Ninja Ice House

Chapter 608 Scattered Fragments

The fact that people live in the modern era but their hearts remain in the Warring States period is the true, incurable crisis of the Uchiha clan.

They placed too much importance on bloodline limits, secret techniques, and the security detail, unaware that the times were changing rapidly. Smart ninja clans had already begun to transform, such as the Inuzuka, Nara, and Aburame clans; the slow-witted ones were gradually realizing that if they didn't prepare, things would be dire, like the Hyuga clan, which is now the most powerful ninja clan in the open. Those who reacted too slowly to the crisis were devoured in no time. The once-powerful Uzumaki clan could only eke out a living in Konoha through marriage alliances. If it weren't for Kosugi Bokusui's intervention, it's uncertain whether the Land of Whirlpools would have been able to rebuild.

"Bloodline flows out, bloodline limit is reached—the spread of the Sharingan is inevitable, however..."

Mikoto Uchiha spoke with a slightly worried but not particularly anxious expression.

"Ultimately, one must first become a ninja to have any hope of awakening the Sharingan. Without the impetus of chakra, even the most powerful bloodline limit is not an aid but a burden. If it is not activated, after several generations of dilution and dulling, it will become just another ordinary person, with the hope of a primal awakening being extremely slim. Only... this large-scale training of fish-men guards, their chances of awakening the Sharingan are far lower than those of the Uchiha clan in the past, but their population base is much larger, so naturally there are still quite a few with the bloodline foundation for awakening..."

If the chance of a Uchiha clan member awakening the Sharingan after becoming a ninja was only one in ten, then the chance of a Fishman Guardian mastering chakra training methods is only a little over two percent.

Although the probability of Uchiha clan members awakening their Sharingan is about five times higher, the birth rate of Fishman Guardians is more than twelve times that of Uchiha clan members, and more than eighteen times if their brethren are included.

Under the guidance of the Gusugi family, the fish-men clan led by Tatsumi, along with all the sea creatures under his control and the underwater civilization, although still relatively rudimentary, are no longer those scattered illegitimate children who may be buried and disappeared at any time.

Outside of the Uchiha clan, a large-scale, organized, inherited, institutionalized, and culturally rich demi-human race has indeed emerged, possessing considerable strength and mastering the techniques of using the Sharingan.

“Some people within the clan already know, but… there’s nothing we can do about it. The Uchiha clan’s legacy needs to be upheld, but it would be unwise to forcibly confront a force that doesn’t belong to the Uchiha clan and still possesses the Sharingan when we can’t even guarantee that we won’t split apart.”

Mikoto Uchiha calmly added:

"My clansmen are too arrogant. Even after falling to the bottom and becoming so humble as to live under someone else's roof, they still have restless hearts. But... these things have little to do with me anymore. Itachi has escaped, Sasuke is mostly safe, and I am now a noblewoman. It's enough for me to raise these children to adulthood."

No matter what, would the Uchiha clan dare to ask the Furusugi clan for people in the future?

When Madara Uchiha was still in the clan, he should have had a strong foundation. Now, he's just trying to survive by sneaking around and sorting out the internal relationships.

In the past, the Uchiha clan was in a precarious situation. Due to external pressure, they were brought together and managed themselves through clan self-governance. They had a strong sense of identity and did not need to emphasize it. Everyone naturally took pride in the name Uchiha.

But now, there is no reliable leader in the entire clan. Uchiha Mikoto has no time to manage, and Uchiha Izumi is even less inclined to care.

As a result, several young people in the clan gathered together to increase their influence, and they started arguing and fighting amongst themselves, which led to the emergence of conflicts.

There was no need for Kosugi Shōdō to sow discord; once the external threat was gone, the cohesion weakened considerably.

In a few years, it will be difficult to make a comeback.

"The one with real hope is Sasuke. As long as he takes good care of himself, has several children, and raises them carefully, there is still hope for him to rise again in the future. As for those outside... they are spineless stray dogs, relying on their so-called past glory and memories of the past, unwilling to face reality, let alone be down-to-earth ordinary bloodline ninjas."

What is a family?

They don't even have a home, so how can they be considered a clan?

“Madam, you already have a family, the Gui Palace… the Prince’s family, and now you have three children.”

"Yes! When I stood on the shore, I couldn't help but look back at my former clansmen still in the water. Thinking back, Fugaku had gone to such lengths to find a way for them to survive, but in the end... they didn't seem to deserve the sacrifice of their compatriots."

"As long as you have a clear conscience, that's enough!"

"Yes, there's nothing to regret."

The Uchiha clan has now effectively split into four or five settlements, each with its own circle. They are still nominally one family, but in reality, everyone knows whether they are truly close or not.

More than ten years ago, everyone in the village used to play together all the time, literally. It was very lively. Now we don't play together anymore, so we're a little more distant, but that's okay.

"It seems there's little hope for the clan. You...you should think about yourself too, Izumi..."

"it is good!"

We can't count on ordinary clansmen who have lofty ambitions but fragile lives. If Uchiha Sasuke can stand up for himself in the future, he can send a group of promising children there instead of letting them waste their talents in an environment unsuitable for growth.

"A cunning rabbit has three burrows; that's one way to survive. In the past, the clan brought glory, convenience, and benefits, but also slaughter, pain, and torment. Madam... we've paid for the clan's destruction for nearly ten years; that's enough. We've lived up to the name of the Uchiha..."

"Let go a little. Young Commander Gushan is not a shrewd and capable person who would let others ruin things. His unfounded ideas are really laughable."

Sometimes, if you're too polite, people feel that the benefits they receive are their due, and they feel they're losing out if they put in even a little effort or resources, wanting more benefits. It's really a bit of a misunderstanding of their own status and position.

Those clansmen who secretly slipped away and infiltrated hidden rogue ninja organizations or underground forces ultimately ended up serving the Furusugi clan through a different path. They were essentially the same as those clansmen who joined the Fighters Association, influenced smaller forces in the ninja world, and changed their identities.

Kosugi Bokusui has woven a huge net in the ninja world. Do you think you can avoid being ripped off by unscrupulous merchants just by buying clothes from a different store?

Little did they know that all the shops on the street belonged to the same company. The so-called freedom of choice was a joke. If Gu Shanbu hadn't deliberately avoided becoming an absolute producer and preserved enough vitality and motivation, his influence would probably have spread even more exaggeratedly.

"Izumi, let go of Itachi's obsession. It's time for you to do what you want to do."

"Boys my age are all so immature. I was willing to play with Itachi back then, probably because he was too precocious!"

Do you still believe in innocent love and unbreakable bonds?

"I believe it, but I don't think I'll ever meet someone like that!"

"You've grown up!"

Just as the two were chatting, a little girl of about ten years old dragged a little boy covered in mud into the room.

"Mother, Kazuki has gone to play in the mud with the neighborhood kids again..."

"We're not playing in the mud, we're playing a super realistic game of house."

"Who told you to roll around in the mud... Oh, Izumi-neechan, you're here..."

"You've grown taller again, Chinatsu. You're looking more and more like a young lady..."