The Clan's Downfall Through Excessive Bluntness

For the next hour, Uchiha Lucha rattled off Uchiha Gin's countless crimes without pause.

From minor things like dining and skipping out on the bill, peeping on widows bathing, and snatching snacks from children.

To major things like dragging girls walking home at night into the Small Forest, doing it in front of their boyfriends, then killing both of them afterward to silence them.

When their parents reported him to the clan, he turned around and detained them too, eventually sending them off to reunite with their family. Afterward, he even brazenly declared, "A family ought to be together, nice and neat."

There were too many similar cases to count. Uchiha Gin's crimes were passed from mouth to mouth among the clan, eventually reaching the point where everyone knew of them.

Ordinary clan members feared him like a tiger and turned pale at the mention of him. Those with strength hated him to the bone. If not for his status, they would have long since upheld justice and rid the people of this scourge.

"???"

Why had none of these crimes appeared in the original owner's memories?

The original owner had been rather withdrawn, and after surviving that tragedy, he had interacted with the clan even less.

He handled his daily life himself. The few provocations he had encountered were only because others brought up the topic of survivors from the tragedy, which was why he had clashed with them.

There might not have been any brother in the martial world, but tales of him were everywhere.

"Did you witness all of this yourself?"

Uchiha Gin could not help interrupting Uchiha Lucha, who was still listing his crimes.

"Uh... no, not really."

After pausing to think, Uchiha Lucha scratched the back of his head and answered uncertainly.

"Then why did you make it sound so real?"

"I don't know who started saying it, but then everyone seemed to start saying it too: 'Uchiha Gin, you've done all these things.'"

Even Uchiha Lucha was suddenly a little confused. When had he built such an image of Uchiha Gin in his mind?

Things he had clearly never done, yet everyone believed them to be true. Was someone deliberately spreading them, or...?

Uchiha Gin suddenly had many doubts about what the original owner had gone through. Why had he been saddled with baseless accusations?

Who had ruined the original owner's reputation and isolated him, and why had they done such a thing? These questions tangled in Uchiha Gin's mind, leaving him restless. Why target the original owner, a weakling?

Could it simply be because they resented him for being the only survivor? The theory that survivors were guilty?

That famous theory flashed through Uchiha Gin's mind.

The theory that survivors were guilty referred to how, in a disaster or criminal case, survivors who escaped by chance would face harsher public condemnation and enormous pressure from society's moral accusations.

And the reason the original owner had become withdrawn and turned a blind eye to these baseless rumors might have been what was known as "survivor's bias."

Having survived that tragedy, the original owner often felt guilt or self-blame toward the clan. That feeling had driven him to choose silence when faced with so many rumors against him.

But silence was the same as admission.

From then on, the original owner's image was established among all the clan members who did not know the truth.

At that point, rumors became muddled with reality, making it impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood. All people could do was follow the crowd.

"Gin-sama, that's all I know."

Lost in Deep Thought, Uchiha Gin had not really taken in the latter half of Uchiha Lucha's account, though he knew it was probably more negative information about the original owner.

"All right. Thank you, Brother Lucha. I like hearing the truth."

A man who stood straight feared no shadow. Since Uchiha Gin knew the original owner had never done such wicked things, he naturally bore no grudge over Uchiha Lucha's words.

"Then I'll get back to work."

Uchiha Lucha's mouth had gone dry from talking. While the other man had yet to get angry, he prepared to slip away.

"Mm. Let's have tea together sometime."

Uchiha Gin, whose mind was already elsewhere, nodded and signaled for him to go.

After leaving the room, Uchiha Lucha leaned against the wall and nearly could not stay on his feet. His entire body felt soaked through. "I said all that, and he didn't get angry at all. He's nothing like the rumors."

He shook his head. These were not things a lowly jailer like him should be worrying about.

Today, Uchiha Tiedan had gone to submit a transfer request. He needed to return and rest now, since he would be standing watch alone tonight.

Setting aside the original owner's "grievance" for the moment, Uchiha Gin decided to first meet that so-called Old Jailer and see whether he could obtain more accurate information from him.

Third Dungeon housed criminals guilty of petty theft and minor offenses.

The shortest sentences were ten days to half a month, while the longest were usually around a year before release.

Some were Uchiha Clan members, while others were Rogue Ninja. Their shared traits were simple: they were not strong, and they were rather timid.

The Guards of Third Dungeon were two young Uchiha Clan members, perhaps just over ten years old. Their childish faces wore a seriousness that did not suit their age, making them look rather out of place.

Seeing Uchiha Gin approach, one of the skinny boys spoke. "This is an important prison area. Unauthorized persons are not allowed inside."

"You don't know who I am?"

Seeing that the boy seemed not to recognize him, Uchiha Gin could not help asking.

"No matter who you are, without an order from a superior, you are not permitted to take even one step forward."

The boy wore a businesslike expression as he stood before the entrance, preventing Uchiha Gin from coming closer.

The superior he spoke of was Uchiha Ryuei. As the Acting Warden, he could be considered the uncrowned king of this prison.

"I'm the newly appointed Archivist. I need to enter Third Dungeon to verify the prisoners' information."

Uchiha Gin did not want to waste more time arguing with him, so he directly revealed his identity.

"If you're the Archivist, then you may enter."

Upon learning that Uchiha Gin was the Archivist there to verify information, the boy immediately stepped aside.

"Idiot Huoke, how can you trust a stranger so easily!"

Seeing his companion let a stranger in so readily, the other Uchiha boy hurriedly stopped him.

"But he said he's the Archivist!"

The boy named Uchiha Huoke scratched his head in confusion, his face full of conflict as he spoke to his teammate.

"I, Uchiha Erlang, won't be so easily fooled by someone like you!"

The other Uchiha boy had an honest-looking square face, but his clear eyes revealed a familiar sort of foolishness.

"Your name is Uchiha Erlang. Is your older brother Uchiha Dairou?"

As the boy began to look increasingly familiar, Uchiha Gin spoke up.

"How did you know?"

The other party had actually mentioned the older brother he had not seen for a long time, and Uchiha Erlang asked instinctively.

"I was your brother's teammate on missions. I just returned a few days ago."

Uchiha Gin played the connection card. Let's see how this kid handled it.

"Oh, you should've said you were Brother's friend earlier! Please, come in!"

Uchiha brats really were straightforward. No wonder they had been tricked into exterminating their own clan.

"Then thank you, Young Man Erlang."

Seeing that his plan had worked, Uchiha Gin first thanked the still-grinning Uchiha Erlang with a smile, then turned to the skinny boy sulking beside him. "And thank you too. You're Young Man Huoke, right?"

Still puffed up with anger, he turned his head in confusion. "How do you know my name?"

After bidding farewell to the two Uchiha boys, he headed deeper into the prison.

Third Dungeon clearly held more prisoners than the other two, but most of them looked calm, and some were even chatting and boasting.

It seemed the punishments for their crimes were not severe, so they did not feel much resistance. As a result, his Heartsteel Chest had not been triggered.

He found nothing after searching all the way through, to the point that Uchiha Gin nearly suspected Uchiha Lucha had made up an Old Jailer to fool him. Just as he thought that, he suddenly spotted an open cell.

When he approached, he saw a hunched figure using a mop to clean the cell floor.

Seeing that the figure wore the high-collared combat uniform common among the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Gin greeted him.

"Hello, may I ask—"

He had only gotten halfway through before the hunched figure turned around.

Under the dim corridor lights, an aged face appeared before Uchiha Gin.

The old man's face was full of wrinkles, as though time had left clear marks upon it.

What left the deepest impression were his two grayish-white pupils. Even the hand gripping the mop resembled a withered chicken claw, utterly bloodless.

Startled by the man's appearance, Uchiha Gin swallowed the words that had been halfway out of his mouth.

A trace of black qi flashed through the old man's grayish-white eyes. A hoarse, eerie laugh like a crow's came from his dried lips, and his words made Uchiha Gin's heart tighten.

"Hehehehe... you've finally come."