During the initial encounter, Date Kamaya of Kikyō Castle temporarily set aside his early displeasure, though setting it aside didn't mean forgetting it.
On the journey back to Kikyō Castle from the "Ashes" camp, Date Kamaya sat calmly in his palanquin. As it moved along, he suddenly opened a small window on one side and addressed the black-robed figure beside him.
"What do you think of that group of shinobi? I mean in terms of combat strength."
"About two or three of them are usable. The rest are mere cannon fodder, no different from the shinobi we've recruited before," the black-robed figure replied.
To be honest, this assessment was fairly accurate. The two or three "usable" shinobi likely included Uchiha Nanami, who had demonstrated her Fire Release prowess. However, beyond his discerning eye, the black-robed figure's top-down, appraising attitude suggested either arrogance or genuine skill to back it up.
"Then, do you think they're capable of taking down a mid-sized shinobi village? You know, the one they're targeting… uh…"
"The Tsugawa Clan."
"Right. Can they handle the Tsugawa Clan?"
"Not likely. When the basic quality of lower- and mid-tier shinobi is roughly equal, the side with numerical superiority will win. It's a simple truth."
The black-robed figure's judgment was grounded in common sense.
This caused Date Kamaya to fall silent for a moment. Then, as if recalling something amusing, he let out a low chuckle.
"When their operation fails and most of the dead weight is culled, the Daimyō can extend an olive branch to the few elite shinobi who remain… Recruit only those of value and discard the useless chaff. That's how the Kikyō faction can grow stronger."
The black-robed figure didn't know what Date Kamaya found so funny. He simply continued, driven by his sense of duty.
He believed the so-called "Fūma Clan's" reckless assault was doomed to fail, with most of their members dying on the battlefield. If a few capable survivors remained, they'd make excellent pawns.
Date Kamaya listened carefully, then nodded. "Let's go. Report this to the Daimyō."
Compared to the complex schemes brewing in Kikyō Castle, Hane Genma was satisfied with Date Kamaya's conduct—not because he trusted the man, but… well, let's put it this way: despite the faint arrogance in Date Kamaya's demeanor during their meeting, he at least acted like an intelligent primate rather than a bloated, hoofed beast. Genma's expectations for the so-called noble class were just that low.
At the very least, the man hadn't displayed a "filthy beggar, you should kneel before us" attitude. That was already a win.
Genma mused that the ruling nobility of this chaotic era might, on average, be slightly more competent than those of the later shinobi village era. To survive long in a war-torn world, one's mind had to be at least somewhat sharp. The Warring States period claimed countless shinobi, and just as many Daimyō fell. Yet, in later times, despite numerous Shinobi World Wars, the ruling powers of nations faced no real threat to their lives.
Regardless, Genma was pleased with a negotiating partner whose intellect reached the average primate level—especially after the man promptly delivered the supplies the camp needed. This raised Genma's estimation of him further… enough to view him as a proper Homo sapiens, at least.
Back at the camp, a discussion was in order.
The Fūma Clan shinobi found Genma's decision to target the Tsugawa Clan utterly baffling. But the other shinobi, hailing from "varied backgrounds," met this seemingly nonsensical war order with unwavering, almost fanatical support. Some, whose acting skills were lacking, even displayed excessive zeal.
In this atmosphere, though the Fūma Clan's stance was unified, their opinion would count as a single vote if it came to a tally. The collective will of the "varied background" shinobi represented the organization's true direction.
Fūma Goro was perplexed. Why was everyone so united? Did they all have a grudge against the Tsugawa Clan?
He vaguely sensed that Genma's choice of the Tsugawa Clan as a target must have a reason, but why was everyone so supportive?
The truth was, Genma's decision to have everyone conceal their surnames continued to sow confusion. The "varied background" shinobi—former Hanemiya Clan members like Morinaga Kanzawa and Hayasaka Ryunosuke—would never show anything but full support when Genma proposed vengeance against the Tsugawa Clan.
Still, Genma wasn't so selfish as to drag the newly joined Fūma Clan into a personal vendetta. To avoid friction, he preempted their concerns by outlining his attack plan before they could voice objections.
His strategy was to infiltrate with a small elite team, employing assassination and sabotage to dismantle the Tsugawa Clan. This was no suicidal, all-out charge but a precise strike. The elite team consisted of only three: Genma, Uchiha Nanami, and Fūma Goro.
For assassination, Genma was the primary operative, making his participation essential. Over time, he had mastered two elemental releases and become proficient in the "White Zetsu Three Techniques," elevating his combat prowess far beyond his former self. This newfound strength emboldened him to propose the revenge plan.
Uchiha Nanami, having spent considerable time at the camp, owed Genma her life. With her body and strength mostly restored, she wouldn't refuse to lend her aid.
The only unfortunate one was Fūma Goro, who, despite a lingering injury, had to join the mission. Whether due to his strength or condition, his participation was non-negotiable—for reasons those in the know understood, and those who didn't could only accept.
If Genma were more ruthless, he could have used this mission to eliminate the Fūma Clan leader. Fortunately, he wasn't that kind of scheming politician.
Overall, Genma's plan was feasible. He wasn't overconfident but rationally believed he could now disrupt an average shinobi clan's order.
Shinobi battles followed certain patterns and objective truths: at equal strength levels, the attacking side held a significant advantage over the defenders. Shinobi combat rarely favored direct confrontation. Instead, it relied on identifying an enemy's weakness, exploiting one's strengths, and striking relentlessly. Victory justified any tactic, no matter how underhanded.
With the White Zetsu abilities, Genma excelled at infiltration. Once inside the enemy's stronghold, he could make them understand what it meant to "bloom from the center." Even the later Konohagakure struggled when enemies infiltrated their core, unable to leverage their full strength.
Genma aimed to plunge a blade into the Tsugawa Clan's heart. Whether that blade was a meter-long tachi or a ten-centimeter sewing needle, the effect would be similar.
He began outlining his battle plan simply:
"We'll infiltrate as a three-man team. With such a small force, no matter how strong we are, wiping out a mid-sized village is nearly impossible. We can't afford to drag out the fight, so our goal is to eliminate the clan's leadership."
"I'll handle the infiltration and assassination tasks. That's my specialty."
By taking on the most dangerous role, Genma ensured no one could question his commitment.
He didn't aim for total annihilation—that was unrealistic, and he lacked the power for it.
"Once we dismantle their command structure, the remaining shinobi will scatter like sand. Then, we sow panic, break their village, and drive them out."
"As for what comes after… the current shinobi world will ensure all grudges and debts are settled permanently."
As he spoke, he glanced at Fūma Goro, who looked puzzled, wondering why he was being singled out.
Dismantling a shinobi clan with just three people seemed reckless, yet Uchiha Nanami didn't even bat an eye. For her, this level of combat was trivial. Though she'd nearly died before, looking utterly battered, that was because her opponent had been the cunning Senju Tobirama.
Fūma Goro clearly lacked her confidence. Looking worried, he asked, "The plan sounds theoretically viable, but how do we locate the Tsugawa Clan's leadership?"
Genma glanced at Uchiha Nanami. "That's on you."
"No problem," she replied.
When it came to extracting intelligence from unfamiliar shinobi, the Uchiha Clan was unmatched—essentially, their Sharingan could make anyone spill their secrets.
Fūma Goro, unaware of Nanami's Uchiha heritage, thought they were putting on an act. What, you two just nod and claim you'll get the enemy's core intel? But while words alone couldn't do it, a single glance from those crimson eyes certainly could.
As for the others, if the three-man team achieved the desired results, Genma would have them join at the end as the "hype squad." If the Tsugawa Clan saw a sudden influx of enemy reinforcements at the last moment, it could shatter their morale completely.
Truthfully, the "hype squad's" involvement was secondary, but many of the "varied background" shinobi—especially former Hanemiya members—needed to feel included in this operation.
After hearing the plan, the Fūma Clan shinobi had little room for objection. With their clan leader and the alliance head leading the charge, and their role limited to joining later if needed, what was there to complain about?
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