There's no doubt about it—being a ninja is a high-risk profession. In a world without law, only those with power survive. Those bastards fighting on the battlefield don't care if you're poor or rich, a commoner or a king. It's not just one or two wealthy or influential individuals who've been wiped out by ninjas.
Take, for example, the former boss of Daikuro City, who once stole Zabuza's great sword. He had both wealth and power, even capable of assembling an army, but when faced with Sasuke and Suigetsu, he was crushed completely—his castle was even breached.
"Once you set foot on the path of a ninja, there's no turning back! Have you thought about that?" Yun's father asked seriously.
Yun Kong nodded. Whatever comes next can be dealt with in due time, but one thing was certain—he would not regret this decision. Even if he met his end along the path he'd chosen, he wouldn't regret it. "And who would know if I ever did?" he thought to himself.
"In that case, I can pass down the things I once owned," Yun's father said as he stood up and moved to a corner of the room. Forming seals with his hands, he shouted, "Open!"
Before Yun Kong's astonished eyes, a passage opened up in the wall, just wide enough for one person to pass through. Yun's father led him through the opening into another room. This new room was bare except for a downward staircase thickly covered in dust.
"This connects to a passageway under our courtyard. I built a secret room down there," Yun's father said calmly as he noticed Yun Kong's surprised look.
"Your grandfather was a ninja too, though that was a long time ago. He passed it down to me, and I worked hard in my youth to become a great ninja. But after suffering a serious injury that nearly killed me, I was lucky to survive, thanks to your mother's meticulous care." His father's voice softened as he shared his past.
"So then, did you two fall for each other while making eyes at one another?" Yun Kong teased from behind.
Raising an eyebrow, his father gave him a smack on the head. "Making eyes? Watch your mouth!" Despite his reprimand, a faint blush appeared on his face as he muttered, "But, well... it's not too far from the truth."
"After that, I figured things out. I left the ninja life behind, started this weapons shop, and married your mother. Then you came along, and I finally settled down. Most of my old friends have perished by now. Only a handful of people know that I was once a ninja."
As they walked and talked, they eventually reached the tunnel beneath the courtyard.
"This passage stretches all the way to the outskirts of a village ten miles away. If there's ever a disaster that could wipe out the village, it's enough to get our family to safety. Remember this well, and keep it secret. Tell no one—not even your future wife."
He pointed down a dark passageway. Yun Kong looked at him with admiration. "Of course, we didn't dig this whole thing ourselves. The first two miles connect to the village's sewage system. Follow it, and you'll reach an exit, which is sealed with a technique. I'll teach you how to unlock it; remember it well."
Yun Kong nodded thoughtfully. Could there be some grand secret in the family, perhaps a treasure left behind by a noble ancestor? He chuckled to himself at the idea of his future.
While Yun Kong was still lost in daydreams, his father formed another set of hand seals, and another entrance appeared around the bend of the tunnel.
Yun's father led him into a large secret chamber. The room was divided into two sections: one filled with countless books and scrolls, and the other lined with weapons and an open space for training.
"This is the family's greatest secret," his father said as they walked toward the shelves filled with scrolls and books. It was obvious that no one had been here for a long time—likely not since the day his father had given up being a ninja.
"These are training techniques your grandfather left behind, as well as some high-quality ninjutsu he collected. The rest here are things I've gathered over the years," he explained, pointing to the scrolls and books.
He then led Yun Kong to a corner where a large scroll covered in thick dust lay. "And this scroll here was left by the master our family once served," he said, a touch of nostalgia in his voice. "Since your grandfather's passing, I've never opened it."
"Does it contain memories of him?" Yun Kong asked with a complicated expression.
"No," his father replied bluntly. "Not that I didn't want to—I just don't have the power to open it."
"Alright, sit down," Yun's father said, finding a clean spot. He motioned for Yun Kong to do the same.
Once Yun Kong was settled, his father looked at him with a grave expression. "Everything I tell you here today, you must—"
"Keep it a secret, take it to the grave?" Yun Kong grinned.
Could his family really be that prominent, some long-lost aristocratic lineage? The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
"Exactly." His father's face remained solemn. "Soon, I'll inscribe a technique into your mind that will seal away everything you learn here. Unless you willingly reveal it, no one else will be able to uncover it."
"Damn, Dad, you're amazing! You even know sealing techniques?" Yun Kong exclaimed.
For a long time, Yun Kong had heard his father talk about his own lack of abilities. He had assumed that, at most, he could manage to become a mediocre chunin. But to his surprise, his father could perform sealing techniques. This kind of skill was typically a specialty of jōnin, wasn't it? Yun Kong thought to himself.
"Alright, listen to me first!" Father Yun tapped Yun Kong on the head, signaling him to be quiet.
"First, I want to talk about our family's surname. Haven't you always wanted to know what our family's surname is?" Father Yun said, his expression filled with a mix of sorrow and self-mockery.
Yun Kong nodded. Ever since he was a child, he had been curious about his surname. It seemed that now, most commoners had surnames; surnames were no longer a privilege reserved for the nobility. But whenever he asked his father about their surname, his father would bluntly respond that commoners didn't need surnames—having a name was enough.
"Listen carefully," Father Yun continued. "Our family's surname belongs to one of the most distinguished clans—an esteemed lineage, the Uchiha, the clan of the Sharingan, marked by the emblem of the flame fan."
Consider joining me on P@treon and K°-Fi For Advance Chapters:
P@treon: p@treon.com/JustaPasserby
K°-fi: k°-fi.com/magicreader