Uchiha's personal opinion

While this method can indeed produce a sufficiently ferocious and powerful giant snake in a short period of time, it is a method that greatly depletes one's vitality.

However, seeing this situation, the Toad Immortal became even calmer.

This also fully demonstrates that the Ryongji-dong lineage understands the urgency of the current situation.

The White Snake Sage, who knows all the secrets of the past, is certainly not a fool. It shouldn't be a problem for him to bring her back to the chariot of Mount Myōboku!

After traversing the blood-soaked abyss tunnel, the Toad Immortal once again arrived at the temple where the White Snake Immortal resided.

After Princess Tianxin pushed open the door, she saw the White Snake Immortal sitting on a high seat, staring intently at the visiting Toad Immortal.

"Gamamaru, how dare you!"

The White Snake Immortal spoke first, saying, "How dare you enter my ancestral land alone!"

"I believe the White Snake Immortal already understands the purpose of my visit..."

The Great Toad Immortal stepped inside, and the giant door behind him was slowly closed by the Goddess of the Field Heart. Instantly, the stench outside the temple was completely shut out, and only an intoxicating fragrance filled the air.

"Asura has abandoned you!"

The White Snake Immortal mocked mercilessly, "Your and Yu Yi's scheme has completely failed! I don't know how you can still maintain such a calm demeanor!"

"Aren't you feeling guilty? Indra's descendants are preparing to destroy your homeland!"

"What you know, I know too, so there's no need for this..."

The Great Toad Sage calmly said, "The Battle of Mount Myōboku is three years from now. We still have time!"

"Three years..."

The White Snake Immortal scoffed, "According to the Shogunate's plan, they can build the forward base in a year and a half at most and then begin advancing into the wilderness!"

"And you! And the Greninja of Mount Myōboku, are utterly powerless! All you can do is wait for the Shogunate to build its base all the way to the gates of Mount Myōboku!"

"Your Greninja can't stay in the desert to scout, but my Ninjagasa can see everything clearly!"

"So... Gamamaru, tell me, why aren't you panicking!"

The White Snake Immortal's roar echoed endlessly within the temple.

"When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact."

The Great Toad Sage said, "White Snake Sage, Mount Myōboku needs your help."

"So, this is how you treat me when you come here begging?"

The White Snake Immortal straightened up and said aggressively, "So, you still refuse to kneel before me?"

"You once demanded that Ashura offer the Uzumaki clan as a sacrifice, but now Ashura has broken free of his shackles..."

The Great Toad Sage pointed out: "Now that the Indra lineage has merged with the Asuras, do you think Ryuchi Cave will benefit if Mount Myōboku is destroyed?"

"The 100,000 ninja snakes of Ryuchi Cave are sharpening their fangs and sucking blood; if the shogunate dares to invade, they will surely not return!"

The White Snake Immortal spoke without fear.

Is that really the case?

The Toad Immortal retorted, "White Snake Ancestor, we've been rivals for thousands of years; you might fool others with your words, but there's really no need to fool me!"

"How long can Ryuchi Cave's devouring evolution be sustained? If the shogunate delays its attack for ten years, how much power will Ryuchi Cave still have left?"

The White Snake Immortal fell silent.

"Now we are in a relationship of mutual dependence, so helping Mount Myoboku is actually helping Ryuchi Cave!"

"The Toad Immortal said sincerely."

Chapter 449 On the Number of Jonin Under a Daimyo

The so-called daimyo was the 'myō-shū' during the time of the ancestral emperor, and the meaning of his title was 'great lord'.

The origins of the Five Great Nations of the Ninja World are mostly due to the gradual annexation during the endless wars of the Warring States period after the complete collapse of the Ancestral Emperor's rule. Although each of them claims to be a direct descendant or a branch of the Ancestral Emperor, who knows how many times these bloodlines have been replaced over thousands of years?

After all, no matter how much a noble family born into a daimyo flaunts its nobility, it cannot conceal its weak nature as a mere mortal. Ninja clans, such as the Hyuga clan, can increase the concentration of their bloodline through intermarriage, thus producing offspring with better qualities and aptitudes. On the other hand, the practice of intermarriage within a noble family will only lead to the entire clan becoming idiots and eventually being replaced.

In addition, there were the customs of adopting sons and using shadow warriors during the Warring States period, the fighting habit of reuniting families during bloody wars of annexation, and the fact that many of the noble families of the time were poor young men who rose up decades after the destruction of a certain family and claimed to be of a certain bloodline and should inherit the legitimacy; so no one knew how many times these so-called noble bloodlines had changed hands.

However, all the royal families, even the tyrants who had just occupied a small town and proclaimed themselves great, all without exception claimed to be the hidden bloodline of the ancestral emperor, hoping to enhance the legitimacy of their claims.

However, in the eyes of ancient noble clans like the Uchiha, Senju, and Hyuga, the so-called noble families have long been desensitized to them; and if it weren't for the close relationship between the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the noble families of the daimyo of the Land of Fire, coupled with her obsession with the "one village, one country" system, Tsunade Senju would have been too lazy to care about the life or death of the daimyo.

As for ordinary Konoha ninjas, they had long since become indifferent to daimyo and nobles.

The reason is simple: their income is no longer limited to funds allocated by the big names and task commissions.

Both the shogunate and the allied companies can provide decent income. Even if you're unemployed in the village, you can sign up to join the reserve squad and receive a subsidy to live a good life. So, whether you're an ambitious ninja or a lazy one, you can find your place in this thriving era.

The change in the economic base naturally altered the Konoha ninja's view of the daimyo and nobles—"My money doesn't come from you, so why should I listen to you?"

This is the general view of ordinary Konoha ninjas towards daimyo nobles.

Of course, this was just the opinion of people at that time. In the eyes of the radical Konoha ninjas, the shogunate was far too conservative! To the point of being too soft-hearted!

They have mentioned more than once that they want to replace the rule of the Daimyo and nobles over the Land of Fire, and to implement a system similar to the Jonin Joint Conference currently being implemented in the Land of Water throughout the entire territory. It is even possible to expand the jurisdiction of the two academies of Konoha to the entire Land of Fire.

But Uchiha Tokumitsu rejected them all.

Because Konoha is not the same as the Land of Fire, and Konoha cannot obtain the Land of Fire.

This is his bottom line.

The Land of Fire belongs to the Shogunate, and the Shogunate belongs to the Uchiha clan. This is the most ideal state in Uchiha Tokumitsu's blueprint.

However, as the shogunate's underhanded tactics increased, even the obtuse daimyo sensed something amiss.

……

"By the divine decree of the Great Lord who has informed all the people, the Minister of the Interior descends to pay homage to Princess Tsunade!"

Within the Senju clan's territory, a white-haired man sneaked into Konoha through a secret passage of the Senju clan to meet with Tsunade.

Should I call you Shirai-do or Kazuma?

Tsunade said it casually.

"I hope Tsunade-hime will forgive me. I changed my name to Shigetsuchi due to pressure from the enemy Tokumitsu. However, since Tsunade-hime is here in person, I will call myself Kazuma!"

Kazuma, the former head of the Guardian Shinobi and current Minister of the Interior, said solemnly.

"The enemy of Korea..."

Tsunade chuckled and offered no comment.

The comparison of strength is the most straightforward. When the shogunate's power was enough to crush the daimyo at will, it was meaningless to talk about titles anymore.

"Recently, many shogunate ninjas have been active in the Kinki region, perhaps harboring treacherous intentions. Therefore, Your Highness has ordered me to come and pay my respects to Princess Tsunade, and to inquire..."

Kazuma asked, seemingly with sincerity.

"What does the Daimyo hope the Senju clan will do?"

Instead of the usual pleasantries typical of nobles, Tsunade went straight to the question.

"...Please have Tsunade initiate a motion in Konoha to order the Shogunate to withdraw the illegally dispatched ninjas and to prevent them from infringing on the sacred rights of the Daimyo."

He paused for a moment before replying.

"This is impossible."

Tsunade's answer was equally straightforward: "Hasn't Your Highness grasped the current situation yet?"

"But the one village, one country system is ultimately the brainchild of Lord Hashirama, and the cornerstone of peace in the ninja world..."

He Ma hurriedly said.

"I remember you supported the daimyo's control over the ninjas, right?"

Tsunade stopped beating around the bush: "If that's the case, why not use the Daimyo's ninja army to fight the Shogunate in a decisive battle?"

"The servants are too weak to fight..."

He replied with a wry smile.

"The Senju who were capable of fighting have already died for the Land of Fire."

Tsunade's attitude was also very cold.

Upon hearing this, Kazuma was taken aback.

Once upon a time, in the eyes of the daimyo and his close retainers, Tsunade was still a member of the establishment who could be won over, and she had even contradicted the powerful shogunate on several occasions; so when faced with the shogunate ninja who came with ill intentions, the daimyo could think of her first.

Even if it cannot counterbalance the shogunate, it would be good to delay or distract Uchiha Tokumitsu.

After all, what the daimyo lacks most is time.

But people change.

Among the leaders of the various ninja clans in Konoha, Tsunade is the one whose consciousness and stance have changed the fastest.

The reason lies in the simplest comparison of strength and power.

The Senju clan may appear numerous and powerful today, but in reality, they are unlikely to contend with the Uchiha clan, let alone the Hyuga clan, which is beset by internal and external troubles.

Moreover, after seeing the balance of power, the reorganized Senju clan became Tsunade's Achilles' heel, and Konoha could no longer tolerate voices advocating for the Daimyo.

Uchiha Tokumitsu's repeated mobilizations and fierce battles, which seemed to exhaust the clan's resources and drain its blood and tears, not only did not lead to the clan's decline, but the clan became even more prosperous. This made Tsunade think deeply.

Why was the Senju clan so utterly defeated and weakened during the First Shinobi World War, while the Uchiha clan rose to prominence during the equally bloody Second Shinobi World War?

After much thought, Tsunade attributed the cause to "converting public resources into private ones."

When Uchiha Tokumitsu made decisions, his first thought was always of his clan.

The most dangerous ninja raid was completed by the Red Guard, composed of Uchiha clan members, so they will reap the greatest rewards of the war. If the Uchiha's affiliated ninja clans are envious of the spoils, they will also have the opportunity to charge into battle next time. Even the most humble grass ninja can receive their due reward after paying a blood tax and showing their loyalty to the death.

So, what about the Senju clan, who are also a clan that founded the village?

Tsunade vaguely remembered that after the First Shinobi World War, the village's finances were in dire straits due to a sharp reduction in the Daimyo's funding. Therefore, at the urging of her teacher, the former Third Hokage, the Senju clan voluntarily gave up the astronomical sums of compensation for casualties...

So, can the Senju still fight?

"The Uchiha clan is truly a sinner in history!"

Kazuma continued to earnestly persuade them, "Since Lord Hashirama pacified the chaotic world, the Senju clan has always been the mainstay of peace in the ninja world and the absolute main force in suppressing calamities. Although the Uchiha clan is powerful now, we should not let down the hard work of the two generations of Hokage."