Thriving Population

"Interesting! This is really interesting! The Navy actually sent out a candidate admiral! Zehahaha! Looks like the people hiding on that island are even less simple than we expected!"

Beside him, Van Augur gripped his beloved rifle, "Senriku," and bowed as he reported, "Captain, I've confirmed that their base is at the heart of the Misty Archipelago. They call it Origin Island.

"There are at least twenty presences on the island no weaker than Navy Headquarters rear admirals, as well as three extremely powerful ones. One of them has already touched the threshold of admiral level. The Navy fleet is currently stationed sixty nautical miles away and has not rashly advanced."

"Captain! Who cares where they came from? Let's take our men and kill our way over there! Whether it's the Navy or some mysterious force, they're all trash before your Dark-Dark Fruit!"

Burgess clenched fists the size of sandbags and roared in a deep, booming voice. Every muscle in his body tensed, brimming with ferocious eagerness.

"What's the rush, Burgess?" Teach waved a hand, his narrowed eyes filled with vicious calculation. "If we charge in now, won't we be walking right into the Navy's guns?

"Let them test each other first. Let the Navy and those mysterious people fight to the death. Once both sides have exhausted themselves, we'll make our move."

He licked his cracked lips, greed nearly spilling from his eyes. "By then, whether we take down this mysterious force and trade them to the Navy for a position among the Seven Warlords of the Sea, recruit these strong people to expand our power, or even pick up the Navy's candidate admiral, it'll all be pure profit! Zehahaha! This West Blue really is our lucky land!"

Lafitte leaned on his engraved cane and bowed politely, his effeminate voice dripping with flattery. "The captain is wise. We can use this opportunity to completely shake off Fire Fist Ace's pursuit and reap the benefits from the sidelines."

Beside him, Doc Q hugged his sickly horse, Stronger, and suddenly erupted into a heart-wrenching fit of coughing. After finally catching his breath, he let out a raspy, sinister chuckle. "Hehehe... This muddy water might end up dragging us in too..."

Teach acted as though he had not heard him. He raised his telescope again and looked toward Origin Island, shrouded in dense fog, his single eye filled with undisguised ambition.

Five Navy warships, a mysterious and powerful unknown force, and Fire Fist Ace, who had chased him here.

This grand show had only just begun. And he, Blackbeard, would be the final winner.

Four factions had converged in these waters of the West Blue. Around Origin Island, which had been peaceful for an entire year, undercurrents had long begun to surge. A monstrous wave capable of overturning the entire balance of the West Blue was already gathering momentum.

Meanwhile, in the central council hall of Origin Island, the wooden doors were tightly shut, blocking out the howling sea wind and the sounds from the distant training grounds. Natsu sat alone in a broad chair, lightly tapping the air with one finger. A pale-blue system panel visible only to him instantly unfolded before his eyes.

The points displayed on the panel flickered slightly. The monthly settlement he had just completed had deposited exactly five thousand points. Added to the forty-five thousand he had saved before, the total came to exactly fifty thousand.

Natsu stared at the shifting number and took a deep breath, suppressing the expectation and tension surging in his heart. The Navy fleet was already blocking the waters sixty nautical miles away, while Blackbeard and Ace lurked in the shadows, watching like tigers. These fifty thousand points were the most reliable trump card he had.

He steadied himself and almost instinctively blurted out, "Deep blue, add points..."

The moment the words left his mouth, he froze. Then he spat with an amused, helpless expression. "Pah."

After clearing his throat, Natsu sat up straight and spoke solemnly to the empty air. "System, draw one golden trait!"

A cold mechanical voice immediately sounded in his mind, crisp and direct, without a trace of unnecessary flourish:

"Received!"

The instant the words fell, a dazzling golden light exploded across the system panel. A virtual prize wheel spun at high speed, gilded patterns flowing layer upon layer across the panel until they became nothing more than an afterimage. In just a few seconds, the wheel gradually slowed and finally stopped on a dazzling golden section.

The system's cold notification sounded next. "Congratulations, host. You have drawn the golden trait—Thriving Population."

[Thriving Population (Gold)]

Effect 1: After the trait is activated, the probability of conception among clan members of childbearing age increases by 80%.

Effect 2: The mortality rate of newborns in the clan from epidemics decreases by 60%, and the Uchiha bloodline dilution rate is reduced to zero.

Natsu stared fixedly at the trait description on the panel. His whole body stiffened in the chair, and the corners of his mouth twitched wildly beyond his control. For a long while, he could not say a word.

He turned the trait over and over in his mind.

Was this skill powerful?

It was.

It was absurdly powerful, a god-tier ability for the long-term development of a clan.

Not to mention anything else, with the 80% conception bonus alone, combined with the effect that directly reduced bloodline dilution to zero, the Uchiha Clan's population could increase at least fivefold within ten years.

And there was no need to worry about the old problem of diluted bloodlines ever again. Even if they married outsiders, they could firmly preserve the purity of the Uchiha bloodline in their descendants. This solved the greatest problem threatening the clan's survival at its root.

But the problem was—was this the time to be thinking about having children?!

The veins at Natsu's temple throbbed violently, and he nearly crushed the armrest in his grip.

Outside, a Navy candidate admiral was blocking the waters sixty nautical miles away with five main Headquarters warships. Blackbeard and Fire Fist Ace were both lurking in the surrounding seas. A pack of wolves and tigers watched from all sides, and life or death hung in the balance—yet you gave me a trait for having children?!

Was this system trying to make the entire Uchiha Clan surrender to the World Government and become breeding studs?!

He clenched his back teeth and forcibly suppressed the urge to smash the system panel. Taking a deep breath, he spoke through gritted teeth to the empty air. "Use the exclusive prize pool chance included with drawing a golden trait."

"Received!"

As soon as the words fell, the exclusive prize pool wheel on the system panel began spinning at high speed once more. Gilded light burst forth with a boom, nearly flooding the entire sealed council hall.

The instant the light settled, the system notification rang out clearly:

"Congratulations, host. You have obtained a special reward: Sage Body!"

[Sage Body]: The ultimate Yang Release origin inherited from Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. It can greatly enhance physical strength, regenerative ability, and total chakra reserves in every aspect. It can also complement the host's Indra's Eye through the balance of Yin and Yang, greatly promoting the evolution of ocular power.