Chapter 18: The Terrifying Legacy
In the silent secret chamber, an air of disbelief lingered.
Grandfather spoke softly, "Ruofeng… do you now wonder why your grandfather chose to serve Uchiha Madara?"
Ruofeng smiled lightly. "For someone of that stature, it's natural to have followers. Not having any followers would be strange."
His grandfather shook his head with a bitter smile. "Exactly… a person like that having no followers would be abnormal. In truth, I was once an ordinary ninja. During the Warring States period, my clan was wiped out. Your grandfather saved me, and I became part of the Uchiha clan, serving him as a servant. After your grandfather passed, your father married my daughter, and you were born.
But your mother had a weak constitution from birth, and you were exceptional even in the womb, needing extraordinary nourishment. As a result, your mother passed away giving birth to you. Your father, overwhelmed by grief and anger, lost control of his emotions and chose to take his own life.
Their passing left me in deep sorrow. Yet your existence gave me renewed hope. I've taken care of you, given you the best I could—but I never wanted you to become a ninja. That was your father's wish; he didn't want you to endure the hardships of a ninja, nor to fall under Madara's influence. He knew that man would inevitably return, and you would face a choice once he did.
Yet now that you have chosen the path of a ninja, I must break tradition and entrust these things to you. These were originally meant for your father, but now, they are yours."
He gestured to the items in the chamber: scrolls, weapons, armor—sparse, but heavy with history.
Ruofeng's face reflected deep thought. "Grandfather… is this all Madara left behind?"
His grandfather sighed, his voice carrying the weight of years. "Yes… this is all. When the Uchiha clan rebelled, Madara took everything that belonged to him. Your grandfather kept these in safekeeping. But after the war with Hashirama Senju, Madara carried away the Nine-Tails summoning scrolls and his personal weapons.
The scrolls left behind contain some of Madara's recorded techniques and the Uchiha clan's legacy. And this legacy is unlike any other; even now, the Uchiha clan's inheritance is far less complete than what lies here.
Your grandfather once said that certain Uchiha techniques were reserved for the clan leader alone. In anger, Madara took away what he could, leaving the rest here. The Uchiha clan today lacks the full completeness of these special teachings—they've vanished from the world and ended up here."
A faint trace of mockery appeared on his grandfather's face, perhaps aimed at the current Uchiha clan. After all, he had witnessed the Warring States period firsthand; he was no ordinary man.
Ruofeng's eyes gleamed. These were relics left behind by Uchiha Madara himself. The techniques, reserved exclusively for the clan leader, were far from ordinary.
His grandfather looked at him and continued, "Ruofeng… since you've chosen the path of a ninja, these are yours. Also, this chamber has a secret passage. It leads to a valley ten miles outside the village. I have carefully stored wealth and resources there. Should anything happen in the future, you can escape through that passage. Remember this well."
He spoke as if imparting a final testament.
Ruofeng remained silent. "Grandfather… I understand. I will remember this place."
"Good… just remember it. I have lived since the Warring States period, surviving far longer than I should have. Your existence has kept me going. Now that you want to become a ninja, you must grow strong. Without strength, a ninja cannot survive," his grandfather said with a long sigh.
Ruofeng stayed quiet, understanding the weight of the words. His daughter was gone, his son-in-law was gone, and the master he had served had passed. His grandfather's reason for living was now him. And now, as Ruofeng walks the path of a ninja, it is a path of life and death.
The grandfather raised his hand, pointing to a nearby jar, and spoke with a tone of reminiscence: "These eyes are Sharingan, left by your grandfather. Though they appear as three-tomoe eyes now, they were once Mangekyō Sharingan. When your grandmother passed away, your grandfather awakened them. After his death, he left them behind to help your father grow strong. Unfortunately, your father chose not to inherit them, and before he died, he instructed me to destroy the Sharingan. These eyes… they awaken through loss and death. Such power carries too high a price. I hope one day you never have to awaken such eyes."
With that, he slowly stepped back, appearing even older and frailer, as if he had just delivered a final testament.
Ruofeng silently nodded. Watching his grandfather leave the chamber, he did not examine the Uchiha relics, instead choosing to follow him.
Even the inheritance of Uchiha blood could not outweigh the bond with the grandfather who had cared for him since childhood.
The passage was silent. Ruofeng followed quietly.
Outside, in the bedroom, his grandfather said, "Rest early. The things in that chamber won't disappear; you'll have time to study them. If you don't understand something, come ask me. I may not be the strongest, but I can guide you. And once you enter the Ninja Academy, you must learn to use your abilities in class."
Ruofeng was surprised. "My abilities? You mean the Sharingan? But I haven't awakened it yet!"
"Not the Sharingan… your perceptive abilities. Did you notice that no one dares touch our wealth in Konoha?" his grandfather said proudly, emerging from his sorrow.
Ruofeng smiled faintly. "Sometimes I wonder… with our wealth, we should be easy targets. Yet everyone treats us with respect."