Because the Hanemiya clan possessed no ability to withstand risks, after gathering all their clansmen, they followed the stream deeper into the primeval forest.
For wandering ninja like them, rather than trusting in their strength as ninja to ensure their safety, they placed greater faith in the segmented geographical units and natural environmental barriers to protect them.
To be frank, given the current situation, Hanemiya Genma could act more flexibly, freely, and safely by breaking away from the clan and moving through the ninja world alone. Yet, such a thought never crossed his mind.
In the year he had lived in the ninja world, these ordinary clansmen had given him too much help. Without living among them, he wouldn't have survived this long.
Humanity could grow indifferent, but it couldn't turn negative. One's bottom line could be lowered, but it couldn't disappear entirely.
Since everyone called him their clan leader, Hanemiya Genma took it upon himself to truly become one.
There were no roads in the deep mountains and old forests, so their group traveled with great difficulty, evoking a sense of forging a path through the wilderness with their bare hands.
Five days later, they crossed a mountain. Two days after that, they stopped in a valley within a rugged foothill region.
This was nearly the heart of the forest. The valley was surrounded by dense jungle, shielded by mountains and trees. Even an average reconnaissance ninja would struggle to detect their presence here...
With only a dozen or so people, even if they stayed active in this area for an extended period, the traces of human life wouldn't be obvious. Hanemiya Genma stood atop a massive tree root that bulged like coiled muscle, carefully observing the surroundings.
Then, he reached out and patted the thick trunk beside him—solid as a wall—and said:
"This is the place."
Of course, this primeval forest wasn't suitable for long-term settlement. Fortunately, all Hanemiya Genma and his people needed was a temporary rest stop, not a permanent home.
Facing the endless green that seemed capable of swallowing everything, along with the ever-present aura of wild desolation, Hanemiya's ninja bore no complaints.
On the contrary, only in a place like this—where primates were almost nonexistent—could they feel a sliver of safety. Setting aside the panic of their days-long escape, a sense of relief began to bloom in their hearts.
Once the campsite's location was decided, Hanemiya's ninja started building simple shelters.
They scouted the area for raised tree roots, dried-out tree hollows, or half-fallen dead trees. Using the natural height differences, they cleared away decayed branches and leaves from the lower areas and built roofs higher up...
It wasn't complicated. By weaving vines into a lattice of branches and layering it with leaves, they created shelters that could block wind and rain. Soon, temporary dwellings sprang up one after another.
Well, to be honest, they were more like shacks.
Just as they finished setting up their foothold, a moderate rain began to fall from the sky. But there was no time to take shelter and rest.
Aside from the injured, the rest split into two groups: one hunted animals and gathered wild fruit in the surrounding area, while the other fished in a nearby stream.
Their supplies had long been cut off, and it was only by relying on the forest's abundant natural resources that they had held on.
What allowed ninja to survive in the end wasn't superior strength over their enemies or extreme endurance, but skilled hunting and fishing techniques.
Freshwater fish, large animals, and even wild fruits provided the energy and nutrients they needed to live.
It was early autumn, and the temperature was still tolerable, so they didn't yet have to worry about the harsh cold.
As clan leader, Hanemiya Genma received certain privileges despite the harsh conditions.
First, he didn't have to join the hunting and fishing efforts. Second, his clansmen arranged his shelter on slightly higher, drier ground with a wide view.
Now, he sat beneath his crude shack, watching the rain while pondering the path ahead.
Where the Hanemiya clan would go from here was uncertain. Truth be told, with the few of them left, making it big in the ninja world was impossible.
Forget their small group of ordinary-born ninja with limited abilities and numbers that could only be called minuscule—even if he had ten Kakashis...
Well, alright, ten Kakashis could actually do something significant. Ten elite ninja like that could stir up storms in the ninja world most of the time.
In short, for a small force like theirs, the most rational choice was to attach themselves to a stronger power. However, relying on someone without mutual trust would only turn them into cannon fodder for other factions.
Rather than that, it was better to eke out a living in the cracks—at least then their fate would remain in their own hands.
As for the future, Hanemiya Genma wasn't overly pessimistic. It wasn't because he had an iron will or knew the ninja world's future. It was simply because they had already hit rock bottom—anywhere they went from here would be a rebound.
Or, to put it another way: Things are already this bad—what's there to fear about disgrace or humiliation? The worst that could happen is "dying in front of you"—so what's there to be afraid of?
After thinking it over, he made a decision.
The rain came quickly and left just as fast. By dusk, it stopped, and the ninja returned with a decent haul of food. Then they began preparing the ingredients and cooking over a fire.
Hanemiya Genma found a relatively dry patch of ground and lit a bonfire. As everyone started eating, he gathered the remaining sixteen clansmen around the flames.
Having narrowly escaped death, everyone carried a hint of exhaustion in their demeanor, but their spirits held steady. No matter what, being alive was better than being dead.
The near annihilation of their ninja clan and the loss of most of their people left a hidden sorrow in every heart.
Hanemiya Genma sat on a tree stump, a freshly made, rough wooden bowl beside him. Inside were a few pieces of fish and a serving of fish soup.
He lifted the bowl, the hot broth warming his lips and teeth. He didn't taste much fish oil—instead, a faint pine scent lingered, the natural flavor of the wooden bowl.
No one spoke. They all savored this fleeting moment of peace.
In such a harsh environment, it was still necessary to unify everyone's thoughts. Hanemiya Genma set down his bowl, cleared his throat, and began:
"Though we've escaped our enemies' pursuit, the survival challenges we face next remain severe."
"The battles between ninja clans have raged for a long time. In the foreseeable future, this chaos will continue. Weak as we are now, we could be wiped out in an instant."
"But today, I'm not here to dwell on the hardships of survival, nor do I intend to blame fate or wallow in despair. I just want to say that survival depends on method. If we choose the right one, we increase our chances of preserving ourselves."
"We seek to live—not just to scrape by."
"There has to be some spirit in a person. I don't mean the lofty kind where everyone's blind and I alone see clearly. I mean we're human—not rotting flesh with the ability to move."
"The Hanemiya clan... In truth, with only a handful of us left, I believe the Hanemiya clan has effectively ceased to exist."
"To survive as long as possible, with autonomy and without becoming cannon fodder, we must recruit other living forces and seek to grow stronger."
"But it's a delicate balance—we need the ability to protect ourselves without becoming a thorn in the side of the great ninja clans."
"For us now, the clan itself no longer matters."
"The Hanemiya clan has neither a long history nor so-called family honor, nor any noteworthy bloodline... Our clan's name is worth defending, of course—many of our people died for it."
"What I mean is, let what's meant to perish, perish. We abandon some things only to gain something new."
"I've decided that, starting today, we will no longer operate under the name of the Hanemiya clan. From now on, I'll call myself 'Hane Genma,' and you'll no longer be bound by clan ties in name. We'll just be a group of wandering ninja—brought together by chance and shared goals, struggling to survive..."
With that, Hane Genma stood abruptly:
"We..."
"Don't seek victory, only survival;"
"Don't fear death, but strive to endure;"
"Don't vie for dominance, but flow with the tide;"
"Don't act rashly, but move with the times;"
"Hold hope in our hearts, hidden in the shadows;"
"Keep embers alive amidst the ashes!"
"From this day forward, we call ourselves 'Ashes.'"
As he spoke, Hane Genma removed the forehead protector from his head and tossed it into the bonfire before him. In the searing flames, the Hanemiya clan's symbol glowed brighter and brighter until...
It slowly melted away.
....
PLEASE POWER STONE