A lonely, despondent expression instantly settled over Uchiha Kei’s face.
Though still in the midst of puberty, his voice dropped into a low, solemn tone as he began telling his story.
Making a living isn’t easy for anyone.
“Shinobi who dream of earning glory on the battlefield…” “You’ve already forgotten that this kind of regulated warfare has existed for only forty-seven years.” As he spoke, Kei’s tone gradually softened, as though he were comforting himself.
“Then again…
forty-seven years is enough for one generation to replace another.” “The new era no longer has room for those who carry the memories of the old.” Whenever one wished to gain the recognition of the older generation, there was no better way than speaking of the past they had lived through.
The retired veteran shinobi stared silently at Kei.
Their eyes carried expectation.
Perhaps…
This young man would recount the turbulent era that had defined their lives.
The younger shinobi who had survived the recent wars, however, looked unconvinced.
“Lord Kei.” “As far as I know, today’s Shinobi World Wars are fought on a much larger scale than the clan battles of the Warring States Period.” Kei slowly shook his head.
“Perhaps.” “But to those who survived that era…” “Today’s wars, bound by rules and treaties, look little more than children’s games.” An elderly shinobi sighed.
“Kei…
don’t continue.” “Life is much better now.” Another old veteran nodded.
“Back then, there was no mercy.” “You killed a clan’s young adults.” “You abandoned its elderly.” “You slaughtered its children.” “You violated its women.” “One shinobi clan would vanish…” “So another could rise.” He looked toward the younger generation.
“Children…” “Do you know why people always say shinobi possess limitless possibilities?” Before Kei could answer, the elderly veterans began speaking themselves.
Their voices carried both sorrow…
And pride.
“Why, sir?” “Because when you were fighting one clan on the battlefield…” “You never knew whether another clan—one that smiled and traded with yours yesterday—was behind your village slaughtering your family.” The younger shinobi froze.
“What?” “Why would they do something like that?” The old man answered quietly.
“For survival, child.” The crowd erupted into discussion once more.
“That’s right…” “Survival.” “For nearly a thousand years of shinobi history…” “Only these past fifty years have been spent fighting wars for vague ideals.” “But…” “Doesn’t that still mean we should fight to defend the Land of Fire?” Kei shook his head.
Despite being barely a teenager, he looked as though he had already lived through countless hardships.
“From the moment shinobi first appeared…” “They possessed extraordinary power.” “Naturally, that meant they could claim more of society’s resources.” “But unlike the nobility…” “Our authority wasn’t granted by the daimyō.” “The daimyō ruled the nations.” “So naturally…” “They never wanted a group of people born with the ability to seize power from them.” “From the very beginning…” “Shinobi were different.” “We were never accepted as ordinary citizens.” “The Land of Fire has never truly regarded shinobi as its own people.” “What they wanted…” “Was for us outsiders to destroy one another.” Many of the less educated shinobi were hearing this interpretation of history for the first time.
They listened with rapt attention.
Seeing no choice, Kei continued.
“But shinobi are still human.” “We didn’t simply appear out of nowhere.” “We were born from ordinary people.” “We have parents.” “Siblings.” “Children.” “People we cannot abandon.” “In order to control—or eventually eliminate—shinobi…” “The daimyō exploited those emotional bonds.” “They controlled the supplies necessary for survival.” “They assigned mission after mission.” “They made one shinobi clan fight another.” “And from those endless battles…” “Hatred was born.” “The daimyō hoped…” “That eventually…” “Shinobi would wipe out shinobi.” “So this continued…” “For over a thousand years.” “But no matter how weak a shinobi was…” “They were still stronger than ordinary soldiers.” “The daimyō used information control to prevent shinobi from questioning the tragedies surrounding them.” “But the endless exhaustion of the Warring States Period finally reached its limit.” “The shinobi themselves grew tired of war.” “History creates its own heroes.” “When enough people become unable to endure the old world any longer…” “All they need is someone powerful enough to shatter it.” “And at that moment…” “Two such people appeared.” “Madara Uchiha.” “And Hashirama Senju.” “The wars ended.” “Through overwhelming strength, they brought peace.” “And with peace came time to breathe…” “And time to think.” “Shinobi gathered together and founded hidden villages.” “But don’t misunderstand.” “No one ever officially granted those villages legitimacy.” “They existed because the daimyō had no choice but to compromise.” “When you strip everything else away…” “We’re simply armed organizations powerful enough that they couldn’t eliminate us.” Kei swept his gaze across everyone present.
“Shinobi.” “We have never fought for the Land of Fire.” “And we never will.” “If we are ever asked to stake our lives in battle…” “It should only ever be…” “For survival.” Kei felt his reasoning was perfectly sound.
Unfortunately…
Not everyone wanted the village’s shinobi questioning the very justification for war.
To his surprise…
The first person to oppose him wasn’t anyone from outside the clan.
It was Fugaku.
“Even if that’s true…” “Kei.” “You can’t deny that shinobi exist to carry out missions.” “Whether you love the village or not…” “The daimyō pays us.” “And for the sake of survival…” “We fight for the daimyō.” “Take back what you’ve said.” “Don’t disgrace the honor of shinobi.” “I’ll simply assume these are the excuses of a young man afraid of the battlefield.” Those weren’t truly Fugaku’s own beliefs.
He was trying to strike a balance.
He wanted to acknowledge some of Kei’s points…
While preventing him from saying anything even more shocking.
The Uchiha were already isolated enough within Konoha.
He feared Kei would only make matters worse.
More than anything…
He wanted Kei to understand one truth.
Regardless of what one believed…
No individual should casually challenge the accepted order of society.
Kei had no intention of backing down.
“Oh, come on, my dear Clan Head.” “The money the daimyō gives us?” “That’s nothing more than payment to keep us from causing trouble.” “You could practically call it protection money.” “Do you really think that tiny amount is enough to support an entire hidden village?” “Or do you honestly believe shinobi would risk their lives for so little?” Fugaku fell silent.
Some things could be done…
But never spoken aloud.
Other things could be spoken…
But never done.
He couldn’t understand why the normally cautious Kei had chosen today of all days to say something so explosive.
Seeing Fugaku remain silent, Kei raised his chin slightly and continued.
“Exactly.” “The Land of Fire is the Land of Fire.” “Konoha is Konoha.” “If the Land of Lightning invades the Land of Fire…” “The first person who should panic is the daimyō.” “If he wants us to risk our lives…” “Fine.” “That’s been the tradition for over a thousand years.” “But there’s one condition.” “He has to pay enough.” “Enough that if we die…” “Our families can continue living.” “Not a few empty words.” “Not speeches.” “Not slogans.” “I’m an elder of the Uchiha Clan.” “I have a responsibility to my people.” “Survival comes before every battlefield.” “Without that…” “There’s nothing left to discuss.”