In a quiet room, a child of about six sat cross-legged on a couch. A cup of water sat before him.
This child was Yuki Qi, the focus of a series of clashes between the Yuki Clan and the Kaguya Clan over the past six years.
The Yuki Clan's accusation against the Kaguya Clan was that they had kept Yuki Qi imprisoned all this time, but everyone knew that was nonsense.
The Yuki Clan was exceptionally united, thanks to the unique way its bloodline was passed down. Even ordinary clan members looked out for their own, let alone a genuine child who had awakened the Yuki Clan's bloodline.
"Let's see what you've accomplished this month."
Across from Qi, a woman sat cross-legged, watching him with an impassive expression.
Ever since Qi had accidentally awakened his bloodline at the age of four, this woman had been assigned by the clan to be his teacher.
She had taught Qi no ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or even how to use ninja tools. All she had taught him was how to control his ability and how to improve his body's flexibility.
Unlike other bloodline clans, the Yuki Clan's strength depended entirely on the level of their abilities. They used their bloodline to enhance their combat power, rather than relying on other skills to strengthen it.
According to the woman, the Yuki Clan's bloodline, Ice Release, was like the Wood Release of Konoha's First: a powerful, special ninjutsu with unique abilities. Anyone from outside who tried to imitate it could only produce something similar in appearance, not in substance.
It was said that once the Yuki Clan's bloodline reached an advanced level, their mastery of Water Release would also surpass that of the Second Hokage of Konoha Village in his day. Of course, that was only a theoretical claim.
After all, the clan had risen too recently to be compared with the Second Hokage, who belonged to an entirely different era.
"Yes, Master."
The child gave a respectful bow, then turned his gaze to the cup in front of him.
"Shhk..."
The clear water in the cup seemed to be spurred into action. It shot out of the cup, then quickly gathered in midair into a thin thread. As soon as it had formed, the stream of water stabbed fiercely toward the woman across from Qi!
"Very good!"
The woman made no visible movement. Just as the thin stream was about to pierce her throat, it suddenly stopped, then retreated into the cup as if time had reversed.
It was as though... nothing had happened at all...
"Now that you can do it without breaking the cup, you can begin training at the next level."
The woman's expression finally softened a little, as if in approval.
Just then, there was a knock at the door...
"I told you, don't interrupt us during lessons!"
The interruption visibly displeased the woman.
She really wasn't very good-tempered...
"Zi, the elder wants to see Yuki Qi."
A low voice came from outside the door.
"The elder said he wants to see him now?"
"I understand. I'll take him over."
The woman named Zi, Yuki Zi, furrowed her brow, then stood and looked at Qi across from her.
"You heard him. The elder wants to see you. Come with me."
"Yes, Master."
Qi seemed to have only that one reply. He stood up without haste and followed Yuki Zi out the door.
The Yuki Clan was a great clan, and great clans naturally had grand estates. In this world, a grand estate was essentially a garden. After turning through countless paths, the two of them finally stood before a large building.
This was the heart of the Yuki Clan, the clan hall...
"Don't look around. It's very rude. Stay close."
When Yuki Zi saw Qi looking all around, she frowned and reminded him.
"You are a noble member of the Yuki Clan. Don't let the savage blood of the Kaguya Clan influence you."
Clearly, she had a particular dislike for the Kaguya Clan.
Of course, that didn't mean she was prejudiced against Qi. It was simply the way she usually spoke.
"Yes, Master."
Qi didn't argue. He was the disciple, and she was his teacher. The teacher-disciple relationship here was much stricter than it had been in his previous life on Earth.
In a major ninja clan like the Yuki, the bond between teacher and disciple could sometimes be stronger than blood ties.
A disciple talking back to a teacher was deeply disrespectful. Although Qi hadn't actually been "looking around," he couldn't argue. Otherwise, he'd be disrespecting his teacher and would be condemned by everyone.
Everything had its pros and cons. Such rules could be rather unreasonable, but in return, teachers devoted themselves to raising their disciples, making sure nothing was overlooked. They put more care into it than raising their own children.
"Come along."
Seeing that Qi humbly accepted her instruction and made no further "improper" gestures, the woman nodded in satisfaction and led him into the clan hall.
"Elder, I've brought Yuki Qi."
Only the old man was in the clan hall. He sat motionless in the seat of honor, his eyes closed. He opened them only after hearing the woman's voice, then looked at the two people kneeling before him.
"You're here. How has your training been going?"
"He's doing well."
The corners of Yuki Zi's mouth lifted slightly.
"He's just lacking a little in etiquette. The Kaguya Clan's savage blood has still had some influence on him."
"I see..."
The old man nearly laughed, but held it in. He knew how stubborn Yuki Zi could be about certain things.
"Very well. You may go. I want to speak with the child alone."
"Elder, as his teacher, there's something I'd like to ask."
Yuki Zi bowed, but didn't leave.
"Did you summon Qi because the time is almost here?"
"Precisely. As you guessed, you must have completed the task I assigned you as well."
The old man nodded without denying it. After all, not every member of the Yuki Clan was so clueless.
"Yes. Teaching Qi went smoothly. I've taught him the method for training his chakra. He only needs to keep practicing it."
Yuki Zi sighed.
"In that case, I'll take my leave, Elder."
With that, she didn't even look at Qi again. She left the clan hall decisively and closed the door behind her.
"Now it's just the two of us, Qi."
Only after Yuki Zi had left did the old man turn his gaze to Qi. His eyes were quite gentle now.
"This is our first time meeting, isn't it?"
"Yes, Elder."
Qi couldn't figure out what the old man meant. But he had been in this world for six years. He had gone from an infant who couldn't even speak to the child he was now, and the panic of his early days had long since faded. He had learned how to survive here.
Besides, he had crossed over directly into an infant's body, which had been incredibly lucky. No matter how terrified he was, all he could do in an infant's body was cry. He couldn't arouse anyone's suspicions.
That had given him plenty of time to adapt to this world, the world he had once loved so much in his previous life: Naruto.
But loving the story of Naruto didn't mean he wanted to be transported here. What's more, even in his previous life, it had been a long time since he'd watched Naruto. In an instant, he had lost everything he had once cherished—his family, friends, and beloved...
Time could ease a person's pain, but it couldn't change his circumstances. Here, he was an outsider, forever alone. What was more, he was now in the Yuki Clan, a clan he knew was doomed to perish.
An unpredictable future wasn't frightening. What was frightening was knowing what lay ahead without knowing exactly when it would happen—especially when that future threatened your life.
So, once the clan assigned him a teacher, Qi had put every ounce of effort he had into training, afraid to waste even a second.
The more he built up his strength now, the greater his chances of surviving in the future. He had no choice but to work hard.
Compared with those of other clans, the Yuki Clan's bloodline training method was simple and straightforward. From beginning to end, there was just one approach: the more precise your chakra control, the more naturally the clan's secret techniques would follow. If your control wasn't good enough, you were simply out of luck.
That was why it was so difficult: progress depended on solid effort, with no shortcuts whatsoever. Most Yuki Clan members either lacked talent or couldn't focus on training because of time constraints. As a result, they spent their whole lives unable to reach the highest level.
Qi had trained extremely hard over the past two years, but he was still only at the beginner level. That showed just how difficult it was to advance the Yuki bloodline.
"Don't be nervous. In our Yuki Clan, we don't have that kind of rule. Your teacher is your teacher during lessons, but otherwise you can speak freely."
The old man seemed to notice Qi's unease and reassured him.
"Tell me, what do you think of the clan's treatment of you?"
It was a strange question. Why would an elder of the clan ask a child such a thing?
Although he was puzzled, Qi answered honestly. "The clan has treated me very well!"
"Do you really think so?"
The old man gave a cold laugh. His eyes flashed as he stared fixedly at Qi. He opened his mouth and fired off a string of questions...
"The clan has kept you imprisoned. You've never once been allowed beyond the clan estate. Don't you feel wronged?"
"Your parents were torn apart by the clan and forbidden to see each other for the rest of their lives. They died of longing and exhaustion. Don't you hate the clan?"
"You're a member of the Yuki Clan, yet you're not allowed to learn any ninja techniques. For two years, you've been given only plain food, and your clothes and meals have been worse than a servant's. The most the clan has done for you is have someone teach you to train your bloodline. You have no complaints?"
As they said, people had different values. What the old man had said—especially the last point—was extremely important in the Shinobi World. An ordinary person could never accept it.
This wasn't like Earth. On Earth, six-year-olds were old enough for kindergarten. Here, six was the age when a gifted child was expected to master basic ninja techniques and graduate. The later it happened, the greater the disadvantage.
The Yuki Clan had taught Qi no ninja techniques. By the standards of this world, that was tantamount to ruining him.
But Qi wasn't an ordinary child. Naturally, he wouldn't hold a grudge like a normal child. The clan had arranged for someone to teach him how to train, which clearly meant they hadn't given up on him. There had to be a reason for doing it this way.
"No. That's just how the Shinobi World works. My parents didn't have the power to break the rules, so they could only accept the consequences. The clan is raising me, and I'm grateful for that. How could I resent it?"
After saying that, he fell silent and let the old man study him.
"Your disposition is pretty good. You're not too impetuous..."
Only after a long while did the old man give the slightest nod.
"Many clans can never rise again after being destroyed. It's only because they've grown accustomed to fine clothes and good food. They can no longer endure hardship, setbacks, or grievances. Once they lose their backbone, they lose any chance of revival."
There was clearly a deeper meaning behind those words, and Qi couldn't help trembling.
"The clan didn't expect your mother to be so devoted. She starved herself to death. The clan tried to protect her, but she was determined to die, and there was nothing we could do. The same was true of the man from the Kaguya Clan."
The old man sighed deeply, ignoring Qi's reaction.
"But the unexpected deaths of your parents eased the hostility between our two clans. That was what allowed us to move from confrontation to peace talks, and it was also why the daimyo repeatedly postponed taking action against our clan."
The old man's last words struck Qi like a bolt from the blue!
The daimyo was going to move against the Yuki Clan?!
He jerked his head up and looked at the old man, no longer able to hide his emotions.
So this day had finally come!?
So soon...
He felt an unbearable bitterness... Could he survive this disaster that would wipe out the clan?
"You're not entirely stupid. At least you have the mindset a ninja should. When facing the daimyo, your first reaction isn't contempt, but caution."
The old man nodded with satisfaction.
"We ninjas and the people who rule the country depend on each other. But a single clan can't establish an equal relationship. The Yuki, who have become difficult to control, are now a thorn in the daimyo's side."
At last, Qi couldn't help asking.
"If that's the case, why does the daimyo want to destroy the Yuki Clan? Ninjas are a country's military power, and the daimyo controls the country's resources. He doesn't need to worry about ninjas getting out of control. What does he stand to gain?"
"Good. You have a sense of loyalty to the clan. That puts my mind even more at ease."
The old man looked pleased. Clearly, Qi's words, "our Yuki Clan," had made him happy.
"But you're wrong about one thing. The Yuki Clan is the Yuki Clan, and Kirigakure is Kirigakure. You can't lump them together."
"What?!"
Now Qi was genuinely surprised. The Yuki Clan didn't belong to Kirigakure?
"There isn't just one way for ninjas to exist. Independent ninja clans are everywhere. Our Yuki Clan rose to prominence during a civil war. From the beginning, we followed the daimyo, not the Mizukage."
The old man began to explain everything to Qi in detail.
"So if the daimyo moves against the Yuki Clan, the Mizukage won't interfere—and can't interfere."
"Then why doesn't our clan simply join Kirigakure?"
Now Qi was even more confused.
"It's too late. We've already built our own system. We can't just join. Besides, given the Yuki Clan's situation, asking to join Kirigakure wouldn't be a good idea. Even if the Yuki survived, we'd no longer be the Yuki."
The old man shook his head.
"You're still young. You'll understand when you're older. We ninjas aren't as rigid as samurai, but we can't give up our clan's honor. Without honor, there's no unity."
With that, he reached into his robes, took out a scroll, and handed it to Qi.
"Take this. It contains the secret techniques of our Yuki Clan, along with some ninjutsu. It's the essence of our clan's combat skills. Keep it safe, and never let it fall into the hands of outsiders."
Those words were alarming. Qi didn't dare be careless and quickly accepted the scroll.
This was the difference between a clan and a rogue ninja. Rogue ninjas had only a limited number of ninjutsu and secret techniques. They either had too few to be effective or too many to be well organized.
A rogue ninja's greatest wish was to join a clan or a ninja village and gain access to more refined techniques. Those techniques were monopolized by the various clans and ninja villages.
Every ninja technique was the product of countless generations of a clan's work, and was incredibly valuable. They would never pass them on to outsiders.
The old man's actions clearly meant he was making arrangements for what was to come...
"Don't wonder why there's only one scroll. The Yuki Clan's combat techniques are as simple as they come. There are countless Water Release techniques in the Shinobi World, and you can acquire them through other means later. I believe you have the ability to do so."
The old man smiled and pointed to the scroll in Qi's hands.
"The most important things in here are the secret techniques that only members of the Yuki Clan can use, as well as some unique ways of performing Water Release. They can be used with any Water Release technique."
"A ninja's strength isn't measured by how many techniques he knows. It's measured by how refined his techniques are—whether he can achieve the greatest results at the lowest cost. That's what you need to master!"
Those words cleared up Qi's confusion. He finally understood why even the powerful figures he had seen in the story in his previous life didn't casually unleash a whole barrage of ninjutsu.
Instead, they used relatively few techniques, but each one was effective.
"I've learned a lot!"
This time, he sincerely bowed deeply to the old man.
What the old man had said wasn't ordinary advice. Every word concerned Qi's future survival. The scroll alone was priceless, containing the essence of the Yuki Clan...
But clearly, the old man hadn't finished making arrangements.
After Qi had given him a deep bow, he continued speaking.
"Our Yuki Clan has been too prominent in recent years. The clan members have grown arrogant, and that has aroused the daimyo's suspicion. Now he wants to wipe us out. So remember: from now on, you must keep a low profile!"
"Keep a low profile! People will naturally overlook you, and that way you'll live longer. Then you can wait for an opportunity to strike from behind and kill your enemies!"
He stroked his beard, then suddenly changed his tone, a touch of melancholy entering his voice.
"Every member of the Yuki Clan is on the daimyo's list. You're the only one he doesn't even know the face of. That's why I'm entrusting everything to you. One day, if you get the chance to rebuild our clan, you must remember today's lesson."
"In a few days, I'll arrange for someone to secretly take you to the Kaguya Clan. Don't worry; the Kaguya Clan won't mistreat you. Your father was the younger brother of the Kaguya Clan's leader, so you're his nephew by blood. He'll teach you the Kaguya Combat Arts."
He smacked his lips, and for once, there was a note of praise in his voice. This was completely unlike Yuki Zi.
"That's a real treasure... The Kaguya Clan is a bloodline clan with a long history. Their Taijutsu, in particular, has been honed over countless generations and can be called the best in the Land of Water."
He chattered on until, unable to help himself, he glared at Qi and puffed out his whiskers.
"If you can combine the fighting techniques of both clans, then one day, you'll surely have a place among the Shinobi World's strongest!"
Perhaps it had been a long time since he'd talked so freely. The old man's lecture went on for more than three hours. Fortunately, Qi's patience had been forged like steel by now. He sat motionless on his knees, committing every word the old man said to memory.
At last, the old man brought things to a close with these words:
"Remember, a clan's foundation lies in unity. If one day you can rebuild the Yuki Clan, then no matter how vast the world, your clansmen come first. If you can do that, the clan will grow strong! Otherwise, the Yuki Clan might as well perish!"
No matter how vast the world, your clansmen come first!
He remembered those words, but there was something else he wanted to say...
Reviving the clan is such a hassle. Let someone else handle it, old man!
That's how it's always been: the elders bleed, the young ones drink their blood. I'd have to be stuffed silly to bleed for them!