Extermination of the Fuma Clan (4)

"Hmph! What else could they be doing? Their reputation has already been established. Their next step is nothing more than using their overwhelming strength to pressure those small clans, forcing them to submit and pledge their allegiance!"

Tobirama spoke with disdain as he explained to Hashirama, who frowned, looking at Tobirama in confusion.

"Tyranny won't last long! Does Madara really want everyone to live in fear of him?"

A faint smile touched the corner of Tobirama's mouth. Madara's way of thinking was, in fact, exactly what he himself wanted to do. It was a pity that he lacked Madara's madness, or perhaps he lacked the sheer audacity that Madara possessed. Though Tobirama was loath to admit it, he had to concede that in certain respects, Madara's resolve and decision-making were far superior to his own. Thinking of this, Tobirama couldn't help but strike at Hashirama again.

"This isn't difficult at all; it's just far too difficult for you, Brother."

"What do you mean by that!"

Hashirama didn't feel discouraged this time; instead, he was desperate for an answer because he truly couldn't grasp the logic. Tobirama stuck his long sword into the ground at his waist, then pressed one hand to the earth to explain to Hashirama.

"In chaotic times, one must use heavy codes. Even if it's forced, it's not necessarily a bad method. Just like you, Brother, using grand friendships to make those small clans feel indebted to you so they follow you—it's all just a way to integrate a chaotic world. And the methods they are using are far better than ours! Furthermore..."

"Earth Style: Earth Core!"

As he finished speaking, he released the ninjutsu, causing the ground to sink and form two rectangular graves. Hearing Tobirama's analysis, Hashirama grew furious and interrupted him to argue back.

"Tobirama, you're joking! The path Madara is taking is absolutely wrong!"

"Believe what you want! For now, let's just let them rest in peace!"

Tobirama looked up at Hashirama, answered him calmly, and then silently stood up to hoist the corpses and toss them into the pits. Watching Hashirama perform the same actions, Tobirama couldn't help but sigh, thinking to himself:

Furthermore, Madara's method would ensure that after the so-called village is established, there would be no such thing as clan disputes. Heavy codes are punishments; governing not by the rule of man, but by the rule of law. This would make many things simple and convenient. However, my brother's method is the complete opposite, and it has many fatal flaws. Most importantly, once the village is established, it will house many clans, and these clans will scheme against one another to seize the village's interests.

The most critical point is that because it relies on benevolence rather than conquest, the entire village will effectively become a regime ruled by men. Such a village is extremely difficult to control!

Tobirama stood silently to the side, watching Hashirama fill in the dirt. He really wanted to shout at him, to make his brother wake up and recognize the reality of the situation, but he felt helpless because he also identified with his brother's way of acting.

"I wonder when we will finally see the light on the path we are walking!"

Looking up at the sky, watching the rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves onto the ground, Tobirama couldn't help but sigh aloud. Hashirama paid his respects to the two fallen ninjas, then smiled confidently at Tobirama.

"We will definitely change this world! Because we have the heart to change it!"

"If having a heart were enough to change the world, it would have been changed millions of times over! Brother, don't try to infect my intelligence with your childish thoughts!"

"Ah!"

Tobirama turned and walked away, leaving Hashirama alone, wailing in utter dejection.

While walking along the road, Mingye suddenly felt a shift in his heart. He looked at Lian beside him and spoke.

"I need to leave for a moment. Wait for me here!"

"Has something happened?"

"Perhaps."

After Mingye finished speaking, he turned and walked into the woods, pressed one hand to the ground, and used the Summoning Jutsu. Ara then appeared on Joseph's arm.

"Kid, Grandmother has business with you!"

"I don't recall you having any business that I could help with!"

Mingye stood up, not believing a word of Ara's claim. Ara didn't mind, immediately biting the back of Mingye's hand and using a reverse summoning to transport both Mingye and himself back to Ryuchi Cave.

Walking along the mountain crags, Mingye soon arrived at the familiar Sage's cave. Seeing the White Snake Sage puffing on her pipe, Mingye nodded and bowed, asking.

"I don't know what business the Sage has with me."

"I'm annoyed by the meddling of the little ones, so I've decided to solve the problem once and for all. Bring me back the scroll of the Wind-Thunder Clan!"

"What does the Sage mean?"

Mingye was stunned, not understanding the White Snake Sage's objective. The White Snake Sage didn't waste words with him; seeing Mingye feign ignorance, she laid it out clearly.

"Manda says he can no longer stand being commanded by a bunch of trash. Since I've already found a successor in you, the issue of the scroll should be treated like a toy that needs to be reclaimed!"

Mingye remained silent, while Ara took the opportunity to interject.

"The ninjas of the Wind-Thunder Clan must all be killed. At least those on the scroll's list must die! Kid, although that scroll is a trifle, it still carries the inheritance of the Ryuchi Cave summoning arts. Since there is now a suitable successor like you, there is no need to continue looking for others!"

Seeing Mingye lower his head in contemplation, the White Snake Sage spoke again to explain.

"The benevolent go to Shikkotsu Forest, the children of destiny to Mount Myoboku, and we at Ryuchi Cave inherit the principle of survival of the fittest! Three different forms of Sage Arts form three distinct inheritances of will. The inheritances of Shikkotsu Forest and Mount Myoboku share a trait: those who receive them are children of destiny connected to the secular world. But we at Ryuchi Cave are different. As the name implies, only the strongest can survive to receive the inheritance of Ryuchi Cave. The Wind-Thunder Clan is no longer needed!"

Mingye clenched his fists, his voice turning somber.

"That's at least five hundred people!"

The White Snake Sage looked at Mingye with disdain, mocking him.

"You harbor kindness?!"

"...!"

Mingye fell silent. He had just killed over three hundred people; although he hadn't killed them with his own hands, their deaths were directly tied to him. Just as he was about to argue, the White Snake Sage barked a loud, sharp reminder. "Ridiculous! When you eat pork, do you ever think about the pig's feelings? When you walk upon the earth, do you know if the earth is willing to let you tread upon it? On the grass, you crush the green blades with every step—have you ever thought of their pain? Mingye, this world is exactly like this. If you are strong, you can eat the wild boar's meat and leave it no room to argue. You are strong, so you can ignore the earth's wrath and walk freely upon the ground. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand."

"If you understand, then do it. This is something you should have done anyway. You should have been prepared for this the moment you inherited that scroll! Survival of the fittest!"

When Mingye returned, his expression had become extremely heavy. Seeing this, Lian spoke up.

"Young Master Mingye!"

Uchiha Mingye Hozuki Gengetsu, looking somewhat dejected, raised his hand to wave back at Lian as a gesture of acknowledgment. He then sat down under a nearby tree, lowered his head, and stared blankly at the ground before issuing an order to Lianhuo.

"Cancel the plan to head to the Wind-Thunder Clan!"

"You care?!"

Mingye took a deep breath and offered a self-deprecating smile. The words the White Snake Sage had spoken to him kept repeating in his ears. The word "care" felt like a blade, repeatedly stabbing into his heart. The bloodless pain left Mingye feeling completely helpless. He had truly become more cold-blooded and ruthless, yet Mingye really couldn't remember when he had turned into the person he was now.

When the White Snake Sage suggested wiping out the Wind-Thunder Clan, his first thought hadn't been to refuse the killing or to fear it; instead, he had asked the White Snake Sage why they needed to kill. At the time, Mingye hadn't felt anything was wrong, but now, having walked out of Ryuchi Cave and sitting under the tree, he finally faced the issue head-on. He really had become cold-blooded! He was no longer the law-abiding, upstanding citizen from his past life, nor was he the doctor who felt ashamed for accidentally causing a child's death due to his own arrogance. Perhaps he was now the very executioner that those moralists despised most.

"Did something happen?"

Just as Mingye was lost in thought, Lian walked over and sat down cross-legged beside him to ask. Mingye quickly composed his emotions and straightened his thoughts. This society was indeed being changed by him, but that was merely a self-sublimation in accordance with the manga's progression. Truth be told, he had long since been thoroughly assimilated by this world; he had simply never noticed it, nor had he ever wanted to admit it.

"Perhaps something even worse! We are changing our route to the Hatake Clan now!"

Why not be more frank? Since he already had the answer in his heart, then for the sake of his dreams, it was only natural that a small number of people would have to die. He truly couldn't play the part of a saint; in these chaotic times, what was the difference between being a saint and courting death? Dreamers were only revered after they were dead; only those who recognized reality could go further. He was exactly that kind of person now. The death of his younger brothers had made his heart grow cold; the death of his father had made him truly cherish what he possessed now; and Ryuchi Cave had given him both the power to change the world and a mindset altered by it.

To gain something, one must know how to sacrifice. Since he had already chosen to help his current-life brother realize his grand ambitions, he had to let go of all unnecessary sentiments. After standing up and speaking to Lian, he quickly pulled a scroll from his pocket and used chakra to write several characters upon it.

"The Hatake Clan?!"

Lian truly could not fathom why Mingye would suddenly change his mind. With war imminent, changing decisions before the battle would definitely hinder the Uchiha Clan's plans. However, since it was Mingye who had devised the strategies, Lian had no way to question him when Mingye himself changed the plan.