Extra: Camellia

I have no idea how I got through the entire day.

It seems like I open my eyes, then wash up, then eat, then go back to my room, and then the sun goes down.

Looking at the blood-red sky before me, I vaguely remembered that the Hikaku seemed to have come looking for me just now.

I don't remember much of what he said, but I do remember one thing.

Izuna is dead.

I stared blankly at the Camellia in the courtyard all day, watching the blossoms fall to the ground.

The Camellia symbolizes subtlety, admiration, nobility, and profound caution.

It takes half a year for it to grow from bud to full bloom, but when it finally withers, it doesn't fall petal by petal like other flowers. Instead, it detaches itself from the branch and falls to the ground intact in the most decisive manner.

This gave him another explanation.

Severed-Head Flower.

As dusk fell and enveloped half the sky, I finally sprang into action. I put on my all-black clothes, picked up a Camellia, draped my coat over my shoulders, and stepped out of the house.

I went to the Cemetery at night.

The funeral was held yesterday.

The Clan Head was no longer at the grave.

But the tribesmen still stood in the Cemetery, all of them dressed in black, standing around like silent ravens.

I couldn't help but recall the scene when I first met Izuna.

Back then, I was a timid boy. My friends and I passed by the Clan Head's courtyard more than once. The dark blue curtain embroidered with the Clan Crest reminded me of a nobleman's mansion. The long corridors and latticed doors that could be vaguely seen, the large courtyard, and the Camellias peeking out from the walls were all things I once envied.

That place was the Dwelling of the Clan Head and the center of power in the Uchiha. Only the most loyal and trusted members of the Clan Head were allowed to enter and discuss matters with the most powerful Clan Head.

He had imagined what it was like inside, and imagined himself becoming Elder like his father, following the Clan Head into it.

I will be wearing a dark blue Clan Attire, with my hair neatly combed, standing proudly like an eagle, head held high and chest out.

This is a scene he imagines every day, and it's also one of the things children play house with.

And that day, a child joined them.

He's a delicate and adorable little boy.

He said his name was Uchiha Izuna and he hoped to join them.

At first, none of them expected that the boy would be the Clan Head's youngest son. They just thought he was cute and well-behaved. Even Hikaku, who disliked "newcomers" the most, couldn't help but accept this smart child.

It was fun playing with him, and they parted ways as night was about to fall.

By some strange twist of fate, I stopped him and asked, "Where do you live? Where should we look for you next time?"

Izuna smiled and said, "Just go to the Clan Head's house and call me."

The moment the word "Clan Head" appeared, something around them changed, as if some kind of incantation had altered the surrounding atmosphere.

Hikaku and I exchanged glances, then looked at Izuna.

Hikaku reacted faster than me. He bowed respectfully and said, "I'm sorry, Lord Izuna, we didn't recognize you at first glance."

The boy blinked, showing no sign of panic, and calmly accepted the title of "adult."

"It's alright, I had a lot of fun, there's no need for such a grand gesture. Hmm... I would be even happier if you could continue to treat me like you did before."

"Oh, right, this is my gift for meeting you." Izuna took a small bag out of his pocket.

It contained several pure white Camellias.

"These are my favorite flowers, I'm giving them to you."

At that time, they didn't understand the language of flowers; they simply thought the flower was beautiful and gladly accepted it.

Seeing that they accepted, the boy smiled.

"Hikaku, Tadayo, Setsuna, thank you for playing with me."

Tadayo arrived at Izuna's grave and gently placed the Camellia from his sleeve before Izuna.

Footsteps sounded behind him, especially clear in the silent Cemetery. Tadayo didn't turn around until the person stood beside him.

It's Hikaku.

Hikaku didn't speak, but silently squatted down and placed the other Camellia it was holding in front of Izuna's grave.

Camellias gently fall on the grave, swaying softly in the night breeze, like unspoken words.

"... He used to really like this flower," Hikaku finally spoke, his voice low, "He was always happy when the Camellia."

Tadayo did not respond.

My thoughts drifted back to the past once again.

They trained and played together as children, and thanks to him, they were able to enter that aristocratic courtyard and rest under the Camellia trees.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on Izuna's face, the dappled light and shadow dancing between his eyebrows and eyes.

"So beautiful, isn't it?" Izuna gazed at the Camellias and even composed Haiku, "The Camellias are in full bloom, their color only becoming more intense as they fall, scattered on the ground in solitude."

Hikaku looked at him in surprise, "What beautiful sentences, Izuna, so you can write Haiku?"

Izuna smiled but did not answer.

Now Tadayo suddenly understood the meaning of that smile.

He wasn't Composing Poems to show off his literary skills, but rather to marvel at the Camellia's resolute beauty.

When the Camellia, it leaves no petals behind, as if proudly declaring—I end my own life.

And that's how Izuna died.

He wasn't killed by Tobirama Senju, but rather... he chose death himself.

Tadayo closed his eyes. He remembered the words Hikaku He had relayed, words he had tried so hard to forget during the day, but which were now as clear as if they had been carved by a knife.

"Hikaku, tell Tadayo and Setsuna after I leave, they must protect the Uchiha Clan and assist their Big Brother well."

"My Big Brother will definitely avenge me. If he wins, let's form an alliance with the Senju Clan."

"If he loses... then the future of the Uchiha rests in your hands."

"I'm sorry, please forgive me."

"I can't go on with you all anymore."

Those were Izuna's last words.

We all understand what he means.

The alliance between the Uchiha and Senju began as early as when Madara inherited the clan and Hashirama inherited the Hashirama respectively, and it has gradually yielded results thanks to the joint efforts of both sides.

However, absolute equality cannot exist between ethnic groups.

Especially clans like the Senju and Uchiha, who have deep-seated hatred for each other.

Their relationship can only be that of victor and vanquished.

Their struggle will only end when one side wins.

Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju must have understood this, which is why they took action and severely injured Izuna.

Hashirama believed that providing assistance was a gentler approach, so he offered to treat Izuna after severely injuring him.

But if that were the case Uchiha Clan would not only be the defeated, but also the recipients of aid.

If they accept, the Uchiha will become vassals.

Even if the outside world perceives both sides as equals, the fact that Senju is still superior to them will not change, Uchiha Clan will never have a chance to rise again.

However, Madara is a brother who loves his younger brother. If there is no other way within the clan, he will definitely choose to let Hashirama heal Izuna without hesitation.

But this alone is not enough.

Therefore, Izuna was willing to sacrifice his life to make Madara make a decision.

It would be better if the Clan Head could win after obtaining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, but it wouldn't matter if he lost.

Because their battle transcended conventional understanding before Madara even possessed the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, their defeat could only be attributed to inferior skill. Regardless of which side lost, it would not affect the alliance between the two races.

Therefore, Izuna had already chosen his own fate when he was seriously injured.

He entrusted his unfulfilled wishes, along with the entire burden of the Uchiha, to his most trusted friends.

As Izuna had predicted, Madara, filled with boundless hatred, challenged Hashirama Senju.

Even the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, obtained at the cost of Izuna's life, could not shake the status of the God of the Shinobi World.

The Uchiha Clan, as the defeated party, ultimately formed an alliance with the Senju Clan.

Just as Izuna had thought, even if they were defeated, the Senju and Uchiha would remain almost equal in status, and no one could shake their position in Konoha.

After the village was built, it was not as harmonious as Hashirama Senju had envisioned. There were many frictions between the clans, and the implementation of policies encountered obstacles everywhere.

But the Ninjas finally had a place to stay, and the children did indeed no longer need to go to the battlefield as he promised. Teams of Ninjas from different clans no longer suffered casualties due to a lack of certain abilities, as they had in the past.

Everything is slowly moving in a positive direction.

Although Izuna's death caused everyone great grief, it was a new life he had earned, so everyone resolutely chose to become a part of Konoha.

Whether it's teaming up with their arch-enemies or being assigned a challenging mission, not a single member of the Uchiha Clan would refuse.

Everything was done to live up to Lord Izuna's sacrifice.

Now.

Six months after Izuna's death.

Hikaku He sat in the main seat and announced something to them, to everyone—the elders, the youth, the women and children.

The Clan Head chief said that their Second-in-Command had returned after recuperating from his injuries for six months.

Recovering from injuries?

You're back after six months of recovery?

Tadayo gripped the fabric on his lap tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Are you kidding me!

Izuna has passed away; he lies dormant in that coffin.

We all witnessed his body being buried in the Kitsuchi.

His eyes were also given to the Clan Head, so it was impossible for him to survive by using Izanagi!

How can one "recover" from injury in this situation?!

He had seen that person before.

That guy seems to have been brought back by Lord Madara. After that, Lord Madara was suddenly injured and recuperated at home, and this guy seems to be the one who took care of his daily needs.

The clan has some clues about the injuries. Judging from the signs of destruction at the scene, it was probably caused by the Senju's Monster Strength.

Perhaps because he had been beaten by Hashirama, the Clan Head leader seemed to have finally come to his senses. Although he was recuperating at home, he stopped being passive and began to handle clan affairs.

That guy seems to be one of the reasons the Clan Head has cheered up. He usually only goes out to buy things and doesn't do anything else.

Although his impersonation of Lord Izuna is quite unpleasant, if it can cheer Lord Madara up, they might not be unable to accept the existence of a kept woman.

But it's one thing for that guy to be hanging around you with Izuna's face.

Now they actually want us to accept this imposter and make him our Second-in-Command?!

What on earth is Clan Head Ban doing?!

The guy who did such a bastard thing as entrusting everything to someone else should stay underground and continue enjoying his peace.

Instead of being replaced by imposters from who-knows-where, continuing to satisfy your selfish desires!

Unforgivable...

An uncontrollable rage welled up inside him, causing his eyes to redden.

My wife gently took my hand, and we looked at each other, knowing what the other was thinking.

Since Clan Head Ban is not thinking straight, let's bring him to his senses!

That imposter, damn it!

Hikaku tacitly approved of their actions, and even when it saw them gathering towards the Training Ground, it did not try to stop them.

In the early morning, the atmosphere in the Training Ground was heavy and murky, with everyone tacitly performing repetitive and meaningless movements.

We waited there in the Training Ground, waiting for our prey to come in.

As expected, Hikaku arrived with its people.

That person... looks a lot like Izuna.

He has the same face as Izuna, with vivid expressions and movements. He smiles, turning his head to speak to Hikaku, just like before.

A familiar feeling washed over them, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.

After the initial shock came embarrassment and anger.

For a fleeting moment, when Tadayo refused to admit it, he actually mistook this imposter for Izuna.

The siege of the Training Ground officially began after the children's probing attacks.

Then they were quickly defeated.

This imposter is incredibly strong, far too strong.

None of them... were able to defeat him.

"No..." the imposter began after defeating them, "I said... are you really the Uchiha Clan who fought your way out of the Warring States Period? How come..."

He considered his words carefully, seemingly trying to be tactful, but ultimately remained direct, "... How can you be so weak?"

Tadayo was stunned.

The imposter continued, "Is life in the village too comfortable, making you all complacent?"

"Such skill, such reaction, such teamwork... If the enemy wasn't me, but a truly formidable foe, you would have died countless times already."

"How can someone with this level of skill live up to the name of the Uchiha Clan? How can they face the ancestors who shed their blood for the clan during the Warring States Period?"

Tadayo at him with that face, and hearing his voice, so similar to his friend's, uttering words that sounded like they would come from Izuna himself, Tadase felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

Damn it! Stop mimicking him!

Tadayo felt like he was going crazy.

How dare he speak to me like that! If I weren't so Strength, he wouldn't be so arrogant!

His fellow tribesmen questioned his use of the Senju Clan's fist techniques, but that was something they couldn't question!

Whether he was Izuna or not, they lost, and that's the answer.

As expected, they couldn't refute him.

He didn't look back at them even once as he left.

He didn't even look at me.

This "Uchiha Izuna" does not know Uchiha Tadayo.

He really was an imposter.

After that, the imposter frequently went to the Training Ground, mingling with the children and training them through playful fights.

He never left the house, didn't even take on any missions, and just stayed in the clan, almost unchanged from before, being incredibly obedient.

Moreover, Lord Madara stayed by that guy's side the whole time, so no one else had a chance to cause trouble. They could only watch helplessly as he paraded around with that face.

Tadayo Shi, he knew he couldn't beat them, but he didn't want to see them in his way, so from then on he avoided them.

Fortunately, he was in charge of logistics, so he didn't need to meet with the Clan Head often; he only needed to report weekly.

Hikaku is a key member of the clan and must speak directly with Madara, so he can only meet with that imposter frequently.

At first, he would say something during casual gatherings. This imposter's ideas were naive, his methods were good, but they were not applicable to the clan. The imposter's aura was too clean, unlike the original Izuna had a lot of life.

But gradually, he stopped talking to Izuna and even stopped others from speaking ill of him.

Tadayo found it strange that Hikaku was acting this way. Was he about to admit that it was Izuna?

But Hikaku is a staunch supporter of Madara and Izuna, so why would he start defending this imposter?

The imposter's actions grew increasingly larger, expanding from within the clan to outsiders, and eventually to the entire village.

Everyone seemed to have accepted him.

Then, on that day...

A child asked that question.

"Lord Izuna, where have you been for the past six months? Have you encountered anything interesting?"

He heard it from the children, whose words were far less coherent than those of adults, but he understood one thing clearly.

Izuna's name was once taken from him, and as a result, he lost his memory.

And...

"I always felt like Lord Izuna was telling a story about the afterlife," the child said nervously. "Lord Izuna said there were stone statues, Torii, and shrines along the road to that place... aren't Shrines the only places with things like that?"

"I've heard that Torii are the gateway to the realm of the gods. If that's true... then Lord Izuna..."

Upon hearing this, Tadayo, who was sitting by the street stall, froze completely.

Is Izuna a ghost who crossed the boundary between the living and the dead and returned to the human world? If so, then...

Even though she suspected some imposter was lying, Tadayo couldn't resist and went to the Training Ground the next day.

Lord Madara was standing nearby, seemingly worried that we might do something, and he kept a close eye on us.

Tadayo bowed to him, looked at the face that belonged to his friend, and decided to listen patiently to what he had to say.

The children asked questions, and the imposter answered.

"Lord Izuna! If you were in a place where you didn't know anyone and everything was dangerous, how would you tell who was a good person and who was a bad person?"

"Izuna" blinked, thought seriously for a moment, and then said, "Don't rush to distinguish between good and bad people. Let's assume everyone is a bad person first."

"Then, you look at who's doing 'unnecessary things.' For example, someone could easily ignore you and walk away, but they still stop and look at you again. That person is either a good person or planning to trick you."

"For example, if someone is exceptionally kind and enthusiastic towards you, you should be careful, because good people don't feel like they're doing 'good deeds'; only bad people need to put on an act."

"And if someone offers you some help when you're in trouble, then at least on the surface, they'll seem like a good person."

"However, none of the above types of people matter. What matters is your attitude. As the saying goes, when you're traveling, you rely on your friends. Being nice to everyone can't hurt."

The second child asked, "If there are many rules there, and I have no power to resist, how can I protect myself?"

"It's simple." Izuna held up one finger. "Find the loophole in the rule."

"Every seemingly impressive rule has loopholes. The person who writes the rules will always leave out one or two sentences, and those one or two sentences are your gaps."

"For example, if the rule says 'no fighting,' it doesn't say you can't let others fall down on their own. If the rule says 'be obedient,' it doesn't say you can't do anything unnecessary after being obedient. Find that gap, and you won't have to confront them head-on."

The third child asked timidly, "Then... what if we encounter an enemy with strange abilities, and we have no idea what they're capable of? What should we do then?"

"Izuna" smiled, seemingly full of confidence. "Then let's lose once."

"If you lose, call for backup. If you can't get backup, run. If you can't run, play dead. If playing dead doesn't work, surrender. If surrendering doesn't work either... then you can only try to make the other side think that killing you is too much trouble."

"... That's so spineless!"

"Stubbornness won't put food on the table." The guy said matter-of-factly. "Survival is the most important thing. Since you've fought him, you'll know what his abilities are. So, just find his weaknesses and defeat him in the next challenge."

Another child asked, "Lord Izuna... if no one is leading the way and I don't know what the right thing to do is, how should I choose?"

"Izuna" looked at the child and tapped his nose from a distance, "Choose the one you won't regret when you wake up tomorrow morning."

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"Because some things, if you make a mistake, you can do it again. But some choices, once made, you never get a second chance. So if you don't know what to choose, first think about whether you'll regret it."

The children nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

The adults standing around looked dazed.

These are opinions that any adult could express.

But how can someone give such specific advice if they haven't experienced it themselves?

Finally, they got to the question about his name.

"Lord Izuna, how can I retrieve my name after it's been lost?"

The man thought for a moment and then said, "Yubaba asked me to write my name on the Contract. After she held the words in her hand, the name disappeared. From then on, I was called Izumi. Then she made me work according to the terms of the Contract."

"I didn't really feel anything after my name was taken away. During the days when I was called Quan, I hardly noticed anything was wrong."

"Speaking of which, when you're in an unfamiliar environment, bombarded by various rules, pressures, and temptations, you gradually forget who you are, where you came from, where you're going, and your initial goals and convictions."

"So naturally, the name would be hard to recall, because in that environment, a name was just a label and not important."

"How can we find it?" a child asked anxiously.

"You just need to figure it out," he said. "Figure out who you really are, whose family you are, whose friends you are, and who is waiting for you to come back."

"Find out what you are willing to fight for, why you are willing to live, and even... why you are willing to die."

He smiled and spoke to the children in a gentle tone.

"Once you've figured these things out and found what you truly believe in and hold onto, then your 'name'—which is also your 'self'—will naturally return."

What about memories?

You've rediscovered yourself, but what about your memories?

Didn't you say you wanted to figure out whose friend you were?

Weren't we your friends? Why do you look at me, and at us, with such unfamiliar eyes after you came back?

Unable to bear the overwhelming longing, Tadayo lowered his head and left.

The sky is always so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes. There's no particular reason, just its boundless, limitless, and indescribably vast expanse.

Tadayo gazed at the sky and silently shed tears.

He still did not contact Izuna.

But he began to pay attention to his every move.

After finishing his work for the day, he would find out where he was and come to his vicinity.

They might watch him secretly through a window across the street or from behind a tree.

Every time he did this, he felt a strange thrill, like embarking on an adventure. He was filled with questions and anticipation, but didn't know what to do.

I was afraid that if he went forward, he would shatter some dream.

This person and his friend are two completely different types of people.

In the past Izuna was rational, gentle, and polite to his friends, never becoming too close.

This person is now enthusiastic, lively, and full of energy; it seems like they can chat with anyone, even putting their arm around someone's shoulder.

But their ways of doing things are remarkably consistent.

If someone needs help, he will lend a hand.

If anyone tries to cause trouble, he will retaliate without hesitation.

He will ignore subtle malice, and he will gladly accept any expression of affection from others.

Then, just like the boy who had accepted the respect years before, he took them into his protective circle and sheltered them.

Then one day, Izuna suddenly appeared in front of him.

An invitation was extended to him.

"Handsome guy, would you be willing to play Minamoto no Yoshitsune?"

He agreed.

When I entered the Production Crew, the Genjutsu array was in operation.

An illusory Camellia descended from the sky. He looked up and was awestruck by the overwhelming green canopy and the fluttering Ageha butterflies.

Tadayo lowered his head in a daze, and in a daze, he actually saw Setsuna and Hikaku standing to the side at a glance.

They, too, wore strange expressions on their faces, just like him.

The person beside him, however, looked resolute. He raised his head, gazing at the scene with pride, and said, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

For a moment, he thought he had returned to those days when he sat under the Camellia tree enjoying the cool shade.