*Creeeak—*
Just then, the great doors of the shrine opened. Everyone's expression shifted, a hint of displeasure on their faces. Someone had dared to enter during a high-level meeting.
However, when they saw who it was, the displeasure on their faces quickly vanished.
The young woman who entered the shrine was just sixteen, the most beautiful age in a woman's life.
Her waterfall of red hair, the hallmark of the Uzumaki clan, was coiled up with a hairpin in a style that bore a slight resemblance to the hairstyles of women in Qing court dramas Izuna had seen in his past life.
Her simple white gauze robe was adorned with light-green floral patterns. She walked in with quick, small steps, showcasing not only her exquisite beauty but also the grace of a well-bred lady.
Uzumaki Mito, granddaughter of the Great Elder Uzumaki Hiro'umi, and the veritable princess of the Uzumaki clan.
She was the one Wakou had just referred to as the most suitable match for Senju Hashirama.
"Oh, Mito, you're here. We were just talking about you," Wakou announced loudly.
Mito walked before the council, her hands clasped at her waist, and gave a slight bow. Her voice was ethereal. "I too have heard about the Senju clan head's visit to request a marriage and an alliance. May I offer my opinion?"
Wakou's brows furrowed. "Mito, are you telling me you're unwilling to do this for the clan..."
Before Wakou could finish, Mito interrupted him quite impolitely. "Uncle Wakou, if it is for the sake of the clan, I do not object to the marriage. But please, let me finish."
As the clan head, being interrupted by a junior from the next generation in front of so many people was a great loss of face. But in the end, Wakou managed to suppress his anger and listen to what Mito had to say.
Although Mito was not currently a member of the decision-making council, she possessed a talent for sealing jutsu that was second to none in the history of the Uzumaki clan. She was considered a genius who would one day surely become the first female clan head in Uzumaki history.
Combined with her grandfather being the current Great Elder, her status within the clan was not much less than that of Wakou and the others.
"In my humble opinion, we should ally with the Senju and participate in the war."
As soon as Mito said this, everyone was slightly startled, but they quickly regained their composure. After all, her grandfather supported an alliance with the Senju.
It was no surprise that the grandchild shared the grandfather's view.
"Oh? And your reason?" a Jonin under Wakou's command asked, his gaze cold.
In his and most others' eyes, Mito was only saying this because of her grandfather. What did a sixteen-year-old girl know?
Mito did not sit, but remained standing in the center of the room. Her red lips parted slightly. "Have any of you uncles considered why, for this marriage proposal, the Senju sent their clan head, Senju Yuma, as the emissary, and not the Vice-Clan Head and party concerned, Senju Hashirama?"
At Mito's words, the Uzumaki clan members present couldn't help but look at each other.
At first, they had all thought it was a sign of the high importance the Senju placed on this matter.
But now that Mito had pointed it out, it did seem strange. It felt more appropriate to send Senju Hashirama as the emissary, since he was the prospective groom.
"Mito, what are you thinking?" Uzumaki Hiro'umi asked.
"Yes, Grandfather. I believe the Senju clan has already decided to end this chaotic era and unify the warring states." Mito's words were astonishing.
"The Senju are strong, but not strong enough to end the Warring States Period, are they?"
"The Uchiha have already absorbed the four northwestern clans. In terms of strength, they are not the least bit inferior to the Senju."
"And the Hyuga clan is no pushover. How could it be so simple?"
In an instant, the hall was in an uproar, with discussion breaking out all around.
The Warring States Period had lasted for hundreds of years. How could it be ended just like that?
Uzumaki Hiro'umi raised a hand to silence his clansmen's exclamations. In a deep voice, he said, "Let Mito continue."
Everyone's attention focused back on Mito.
After closing her eyes in thought for a moment, Mito opened them and continued, "If I am not mistaken, the reason Senju Hashirama did not come to the Land of Whirlpools as an emissary is because he has secretly gone to the Sarutobi and Shimura clans to serve as their emissary and forge an alliance with the Senju."
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. With the Uchiha and their four allies relentlessly pursuing the Sarutobi and Shimura, it was highly likely that the Senju would secretly ally with them.
Wakou stroked his chin, asking in confusion, "If that's the case, then why didn't they switch? Why didn't Senju Yuma go to the Sarutobi, and Senju Hashirama come here to request the marriage?"
Mito's red lips parted slightly as she explained, "If you ask me, there is only one reason: Senju Hashirama's strength surpasses that of Senju Yuma!"
The combined strength of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans was far greater than that of the Uzumaki.
If one were to send emissaries to both parties to request an alliance, it would be natural to send the stronger party to the Sarutobi and the weaker party to the Uzumaki.
The Senju had assigned Hashirama to the Sarutobi and their clan head, Yuma, to the Uzumaki. This could only mean one thing—Senju Hashirama was stronger than Senju Yuma.
As soon as Mito said this, Wakou and the others were once again in an uproar.
It was almost unimaginable. Senju Hashirama was only just past twenty, wasn't he?
And Senju Yuma was just over forty, arguably in the prime of a ninja's strength, probably not much weaker than Senju Butsuma.
Had Hashirama already surpassed him?
If Senju Yuma were here, he would have been utterly astonished by Mito's analysis.
He would never have imagined that a girl of only sixteen or seventeen, who had never left the Land of Whirlpools, could analyze his clan's actions so thoroughly.
And if Izuna were here, he too would have regarded this woman, Uzumaki Mito, with the highest importance.
She was, after all, the woman who would help Senju Hashirama pacify the chaotic world and become the first jinchuriki.
If Senju Hashirama at this age already possessed strength surpassing Senju Yuma, one couldn't predict how much he would grow in a few more years.
With this realization, Wakou and his faction of dissenters would have to seriously reconsider whether to agree to the Senju's request.
*RUMBLE—!*!
Just then, the ground began to shake violently. The candles providing light in the shrine fell to the floor in the tremor, snapping in two.
Uzumaki Hiro'umi and the others quickly rose to their feet and strode out of the shrine. In the northwest, outside the village, a massive mushroom cloud was rising from a mountain cliff.
"What... what is that?!" Hiro'umi's wrinkled face was filled with shock.
Even he, a veteran Kage-level ninja, admitted he could not produce a ninjutsu of such power.
An Uzumaki chunin appeared beside the leadership council and reported, "Reporting to the Clan Head and the elders! A red flash of light suddenly shot toward us. Fortunately, the village barrier protected us and diverted the attack's trajectory to the mountain, and then..."
Mito's slender brows furrowed. She closed her eyes and focused her chakra.
Her perception, like the Hyuga's Byakugan, swept rapidly across the entire Land of Whirlpools. She sensed two incredibly powerful chakras battling in the southern sea.
"Grandfather! In the southern sea, there are two immense chakras!" Mito's eyes snapped open as she reported to Hiro'umi.
Just then, Senju Yuma and his men rushed over. They overheard Mito's words but their gaze shifted to Hiro'umi. "Elder Hiro'umi, what has happened?"
Hiro'umi's old face was grim. "It seems we have visitors. If the Senju would be so kind as to wait, I will go and handle this matter."
Upon hearing this, Yuma offered congenially, "Since we are here, the Senju certainly cannot stand idly by. Please allow us to lend our aid."
Mito also spoke up. "Grandfather, I'm going too."
Both of these chakras gave her an extremely uneasy feeling.
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