"Cn Kaguya Exterminated (1/2)?"

  "They're counting it like that?" Masahiko Uzumaki mused inwardly. "Well… makes sense, I guess. Most of the Kaguya who awakened the Shikotsumyaku went overboard with it in this war. They probably don’t have long to live."

  "And besides, Frostbone Grass doesn’t grow in the damp, swampy nds of the Land of Water…" With that in mind, the ancient Kaguya cn—once a warlike powerhouse—was effectively extinct.

  As for the survivors who fled to the Land of Water? At this point, they might as well be a different cn entirely.

  "Still, only ‘half exterminated’? That means when the Kaguya rebel in the future, I’ll have to pay the Land of Water a visit. There’s probably a milestone there I can cash in on."

  "I’ve got 50 points from this fight. Better pn my build carefully… Judging by how fast Hashirama and Madara are growing, the era of the Twin Gods isn’t far off."

  While Masahiko’s thoughts were running wild, his sensory abilities suddenly picked up something off near the battlefield’s edge.

  "Who's there?!" He spun around, shouting sharply.

  The five elders from the Senju and Uchiha cns, who had just started to rex, tensed up again and scanned the surroundings with kunai in hand. But five minutes passed and nothing appeared.

  Masahiko gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, my bad. Must’ve been a false arm..."

  The two Uzumaki elders exchanged an awkward gnce. They’d just started to think Masahiko had become reliable—turns out he was still the same reckless kid.

  But my sensing shouldn't have been wrong… Was that Bck Zetsu?

  Masahiko didn’t show it on his face, but his heart was certain.

  He knew the story—Bck Zetsu was the ultimate hidden hand in this world. A maniputor who’d schemed for a thousand years just to bring his mother, Kaguya ōtsutsuki, back to life.

  And Masahiko would never naively believe Bck Zetsu only became active during the canon timeline. For years now, he’d been watching for signs.

  Even as a child, Masahiko had noticed something strange—the underground bck market.

  From cn elders, he’d learned the bck market had existed since their youth, yet to this day, no one knew who started it or who ran it.

  He’d taken a bold guess: that the bck market was Bck Zetsu’s creation, gathering intelligence across nations to prepare for Kaguya’s return.

  And then there were the inconsistencies in recent years: the Hyūga pulling off an easy sneak attack on the Uchiha’s Fourth Training Ground… the Kaguya cn randomly stumbling upon Frostbone Grass near Uzumaki territory… Lord Kaguya himself getting spotted by a mere Uzumaki scout…

  "So, it really was you, pulling the strings… Bck Zetsu." After sensing that presence near the battlefield, Masahiko finally confirmed what he’d long suspected—this eerie imbance all stemmed from Bck Zetsu.

  "It’s about time I start learning my cn’s sealing techniques..." He thought ahead to all the future threats—Edo Tensei, the Nine Tailed Beasts, the resurrection of Kaguya ōtsutsuki—and clenched his fists with resolve.

  Somewhere deep underground, in a pce cloaked in shadow…

  A shadowy figure crouched in silence.

  What sharp perception… I was nearly discovered, it thought.

  Not that it matters. Even if they notice me, no one knows my purpose. No one even knows I exist.

  The figure was none other than Bck Zetsu. He had no idea that not only had Masahiko sensed him—he had already deduced much of his activity over the years.

  Thinking of his mother, Kaguya ōtsutsuki, Bck Zetsu grew feverish with emotion.

  Mother… wait for me. I will bring you back. Those damned traitors, Hagoromo and Hamura—I’ll punish them for you. Their descendants, the Hyūga and the Kaguya, are already in the palm of my hand. As for the Senju and Uchiha… their time is coming.

  And the Uzumaki… Their cursed sealing techniques must be wiped out for good!

  The depths of the underground fell into silence once more.

  Back on the battlefield, the Senju, Uzumaki, and Uchiha had finished sorting through the Kaguya’s supplies. As Masahiko had predicted, arguments broke out over how to divide the mountain of loot.

  The Uzumaki were the first to agree to a share: 20%. The two elders didn’t raise any objections—they were the weakest among the three cns, and hadn’t contributed as much to the battle. Honestly, getting even 20% was more than fair.

  But then came the dispute over the remaining 80%.

  The Uchiha insisted on splitting it evenly, while the Senju elders argued that their cn had done more and deserved 60%. Voices rose. Tempers fred. It was starting to look like another fight was inevitable.

  Then, Madara Uchiha—freshly healed—snorted coldly. He turned to Hashirama and decred, "We’re taking half. Got a problem? We’ll settle it in combat!"

  Masahiko smacked his forehead.

  You’re literally asking for help, Madara. Can you not sound like a damn protagonist from some edgy cultivation novel?!

  As expected, Tobirama nearly charged him on the spot. Hashirama barely held him back.

  Caught between his best friend and his cn, Hashirama made a quick decision. "Elder Mizuma, let’s split it evenly. The Uchiha took heavy losses too. And our people are exhausted from months of nonstop fighting—we can’t afford another war."

  Mizuma Senju, the acting cn leader, stared bnkly. He couldn’t believe it… his own "young master" had betrayed the cn—again.

  In the end, thanks to Hashirama’s insistence, the Senju and Uchiha split the remaining 80% equally. With the loot sorted, the three cns packed up and began their respective journeys home.

  The Uzumaki returned with their 20%—technically a victory. But the atmosphere in their ranks was heavy.

  Truth was, their numbers had been cut nearly in half.

  Masahiko had noticed before they set out: over a dozen elite jonin had joined the expedition. These were the backbone of the cn. Now only eight remained. Thankfully, the two top jonin and the two elders had made it back alive. If they’d lost even one of them, the Uzumaki would’ve suffered a critical blow.

  As for the chunin and genin… Masahiko had lost count of how many had died.

  "We took a huge hit this time. No way the cn elders will agree to support the Senju against the Uchiha again anytime soon… Which might not be a bad thing. I can finally focus on studying sealing techniques," he thought.

  Night had completely fallen by the time Masahiko’s group reached the Uzumaki compound.

  The cn leader and the grand elder were waiting at the gates to greet them. Surprisingly, the leader didn’t press them for details about the battle. Instead, he and the elder instructed the remaining cnsmen to prepare a grand feast, and had the looted supplies stored safely away.

  Masahiko took a few quick bites, not sticking around to hear the cn leader’s words of encouragement for the returning warriors. His right arm still needed treatment.

  He gave the elder a quick nod and made his way back to his little hut. After a rough bandaging job, he colpsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

  After a month of war… he was exhausted.

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