Chapter 97: The Lineage-Ending Plan
"Father, the Hyuga clan has sent Hyuga Toshihiro to inspect for the second time."
Senju Wakama looked his father, Butsuma, in the eye, speaking with a serious expression, "This is enough to show that the Hyuga clan is wavering; they just lack a certain catalyst."
"Your sister said that because of their unique Kekkei Genkai, the Hyuga have far more concerns than ordinary ninja clans." Senju Butsuma nodded, then said hesitantly, "Just like the Uchiha clan..."
Mentioning the Uchiha clan again.
Father and son fell into a strange silence.
Having been at odds with the Uchiha clan for many years, Senju Butsuma understood the conflict between the two clans better than anyone.
Never mind the ordinary clansmen; even Senju Butsuma himself often despised the Uchiha clan.
As hereditary enemies, they had fought each other for many years, and the hatred had only accumulated.
To truly forget the hatred was too difficult.
If it weren't for Senju Tsukuyo, Senju Butsuma couldn't even convince himself.
After a long while, Senju Wakama was the first to speak, "Father, should we find an opportunity to cooperate a little with other ninja clans?"
"What do you mean?" Senju Butsuma's brow furrowed.
Senju Wakama pondered for a moment and said, "For example, the Nara clan..."
Senju Wakama was recalling the words Senju Tsukuyo often said to him when she was still in the clan lands.
Senju Tsukuyo could control wild animals, and her bird friends recorded all the trivial matters of every ninja clan—eating, drinking, defecating, sleeping—and relayed them to Senju Tsukuyo.
Because of this, Senju Wakama knew a great deal about the major ninja clans.
The Nara clan, Akimichi clan, and Yamanaka clan were three clans that survived by uniting.
Besides undertaking commissions similar to other ninja clans, these three families had different side businesses.
The Nara clan produced medicinal herbs;
The Akimichi clan developed Military Rations Pills;
The Yamanaka clan coordinated with the above two clans.
The three families had always been intertwined, a successful example of ninja clan alliance.
Senju Wakama had long been "studying" under Senju Tsukuyo, and the knowledge he acquired was incomparable to others.
The Senju clan's hot spring resort had specialized herbal baths, and medical treatments also used a large amount of medicinal herbs.
Due to Senju Tsukuyo's existence, the medicinal herbs the Senju clan obtained were all "gifts of nature," with the animals in the mountains as their labor force.
They only needed to provide low-cost feed to exchange for a large quantity of medicinal herbs from the animals.
This was an incredibly profitable business.
Relying on the mountains for sustenance, and the waters for what they could provide.
The Senju clan's business was growing larger, earning more and more money, and its reputation continued to rise; there would be more and more customers in the future.
This would directly lead to a sharp increase in the demand for medicinal herbs.
If customer demand exceeded the capacity of the Naka River Forest, the Senju clan would then fall into a passive state.
Therefore, they couldn't just make one-handed preparations.
Senju Wakama suggested cooperating with the Nara clan, whose side business was herb cultivation.
In other words, the Senju clan had already amassed a great fortune, and it was time to use that wealth to generate more wealth.
The Senju clan could, like other patrons, spend money to hire the Nara clan to cultivate medicinal herbs, allowing the two clans to exchange what they had for what they needed.
This cooperation was feasible.
And in the process of cooperation, the Nara clan would inevitably set foot in the Senju clan's hot spring resort.
After understanding some superficial information, it was believed that the Nara clan would understand the Senju clan's value.
As long as they could persuade the Nara clan to join them, then the Akimichi clan and Yamanaka clan would be secured.
Senju Wakama believed their thinking could be broadened even further.
The Senju clan, currently undergoing a transformation, had not weakened in strength but was instead selling health.
This health could not only be sold to nobles and wealthy merchants but should also be targeted at other ninja clans.
Ninjas often walked through hails of blood and storms of gore; injuries were commonplace. If they were willing to pay enough money, the Senju clan wasn't unable to help.
Besides cooperating with the Nara clan on the issue of medicinal herb supply.
Other ninja clans were the same.
For example, cooperating with the Akimichi clan on food supply.
For example, cooperating with the Aburame clan on pest control and hygiene at the hot spring resort.
These were all things Senju Tsukuyo had unintentionally mentioned to Senju Wakama before.
Upon hearing Senju Wakama speak of these matters, Senju Butsuma shook his head helplessly, "This is one of the reasons Senju Tsukuyo wants to unite the other ninja clans; she needs their talents and abilities."
Senju Wakama deeply agreed, "Other ninja clans will soon be unable to make a living because of the rise of our medical services."
Hearing this, Senju Butsuma lowered his eyes and said nothing.
Regarding this matter, Senju Tsukuyo had predicted it long ago.
The Senju clan's "medical" services were very expensive.
The cost was low, yes, but what was important was to have prestige; it couldn't be sold too cheaply.
Once the nobles experienced the benefits of "health leasing," they would quickly become addicted.
If they felt unwell anywhere in their bodies, they would want to come to the Senju clan for "physiotherapy."
And coming to the Senju clan for physiotherapy meant spending money like water.
Where would this money come from?
Naturally, from exploiting those further down the social ladder.
Besides collecting taxes, the nobles would also suppress other ninja clans.
There was no need to specifically use military force against ninja clans; simply lowering the commission fees for past missions was enough to make other ninja clans suffer.
And in this ninja world, even powerful ninja clans still had to bow and scrape before the nobles.
They couldn't beat the Senju clan, so they couldn't out-compete the Senju clan.
They didn't dare target the nobles, so naturally, they didn't dare rob the nobles.
In such a survival environment, the living space for other ninja clans would become increasingly narrow.
To survive, they had to compromise.
With fewer commissions from nobles, and the Senju clan emerging to offer commissions to other ninja clans, would they accept or not?
Cooperation where the benefits outweighed the disadvantages – why not accept?
But if they accepted the commissions, they would gradually be assimilated by the Senju clan.
This was Senju Tsukuyo's plan.
"...Father, Senju Tsukuyo said that the ninja world is too barren." Senju Wakama said in a low voice, "Everyone's insight has become barren along with it. You can't persuade them because they can't imagine the things you're talking about."
"Most ninja clans nowadays are still in a state of trying their best to survive. These people, apart from desperately trying to live, don't have other overly complicated thoughts."
"She said, people fundamentally don't know what they want. What we, the Senju clan, must do is to create things, and then make everyone need these things."
"First, make them need the things we create, then create an intersection between the two sides, and then use this thing as a link for the two clans to become friendly. After that, through intermarriage, they will become relatives."
"In this way, for ten years, twenty years, fifty years, even a hundred years, you will be in me, and I will be in you. Everyone will be one family. At that time, what special ninja clans will there be? Every ninja clan will be the Senju clan... She called this series of plans: the Lineage-Ending Plan."
After hearing these words, Senju Butsuma's eyes flickered with a strange light.
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