Izuna closed his eyes to think for a moment, then opened them. "For this matter, I hope to resolve it using a relatively harmonious method. A marriage proposal would be most appropriate."
"A marriage proposal?"
Everyone froze. Madara rubbed his chin and said, "Izuna, I'm afraid your proposal letter won't reach the hands of the Uzumaki."
Izuna smiled faintly. "No need to send a letter. We will go to Uzushiogakure personally and propose at their doorstep."
The crowd was shocked again. Uchiha Zuoxiu advised against it. "Vice-Clan Head, the Senju have blocked the road. It will be hard for our people to get through. Even if we send a small unit to evade the Senju's eyes, the Uzumaki have set up sensing barriers. At that point, having few people will actually put us in a passive position."
Izuna raised his hand to stop Uchiha Zuoxiu. "I have a way to transport a large-scale ninjutsu attack—or an army—all the way to Uzushiogakure in a single breath."
Madara and the others' eyes lit up. "Izuna, have you developed a new ninjutsu again?"
The clan members were no longer surprised by Izuna bringing out never-before-seen ninjutsu from time to time.
But a ninjutsu that could transport a large-scale army in one breath was unheard of!
Izuna gave a strange smile. "You could say that."
Quickly restraining his smile, Izuna added, "But there is another problem. If this succeeds, it will inevitably enrage the Senju and Uzumaki. The ceasefire has only been in effect for a few months. If war breaks out again..."
Although Izuna wanted to bring Mito back, he wouldn't go so far as to joke about war.
Of course, this didn't mean he was going to give up on Mito; he just wanted to come up with a solution that satisfied both sides.
Although the Warring States period was one of ceaseless conflict, no one could fight endlessly.
The great war with the Senju had ended less than a few months ago. To start fighting again—and for Izuna's personal reasons—would certainly cause dissatisfaction among many clan members.
The story of "King You of Zhou fooling the feudal lords with beacon fires" from Izuna's past life was a classic case in point.
"Then, does the Vice-Clan Head have a brilliant plan?"
Uchiha Enka asked the Uchiha's number one strategist for instructions.
Izuna thought for a long time before finally speaking. "How has the Kaguya clan been faring lately?"
Kaguya—the clan of Kaguya Kimimaro, who in the original work was Orochimaru's capable subordinate and even assisted him in killing the Fourth Kazekage.
They were also a clan that had survived since the Warring States period.
However, because everyone in the clan carried a genetic disease and rarely lived past thirty-five, their population was naturally low. The women of their clan were even more formidable; to increase the clan's population, they risked their lives to bear offspring.
Due to this disadvantage in population and genetics, the Kaguya clan had not joined the great war in the Land of Fire.
But they were a clan born with a warlike bloodline; in that regard, they were equal to, if not greater than, the Uchiha.
Like the Land of Whirlpools, they lived on a small island off the southeast coast of the Land of Fire—situated in the waters between the Land of Whirlpools and the future Land of Water.
But their location was closer to the Land of Whirlpools; one could even cross over by water without a boat.
However, in terms of territory, food, minerals, and other resources, they were far inferior to the Land of Whirlpools.
Warlike and greedy, this clan frequently coveted the Land of Whirlpools.
They longed for the day they could replace the Uzumaki clan and occupy the Land of Whirlpools.
But because the Uzumaki clan was difficult to deal with, coupled with the protection of the Senju, the Kaguya clan could never gain an advantage.
They couldn't even manage to land on the soil of the Land of Whirlpools.
Uchiha Zuoxiu replied, "Those mad dogs still haven't given up on invading the Land of Whirlpools. Now that they've seen us tear away the Senju umbrella shielding the Uzumaki, they're probably getting restless again."
"The Kaguya clan's Clan Head, Kaguya Wanlu."
Uchiha Madara spoke then. "Sure, he's strong enough to rank among the Clan Head-tier, but compared to Senju Hashirama, he's nothing. He'd probably be swallowed by Wood Release before he even caught a glimpse of Uzushiogakure's shadow."
"Even so, that assumes Senju Hashirama can make it in time. If he can't, the Senju and Uzumaki will take heavy casualties."
Uchiha Izuna's smile turned sly. "If you measure the Kaguya against the clans of the Warring States, they'd still be first-rate."
"And if they were given a chance to drop an army straight into the Land of Whirlpools, you think they wouldn't jump at the chance to attack the Uzumaki?"
Izuna kept smiling as he spoke.
Hearing that, everyone couldn't help recalling the ninjutsu Izuna had mentioned earlier—something that could relocate an entire army.
Madara chuckled. "Sounds like the Kaguya are about to have a bad time."
When Izuna returned home, he pulled up the System Skill Tree. One of the entries read:
[Flying Thunder God Technique (B-rank): Learned] -> [Flying Thunder God Technique: Second Step (A-rank): Learned] -> [Flying Thunder God Technique: Third Step (S-rank): Locked, required Skill Points: 80]
The ninjutsu Izuna had been talking about—the one that could transfer an army—was Flying Thunder God Technique: Third Step.
It could form a Flying Thunder God barrier and relocate troops in one go—an almost bug-level technique that could even redirect a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Izuna currently had 110 Skill Points—more than enough to exchange for it.
He'd originally planned to spend those points on his Mangekyo Sharingan, to help Madara awaken the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
After all, the absurd 800 Skill Points needed for the Rinnegan was highway robbery.
Better to give Madara a push, let him obtain the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and get results faster.
But when it came time to reclaim Mito and Flying Thunder God Technique: Third Step became necessary, Izuna decided to spend the points here first.
Sorry, Madara.
For a brother, I'd take a blade for you.
But for a woman... I'd put the blade in my brother. Twice.
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