"Rather, it depends on the clan's population, the continuation of its bloodline, its legacy through the generations, and its potential for future growth."
"If you want to revive the Uchiha, the most crucial, absolutely indispensable thing-is the Uchiha population."
"A steady stream of clansmen who can carry on the bloodline, pass down the clan's name, and secure its place in the Shinobi World."
"Only with clansmen can there be an Uchiha Clan!"
Sasuke repeated those words under his breath. His gaze shifted, and the resistance in his heart finally crumbled into acceptance.
That was right.
Suddenly, it all made sense to him.
Even if he succeeded in his revenge and reached the pinnacle, if he remained alone in the end, without a single other clansman...
A hundred years later, no trace of the Uchiha would remain in the Shinobi World.
The glory he spoke of would be nothing but a fleeting bloom. It could hardly be called reviving his clan.
A flicker of relief crossed Sasuke's eyes, and he nodded solemnly.
"That's right."
"If I'm the only Uchiha left in the end... that hardly counts as a revival."
"Eventually, the Shinobi World will forget the Uchiha Clan altogether."
Having worked through every obstacle, Sasuke raised his eyes again, his gaze firm, and pressed for the final answer. "So what exactly are you trying to tell me? What should I do to truly revive the Uchiha?"
At that, a sudden gleam of excitement lit up Orochimaru's eyes, which had remained calm throughout his explanation.
He leaned forward slightly, his long, thin tongue brushing the corner of his lips, and delivered his startling ultimate answer, word by word:
"So, Sasuke-you need to have lots and lots of children."
Boom!
That single sentence instantly froze the air throughout the secret chamber.
Sasuke Uchiha stiffened on the spot. His pupils contracted sharply, his mind went completely blank, and he was utterly stunned.
He stood rooted to the spot, his face filled with bewilderment and disbelief. His lips trembled as he all but lost the ability to speak. "Have... have children?"
Sasuke had wondered what Orochimaru would say, but never in his wildest dreams had he expected the answer to be having children!
And lots of them!
Watching Sasuke's stunned, vacant expression, Orochimaru's smile grew more inscrutable as he continued his explanation as though it were perfectly obvious:
"That's right."
"You're the last remaining bearer of the Uchiha's pure bloodline. As long as you father descendants and bring more Uchiha clansmen into the world..."
"They can reproduce, pass on their legacy, and grow stronger, generation after generation."
"Once there are plenty of clansmen and the bloodline continues to flourish, the Uchiha Clan will naturally be rebuilt and prosper again."
Simple, blunt, clear-eyed, and practical, it struck straight at the root of every problem.
Outside the Sky Screen, there was a moment of deathly silence. Then the entire Shinobi World erupted!
"Hahahaha! I'm absolutely floored!"
"So after all that, the ultimate secret to reviving the Uchiha is for Sasuke to have children? How many would he need?"
"Orochimaru, you really know how to revive a clan!! That's a bizarre angle, but every word is true!"
"When you think about it, this really is the only way! That's Orochimaru for you!"
"Sasuke's just going to have to put in a little extra effort and hard work!"
Everyone in the Shinobi World was torn between laughter and tears, stunned by the sheer absurdity of it.
At the Konoha Ninja Academy, everyone burst out laughing.
Sakura's face instantly turned bright red. She clamped both hands over her cheeks, her heart racing, and her ears flushed so deeply they looked ready to drip blood.
Excitement was already bubbling up in her mind as she began thinking about what to name their future children.
Naruto's eyes went wide, his face blank. Then he burst into wild laughter and pounded the desk. "Sasuke has to have children? Hahaha, Sasuke! So that's part of your job, too!"
Sasuke Uchiha's pupils shook. His whole body went rigid, his face darkened, and he was so embarrassed he wanted to flee the Sky Screen viewing on the spot.
"Stop laughing, Naruto. Who do you think Sasuke's most likely to have children with?" someone teased.
Naruto blinked, slowly coming to his senses, and looked toward that pink hair...
In the end, Naruto turned to stone, tears streaming down his face!
Sakura, you can't have children with that stuck-up Sasuke!
Inside the Sky Screen.
Sasuke remained dazed for a long time before his jumbled thoughts slowly settled.
His earlier bewilderment and embarrassment faded, and cold reason regained the upper hand.
He neither nodded in agreement with Orochimaru's outrageous theory of revival nor voiced any denial.
His gaze merely darkened as he stared intently at Orochimaru, who lay on the bed looking weak while calculating everything.
After three years of trials in darkness, he was no longer an impulsive boy consumed by revenge.
There was no such thing as a free lunch. Orochimaru could not possibly have gone to all this trouble out of selfless goodwill.
Sasuke's voice was icy as he cut straight to the point. "So, Orochimaru, what exactly are you after?"
"I don't believe you'd waste this much time telling me things that mean nothing to you."
Even at a disadvantage, he remained vigilant, never once lowering his guard.
"How perceptive, Sasuke."
Orochimaru lifted his eyes slightly, a trace of approval flashing through his narrow gaze. His long, thin tongue lazily swept across his cheek, and his smile was eerie and enigmatic.
"But that doesn't matter."
"Whatever my motives may be, everything I've told you today can only benefit you. There's no downside."
Changing the subject, Orochimaru tossed out a probing question, seemingly casual, yet perhaps deliberate. "By the way, what do you think of Karin?"
"That girl belongs to the Uzumaki Clan. Her bloodline is powerful, her feelings are sincere, and she's especially devoted to you."
"A child born to the two of you would undoubtedly be extraordinarily gifted."
At the mention of Karin, Sasuke fell silent for a moment.
He knew the unusual qualities of the Uzumaki Bloodline, too, and understood the meaning hidden in Orochimaru's words.
But this seemingly considerate suggestion only heightened his wariness.
After a brief silence, Sasuke abruptly raised his eyes. A cold glint flashed through his dark gaze as he locked his piercing stare onto Orochimaru, a barely perceptible, chilling killing intent rising around him.
Sasuke's voice was bone-chilling:
"So after everything you've said..."
"You're not just scheming against me."
"You've factored my future children-the Uchiha bloodline that comes after me-into your plans as well, haven't you?"
"You want to get your hands on me, and later you'll go after my children, too!"
"Orochimaru, do you want to die?"
Boom!
Those words exploded like thunder in the dim secret chamber!
The air froze completely in an instant!
The playful smile abruptly vanished from Orochimaru's face, where moments earlier he had been calmly smiling and laying his plans.
For the first time, he fell utterly silent, no longer grinning or deliberately steering the conversation.
His previously weak presence suddenly turned unfathomable and dangerous. Every pretense disappeared from his eyes, replaced by an intense, obsessive, chilling gleam of determination.
Outside the Sky Screen, the entire Shinobi World sucked in a sharp breath, their scalps prickling!
"My God! The more you think about it, the scarier it gets!! Orochimaru's insane!"
"So he's not just after Sasuke! He's after a child born of the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans!"
"This isn't nurturing Sasuke at all! He's treating Sasuke as 'breeding stock'!"
At that thought, everyone went cold, chills running down their backs.
Before, they had thought Orochimaru was carefully training Sasuke. Even if he had some sinister motive, they had never imagined it went this far.
Only now did they fully see the madness and greed buried in Orochimaru's very bones.
Inside the Akatsuki's base, the atmosphere was as bitterly cold as ice.
A chilling aura surged around Uchiha Itachi. His scarlet Sharingan stared fixedly at Orochimaru, the killing intent in his eyes boiling to its limit.
He had long known that Orochimaru coveted the Uchiha bloodline and had already taken precautions against his desire for Sasuke's body and the Sharingan.
But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined Orochimaru could be this depraved!
He wasn't merely scheming against Sasuke!
Even Sasuke's future children, the Uchiha bloodline that would continue for generations, had already been earmarked as experimental material!
That was his beloved little brother!
"Unforgivable..."
Itachi snarled inwardly, his overwhelming killing intent almost bursting out of his chest.
At that moment, he could no longer maintain his usual calm indifference.
His gaze turned icy as he began frantically scanning his surroundings!
He was searching!
He was checking!
Was Orochimaru's true body lurking nearby at this very moment?
If he detected even the slightest trace, he would not hesitate to kill that sinister, vicious madman on the spot for daring to defile his little brother's bloodline!
Meanwhile, Orochimaru beside him remained completely oblivious to the danger.
He blinked, watching the conversation on the Sky Screen. He blinked again and again, then suddenly clapped his hands together, his face alight with overwhelming delight and fervor.
"That's right! Why didn't I think of that before?"
"This is the perfect solution!"
Before you continue