[Warring State Period - Land of Rice, Oto no Kuni]
The Warring States Period was an era of chaos. Nations were fragmented, mere patches of land squabbled over by clans whose loyalties shifted with the wind.
Hidden villages had not yet been conceived, and instead, mercenary clans carried the weight of conflict, trading skill and steel for coins and strategic territories. In this age driven by conflicts, survival often depended on strength, and strength only.
Nestled between the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Hot Water, the small nation of Oto no Kuni (Land of Rice/Sound) lay as a quiet frontier. Its daimyo, a cunning but cautious ruler, balanced precariously between the ambitions of larger nations. Though its size made it vulnerable, Oto no Kuni was one of the biggest supplier of grain and rice in the continent, its economy supporting the hiring of mercenary clans.
The [Kinzoku Clan] was one such clan, one of the five strongest mercenary clans in Oto no Kuni.
Renowned to possess the rare kekkei gekkai [Metal Resonance], the Kinzoku Clan possessed two assets. The ability to manipulate sound vibrations, one that was eyed by many, could be used in many ways. The most skillful blacksmiths in the region lied in this very clan. In battle, however, they were just as terrifying, holding a unique kenjutsu style. Feared on the battlefield and sought after for their craftsmanship, the Kinzoku Clan held a reputation that far outweighed their numbers.
This is why the Daimyo's decision not to renew their contract was very surprising.
"How could he do this to us? We have been nothing but loyal, and the last conflict with the Mimizuku clan has weakened us...", Elder Kohei Kenzoku shouted in frustration.
Elder Kohei was the previous patriarch, a man who had successfully led the clan through one of its bloodiest conflict with the [Aburame] clan from the land of fire. After sustaining injuries and losing his left arm, he decided to step down, though his wisdom allowed him to have weight in the clan's decision.
"I bet this again the workings of the Kaonashi's clan. Their abilities make them trusted sources of information for the Daimyo's aids. Our recent achievements on the battlefield have made us quite feared, and nullifying our contract with the Daimyo will surely startle our growth", the patriarch Kenji said calmly
"We have to retaliate", some elders muttered
"How?", Kenji asked, "The last conflict killed half of the new blood. We cannot afford to battle again. Let us rely on growth for the next decade. Some of the young generation in the main familyl ine have shown talent"
Kohei scoffed: "Talent? None of them compare to you, or me. The bloodline is thinning, and our best keep getting killed"
Kenji nodded with bitterness. It was true. Although their clan had been growing and gaining strength, the overall elite of their clan showed no sign of replenishing. His sons had been murdered brutally in skirmishes with the Kaonashi's clan, a scar he had to bear all his life. As for the rest of the clan, there were promising seedlings, but none held similar talent.
The patriarch's brother, Nakamaro, nodded. He had two sons and a daughter, all three decent enough to qualify as chunins. However, they were already nearing 14 years of age. At this age, both Kenji and Kohei were already jonins with twice their experience on the battlefield.
===
Far from the council room, in the training room, a young child was holding a short katana. Although children his age were not allowed to wield real iron weapons, he had managed to steal it from his father's stash.
[Kinzoku Kyōmei]
From the flick of a finger, he attempted to awaken the clan's kekkei gekkai: Kinzoku Kyomei, also known as metal resonance.
*SWOOSH*
However, after just one strike, he fell on the ground, panting.
He had failed, again, to awaken his family's hidden art.
"Damn it, again!"
This child was Kinzoku Genji, a child with memories of Earth. There, he lived the life of a standard middle-class citizen in a wealthy country, without ever experiencing hunger, without ever experiencing war. At first, Genji thought he was becoming crazy, having such dreams. However, the memories became part of him, and he eventually learned knowledge of the future. Terrifying knowledge, even. Four world shinobi wars, tailed beasts capable of upheaving countries, sealed monsters capable of destroying the whole world...
This was the future of the world, a doomed world, one where his clan would not even make it past the warring state period. He never once shared this knowledge, for he knew the consequences it would have. After inheriting these memories, he no longer was a simple child. He was no longer a simple college student either. He was a fusion of both, his actions fueled by one simple desire: survival.
He did not care much about the world, about the future of the supposedly strongest hidden village Konohagakure.
He only wanted to survive, by all means...
A monster was born into this world, unknowingly.