Ryosuke tried his best to relax his serious expression so that the old man in front of him wouldn't worry.
"Of course, Grandpa. We'll definitely live well."
What he was really thinking was: If I don't live well, how can I get revenge on those who hurt our clan? It wasn't the Uchiha who betrayed the village—the higher-ups of Konoha had betrayed the Uchiha. He was determined to change the clan's doomed fate and ensure they survive the Uchiha Massacre.
To be safe, he needed to make full use of both his cheat systems—not just the Auto-Cultivation System, but also the "Many Children, Much Fortune" system. After all, having children... wasn't a big deal.
While the first reward for having a child was a rare treasure chest, he wasn't planning to randomly pick just anyone. After all, physical intimacy signified a real relationship, and that wasn't something to be taken lightly. If possible, he'd like to find someone he genuinely liked and who made him feel good.
With his identity as a member of the Uchiha and his naturally handsome looks, it shouldn't be hard to find a suitable partner.
Thinking this far, Ryosuke looked at the elder.
"Grandpa, I may not be very gifted, but I have a good plan. If I can't rely on my own talent, then I'll have children and raise the next generation properly."
"Maybe they won't be as weak as I am."
After all, he had the "Many Children, Much Fortune" system. The moment he had one child, he'd receive a rare treasure chest. There was a good chance whatever came out of it would help him and the Uchiha clan survive the coming massacre.
And besides, it might make the old man feel less lonely to have a grandchild around.
The Uchiha elder, Uchiha Shin, was momentarily stunned when he heard this.
While 16 was indeed an acceptable age for marriage—after all, in older times, people could marry and have children as early as 12—those days were gone. The clan population was more stable now, and such traditions had become unnecessary.
Did my grandson hit his head or something? he wondered. Ryosuke had fainted recently—was he thinking clearly?
Still, the more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. Their big house was indeed too quiet with only two people living in it.
With a smile, he said, "It's not a bad idea. Just think it through yourself."
He supported the idea, but knew Ryosuke had to take responsibility for it himself. If he tried to intervene too much, he might just make things worse.
Ryosuke grinned. "Then I think I'll stop going to the Police Force."
Now that he had greater ambitions, what was the point of being a Konoha police officer? That wouldn't help him protect the Uchiha.
His true path was strength.
Uchiha Shin blinked, growing suspicious. Don't tell me this kid is just trying to avoid work?
But then he thought, Whatever. If he doesn't want to work in the Police Force, so be it. Better that than him fainting again. He only had one precious grandson left—he couldn't bear to bury another family member.
"Alright. I'll talk to Uchiha Fugaku for you."
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow. "Will he listen to you, Grandpa?"
After all, Fugaku was the head of the Uchiha clan and the captain of the Police Force—he basically made all the decisions.
"Of course, he will. I watched that boy grow up—he wouldn't dare disobey me."
Uchiha Shin's peaceful tone suddenly carried an unmistakable authority.
That put Ryosuke at ease.
Meanwhile, Yūhi Kurenai had returned home.
After a long day of missions, she collapsed onto her couch, exhausted.
Her mother came out to greet her with dinner already prepared.
They sat together at the table. Kurenai's father, Yūhi Makoto, had died during the Nine-Tails' attack while protecting the village. Now it was just mother and daughter, relying on each other.
As they ate, her mother casually brought up a topic.
"Asuma confessed to you today, didn't he? Why didn't you accept?"
"You know, if you marry into the Hokage's family, our clan could rise again. You wouldn't have to go on dangerous missions anymore."
The Third Hokage had sent someone to speak with her about arranging a match between Kurenai and Asuma.
Naturally, as a widow, her mother was very aware of the value of finding a strong and influential partner. With the Third Hokage in power, his son Asuma was one of the most eligible men in the village. If he liked Kurenai, that was a blessing.
Kurenai frowned. Asuma was brash and disrespectful. How could she be with someone like that?
She even thought—That Uchiha was far better than Asuma.
"Mom, can we not talk about this now? Besides, how do you even know? You've been home all day."
Her mother didn't try to hide the truth.
"The Hokage came to speak with me himself. He really supports your relationship with Asuma. Do you know what that means? It means the Yūhi clan could rise again and even marry into a powerful clan like the Sarutobi."
That only made Kurenai more upset. This is the modern era—how is it that we still treat relationships like political transactions?
She wasn't against reviving her clan, but she didn't want to give up her ideal of love. She still believed in romance.
Her mother saw her expression and softened a bit.
"If you really don't like Asuma, I'll respect your decision."
"But you haven't fallen for that Uchiha boy, have you?"
"I'm telling you now—I'll never agree to that."
The Third Hokage had made it clear that he didn't want Kurenai getting too close to any Uchihas.
Kurenai thought of that handsome Uchiha boy—his sense of justice, his calmness, how he could actually talk like a normal person. Compared to Asuma, he was so much better.
But they had only met once—it wasn't even enough to call an acquaintance.
"Mom, what are you even saying? When did I ever say I liked that Uchiha boy?"
"What exactly did the Hokage say to you?"
Her mother, seeing her reaction, felt reassured and continued seriously.
"Kurenai, don't forget—your father, Yūhi Makoto, died in the Nine-Tails' attack."
"And who caused that attack? Most likely, it was the Uchiha clan."
"If it weren't for them, your father wouldn't have died. Our family wouldn't have fallen. We wouldn't be struggling so hard."
"So promise me—never, ever fall for the descendant of your enemy."