, he wasn't someone who enjoyed gossiping. His current behavior came from public spirit... As long as the Hagoromo Clan's or future possible Hagoromo remnants' hatred focused on the Senju rather than the Fireflies, what did Yūshin's small sacrifice matter?
What did Tobirama's small sacrifice matter?
But Tobirama Senju temporarily didn't focus on these things. Instead, he was quite accommodating at this moment. He stared intently at Hagoromo Shū while saying in an emotionless tone:
"Tonight, you must die, and the Hagoromo must perish."
Long, long ago, he had wanted to say these words. Now he finally found the opportunity.
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