Raizen still had the urge to kill Nagasuke—but wanting something and having a reason for it were two different things.
For now, he buried that intent deep inside.
The battle had taught him a lot about himself. His strength was now firmly at Jōnin level—stronger than most, though not quite on par with the elites. He'd clawed his way there with grit, not pedigree. No Sharingan, no Byakugan, no Senju vitality. Just him, his chakra, and a lifetime of stubbornness from another world.
Since that day, he'd trained harder than ever. His routine had gone from "dedicated" to "borderline suicidal." Even the other clan ninja—used to hardship—were shocked. But Raizen didn't stop. Not because he was ambitious, but because he couldn't afford to be weak.
When his training finally ended for the day, he exhaled a long breath, sweat dripping from his jawline. Five days had passed since the Ueshi attack. Five days of eerie silence.
The Ueshi clan hadn't made a move.
But that didn't mean the Amamiya clan was sitting still.
Patriarch Amamiya Gen was livid when he learned that the Ueshi had tried to use Amamiya Jane as bait to kill her—and Raizen along with her. The Amamiya might not have been as large or renowned as the Ueshi, but they weren't cowards. Gen's orders were clear: prepare for retaliation.
"Raizen, come with me."
Amamiya Jane's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She approached, expression cool as always, but something had changed. Since the last battle, her tone carried a faint respect—still restrained, but genuine.
Raizen raised a brow. "Something up?"
"Just come."
He followed her through the dimly lit corridors until they reached the clan's meeting hall. Inside, the atmosphere was already heavy. Several Amamiya ninja had gathered, whispering.
"As expected of the clan's genius," Nagasuke said from the side, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Even shows up late for a meeting."
Raizen ignored him completely. The look on Nagasuke's face darkened, veins twitching near his temple. Before the air could ignite, Miyamiya-san cut in sharply.
"That's enough. We have a mission to discuss."
Her tone silenced the room.
"The patriarch has sent orders," she continued. "We are to attack the Ueshi clan's Tiannan Mine."
A ripple of shock spread among the gathered ninja.
"Attack the Tiannan Mine?!" someone blurted out. "Miyamiya-sama, are you serious? That'll mean open war with the Ueshi clan!"
The murmuring grew louder. Finally, a Chūnin stepped forward. "Please, tell us what's really happening. Why would the patriarch take such a risk?"
Miyamiya took a breath, steady and grave. "The Ueshi have allied themselves with the Hyuga clan. We've confirmed signs they're preparing for a full-scale war against us. The patriarch believes it's better to strike first than wait to be crushed."
The room fell silent.
The name Hyuga alone sent a chill through every heart. In this era, the Hyuga clan was a storm that wiped out entire bloodlines. They'd nearly annihilated the Amamiya before—if not for the alliance with the Uchiha, their clan would already be ash.
Now the Ueshi were backed by Hyuga again. But this time, the Uchiha weren't coming.
"Damn it…" someone whispered. "Without the Uchiha, can we even survive?"
And then, as expected—Nagasuke stood.
"This is all Raizen's fault!" he shouted, pointing straight at him. "If he hadn't angered the Hyuga and killed their ninja last time, they wouldn't be helping the Ueshi! Everything that's happening—every life that'll be lost—it's because of him!"
The room tensed. Every eye turned toward Raizen.
Raizen blinked once, then smiled thinly.
There it was—the convenient scapegoat speech.
Typical.