Ninja Ice House

The ideological conflict among the mother and her two children far outweighs the conflict over interests.

In Kaguya Otsutsuki's view, the ninja world could serve as a barrier against the Otsutsuki clan's pursuit, and in the long run, it could also be the foundation for development and growth. However, a thousand years ago, the most important issue was not the distant future, but the present.

If we can't even get past this hurdle, there will be no future.

It needs to be clarified that the brothers Hagoromo and Hamura are actually twin brothers born from parthenogenesis after Kaguya ate the fruit of the Divine Tree. This fact was confirmed by the "Goddess of the Rabbit" after Kosugi Bokusui confirmed it repeatedly.

That's why Kaguya Otsutsuki wasn't at all surprised that the little girl, who was altered and sealed by the Cursed Seal Technique due to the "Snake Shedding Technique," split into Usami and Izumi Uchiha.

It's nothing unusual, so it's not surprising. There are plenty of strange and unusual ways of reproduction in the universe. Compared to that, the state of the ninja world... where reproductive barriers can be broken to some extent by the influence of chakra alone, is really not worth mentioning.

As for the natives of the ninja world, their understanding was even lower. When Kosugi Bokusui mentioned the characteristic of "inherited from the father," even Tenchi and Inuzuka Hana, who was in charge of the pet base, found it unbelievable. They had never heard of it before, let alone realized it.

In its previous life, this thing was basically considered amateur science and unofficial history, a small-scale speculation and verification. It was indeed found in a few special species, but it was a mysterious phenomenon that was rarely found or reproduced on a large scale. However, in the ninja world, under the influence of chakra, it is not necessarily "pseudoscience".

From the above perspectives, it can be confirmed that the Sage of Six Paths and Hamura Otsutsuki were genuine members of the Otsutsuki clan, at most influenced by the natural will of the ninja world, resulting in some degree of mutation and making them more compatible with this world.

Indra, Ashura, the Otsutsuki clan on the moon, the Uzumaki and Hyuga clans, etc., are truly mixed-race, and even if they are given the Otsutsuki surname, they do not belong to the Otsutsuki clan.

"There's something I haven't told you before. According to your worldview, the ninja world... actually has an owner, or rather, the top figures have always been the same group of people and their descendants. It's hard to say what the state was like before their arrival, but after their arrival, the ninja world has always been like this. Whether it's good or bad, it's always the same group of people coming and going. The ones eating at the table are one family, while the ones being served are another group. The difference is just... who eats more, who eats less, how the dishes are cooked, and how they are served."

"I understand it to some extent."

Hearing Kaguya Otsutsuki's words, Furuya Kosugi remained calm and composed, without changing her expression.

"In your... or the Sage of Six Paths' eyes, it's hard to say who is closer to me, the descendant of a former servant, or the descendants of countless generations. If we are closer by blood and more familiar, we can appoint people based on kinship. But if we are too distant, and no one knows anyone, then we can only appoint people based on merit."

Is there any precedent for servants or subjects to start "eating at the table"?

The division of Jin into three states, the rise of the Tian family to power in Qi, the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms—the emperors came and went like a revolving lantern, but in essence, it was all just a change of name without any real change in substance.

Moreover, Kosugi Bokusui has already eaten the fruit of the Divine Tree, and his bloodline is clearly closer to Kaguya Otsutsuki and the Sage of Six Paths than to the Senju, Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Hyuga clans.

"It's good that you understand! Although my descendants and I have multiplied and thrived in the ninja world, in reality, it is difficult to resist the control from the ancestral star and clan land of the Otsutsuki clan by relying solely on the power of the Otsutsuki. We must rely on the power of the ninja world itself, but the ninja world and the intelligent life here are not strong enough. We must combine the two to effectively protect this place."

Just like a colonial governor who wants to establish an independent country and become king, if he completely abandons the authority and deterrence given to him by his mother country, he will not even be able to keep his current position. But if he relies entirely on his mother country, his future may not be so bright, and he will be overthrown sooner or later by waves of resistance.

What should the actual operation be?

The interests of both sides must be balanced. Speak to people in a way that is appropriate to them. When the time is right, decisively sever ties with the motherland, transform yourself into a representative of the local faction, and secretly maintain ties with the old forces.

In my previous life, World War II had just ended. There were only about fifty countries in the world. Half a century later, that number had grown to more than two hundred. Among them, many were makeshift organizations that claimed to be independent countries but were actually no different from before, or even far inferior.

Don't be fooled by the clear borders on maps. Most of the world is basically scattered in the form of tribes and clans. A few million square kilometers of land is just a few dozen people and a few guns. The so-called modern country that can seize power by storming the capital is hardly anything special.

Ordinary people growing up in modern civilized countries can't even imagine that there are still many countries where slavery, or what is actually slavery, is still prevalent.

The ninja world is actually a similar place, or even more complex.

Why did Gushanbu Shui commit massacres in the Bear Country many years ago?

Although I knew long ago that "cannibalism" was not an exaggeration, I was still shocked and furious when I actually saw it.

Furthermore, the existence of various evil gods and the endless stream of inhumane forbidden and secret techniques should make it clear that ordinary people in the ninja world, without the power to resist, actually live a very difficult life.

Despite possessing extraordinary power, they are not productive, and some even choose not to use it for production, resulting in insufficient production and supply. This situation highlights the hardships faced by people at the bottom of society.

Why did Karin and her mother in the original timeline choose to be enslaved in the Land of Grass until death rather than run away?

Because at least the Grass Village was willing to accept them, without the protection of the ninja village, the mother and daughter would not be able to leave the Land of Grass.

Because of the presence of the Daimyo, the ancient cedar tree, and Konoha Village, the Land of Fire is relatively well-regulated and rich in resources, so its standards are much higher. However, this does not mean that other countries have the ability to achieve the same level of development.

“Our interests are largely aligned with those of the Sage of Six Paths. He doesn’t agree with your top-down, high-pressure, pyramid-shaped control model. Instead, he advocates for appropriate permissiveness to stimulate vitality. I myself am actually more radical than him. The ninja world is still too stagnant and lacks the impetus for bottom-up reform.”

"You want motivation and pressure, but you don't want to really 'implode,' so you want to make gradual improvements within limits, right? Even including yourself?"

"A calamity is a crisis, a danger, but also an opportunity..."

As he spoke, Gu Shanbu Shui's gaze seemed to transcend time and space, and he sighed softly.

"I want to sit at the table to eat, not because of anyone's charity, not because of anyone else, not because I stole it, not because I fought for a seat, and I can't even sit still."

When it comes to anything, true ability comes into play at crucial moments. Opportunism is not a long-term solution. In the "game" at the dinner table, it's not a bad thing for more people to play. Relying solely on one's own "farming" is safe but inefficient. When everyone "brings their own food" to the table, it's not just about eating their own share. While protecting their own gains, they also harbor a "wicked sense of humor" and greed, wanting to kick others out and let the winner take all.