"Deputy Chief, have you finished reviewing today's documents? If not, please give me the completed ones first."
It was night time in the Uchiha clan's compound, inside Izuna's mansion. Uchiha Inosuke, responsible for battlefield logistics and serving as chief of staff, knelt at the door of Izuna's room, speaking toward the inside.
Ever since Madara led the Uchiha forces and allied with four northwestern clans to attack the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, the bulk of internal clan matters had fallen to Izuna as the deputy clan leader.
Documents needing approval were routinely sent to Izuna's residence by department heads, who then dispatched personnel to retrieve the reviewed scrolls later. Among these, Uchiha Inosuke, who managed battlefield logistics, was one of the most diligent. Nearly every other day, he would bring a stack of documents for Izuna to review.
Usually, Izuna would leave the reviewed scrolls at the door for each department's personnel to collect. However, today, when Inosuke arrived, there were no documents placed at the door, prompting him to call inside.
Unbeknownst to Inosuke and the other clan members, the one reviewing documents during this period was not Izuna himself but his shadow clones. Izuna had originally planned to go out briefly to obtain the senjutsu of the Jugo clan and had no intention of engaging in combat. A shadow clone seemed sufficient for managing internal affairs.
However, Izuna had not anticipated encountering the Eight-Tails on his way back. The battle with the beast had drained his chakra, causing the shadow clone in the Uchiha compound to vanish when the main body was exhausted and injured.
After calling several times without receiving a response, Inosuke felt a surge of unease and called again, "Deputy Chief, my apologies for the intrusion."
Inosuke then opened the sliding door. Inside, the room was empty—only a brush with dried ink lay on the tatami mat, next to a half-reviewed document on the desk.
"Deputy Chief?"
Inosuke stood silently, quickly piecing together his thoughts. He rushed to the entrance of Izuna's mansion and questioned the two maids guarding the door. "Have you seen the Deputy Chief leave today?"
The maids exchanged glances and shook their heads. "No, sir. We've been here all day and haven't seen the Deputy Chief leave."
If the guards hadn't seen anything, could it mean that Izuna was kidnapped in secret? But Inosuke dismissed the thought quickly—this was the heart of the Uchiha territory. No ninja could sneak in unnoticed, much less capture someone of Izuna's caliber without a trace.
There was only one answer—Izuna had left of his own accord. As for why, Inosuke had no idea, but Izuna's secretive departure implied he did not want others to know.
Leaving without permission was serious, but after considering it, Inosuke decided to keep it quiet for now. If Izuna didn't return within two days, he would report it to the elders.
Meanwhile, Izuna was hurrying back to the Uchiha compound as quickly as possible. When a shadow clone disperses, its memories return to the original. Through this, Izuna was updated on the battlefield's current state.
Madara had gained the upper hand in his campaign, but the Sarutobi and Shimura clans were not easily subdued, making a decisive victory hard to achieve anytime soon.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"Lightning Style: Chidori!"
On the battlefield, Madara unleashed a massive fire jutsu, clearing away many of the enemy forces, and followed it up with Chidori, targeting those who hadn't yet fallen.
This conflict, lasting over half a month, sharply contrasted with the cautious strategy Izuna had employed on the northwestern front. After forming an alliance with the four northwest clans, Madara's combat style could only be described as "brutal."
Every three days, he launched a fierce attack on the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, always leading from the front as the vanguard.
(End of the Chapter).
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