First Battlefield

Natsume was holding Madara when she heard the announcement. Natsume looked over at Kono with a questioning gaze and she just shook her head. Natsume handed the baby over who had been woken up by the chakra empowered voice and moved to the center of the clan complex. This was the first time she had seen all of the fighting power of the Uchiha in one place. There were hundreds of warriors, ranging from 10 to 40 years old. Natsume was unsurprisingly the youngest.

"Natsume-san, Tajima-dono wishes to notify you that you are not obligated to participate." An Uchiha shadow guard appeared by her side and whispered to her. Natsume had already sensed his approach and wasn't surprised. When she heard what he had to say, she simply shook her head. Ever since she inherited her memories and the will to protect the Uchiha, she couldn't ignore a crisis.

The shadow guard nodded and disappeared again. Natsume thought about the situation and since she was offered the choice not to fight, it was likely that the circumstances may not be as dire as she thought. However, the speculations were useless, and she could only wait until everyone arrived for Tajima to begin speaking. Fortunately, among the Uchiha, very few were chronically late.

When the last few people arrived, Tajima stepped forward from the top of the stairs with his hands behind his back. Natsume was shocked to see Sahiro next to him fully equipped with the iconic warring states armor. However, thinking about his mental state the last time she saw him, it made sense. He seemed to have lost his direction in life and decided to go back to the battlefield. Perhaps there is even a romantic aspect, going to war in memory of Hinako.

"The Fire Daimyo has reached out to us with a request. A new gold mine has been discovered on the border of the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning. The mission this time is to hold the mine until the Daimyo's forces have set up and begin mining. I have yet to accept this mission because it affects the future of our clan. A large portion of our forces will be dedicated to this mine and the risks are immeasurable. As for the compensation… a tenth of all the profits from the mine for ten years."

Everyone was skeptical at first and started to shake their head. The Fire Daimyo rarely reached out to the Uchiha first with a good offer. They usually went to the Senju clan for their missions. However, due to the result of the last conflict, the Fire Daimyo had decided to hire the Uchiha before anyone else. Once they heard the reward, the warriors went into a frenzy.

One of the Uchiha stepped forward and called out to Tajima, "Tajima-dono, there must be a reason you have not accepted this request?"

He nodded his head and raised his hand to quiet everyone. "Indeed, there is one condition that may not make this a suitable request for the Uchiha. The request is a joint mission between two clans, and the other clan offered this task are our greatest rivals, the Senju."

This news instantly caused an uproar among the clan. Some even suggested immediately sending their spies to the Lightning Daimyo to cut a deal. Anything would be better than teaming up with the Senju. However, Natsume had a difference in opinion in this situation. 'Tajima must have some sort of reason for doing this. Gathering all the warriors, starting by making everyone excited and then turning that excitement into bloodthirst…'

Then it hit her. She happened to make eye contact with Tajima, and he smiled at her knowingly. It was as if he could see through her expression and guess exactly what she was thinking. Natsume shuddered and understood even more why this man could become the clan leader in his late 20s.

'He intends to go after the mine himself… he doesn't want just 10%... How bold!'

"I hear your complaints!" Tajima started, causing everyone to quiet down. "You are right; therefore, I did not accept the terms immediately. However, going to the Land of Lightning would be folly, as we have never had a good relationship with the Lightning Daimyo. We would lose more than we could possibly gain."

"As for seeking another ally, no Daimyo would want to mobilize their army that far away in this current time period. Therefore, the best course of action is neither working with the Land of Fire, or any Land for that matter. We work for the Uchiha!"

People began to understand what he was saying one at a time. They cheered for battle and the combined aura of the clan's warriors created a powerful scene.

"We shall take the mine ourselves and then sell it to the highest bidder. This will be a difficult mission, anyone who wishes to stay behind to protect the clan please step forward."

Some older Uchiha or those with many family members stepped forward. No one looked down on these warriors since the clan needed protection. Once the group that was staying back had been decided, the remaining warriors were all dismissed to prepare for battle. They intended to launch a raid on the mine that night. Natsume returned to her room and began to check all her gear. She had long prepared several things so that she could leave at a moment's notice. The only new addition was a set of customized red armor.

In Natsume's memory, this armor was only used in this time period and even became a symbol of the Warring States era. She recalls the first time she saw her time period being referred to as the Warring States but felt that it was very appropriate. The armor made her think of the future of hidden villages with expectation.

"Natsume, I heard the news… I thought you wouldn't have to fight until Madara grew up." Kono walked in holding the baby. She tried to be positive but the sadness in her face was apparent.

"Kono, don't worry, I'll be safe. I promise to come back in one piece." She smiled and stuck her finger out toward Madara. He grabbed it and brought it up to his toothless mouth to suck on. Kono nodded and left the room to let her prepare.

Natsume unsheathed the chakra sword and looked at herself in the reflection on the blade. Her eyes turned red at that moment and her fighting spirit soared.