Chapter 31: Anyway, It's Your Fault Now, What Are You Gonna Do?

[The author has used same name to describe two clans, i will try to reduce this error but if there is some i missed inform me

[辉夜一族 - Hōzuki Clan]

[辉夜一族 - Kaguya Clan]

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"Jun, what do you think will happen tomorrow?" A ninja wearing a Kirigakure forehead protector asked idly while looking around.

"I don't know!" Jun stretched lazily and gazed at the sky. "Maybe the war will end tomorrow?"

The night in Uzushiogakure wasn't particularly special. Who knew how long this war would last?

"Maybe!" Iketo yawned. "I thought we could conquer Uzushiogakure in a single day, but it seems Uzushiogakure isn't that simple after all!"

Indeed, any clan that had survived for a thousand years without being destroyed wasn't so easy to wipe out, let alone Uzushiogakure, which was established as a country by a single clan. But...

Kirigakure was stronger. Uzushiogakure was just barely holding on for a few more days. No matter how powerful the Uzumaki clan was, it was still just one clan.

"War..." Mun didn't respond to Iketo's words but instead muttered to himself. "When will it end?"

He was already growing tired of war.

"Soon," Iketo leaned against a tree and said. "Once the battle in Uzushiogakure is over, the war will end."

"Right now, all the major villages are calling for peace. Anti-war sentiment is growing stronger every day, so it won't last much longer."

"I hope it's as you..."

But before Mun could finish his sentence—

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion suddenly rang out, and a blinding light erupted in the darkness.

"Damn Uzumaki ninja, it's an explosive tag!" Iketo shouted when he saw the flames. "Enemy attack!"

Mun immediately snapped out of his daze and stood up, rushing toward the direction of the explosion.

"Retreat!"

Seeing that the explosive tag had detonated, Uzumaki Komaki immediately ordered. He could already sense ninjas rushing toward them.

They weren't here to fight Kirigakure head-on—they were just here to set an alarm, telling them to wake up for a midnight bathroom break.

Now that they were awake, it was time to leave. Otherwise, what if the Kirigakure ninjas had a bad temper from being woken up?

That would be a disaster!

Better not risk it!

...

"Again?!" The Kirigakure ninjas were going insane. Who fought a war like this?! Throwing a few explosive tags to wake people up and then running away, were explosive tags free or something?

Weren't they worried about wasting resources? Was Uzushiogakure really that rich? Even if they had money to burn, this was just shameless!

If wars were fought like this, what was the point of ninjas? Might as well just throw explosive tags everywhere.

Especially now, explosive tags, explosive tags, and more explosive tags, yet not a single Uzumaki ninja in sight.

Couldn't they see the Mizukage's face turning green with anger?

And after finally getting a chance to rest and sleep well, they were woken up the moment they dozed off. Who wouldn't be furious?

Hōzuki Gengetsu was so angry he wanted to start cutting people down!

He suddenly began to wonder if starting this war had been the right decision. Ever since setting foot in Uzushiogakure, his luck had been terrible.

Not only had he nearly exhausted all the cannon fodder, but his fleet was also down to its last ship. By now, Yuki Kiyoi had probably already returned to Kirigakure and was preparing to criticize him tomorrow.

And...

Damn it! If it weren't for the sealing techniques and the research on jinchūriki, who would even come here?!

The other villages were watching Kirigakure closely, and the only reason they hadn't interfered was because they didn't want the Uzumaki clan to survive. Otherwise, Kirigakure wouldn't have been able to invade Uzushiogakure so easily. Especially Konoha—ha!

Konoha ninjas were probably already lying in wait, just waiting for Kirigakure to finish off Uzushiogakure so they could swoop in as "righteous saviors" and claim the spoils. But what they didn't know was...

Kirigakure needed this land, Uzushiogakure, right next to Konoha!

This invasion was the perfect opportunity to take it.

"Well?" Hōzuki Gengetsu asked with a dark expression, turning to the guards. "Did you catch any Uzumaki ninjas?"

"No," the Kirigakure ninja shook his head. "Just like last time, they ran away after setting off the explosive tags."

What the hell was the Uzumaki clan planning?

Hōzuki Gengetsu was utterly baffled. Just throwing explosive tags without actually attacking—he couldn't figure it out! He had never seen a war fought like this.

Was Uzushiogakure really so rich that they could waste explosive tags like this?

Were they just celebrating while they were still alive?

"Maintain vigilance. Send more patrols to scout the area," Hōzuki Gengetsu ordered after a moment of thought. There was nothing else he could do.

"Yes!"

...

Uzumaki Jun naturally wouldn't tell Kirigakure that they were just trying to harass them and had no other plans.

Peering through his binoculars, he watched as the Kirigakure camp gradually settled down again, preparing to rest.

That wouldn't do.

If they didn't stay up all night, how could they be exhausted tomorrow?

He turned to Uzumaki Kai beside him and instructed, "Wait a while, then send someone to set off more explosive tags. Same as before—throw them and run."

"Yes!" Uzumaki Kai replied.

Glancing at the clan head, who was currently explaining the situation to the Senju clan, Jun turned his attention back to the Kirigakure camp. Without proper lighting at night, visibility was terrible. It was hard to observe carefully.

Once the war was over, maybe he could install streetlights in Uzushiogakure.

...

"This is unbelievable."

After hearing the Uzumaki clan head's explanation of the battle situation, Senju Shukuma's face showed disbelief.

It seemed they didn't even need his help. Ah—his group of thirty-plus jōnin probably wouldn't make much difference on the battlefield anyway. Thinking this, Senju Shukuma's face flushed with shame.

The clan head seemed to guess what he was thinking and laughed.

"The Senju clan's willingness to help is already greatly appreciated by the Uzumaki clan. Besides, all of this is Jun's doing."

"That child?" A young man behind Senju Shukuma asked in surprise.

But Senju Shukuma immediately glared at him. How could he speak like that?

That child was now the leader of the Uzumaki clan and Uzushiogakure! Show some respect! Couldn't he see the Uzumaki clan members' unfriendly looks?

"Apologies," Senju Shukuma said quickly. "He didn't mean it."

"It's fine, it's fine," the clan head waved it off with a smile. "Though Jun is young, no one underestimates him. Right now, he is the leader of both the Uzumaki clan and Uzushiogakure."

Hearing this, Senju immediately bowed. "My deepest apologies. I meant no disrespect."

The Senju clan members all looked shocked. So they absolutely could not underestimate that child! To lead Uzushiogakure to victory at such a young age, while at such a disadvantage—this kid was definitely extraordinary.

"No matter," the clan head said dismissively.

"As for your arrangements, we'll wait for Jun to decide." Then, narrowing his eyes, he added, "Here, everyone follows Jun's orders. I hope you understand."

"Of course," Senju Shukuma shook his head. "From this moment on, the Senju clan will obey Lord Jun's commands."

On the battlefield, conflicting orders were the worst. So despite the Uzumaki clan head's bluntness, the Senju clan didn't take offense. Some things were better said clearly to avoid disasters—especially in a war of annihilation like this, where even the smallest mistake could be fatal.