Chapter 326: The Uchiha's Path to Revival
Facing everyone's gazes, Yasushi didn't immediately take a position. Instead, he addressed Izuna first:
"Lord Izuna, do you think they should forgive Madara?"
"Well..." Izuna immediately hesitated.
Though currently extremely disappointed in Madara, that was still his actual brother. Blood ran thicker than water.
If possible, he naturally hoped his brother could receive the deceased clan members' understanding.
But he truly couldn't voice such words. Because putting himself in their position—if someone had gotten him killed, he'd struggle forgiving the perpetrator too.
Yasushi provided Izuna with a convenient out at the perfect moment.
"Lord Izuna, I believe apologies expressed through mere words prove insufficient for comforting victims."
"Madara must atone through actual actions!"
"Uh, how should he atone then?" Izuna hastily asked.
"Obviously by performing meritorious service for the clan—redeeming himself through achievements!" Yasushi declared decisively.
"Though Lord Madara's brain proves somewhat stupid, his combat capabilities remain quite trustworthy."
"Coincidentally, we're planning to revive the Uchiha clan. We desperately need his martial support."
"Presumably after the Uchiha clan's revival, these deceased members should be able to forgive Madara's past mistakes!"
"Yes, excellent idea!" Izuna excitedly clapped his hands, repeatedly agreeing. "Brother absolutely should redeem himself through service!"
"Not only can he perform meritorious service for the clan—I can remain too, helping him atone together!"
"Izuna, we're both already dead..." Madara interjected from the side, face full of sorrow.
"Does being dead mean we can't fight?" Izuna immediately grew furious, glaring viciously at his brother while retorting: "Though my current state feels strange, I believe I can still display seventy or eighty percent of my living combat strength."
"Brother, stop making excuses!"
"Right now, Yasushi and the others are fighting for the clan's revival! As clan members, how can we lie comfortably sleeping in graves?"
"Think about the mistakes you've made. How could you possibly sleep?"
"This matter is settled. I'm deciding for you, brother."
"From now on, brother—just obediently follow the current clan leader's orders and fight people. Don't continue dreaming about 'shinobi world peace!'"
"Where's the peace in this filthy shinobi world?"
"We only need protecting the Uchiha clan's peace!"
Receiving a thorough scolding from his younger brother, Madara—already negative and dejected from his shattered dreams—sank even lower in spirit.
"Right. Where's any peace in this shinobi world?"
"Forget it. What qualifications does foolish me have pursuing such empty things?"
"From now on, I'll simply be a thug muddling through life!"
Seeing his brother bitterly smile while nodding agreement, Izuna finally cheered up. He discarded all disappointment in his brother before running to Yasushi's side, beginning detailed inquiries.
"Yasushi, you're the current Uchiha clan leader, right?"
"Quick, tell me—how do you plan reviving the Uchiha clan?"
"Uh..." Watching the enthusiastically excited Izuna, Yasushi blinked. He began feeling somewhat awkward.
If he revealed now that this "revival" was merely manipulation—would Izuna immediately flip out furiously?
Given Yasushi's personality, he could deploy every method against someone like Madara who didn't value the clan. But facing someone like Izuna who genuinely cared about the clan, he couldn't bring himself using such underhanded tactics.
Or perhaps... discuss mass-cloning Uchiha with Izuna?
No telling if this old-fashioned person could accept such methods.
Worth trying!
"Ahem!" Yasushi cleared his throat before speaking seriously: "Current situation—after the massacre night, besides two traitors, I'm the only one remaining in the clan."
"As one person, even if I continuously produced children, I couldn't rapidly revive the Uchiha clan."
"So I've taken some shortcuts."
"Everyone here are our own people, so I won't hide anything."
"I'm currently scheming to seize the Rinnegan—those mosquito-coil-looking eyes in your brother Madara's sockets."
"The Rinnegan possesses a technique called Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life—it can resurrect the dead."
"But this technique consumes the user's life force."
"The Uchiha clan died too long ago. Even sacrificing my life couldn't resurrect all clan members."
"So I plan using cloning technology to mass-produce individuals possessing Uchiha bloodlines."
"If these clones prove defect-free, I'll treat them as clan members—rapidly increasing the Uchiha clan's numbers."
"If these clones develop problems—limited lifespans, chronic illnesses, whatever—then I'll transplant Rinnegan into these defective clones. Use them to resurrect already-deceased Uchiha clan members."
After listening, Izuna half-understood. Yasushi briefly introduced cloning technology.
Now Izuna understood. He furrowed his brow, lowering his head while pondering ages before hesitantly asking:
"This seems to involve ethical issues?"
"Those clones' originals and already-deceased clan members might look like the same person, but they're not actually identical. They lack the same memories and experiences. They can't substitute for each other, right?"
"I think we shouldn't treat clones as clan members at all. Just treat them directly as resurrection materials."
"As for that Rinnegan..." Izuna glanced back at his brother before declaring broadly: "Leave this matter to brother and me. We'll definitely seize it back for you, Clan Leader."
After hearing this, Yasushi smiled reassuringly:
"I've considered these aspects too. So we're not directly cloning using deceased members' flesh and tissue. Instead, we'll implant other ninja clans' bloodlines into initial embryos—making the final cultivated clones genetically different from originals."
"For instance, we can implant Senju clan's Wood Release cells into Uchiha bloodlines. The finally cloned children would be mixed-blood from both clans..."
"Absolutely not!" Before Yasushi finished, Izuna exploded.
"Mixing bloodlines with any other ninja clan is acceptable—just not the Senju clan!"
"Look at my brother! You'll see how badly the Senju clan harmed our Uchiha!"
"From now on, we Uchiha and the Senju are mortal enemies. Absolutely no blood mixing between us!"