T/N
Kekkei Genkai: literally meaning Bloodline Limit, is a rare genetic trait that grants the wielder access to unique abilities—often powerful dōjutsu such as the Byakugan and Sharingan.
On a stifling summer night, a cool breeze stirred the treetops, and faint chirps of nocturnal birds echoed softly. Outside the Fire Capital, in the quiet villages, only a handful of houses remained lit.
Stray cats lounged in shadowy street corners, dozing under the sparse lamplight. Suddenly, heavy footsteps clattered loudly, startling them. They scattered, vanishing into the darkness.
A large, burly man cautiously peeked his head out from an alley. He glanced left and right, then swiftly crossed the street and slipped into a narrow passage. Moving silently, he stopped at a modest house with a small courtyard at the village's edge, then entered.
Creak.
He opened the basement door—dim light flickered inside—and untied a tied-up leather bag. Inside was a young boy, no older than three, trembling. The sudden light triggered his survival instinct; he struggled fiercely.
The man loosened the bindings and produced a whip with a leather thong. The boy's eyes widened in terror, his screams desperate and piercing. The man's grin twisted cruelly as he cracked the whip, lashing the child brutally.
The boy curled in pain, writhing on the cold floor, screaming helplessly. After several strikes, the man leveled the whip at him with a savage glare. "If you don't shut your mouth, I'll keep beating you until you're dead."
The boy clenched his teeth hard, biting his lip to hold back any sound. The man nodded approvingly, then turned his gaze to other silent, huddled children in the corner—his eyes flashing a harsh warning.
With that, he shut the basement door and strode away.
Bang!
Darkness swallowed the basement once more. The boy crawled to the cold stone wall and hugged his knees tightly. Only like this could he feel the faintest sense of safety.
The basement was suffocatingly quiet, save for his soft, trembling sobs: "Mama…"
Bang!
The door burst open again. The boy flinched, frozen in terror, silent as stone. The man raised his whip, a cruel smile spreading across his face as he glared down at him.
"Humph!"
The door slammed shut again. The boy finally grasped why the others remained silent. He curled into a tight ball, holding his breath.
Above the basement, a group of burly men sat around a round table strewn with piles of banknotes. Among them was a man dressed in ninja attire, his ninja pouch strapped at his waist—the clear leader. He glanced at the man who had just left the basement.
"Where'd you get the merchandise this time?" he asked.
The earlier menace drained from the man's face, replaced by a sly, ingratiating smile. "Top quality—straight from the Land of Water. Connected to the Yuki clan, somehow."
The leader's eyes gleamed. He whistled softly. "Not bad. If the kid manages to awaken the Yuki clan's Kekkei Genkai, he'll be worth even more."
The man scoffed, coughing awkwardly. "Awaken it? No chance. His family's been civilians for generations."
The leader chuckled and waved dismissively. "Doesn't matter if he doesn't. Bloodline ties alone fetch a good price. Bigwigs love having something with clan heritage."
The man nodded, grinning as he slid into a chair. "Let's play. It's been too long—I'm itching for it."
The leader smirked, pushing a dice cup toward him. "Don't lose your pants."
"Eh, no big deal if I do. I'll just bring in another batch of top-tier merchandise."
The man grabbed the dice cup and shook it eagerly. "Come on, place your bets!"
His companions quickly matched him, stacking money on the table.
"I bet big."
"Me too."
"Since you're all on big, I'll go small!"
"I bet on leopard."
The man set the dice cup down and lifted it—everyone leaned forward expectantly.
"Open!"
All three dice showed six.
"Damn! It's leopard—three sixes. This hand sucks."
Though no one else won, they strangely cheered at his bad luck.
"Pay up. Leopard pays ten times."
"Why so impatient? You think I wouldn't pay? Try again!"
"I'm sticking with big."
"No way. This time, I'm betting big—I've got a feeling."
"Get lost, you're a jinx! I'm on small."
"I bet leopard."
"Open!"
"Dammit, again! Leopard, again!"
"Open!"
Three sixes—again, and again.
The big man narrowed his eyes, shaking the dice cup suspiciously. "Strange. Why does it always come up leopard? You cheating?"
Another player frowned. "This can't be right. Brother… what's your name again? I'm a little foggy."
The man collected the money, smiling gently. "Uchiha Tonan. And you?"
"Me? I'm—"
The room fell silent. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, then suddenly spread out, forming a circle around Tonan.
Clang!
Swords were drawn. The air thickened with tension.
The leader barked, "Who the hell are you?"
Tonan relaxed into his chair. "Captain of the North City Guard, Uchiha Tonan."
He flicked a banknote, knocking the dice cup over—revealing three sixes inside.
"That counts, right?"
The leader's eyes narrowed. "Of course it does, Tonan-sama. But… why come here so late at night?"
Tonan smiled faintly, tone courteous yet firm. "I have an audacious request. I want those children."
Killing intent flared in the leader's eyes, but he masked it with a stiff smile. "My lord, those kids were all adopted and raised by us brothers—we're attached to them."
He subtly signaled a companion with his eyes. Tonan frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"In that case," Tonan said slowly, "it would be unreasonable to take them by force."
His words eased the leader's tense expression. At that moment, the companion handed the leader a small box. The leader opened it and slid it across the table to Tonan.
"With respect, my lord. I hope you continue to favor us."
Tonan's eyes lit up at the sight of the money-filled box. He straightened and caressed the banknotes.
"So much wealth… yet, it's a pity."
The leader's smile faded. "My lord, a pity? Is our respect insufficient?"
Tonan shook his head. "I'm greedy—I want money, people, and achievements. Tell me… what should I do?"