In the corner of the bedroom—
Upon hearing the Wanderer of Restraint's words, the Tsuchigumo Clan's guardian shinobi were all shaken to the core.
In the shadows, all were stunned.
"The Chief… isn't joking, right?"
"He's giving both the forbidden jutsu and the young lady… to a stranger?"
"And that person is a Konoha S-rank rogue ninja."
The Tsuchigumo ninja present had just listened to the report Hotaru and the Great Elder gave to the clan leader. They knew some basic information about Uchiha Yu.
Hotaru stood frozen, mouth agape, brows furrowed in disbelief as she looked at her grandfather.
The Great Elder was equally bewildered—this didn't align with how their old leader usually did things.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Uchiha Yu's dark eyes, but it quickly vanished as he regained composure.
He stepped forward, sat down, and picked up the green scroll, unrolling it.
The scroll was yellowed with age, packed densely with text, detailing the method for creating a container to absorb natural energy—the forbidden jutsu Raging Hair Heaven.
Yu put the scroll away into his right hand, and right in front of the Wanderer of Restraint, stored it into his spatial storage.
The white-haired elder on the bed spoke bitterly:
Yu's gaze swept over Hotaru's panicked face before settling calmly on the old man. He said frankly, "If she follows me now, she might die."
The Wanderer of Restraint let out a feeble sigh:
"You decide what to do with her."
At that moment, four Tsuchigumo ninja flashed out from the dark corners of the room, kneeling beside the clan leader. The leading one urgently tried to stop him:
"My lord, you can't—"
Before he could finish, the Great Elder raised a hand to interrupt him. The four shinobi looked on in confusion.
The equally white-haired and weary-looking Great Elder glanced at the dying leader and sighed:
"Everyone, I understand the Chief's decision.
Please let me explain!
The Tsuchigumo Clan has been in decline because we lack the strength to protect this forbidden technique. Every year, we've had to fend off rogue ninjas trying to steal it, and countless able-bodied shinobi have died because of it—that's why our clan has withered so quickly.
Once the Chief passes…
Our clan will be all but gone.
The young lady is still so young.
When that time comes, will it be me, an old man over eighty, who protects the forbidden jutsu? Or will it be you?
In the end, we'll all die in vain, and both the jutsu and our clan will be lost."
The four Tsuchigumo ninja were speechless.
The Wanderer of Restraint, hearing the Great Elder's words, closed his eyes in comfort. With his body in this state, even another second of life was suffering.
Having a trusted old friend voice his intentions clearly was enough for him.
In truth, after hearing Hotaru and the Great Elder's report, the Wanderer of Restraint had carefully reviewed everything Uchiha Yu had done while traveling with the merchant caravan before making his decision.
This wasn't an impulsive act born of desperation.
Long ago, he had already started thinking about what to do with his granddaughter, the forbidden jutsu, and the clan after his death.
If Konoha, their supposed ally, had even sent a single ninja to negotiate with the Tsuchigumo…
He wouldn't have had to make such a hard decision.
But Konoha… after the war, seemed to have completely forgotten the Tsuchigumo Clan.
The Wanderer had thought: maybe after his death, when the clan began fighting over the forbidden jutsu, Konoha would finally intervene.
But Uchiha Yu's appearance…
Gave him hope. The fact that Yu was an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha alone proved his strength.
And Yu was an Uchiha. Entrusting his granddaughter to him wasn't a loss—it was a gain.
After all, look at the S-rank rogue ninjas from Konoha. There's only one example: Orochimaru. That man was now thriving in the ninja world.
Which showed—Konoha likely didn't even have the means to deal with S-rank rogues anymore.
Moreover, Yu had come straight for the forbidden jutsu. If even Konoha couldn't stop him, how could the Tsuchigumo Clan possibly resist?
The Wanderer let out a long sigh. He only had a few days left to live. Before death, he wanted to settle all his worries, take one final gamble.
He was betting that Uchiha Yu could survive as a fugitive.
He was betting that Uchiha Yu could surpass Orochimaru one day!
"Take… Hotaru… and go."
The Wanderer shut his tired old eyes. The wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen. His words came slowly, one by one, as his strength drained.
His meaning was clear: Yu could take her once he'd settled his situation.
From her grandfather's words, Hotaru could hear the finality. Her nose stung, and she sat there dumbfounded, tears flowing silently, not knowing what to do.
Yu slowly stood, a feeling of awe rising in his chest. This trip had been well worth it—not only did he save a scroll copy, but the Uchiha now had one more person.
The Great Elder and the other Tsuchigumo ninja were lost in thought, but they silently agreed with the leader's decision.
The bedroom door suddenly burst open. A young man wearing a deep-blue high-collared cloak, his abs exposed, stepped in and calmly scanned the room.
The young man had messy, short purple hair, sharp black eyes, and two deep downward-angled lines etched beside his nose—far more exaggerated than Itachi's tear lines.
After entering, the man's cold gaze briefly landed on Yu, whose face was still concealed by black robes, then settled on the Wanderer of Restraint. In a low voice, he said:
"Chief, long time no see."
The four Tsuchigumo ninja, recognizing the familiar voice, turned around sharply and exclaimed in joy:
Hotaru pupils trembled slightly. She looked up at the young man who had suddenly appeared, and her sobs came to an abrupt halt. Her heart cried out in disbelief: "He… he's alive…"
This young man named Shiranami was the son of the former Forbidden Jutsu Guardian of the Tsuchigumo Clan—a once-promising ninja prodigy, a man the clan leader had once pinned great hopes on.
Back then, when the forbidden jutsu scroll was targeted by a group of rogue ninja, the guardian died in battle, and his son vanished without a trace.
The Grand Elder's pupils twitched violently. Unlike the other clan members, he looked utterly horrified—though in just a second, he masked it with a shocked expression.
He quietly shifted closer to the clan leader, forcing himself to stay calm.
On the bed, the old man with white hair slowly opened his eyes. Upon seeing the purple-haired youth, his withered face revealed a mix of surprise and joy.
Beneath his black hood, Uchiha Yu remained expressionless, unmoved. A hazy memory of this guy surfaced in his mind.
He remembered—this guy had a control-type jutsu. If it succeeded, a prominent "Control" character would appear on the opponent's shoulder or some part of their body.
Shiranami and his subordinates also knew various other jutsu, such as eavesdropping, surveillance, sealing techniques, and more.
Their objective? To seize Fury, the forbidden jutsu!
Uchiha Yu chuckled inwardly. Clearly, his sudden arrival had disrupted this guy's plans, forcing him to act prematurely.
Shiranami spoke apologetically: "Sorry, Chief. I just returned and heard the Grand Elder explaining that you planned to entrust the forbidden jutsu and Hotaru to an outsider."
The Grand Elder's tense expression softened; he let out a breath of relief. Clearly, this kid hadn't heard them mention that Uchiha Yu was an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha.
The clan leader fell silent, deep in thought.
He felt a headache coming on.
He had just entrusted the forbidden jutsu and his granddaughter to an outsider, and now—out of nowhere—the clan's long-lost prodigy had returned...
Seeing the chief's silence, Shiranami's lips curled slightly as he turned to look at Uchiha Yu, sighing:
"Chief, I can understand where both you and the Grand Elder are coming from. It's fine to give the young lady and the scroll to this stranger. But if the Tsuchigumo Clan is to rise again, we cannot be without the forbidden jutsu, Fury.
I suggest: make a duplicate of the scroll and keep it within the clan, to ensure its legacy.
Our people can retreat into the mountains for now."
As he finished speaking, the clan leader remained silent, his face bewildered, about to look toward Uchiha Yu—
The Grand Elder could no longer contain the turmoil in his heart. He snapped, veins bulging on his forehead, as he stood and pointed at Shiranami, shouting in fury:
"Chief! You mustn't trust this man!
The previous Forbidden Jutsu Guardian—
Shiranami own father—
Was killed by Shiranami himself!"
The words sent shockwaves through the cramped wooden room. The four Tsuchigumo ninja present wore expressions of disbelief, confusion, and shock.
Hotaru's eyes widened, her heart seemingly frozen mid-beat. She stared at Shiranami and the Grand Elder, stunned.
Such a sudden reversal—
Left the clan leader completely bewildered.
Uchiha Yu smirked slightly. The Grand Elder's words sparked old memories. Killing his own father… that move felt all too familiar.
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