I, Uchiha Kin, Will Also Use Talk no Jutsu

"Can you really let my companion go?" In truth, Yan Liu herself knew she had no other choice.

Uchiha Kin's skill in manipulating kunai with nerve threads was so exquisite it made one's scalp crawl. With so many people unable to defeat him just now, the two of them alone naturally stood even less of a chance. She could only gamble that Uchiha Kin was a man of his word.

Uchiha Kin smiled. "Of course... you can trust in the honor of the Uchiha." He thought to himself, "Though, I don't have any."

If he had a choice, he would never have been reborn into the Uchiha clan... The Sharingan might be tempting, but the clan's annihilation was all too real.

"Fine, I'm willing to be your vessel! What do you need me to do?" Yan Liu asked.

Uchiha Kin said, "What to do, I haven't decided yet. However, I won't make you surrender to Konoha, nor will I make you betray Iwagakure. You are merely my personal vessel."

He reached out and gently placed his hand on top of Yan Liu's head. Yan Liu felt that his hand was slightly warm and cool, stroking her scalp with an extremely peculiar sensation—she found herself not resisting much. She heard Uchiha Kin continue, "Things like war, we have no choice in... this damned era. Do you understand?"

From his palm, fine nerve threads extended, silently burrowing into Yan Liu's brain. They crept along the spatial layout of her brain's nerves, clinging tightly one-to-one. It felt as though part of her nerves had thickened slightly.

Yan Liu asked, "What?"

"Do you know how many people the Senju and Uchiha clans had before the era of the hidden villages? Hah, the Senju clan had two hundred and three people, the Uchiha clan one hundred and eighty-seven.

"These two clans, back in the Warring States Period... The Uchiha actually had a clan registry, and I happen to be someone who likes flipping through it. Then, I discovered a record in that registry—something extremely disconnected from the current era."

With Uchiha Kin's earlier promise and his vow that she wouldn't need to surrender to Konoha or betray Iwagakure—just a pact between the two of them—

Yan Liu felt little resistance toward Uchiha Kin. Now, as he touched her head, embedding his nerves and speaking of secrets, she showed great interest.

People are always drawn to such hidden truths.

Her eyes, like rubies, stared straight at Uchiha Kin, waiting for him to continue.

"I saw a lie. Once, the Senju and Uchiha clans were two ninja clans locked in bitter conflict and endless strife.

"But the populations of both clans kept growing and expanding, adding new members. Do you know what that means? It means that although our two clans fought, not many members died—do you understand what that implies?

"Let me tell you one more thing, and you'll get it. The Senju clan—can you still name anyone from the Senju clan today?

"Gone. The First War, the Second War—in just a few decades, the once-mighty Senju clan vanished. And the Uchiha clan?

"The Uchiha now number just over fifty people, and that's still considered a major clan in Konoha."

Ninjas, perhaps due to chakra—this energy requiring spirit and conviction—rarely engaged in such calm, data-driven analysis. They tended to focus on more intuitive, individual experiences.

So when these two sets of data were placed side by side, they appeared glaringly stark—

Yan Liu asked, "Could it be that the dawn of the hidden village era, ending the chaos, is a lie?"

Uchiha Kin asked, "Is it the truth?"

"I don't know."

"Once this damned war is over and you return to Iwagakure, you might conduct a survey of the various clans. I believe the results will give you your answer... If you insist on asking me, then I'll tell you this—

"When the one-country-one-village system was established, it essentially turned the grudges between scattered ninja clans into large-scale national wars.

"Originally, battles between ninja clans were about fighting when you could win and fleeing when you couldn't, usually not involving ordinary people. Moreover, due to chakra limitations, individual ninjas and small clans each had their flaws, making it hard to cause massive casualties.

"Especially retreating—before the hidden villages, running away or fearing battle wasn't shameful. Preserving your clan was nothing wrong.

"But the hidden village era is different. It's tied to the greater cause of the nation, forcing ninjas to charge forward and die. It shifted from simple conflicts among ninja clans to a contest of comprehensive strength between two or even multiple countries.

"The entire nation is dragged into war. Countless war orphans were born precisely in this era.

"So, what is the essence of the hidden village? It opened a Pandora's Box, releasing a demon called World War—nothing more."

Uchiha Kin glanced at the Iwa-nin lying on the ground. That ninja had actually woken up but was playing dead, lying there.

Yet how could such a clumsy trick deceive Uchiha Kin's perception?

Still, Uchiha Kin didn't mind him listening.

"I don't doubt that person wanted to end the conflicts between ninja clans and resolve the strife. But some things can't be achieved with just passion and wishful thinking. The result of reckless action is exactly what we're facing now—pretty terrible, isn't it?

"Why do we wage war? Because, along with the establishment of the hidden village system, another system was also established: the ninja mercenary system.

"A ninja's income is based on missions. The total number of missions in this world is limited. If your village takes a bigger bite, other villages get less. And the way to secure missions is simply to show your strength.

"If your village is strong and has good credit, employers will choose you. Employers vote with their feet.

"As for the root of this war, guess what it is? Konoha occupies the best geographical location, has the richest environment in the country, and its ninjas have good credit—especially in their education of ninjas, making them as approachable as possible.

"If you're a ninja reeking of killing intent, with a stern face and deep resentment, employers won't seek you out unless absolutely necessary.

"This is the inevitable result of employers voting with their feet.

"So what should your village do to reclaim its share of missions? The most direct way is war—showing that you have greater strength, that you can fight when you want and make peace when you want.

"At the end of the day, the core of the mercenary system is still your ability to handle escort, assassination, and protection jobs well."

Yan Liu felt as if she had been enlightened. "So, the root of this war lies in the loss of mission quotas?"