The silent hidden chamber was filled with an unbelievable revelation.
Ruofeng’s grandfather said, “Ruofeng… do you find it strange now? Why did your grandfather pledge his loyalty to Uchiha Madara?”
Ruofeng smiled lightly.
“A great figure like that naturally had people willing to follow him. It would be strange if no one had followed him.”
His grandfather smiled bitterly and shook his head.
“That’s right… someone like him having followers was only natural.”
“Actually, I was originally an ordinary shinobi. During the Warring States period, my entire clan was wiped out. In the end, your grandfather saved me. I entered the Uchiha clan and became your grandfather’s servant.”
“After your grandfather died, your father married my daughter, and eventually you were born.”
“Unfortunately, your mother has been physically weak since birth. Even while you were still in her womb, you showed signs of being extraordinary and required an enormous amount of nourishment.”
“Therefore, when you were born, your mother died because of her naturally weak constitution.”
“Your father was devastated and consumed by hatred. Overwhelmed by grief and emotional turmoil, he eventually chose to take his own life.”
“Their deaths caused me tremendous grief.”
“But your existence gave me hope again.”
“I raised you and gave you the best things I could, but I never wanted you to become a shinobi.”
“That was your father’s dying wish. He did not want you to suffer the hardships of a shinobi, nor did he want you to become one of Uchiha Madara’s followers.”
“Your father knew that man would eventually return.”
“And once he returned, you would be forced to make a choice.”
“Unfortunately, since you have chosen to become a shinobi, I’ll make an exception and give these things to you.”
“These were originally things your grandfather prepared for your father. Now, they all belong to you.”
Ruofeng looked at the items inside the hidden chamber.
Scrolls, weapons, armor…
There were only a small number of them.
Ruofeng’s expression became contemplative.
“Grandfather… Uchiha Madara left only these things behind?”
His grandfather sighed again, his voice becoming somewhat aged.
“That’s right… These are all that remain of Uchiha Madara’s belongings.”
“Back then, after the Uchiha clan betrayed him, Uchiha Madara took everything that belonged to him.”
“He entrusted these things to your grandfather for safekeeping.”
“However, during his battle with Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara took the summoning scroll for the Nine-Tails, along with his personal weapons.”
“What he left behind were various scrolls. Some contained ninjutsu recorded by Uchiha Madara himself, while others contained the Uchiha clan’s inheritance.”
“And the inheritance stored here is absolutely extraordinary.”
“It may even be more complete than the inheritance currently possessed by the Uchiha clan.”
“Your grandfather once told me that some of the Uchiha clan’s special inheritance could only be mastered by the Uchiha clan head.”
“Back then, Uchiha Madara took all of those things away in his anger.”
“In other words, the Uchiha clan’s current inheritance is incomplete. The inheritance unique to the clan head disappeared from the clan and ended up here instead.”
Perhaps he was mocking the current Uchiha clan.
After all, he had once been a member of the Uchiha clan himself.
Although he had only been a servant, he had witnessed the Warring States period firsthand.
How could someone like him be ordinary?
Ruofeng’s eyes gleamed.
These were things left behind by Uchiha Madara.
And the inheritance unique to the Uchiha clan head was undoubtedly extraordinary.
His grandfather looked at Ruofeng and continued.
“Ruofeng… since you’ve decided to walk the path of a shinobi, these things belong to you now.”
“There is also another passage hidden inside this chamber.”
“This passage leads to a valley about ten miles outside the village.”
“I’ve spent years gathering wealth and resources there.”
“If anything happens in the future, you can escape through that passage.”
“Remember this well.”
As he spoke, Ruofeng’s grandfather sounded almost as though he were giving his final instructions.
Ruofeng fell silent.
“Grandfather… I understand. I’ll remember this place.”
“Good… Remember it. Remember it well.”
His grandfather sighed.
“I’ve lived from the Warring States period until today. I’ve experienced far too many things.”
“I should have died long ago, but because of you, my grandson, I continued living.”
“Now that you want to become a shinobi, work hard to become stronger.”
“A weak shinobi will have an extremely difficult time surviving.”
Ruofeng remained silent.
He understood the sorrow of this old man.
His daughter had died.
His son-in-law had died.
Even the master he had once served had died.
The only reason he had continued living was Ruofeng.
And now Ruofeng wanted to become a shinobi, stepping onto a path where life and death could be decided at any moment.
Naturally, Ruofeng felt reluctant to see his grandfather suffer through such worry.
Ruofeng said nothing.
His voice carried a trace of remembrance.
“These two eyes are the Sharingan. They were left behind by your grandfather.”
“Although they appear to be three-time Sharingan now, they were originally Mangekyō Sharingan.”
“When your grandmother died, your grandfather awakened these eyes.”
“After he died, he left them behind because he wanted to make your father stronger.”
“Unfortunately, your father refused to inherit them.”
“And when your father was dying, he instructed me to destroy his Sharingan.”
“Your father also possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan. He awakened them when your mother died.”
“Alas… these tragic eyes are always awakened through death.”
“The price is simply too heavy.”
“I hope you never awaken eyes like these.”
As he spoke, his grandfather slowly stepped backward.
It was as though he had finished delivering his final words, and his already-aged figure seemed to become even older.
Ruofeng silently nodded.
He watched his grandfather slowly walk toward the exit.
He did not even look at the things Uchiha Madara had left behind.
Instead, he chose to follow his grandfather out.
Perhaps inheriting the Uchiha bloodline had also given him a deeper longing for family.
And toward the grandfather who had raised and cared for him since childhood, Ruofeng truly could not bear to leave him alone.
The silent passage remained quiet as Ruofeng followed his grandfather without speaking.
After they exited the passage and returned to the quiet bedroom, his grandfather said, “Get some rest early.”
“The things in the hidden chamber aren’t going anywhere. You can take your time looking through them.”
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, come and ask me.”
“Remember, I’ve lived through the Warring States period. Although I’m not particularly powerful in combat, I can still guide you.”
“Also, once you enter the Ninja Academy, learn how to use your abilities properly in your class.”
Ruofeng was surprised.
“My abilities? Do you mean the Sharingan? But I haven’t awakened the Sharingan yet.”
“Not the Sharingan.”
His grandfather smiled.
“I mean your sensory ability.”
“Do you know why your grandfather is so wealthy in Konoha, yet no one dares to covet our wealth?”
His grandfather seemed to have finally emerged from his sorrow, and a trace of pride appeared in his voice.
Hearing this, Ruofeng smiled as well.
“Sometimes I’ve wondered about that myself. Our family is so wealthy that, logically speaking, we should look like an easy target to the major clans.”
“Yet none of them have ever shown us the slightest disrespect.”