The Quiet After Supper
The Uchiha compound was unusually calm that evening. The usual tension of warriors sharpening kunai or the distant thunder of fire jutsu practice was absent. Instead, the warmth of roasted boar still lingered in the great hall, mingling with the steam of freshly cooked rice.
At the long wooden table, the clan's leaders and heirs gathered. Madara sat with his usual regal composure, Sharingan at rest but always present. Beside him, Unohana held her tea with serene grace, her eyes sharp and steady as ever. Izuna, more relaxed, cracked jokes that even drew a rare chuckle from their stern father, Tajima Uchiha.
Keiji, however, could barely sit still. The spar with Madara earlier, and the lessons with Unohana, still burned within him like a restless flame. Ideas pressed against his mind like storm clouds begging to burst. He stared at his half-finished tea before setting it down.
"Grandfather," he said, lowering his head respectfully.
The chatter stilled instantly. Tajima turned his hard gaze toward him, one brow arching. "Speak, Keiji."
"I would like… eight B-rank empty scrolls and eight A-rank empty scrolls."
The silence that followed was heavier than any weapon. Chopsticks froze in midair. Izuna blinked once, then twice. Even Unohana's fingers paused before setting her cup down. Madara's eyes narrowed slightly, but amusement flickered there too.
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The Request
Tajima's voice rumbled like distant thunder. "Eight B-rank… and eight A-rank?" His gaze sharpened. "That is not a small request. Even jōnin are rarely entrusted with so many. Tell me, boy—what does a child of your age plan to do with such scrolls?"
Keiji straightened, bowing deeper. "I want to preserve something. My jutsu. The techniques I've been creating—if they exist only in my head, they will vanish if I fall. But if I write them, refine them, and record them, they will live on for the clan. They must not die with me."
The table stirred with quiet murmurs. Some elders looked at him with skepticism. Others, with faint approval.
Madara's lips curved faintly. "He speaks like a shinobi who already thinks beyond himself."
Tajima studied him for a long moment, the silence stretching taut. Finally, he nodded once. "Very well. If your intent is to strengthen the Uchiha, then I will grant this request."
He gestured toward a nearby guard. "Go to the clan warehouse. Bring eight B-rank scrolls and seven A-rank. Our reserves of A-rank are limited."
The guard bowed deeply and departed.
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The Scrolls Arrive
Minutes later, the guard returned bearing a silk-wrapped bundle. He knelt before Tajima, who accepted it with gravity and passed it into Keiji's waiting hands.
"These are now your responsibility. Use them wisely," Tajima intoned.
Keiji's heart thudded. The scrolls felt heavier than steel—heavier, even, than his own blade. They were the weight of responsibility, of legacy.
He spread them out across the low writing table, the ink and brush already waiting. The hall had grown quiet again, curiosity hanging in the air. Even Izuna leaned forward, eager. Gengar floated beside Keiji, its grin sharper than ever, as though it understood.
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Ink and Legacy
Keiji dipped the brush and began to write. His strokes were clean, deliberate, each word carrying knowledge from his past life and his reborn self. Names, hand seals, chakra mechanics, philosophy—he recorded everything.
The Uchiha had scrolls, yes, but what Keiji wrote was different. His creations were not mere jutsu—they were ideas, woven from two worlds.
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The B-Rank Scrolls
He began with techniques that balanced innovation and accessibility, writing their names in bold strokes:
1. Katon: Agni no Tenchi (Fire Release: Heaven and Earth of Agni) – a dome of fire that crushed enemies between sky-fire and earth-flame.
2. Raiton: Vajra's Wrath – a hammer of lightning that shattered defenses.
3. In'yōton: Yami no Kagami (Yin Release: Mirror of Night) – a dark reflective barrier absorbing genjutsu.
4. Katon: Agni's Roar – a spiraling fire vortex, an evolution of the Fireball.
5. Raiton: Raijin's Strike – chaotic bolts of lightning, unpredictable as storms.
6. In'yōton: Dreamless Sleep – a genjutsu of eternal slumber.
7. Medical Ninjutsu: Chakra Sūtra Threads – stitches of glowing chakra thread.
8. Medical Ninjutsu: Prana Purification – cleansing toxins and curses with pure chakra.
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The A-Rank Scrolls
Then came the greater works, the ones born from deeper creativity and risk:
1. Katon: Ryūka no Kōjin (Fire Release: Dragon God's Blaze) – a colossal dragon of flame.
2. Raiton: Indra no Yari (Lightning Release: Spear of Indra) – lightning sharp enough to pierce even Susanoo.
3. In'yōton: Maya no Engetsu (Illusory Release: Moon of Illusion) – illusions layered like mirrored moons.
4. Katon: Phoenix Garuda Dance – blazing birds that hunted their prey.
5. Katon & Raiton: Indra's Wrath – a beam of thunder-fire that scarred the earth.
6. Medical Ninjutsu: Lotus Seal Technique – a chakra lotus accelerating regeneration.
7. Medical Ninjutsu: Ashvin Twins' Blessing – a two-person healing art, doubling power when shared.
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More Than Jutsu
On the final scroll, Keiji did something unexpected. He wrote not jutsu, but methods:
Breathing Patterns inspired by ancient yoga, refining chakra intake through the lungs.
Muscle Channel Training to condition the body for heavier chakra flow.
Meditative Cycles, twelve postures that balanced Yin and Yang.
Not just power—but growth, step by step, for the entire clan.
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Reading the Future
When the last line dried, Keiji stacked the scrolls carefully and bowed low.
"These are my contributions to the Uchiha. Please… judge if they are worthy."
Tajima accepted the first scroll. One by one, the elders leaned in, followed by Madara, Izuna, and Unohana.
The hall grew utterly silent.
Tajima's eyes moved sharply, his mind whispering: This boy… he is not just strong. He is a creator. A foundation.
Madara's lips curved faintly. Even I have not dreamed of such flames. His potential is a mirror of my own—and perhaps more.
Izuna chuckled under his breath. Younger than me, yet already rewriting ninjutsu itself. What a brother…
Unohana lingered on the medical scrolls, her heart stirring. These techniques… they heal faster, cleaner, with less strain. My son is not only balance—he is renewal.
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The Clan's Decision
At last, Tajima closed the final scroll. He rested both hands on the table and let the silence stretch before speaking.
"These scrolls… shall be preserved in the clan archives. From today, they are Uchiha property. Born of Keiji's genius, to strengthen us all."
He looked at his grandson, sternness softening into something rare: pride. "You have given us more than techniques. You have given us legacy."
Keiji bowed deeply, his chest tight with emotion.
Madara's hand clapped firmly on his shoulder. "Well done, son."
Izuna laughed openly, the sound warm. "Our clan just gained a scribe and a miracle-worker!"
Unohana's eyes softened, needing no words.
And above them all, Gengar twirled happily, its eerie chuckle echoing in the hall.
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A Shadow at the Edge
As the scrolls were carefully stored away, the laughter and quiet talk filled the great hall. For a rare moment, the Uchiha compound felt at peace.
But outside, under the waxing moon, shadows gathered along the rooftops. Crows circled silently, their wings blotting the stars.
Among them, a pair of eyes glowed faintly red—not Uchiha, but something older. Something watching.
Whispers carried in the night breeze.
"The child writes his legacy… and awakens the chain of fate."
The air grew colder, though none inside noticed.
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End of the Chapter
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