The day Seimei discovered his Funato lineage was one of both chaos and revelation. What began as a routine sparring session with his cousin Mai ended in a torrent of power that changed the course of his life forever.
Seimei was dodging Mai's kunai barrage when a strange energy surged within him. His Kokugan activated instinctively, but this time, it revealed something deeper—an untamed, primal force awakening inside him.
Caught off guard by Mai's final attack, Seimei's desperation triggered a reaction. A massive torrent of water erupted from his body, taking the shape of a roaring sea dragon.
The dragon swallowed Mai's attack effortlessly, leaving her drenched but unharmed. Seimei stared at his trembling hands in shock. The water hadn't come from a jutsu; it had come from him.
"What in the world was that?" Mai asked, wringing out her soaked hair.
Seimei had no answers, but his parents did. That evening, they revealed the truth: his maternal grandmother had been a member of the Funato clan, renowned for their mastery over water and the legendary "Power of the Sea Dragon."
"It's an incredible gift, but it's dangerous," his father warned. "Uncontrolled, it could consume you."
Seimei's shock turned to determination. "If it's a gift, then I'll learn to control it," he vowed. However, a shadow of doubt lingered in his mother's eyes, a silent fear that his power would draw the attention of those who sought to exploit or destroy it.
The revelation created tension at home. Seimei noticed the villagers began whispering more about his family. His younger siblings, once carefree, now clung closer to their mother as if sensing the undercurrent of unease.
Seimei threw himself into mastering his newfound power. He spent days by the river, attempting to summon the dragon at will. At first, all he managed were sputtering splashes.
"Come on," he muttered, glaring at the water as if sheer determination would bend it to his will. His hands trembled with both frustration and anticipation.
His breakthrough came during a mission to defend a village from marauding bandits. Outnumbered and cornered, Seimei felt the dragon stir again. This time, he didn't resist. The sea dragon roared to life, sweeping the bandits away in a massive tidal wave.
While the villagers celebrated his victory, they weren't thrilled about the flooded fields his dragon left behind.
"You saved us, but did you have to drench everything?" one villager quipped. The laughter that followed was uneasy, masking their growing apprehension.
Back at home, Seimei's family had mixed reactions. His siblings were awestruck, while his mother insisted on overseeing his training personally.
"This isn't a toy, Seimei," she scolded as he experimented with creating miniature water dragons. "Respect its power."
But respect didn't mean he wouldn't have fun. During a festival, he created a steam-powered contraption that launched water balloons at random targets, drenching unsuspecting villagers.
"Seimei, not again!" the village elder bellowed, dripping wet.
"It's festive!" Seimei defended, flashing his toothy grin.
Despite his mischief, Seimei understood the weight of his lineage. He began researching the Funato clan, learning of their defiance and resilience. Stories of his grandmother inspired him to carry her legacy forward.
To honor her, he etched the Funato crest onto his weapons and wore a pendant shaped like a sea dragon—a symbol of his resolve.
His training bore fruit quickly. Seimei learned to manipulate water in various forms, creating whirlpools, steam bursts, and even condensing moisture into razor-sharp projectiles.
"You're like a storm incarnate," Mai said, watching him conjure a swirling vortex out of thin air.
"A storm with flair," Seimei corrected with a smirk.
His mastery extended beyond combat. Seimei discovered his knack for blacksmithing when his father assigned him to repair a flooded forge as punishment for an overzealous training session.
What began as a chore turned into a passion. Seimei crafted weapons infused with his unique abilities, creating blades that were both unbreakable and, as he liked to put it, "strategically sticky."
"Sticky isn't a feature," his father grumbled, though he secretly admired Seimei's ingenuity.
Word of Seimei's craftsmanship spread, drawing requests from allies and even rival clans. Despite his growing reputation, he remained as unpredictable as ever, balancing his responsibilities with his penchant for chaos.
However, the villagers' whispers grew louder. Seimei overheard fragments of conversations—warnings about his family, fears of their power.
One mission to escort a caravan turned into a spectacle when Seimei used his sea dragon to clear a landslide. The villagers cheered, but the sheer scale of the dragon's power left them in awe—and a little afraid.
"You're a hero," one child said, wide-eyed.
"I'm just me," Seimei replied, ruffling the child's hair. But he couldn't ignore the nervous glances from the adults.
Over time, fear turned to resentment. A drought struck the region, and the villagers blamed Seimei's earlier training for disrupting the water balance. Accusations flew like poisoned darts.
"They've brought nothing but chaos," one elder spat. "First floods, now this. That family is cursed."
The tension reached a boiling point one stormy night. A mob gathered outside Seimei's home, torches in hand, demanding answers—or blood.
Seimei stepped out, unarmed but defiant. "We've done nothing but protect you," he said, his voice steady despite the roaring storm.
"Your power brings ruin!" a man shouted. "It's you or us!"
His family tried to reason with the crowd, but fear had drowned out all logic. In the chaos, the mob surged forward.
Seimei fought valiantly to protect his family, summoning the sea dragon to shield them. But the sheer numbers overwhelmed even him.
When the dust settled, Seimei stood amidst the ruins of his home, his family gone. The villagers scattered, their rage extinguished, leaving him alone in the rain.
Clutching his pendant, Seimei vowed through gritted teeth, "I'll make the world remember their names—and fear mine."