Aftermath

Shiraishi Yoshijo took an extended leave from the hospital.

After two days of rest, Shiraishi Eizawa began taking him around to visit people.

They met with more than a dozen clan leaders, both from major and minor shinobi clans, and then visited some of their clansmen who had been taken in by other clans. All told, there were several hundred people.

Half a month slipped by.

Shiraishi Eizawa took him to the Takemoto Clan last.

Takemoto Shuichi sat cross-legged on the veranda. When he saw Shiraishi Eizawa, a mocking smile spread across his face.

"Eizawa, ready to die?"

Shiraishi Eizawa replied calmly, "I'm not going to die. I was already supposed to be dead."

As he spoke, he opened his clothes and showed Takemoto Shuichi the Sealing Technique on his body.

Takemoto Shuichi glanced at it and quickly lost interest. Turning to Shiraishi Yoshijo, he said, "You've been living here for over two years, and this is your first time coming to see me. That's quite something."

Shiraishi Yoshijo rolled his eyes and said, "I'll definitely come see you more often from now on."

He really didn't like the old man. At most, he could maintain a show of respect.

Shiraishi Eizawa glared at him, then said to Takemoto Shuichi, "Uncle Shuichi, I came to settle the family's affairs. I'll have to trouble you."

Takemoto Shuichi waved a hand, and someone soon brought the accounts over to them.

"Yukihito asked me to manage your family's businesses. If you want to handle them yourself, Yoshijo, you can take them back. You can also leave them with us."

Shiraishi Yoshijo began leafing through the accounts, examining each page carefully.

Once he finished, he lost interest.

There were more than a dozen businesses of all sizes—izakayas, ninja tool shops, yakiniku restaurants—as well as quite a few merchant caravans. Each was managed by a dedicated clan member, so he didn't need to worry about them.

Their annual income fluctuated between twenty and fifty million ryo.

The Takemoto Clan only handled the accounts once a year. All he had to do was be there when they did.

"No, thank you. I'll leave them in your hands."

Shiraishi Yoshijo had no interest in managing the businesses. There was no way he could spend all that money by himself anyway.

Takemoto Shuichi nodded, then gave him a meaningful smile.

Shiraishi Eizawa let out a wry laugh and took him home.

Once they were home, Shiraishi Eizawa handed him a bankbook. "This is all the money our family has right now."

Shiraishi Yoshijo took it and looked it over, hesitating. "More than thirty million ryo?"

That was at most what the businesses earned in a year. After looking through the accounts, he'd assumed the family had at least a hundred million in assets.

Shiraishi Eizawa didn't answer. Instead, he took a thick stack of papers from inside his clothes.

"A family is more complicated than that. Did you think money only came in and never went out?"

He handed him the list. "This is the clan's compensation register. Every year, it takes up more than half our funds. From now on, you'll have to personally deliver the money to them each year."

Shiraishi Yoshijo took it and saw the names packed closely together. His head began to ache.

That wasn't all. Shiraishi Eizawa took out a list of materials and said, "These are the materials you need to raise Summoning Butterflies. From now on, you'll need to coordinate with Sadahisa, the head of the merchant caravans."

Shiraishi Yoshijo only glanced at the materials before noticing the total at the bottom: over two million ryo.

He gave a wry smile. Raising just three kinds of Summoning Butterflies had cost this much. If he wanted to raise more kinds in the future, he'd probably drain the family's coffers.

Shiraishi Eizawa sighed. "The family used to earn money from missions. That was the main source of income. Now it's just the two of us, and we've been living off our savings."

Shiraishi Yoshijo fell silent.

It made sense. A shinobi clan naturally relied on missions to support itself.

But during their visits over the past few days, he'd realized there were hardly any shinobi left among their clansmen.

The Takemoto Clan had taken most of the mission quota Konoha assigned to their family.

Even if he reclaimed the quota, there were no shinobi in the clan left to take on the missions.

Fortunately, the Takemoto Clan wasn't taking their mission quota for nothing. Every year, they added a sum of money to the family's accounts.

Shiraishi Eizawa patted his shoulder and smiled. "From now on, you'll be responsible for supporting all the clan's elderly, weak, sick, and disabled. If you want to restore the clan, choose shinobi from among our people and pass on the Secret Techniques."

"If you don't, then pass the techniques on to your descendants. Let them pass them down from generation to generation."

After putting everything away, Shiraishi Yoshijo asked, "Is this your way of settling your affairs before you die?"

"Yes. There's no point hiding it anymore." Shiraishi Eizawa nodded. "My body will give out within six months at most."

"You really couldn't learn it?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo had successfully developed a Ninjutsu that rapidly digested food and promoted cellular absorption. He'd already taught it to Shiraishi Eizawa.

"What would it matter if I learned it? I'd only live another year or two, and it's exhausting."

Shiraishi Yoshijo was silent for a moment. "I understand. I'm just not used to it."

"You'll get used to it eventually. Your Medical Ninjutsu is excellent. You'll soon make a name for yourself in Konoha, and then you'll be able to support the family."

Shiraishi Eizawa took his hand and continued, "There are still a few things I need to tell you. Come on, let's go to Butterfly Habitat Valley."

When they arrived at Butterfly Habitat Valley and had greeted Lady Mei, Shiraishi Eizawa began explaining the family's library to him.

"The dozen or so bookshelves on the right hold texts on the Five-Element Ninjutsu. You can come study them whenever you like."

"The first five bookshelves on the left hold information on Sealing Techniques. The ones behind them hold books on our family's Secret Techniques."

"The last bookshelf contains the family's forbidden techniques. Be extremely careful when training in them. Don't let power blind you."

Shiraishi Yoshijo looked over the bookshelves one by one. When he reached the Sealing Techniques, he asked, "Why does our family have so many books on Sealing Techniques?"

"Your grandfather traded the family's Ninjutsu and some Secret Techniques to the First for them. A lot of the Ninjutsu circulating in the village now came from our family."

"Why trade for Sealing Techniques? We shouldn't have any use for them."

"Many of the old people in the Takemoto Clan used to raise Butterfly Seeds. After the clan split, the Butterfly Seeds kept draining their life force. Your grandfather made the trade with the First for that reason."

Shiraishi Yoshijo nodded.

After he'd explained everything, the two of them returned home.

Shiraishi Eizawa was about to go back to his room, but after a moment's thought, he turned around and said, "There are a few more things about Konoha I need to tell you. You'll have to figure things out for yourself from now on. Don't let your blood run hot and cloud your judgment."

"I know you don't like the Takemoto Clan, but understand that they won't harm you. We're related by blood, after all. Treat them with a little respect from now on."

Shiraishi Yoshijo nodded with a dark expression. "I understand."

"Then there's the Uchiha. Be careful around that clan from now on. Avoid dealing with them as much as you can."

Shiraishi Yoshijo froze for a moment and asked, "Why?"

Shiraishi Eizawa's expression turned complicated. "The Uchiha are arrogant, stubborn, and conceited. Your grandfather lost the battle for the Hokage position because of them."

"Your parents' deaths were connected to them, too. At the very least, they definitely betrayed us."

Shiraishi Yoshijo's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"That mission was a joint operation. Only the Uchiha and our family knew the details. I was the only one who escaped after we were ambushed. The three Uchiha who went with us died, too."

"The Uchiha blamed everything on me. I didn't argue at the time, since they'd lost clan members as well. But the more I've thought about it over the years, the more it feels wrong. I just don't have any proof."

Shiraishi Yoshijo asked coldly, "Do you need proof for something like that?"

"The situation in Konoha was strange back then. The Uchiha might not have been responsible. Lady Mito gave us the mission, and she—"

Shiraishi Eizawa hesitated. "In any case, I'm telling you this so you'll be wary of the Uchiha. They've already been isolated in the village. It's only a matter of time before they decline."

Shiraishi Yoshijo's face darkened. He'd always thought Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo had been behind his parents' deaths. He hadn't expected the Uchiha and the Senju to be involved, too. What a damn mess.

He looked up at the sky and sneered inwardly.

This village... Hah. It really is hard to like.

Shiraishi Yoshijo didn't say anything more.

Shiraishi Eizawa stroked his head. "Don't let hatred blind you. The past is behind us. You need to look ahead."

Then Shiraishi Eizawa left.

Shiraishi Yoshijo stood in the courtyard for a while, then sneered and went back to his room.

He had no intention of avenging his parents. Besides, he didn't have the strength to do it.

But he could see his own path clearly.