Hane Genma led Lan and Nara Hideyuki away from the Land of Kawagen, traveling straight toward the settlement of the Senju Clan.
Lan's true strength remained an enigma even to Genma, making it difficult to judge her upper limits. While it was somewhat surreal to lead a former Uchiha shinobi into the heart of Senju territory, the irony was lessened by the fact that Genma was traveling with more than one Uchiha in his ranks.
As for Nara Hideyuki, his progress was nothing short of staggering. It was as if he had consumed some miraculous growth stimulant, reaching maturity at an explosive rate. A man's destiny, after all, often hinges on the choices he makes.
By the time they set out, more than half a month had passed since the founding of Firefly Village. Everything had stabilized, and the settlement was beginning to show signs of burgeoning prosperity.
However, Genma felt a sense of urgency. He needed to accelerate his plans. Although celebrating the New Year in such a war-torn era was a luxury, Genma—in his own "kind-hearted" way—wanted to present the Hagoromo Clan with a blood-red "gift" before the turn of the year.
The group ignored everything else on their journey. Even when they stumbled upon skirmishing clans slaughtering each other in the wilderness, Genma didn't stop to watch. They moved with singular purpose, following a direct line toward the Senju.
Thanks to Genma's rapport with the two Senju brothers, the group was granted a direct audience with the Patriarch of the clan, Senju Butsuma.
"The Firefly Organization? Our Senju Clan has no history with you. I fail to see what purpose your visit serves," Butsuma asked, cutting straight to the point.
His tone was cold, radiating suspicion toward this so-called "Multi-Clan Coalition."
You are a coalition of various clans, and I am the leader of a single, sovereign clan, Butsuma thought. Does this mean you harbor ambitions of absorbing us?
On one hand, Butsuma felt the Firefly Organization was overstepping its bounds by approaching him, displaying a naive lack of awareness regarding the disparity in their power. On the other hand, he believed he had already seen through their attempt to exploit the Senju, and he secretly raised his guard to the maximum.
A multi-clan alliance? What a chaotic mess, he mused. Can such a leader truly control subordinates as effectively as a Clan Head?
In Butsuma's view, the perfect state for a shinobi was internal unity under the absolute voice of a Patriarch, while maintaining long-term alliances with clans like the Hyuga, Sarutobi, or Uzumaki. To him, a coalition of weak, minor forces huddling together had no future. Could they truly contend with a powerhouse like the Senju? It was laughable.
As for the reports of them repelling the Hagoromo Clan... others might not know the truth, but Butsuma felt he did. In his mind, the Hagoromo only retreated because the Senju had attacked them elsewhere, forcing their leader to pull back. If not for the Senju's indirect intervention, the Firefly Organization would have been wiped out long ago.
It could be said that while Senju Butsuma and Uchiha Tajima had been bitter rivals their entire lives, they were essentially the same. Butsuma's thinking had become severely rigid; his mind was filled with the "old ways." He was blind to the shifting tides of the shinobi world and refused to accept any new ideologies or organizational structures.
Furthermore, he viewed any unfamiliar form of organization as a potential threat.
This mindset wasn't unique to this era; even during the later Hidden Village period, many shared this outlook. For instance, how did the "Great Powers" treat the Akatsuki during Yahiko's time? Back then, the Akatsuki was merely a mutual-aid organization for war refugees, acting as righteous protectors of the Amegakure (Hidden Rain). And yet, because they grew too quickly, they became an eyesore to those in power and were systematically hunted down.
While there might have been a "mastermind" pulling strings in the shadows, the reality was that even without external interference, the situation likely would have unfolded the same way.
Butsuma looked at the Firefly Organization in much the same way Hanzo of the Salamander would eventually look at the Akatsuki.
Despite Hashirama and Tobirama explaining the nature of the Firefly Organization to him, Butsuma refused to listen. He didn't care what they thought; he only cared what he thought. His attitude didn't soften because of his sons' explanations; if anything, their friendly descriptions made him even more cautious and wary.
For instance, Genma's group had been brought into the Senju settlement in secret by Tobirama. The meeting was taking place in a hidden chamber, with only Hashirama and Tobirama accompanying Butsuma.
This was a clear signal: there would be no public diplomacy. He would listen to what Genma had to say in secret. If it benefited the Senju, he might entertain it. If not, he would expel them immediately—or perhaps ensure they never left the room alive.
Genma had anticipated this attitude. To him, this was normal—this was how a man of that era should behave. The reception he had received from Kog井 Retsu (the previous leader he dealt with) was the true anomaly.
Fortunately, Genma hadn't come to the Senju to make friends. He didn't care about his current relationship with the clan because he knew that once this "old relic" was dead, the bond between Firefly and the Senju would naturally strengthen. Their true partnership belonged to the future, not the present.
Butsuma held onto his arrogance, unaware that Genma didn't hold him in any special regard.
In truth, there was no reason to. Genma's judgment was as sharp as ever; he viewed Butsuma as a man already half-buried in the trash heap of history. It was only a matter of time before he was completely phased out.
What do you have to be so proud of? Genma thought. If you're so tough, let's settle this one-on-one... actually, get your sons out of the room first, then let's see.
"I heard that the Senju Clan's previous assault on the Hagoromo yielded limited results," Genma said, skipping the pleasantries. "I've come to ask if you intend to strike them again. More precisely... are you willing to cooperate with us to wipe the Hagoromo Clan off the map once and for all?"
Genma was blunt. The contempt, suspicion, and even the underlying malice in Butsuma's eyes didn't bother him. As long as their interests aligned, they could work together.
Butsuma's expression didn't flicker. Out of pure distrust, he remained unmoved.
We, the Senju, couldn't even destroy the Hagoromo. And you think you can? he scoffed internally. The arrogance is staggering. What do you think ancient clans with centuries of heritage are? Small-time thugs?
Ironically, Genma was treating certain people like small-time thugs—Butsuma included.
"There is no need to discuss the impossible," Butsuma said coldly. "Young man, do not overestimate your own strength."
Genma simply shook his head. He shifted his gaze from Butsuma's face to Hashirama and then to Tobirama. Seeing that the two brothers were listening intently, he continued.
"We will handle the vanguard. We will forcibly crack the Hagoromo's shell and throw them into chaos. It is even possible for us to eliminate their entire command structure in one fell swoop."
"However, the subsequent cleanup must be handled by the Senju. To thoroughly eradicate a clan like the Hagoromo, only a force of your caliber can finish the job. To put it simply: the Senju will be the main strength of the battle."
"If the Hagoromo are wiped out, the Uchiha will be left standing alone, without support."
Among the three Senju present, Butsuma had spent his life at war, becoming numb to the point of emotional detachment. He saw only the gains and losses of his clan.
Hashirama possessed a macro-perspective that transcended the shinobi world—a sense of universal compassion—so his personal emotions were rarely the driving force.
Only Senju Tobirama was different. He wasn't entirely detached, nor was he purely compassionate. He harbored a simple, intense, and unyielding hatred for the Hagoromo Clan. Though he was never one to be ruled by emotion, the malice built up within him had long since solidified into a cold, murderous intent.
Annihilate the Hagoromo? Tobirama was in full support.
"This isn't a plan; it's a fantasy," Butsuma said, his contempt becoming more overt. "You are merely trying to exploit the strength of the Senju. 'Cracking the Hagoromo's shell'? Such bold words. You truly believe you are capable of such a feat?"
He no longer bothered to hide his disdain. A beggar wandering into our Senju village to talk big?
"We are," Genma replied, ignoring the mockery. After seeing Tobirama give a slight nod, Genma produced a storage scroll. With a release of the seal, he reached in and pulled out a pale, severed head by the hair.
"Patriarch Butsuma, is this enough proof of our capability?"
Genma held his arm out level, dangling the head like a lantern so the light would fall clearly on its features.
"T-This... Uchiha Tajima?!"
Butsuma had heard rumors that Tajima had disappeared or died, but he hadn't believed them. No one knew Tajima's strength better than he did. How could a man like that die so easily?
They had been evenly matched rivals for a lifetime. If Tajima could die so unceremoniously, didn't that imply that he, Butsuma, could die just as easily?
Looking at Tajima's head, Butsuma's emotions surged like a crashing wave.
First came shock, followed by an intense sense of triumph. He began mentally rehearsing mocking insults like, "Brother Tajima, I trust you've been well?"
But then, a cold sweat broke out across his skin. He froze, paralyzed as if the object in Genma's hand wasn't Tajima's head, but the head of Medusa. He was completely "petrified."
Seeing Tajima in such a state was like looking into a mirror. He was looking at his own potential end.
And he couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, but Butsuma felt the young man's gaze occasionally drifting toward his own neck. He might not have been familiar with the phrase "A commoner's rage can stain the steps with blood," but at that moment, he felt the weight of that truth viscerally.
By presenting Tajima's head, Genma had proven his point: he had the power to kill the Uchiha Patriarch, the Hagoromo Patriarch, and by extension, the Senju Patriarch.
Whether he would actually do it was one thing, but the possibility—and the threat—was now laid bare.
Genma then tossed three more heads—those of Uchiha Elders—onto the floor. This added even more weight to his argument. Unless they had achieved a total victory in battle, how could they have obtained these trophies?
One does not simply scavenge such remains; only the victor has the right to clear the battlefield.
Butsuma felt wretched. On one hand, this head proved he had been looking down on Genma like a fool; on the other, he felt that while Genma was holding Tajima's head, he might as well have been holding his own.
Butsuma stiffly turned his neck to look at his sons, only to find them both focused entirely on Genma's words, ignoring their father completely.
"Father, this might be a rare opportunity," Hashirama finally said, noticing Butsuma's gaze and speaking up in support of Genma.
Hashirama wasn't worried about his own head, so he couldn't truly empathize with the existential dread Butsuma was feeling.
As for Tobirama, while he didn't possess Hashirama's sheer power, he wasn't Tajima's lifelong rival. Aside from feeling a sense of satisfaction at Tajima's death, he had no other reservations.
In that secret room, Butsuma had become the odd man out.
"Hashirama, shut your mouth!" Butsuma barked.
Genma shook his head inwardly.
Butsuma's heart, vision, and even his strength were only mediocre at best, yet here he was, shouting at the future "God of Shinobi," perhaps even capable of slapping him.
And yet, here was Genma—selfless, focused on the peace of the shinobi world, working tirelessly to realize a "Community with a Shared Future for Shinobi"—and he didn't have the right to slap the "God of Shinobi." Where was the logic in that?
Regardless, Butsuma wasn't an idiot. If there truly was a chance to break the Hagoromo Clan's defenses...
"I need to consider this carefully," he muttered.
He couldn't bring himself to back down immediately, nor could he flip his attitude 180 degrees so suddenly. He needed an excuse to save face.
Genma was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected the head to be this effective. He knew it was good evidence of his capability, but he hadn't realized it would be the ultimate clincher.
"In that case, I will coordinate with Tobirama from now on."
Genma knew his work here was done. He took his leave gracefully; one couldn't expect Butsuma to agree to a large-scale military operation on the spot.
Tobirama led the three of them out of the Senju village in secret. Once they were well beyond the clan's borders, he couldn't help but ask:
"Can you really pierce the Hagoromo's defenses?"
If the Senju staked everything on a single gamble, they could do it too, but the casualties would be astronomical. Or they could use a high-profile Mokuton (Wood Release) construct, but that would leave the Senju village vulnerable. If they were hit by a surprise attack while their strongest asset was away...
When the Senju went to war, they either sent a massive force and kept Hashirama at home to guard, or they sent Hashirama and kept the army at home. They rarely took the risk of a total mobilization.
"Don't worry, we can do it," Genma replied. "I give you my word of honor."
Tobirama: "..."
He had been inclined to believe him, but for some reason, once Genma added that bit about "honor," he felt slightly less confident.
Tobirama didn't ask how Genma planned to do it. He simply nodded and said, "I will convince my father. I definitely will... I also give you my word of honor."
Genma: "..."
Is this some kind of risk-hedging nonsense?
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my patreon:
pat reon .com/yuuwand