"You're really going to spare my comrades?" In truth, Enryu knew very well she had no other choice.
Uchiha Kin's mastery of controlling the kunai with nerve manipulation was so flawless it sent chills down her spine. Just a moment ago, so many people couldn't stand up to him. Now it was just the two of them—there was simply no contest. She had to take a gamble and believe that Uchiha Kin was a man of his word.
Kin smiled. "Of course... You can trust the honor of the Uchiha."In his mind, he added, But as for me personally? I don't have that.
If he had the choice, he definitely wouldn't have been born an Uchiha... The Sharingan was tempting, but the clan's tragic fate was real.
"Alright, I'll be your vessel! What do you need me to do?" Enryu asked.
Kin replied, "I haven't figured out exactly what yet. But I won't make you surrender to Konoha, nor betray Iwagakure. You're only my personal vessel."
He reached out, gently placing his hand on Enryu's head. She felt a slight coolness and a strange, almost soothing sensation as his hand stroked her scalp. Surprisingly, she didn't resist. Kin continued, "War is something none of us can choose... in this damned era. You understand that, right?"
From his palm, tiny nerve tendrils silently crept into Enryu's brain, weaving along the pathways of her neural network, fitting perfectly like a thicker part of her own nerves.
"What?" she asked.
"Do you know how many people there were in the Senju and Uchiha clans before the ninja villages existed? The Senju numbered 203, the Uchiha 187."
"These two clans, during the Warring States period... the Uchiha actually kept detailed family records, and I happen to be someone who likes digging through genealogies. I found something recorded in the clan history that doesn't fit with what we know today."
With Kin's promise and the assurance she wouldn't have to surrender or betray, Enryu felt less resistant. She was genuinely curious as Kin"s hand merged with her nerves and he spoke of hidden truths.
People are always intrigued by secrets.
Her ruby-red eyes locked onto Kin"s, waiting eagerly for him to continue.
"I found a lie. The Senju and Uchiha clans used to be mortal enemies, locked in endless conflict."
"But the population of both clans kept growing steadily. Do you know what that means? It means that despite the fighting, not many clan members actually died."
"Let me say one more thing, and you'll understand. The Senju clan—you can still tell who they are now?"
"There's no one left. After the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, just a few decades, the once-glorious Senju clan disappeared. And the Uchiha?"
"Now, the Uchiha number only about fifty people. Even so, they're considered a noble clan in Konoha."
Ninjas, due to chakra, rely heavily on spirit and willpower, so they rarely analyze things coldly and mathematically. They focus more on immediate, individual feelings.
So seeing these numbers together was a brutal awakening—
Enryu asked, "Are you saying the start of the ninja villages, ending the Warring States era, is all a lie?"
Kin asked back, "Then is it true?"
"I don't know."
"When this damn war ends and you return to Iwagakure, maybe you can survey the clans. The results should give you the answers... If you really want my opinion, I'd say—"
"When a country and a village system were established, it turned the scattered grudges between ninja clans into large-scale national wars."
"Before the villages, clan battles were straightforward—fight if you could, run if you couldn't, and usually didn't affect civilians. Also, because of chakra limits, small clans had their own weaknesses, making massive casualties rare."
"Especially running away wasn't shameful back then. It was just about keeping your family line going."
"But the ninja village era changed all that. It tied ninja to national loyalty, forcing them to charge headlong into battle, often to die. What used to be clan disputes turned into power struggles between countries."
"Whole nations were dragged into war. Many war orphans were born in this era."
"So, what is the real nature of the ninja villages? They opened Pandora's box and unleashed a demon called world war. That's all."
Kin glanced at the Iwagakure ninja lying on the ground—he was actually awake, just pretending to be dead.
But such a poor act couldn't fool Kin's senses.
And Kin didn't mind if he heard.
"I don't doubt that person wanted to end clan conflicts and ease tensions. But some things aren't solved by passion and wishful thinking alone. The consequences of reckless actions are what we're facing now. It's terrible, isn't it?"
"Why do we fight? Because when the ninja village system was established, so was the ninja mercenary system."
"A ninja's income comes from missions. The total number of missions in the world is limited—if your village gets more, others get less. How you get missions is by showing strength."
"If your village is strong and trustworthy, the clients will choose you. Clients vote with their feet."
"Guess what caused this war? Konoha has the best location, the richest environment, and great ninja reputation. Especially their ninja education is friendly."
"If you're a ninja who looks angry, fierce, and resentful, clients won't hire you unless necessary."
"This is the inevitable result of clients voting with their feet."
"So if your village wants to take back its share of missions, what do you do? The most direct method is war—show your strength, prove you can fight or negotiate on your terms."
"At its core, the mercenary system depends on how well you can escort, assassinate, and defend."
Enryu felt like enlightenment struck her.
"So the root cause of this war is the loss of mission quotas?"