Chapter:203

Izuna sat with Mito, discussing the Konoha Village construction plan that he, Hashirama, and Madara had devised.

After this battle, it was clear that the Senju and Uchiha would no longer engage in open warfare. While this did not guarantee true peace, it was undoubtedly a step in the right direction.

That was precisely why Izuna had proposed marriage at this moment.

Mito, having listened intently, widened her eyes in disbelief. After a moment of silence, she muttered, "I never thought Uchiha and Senju would one day coexist in harmony."

Izuna exhaled and gently rubbed his forehead against Mito's soft cheek. "It's because both sides, deep down, truly desire peace," he replied.

Mito pursed her lips thoughtfully before a small smile spread across her face. "This makes me happy… but I want to wait until the village you spoke of is officially founded before we get married."

Izuna raised an eyebrow. "You want to celebrate both at the same time?"

Mito nodded. "That's right. I want to witness the birth of a new era and share that joy with you."

A chuckle escaped Izuna's lips. "Then, we'll consider ourselves engaged for now. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the privileges of being a couple."

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he suddenly lifted Mito into his arms.

"Ah—! You… It's still daytime!" Mito protested, her cheeks flushed.

Izuna smirked. "It doesn't matter if it's day or night."

As he carried her towards the room, Mito sighed in defeat. "That's not how you justify it, you idiot.

Beneath the Uchiha shrine, deep within a dimly lit underground chamber, fifty Anbu led by Uchiha Sashu knelt in perfect formation.

Izuna emerged from the shadows, his gaze sweeping over them.

"From this moment on," Izuna announced coldly, "you will undertake one of the most classified missions in Uchiha history. You are forbidden from speaking of it—to your comrades, your lovers, even your own children. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Deputy Clan Leader!" The group responded in unison, their voices resolute.

Although Uchiha was in no position to wage war against the Hyuga Alliance, the problem of Black Zetsu was a matter that could not be ignored.

Izuna had no doubt—Black Zetsu needed to be eliminated.

The Three Directives:

1. Surveillance of Hyuga Territory – Most of the squad would conduct covert operations near Hyuga lands, searching for any traces left behind by Black Zetsu after the death of Hyuga Tenzong.

2. Monitoring Senju Hashirama – One team would shadow Senju Hashirama. Given that Black Zetsu sought to manipulate powerful figures with Asura's bloodline, he could target Hashirama next.

3. Tracking Uchiha Madara – The final team would keep a close watch on Madara. As a direct descendant of Indra, he was an ideal candidate for Black Zetsu's schemes.

After confirming that the orders were understood, Uchiha Sashu led his squad out of the shrine, their movements silent as shadows.

Izuna turned towards the Uchiha stone tablet at the chamber's center, his eyes narrowing.

Even with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he could only decipher fragments of the ancient text. One part, however, stood out:

"To attain true enlightenment, one must unite the power of Uchiha and Senju."

This was a key requirement for awakening the Rinnegan—the ultimate form of the Sharingan.

To achieve the Rinnegan, one needed either:

A direct descendant of Indra (Uchiha bloodline) merging with Senju DNA

A direct descendant of Asura (Senju bloodline) transplanting Uchiha eyes

From this, Izuna pieced together the ultimate truth—the final step would reveal the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Even though he had placed guards around the shrine, no outsiders had entered.

This meant only one thing—Black Zetsu had already tampered with the tablet long before Izuna took power.

Izuna clenched his fists. "Damn parasite… I'll find you and end you."

With that vow burning in his mind, he turned and left the shrine.

With the hunt for Black Zetsu officially underway, Izuna looked up at the sky.

Next on the agenda—the official cooperation between Uchiha and Senju and the establishment of Konoha.

Both clans had suffered immense losses, but in terms of sheer numbers, the Senju Alliance was hit harder.

As a result, Hatake and Kaguya, their forces crippled, had no choice but to submit to the Senju.

They had two options:

1. Join Senju as vassals

2. Be crushed by Uchiha in their weakened state

Unsurprisingly, they chose subjugation.

Izuna wasn't shocked by this outcome. What did surprise him, however, was the shift in Kaguya's alignment.

In the original timeline, the Kaguya clan was based in the Land of Water. But under these new circumstances, they had become part of the Fire Country's influence.

"I've twisted the plot more than I thought…" Izuna mused, his lips curling slightly.

Meanwhile, other major clans had their eyes on the weakened Uchiha and Senju.

Having observed the devastation at Congyun Mountain, the more opportunistic factions wondered if they could strike and claim dominance.

But after sending scouting ninjas to survey the battlefield, they were stunned into silence.

The terrain was utterly obliterated—proof of a war beyond anything they had ever seen.

Faced with this evidence, the ambitious clans hesitated.

"Perhaps… it's best to wait."

Madara's Training, Izuna's Relaxation

With Madara's eyesight fully restored, Izuna could finally enjoy a brief moment of peace.

For months, he had taken on all the responsibilities of leadership while Madara was blind.

Now, it was Madara's turn to handle things.

While Madara buried himself in strategic planning, Izuna spent his time lounging with Mito, reveling in their rare moments of tranquility.

Lying lazily in Izuna's embrace, Mito let out a contented sigh.

"Mm~ Izuna, you've been acting awfully spoiled lately."

Izuna chuckled, pressing a kiss against her red lips. "You're not complaining, are you?"

Mito stretched, nuzzling into his chest. "I might start if you keep this up for another month."

Izuna smirked. "Then, I'll have to make every second count."

Mito sighed, half-annoyed, half-amused. "Honestly, I feel like you're making up for lost time in the war."

Izuna grinned. "Exactly."

Mito stared at him, exasperated. "…I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

End of the Chapter.