Morning in Uchiha Clan Territory
The morning light spilled softly over the tiled rooftops of the Uchiha compound. Smoke rose lazily from the training grounds where the clan's young ones sparred, their shouts echoing through the misty air. It was a peaceful day—rare, delicate, and almost unnatural in an age where peace itself was a fragile truce.
Inside one of the inner residences, Keiji Uchiha sat cross-legged beside his bed, tying the sash of his black yukata. His mask from the Capital lay on the low table beside him, wrapped in a cloth. He hadn't touched it since returning. The ghostly shimmer in his eyes had faded; today, he wasn't the shadow of the Daimyō's secrets. He was just… home.
A yawn drifted through the air, followed by the faint shimmer of purple.
"Gengarrrr…"
Keiji chuckled. "Still not a morning type, huh?"
His shiny Gengar floated lazily above the tatami mat, eyes half-lidded, aura flickering faintly like a sleepy flame. The ghost stretched—somehow—then grinned at him.
"You should try being dead. Mornings mean nothing," Gengar teased, tail flicking.
Keiji smirked. "Tempting offer, but I've had enough of second chances already."
Gengar blinked at him curiously. "You talk weird sometimes, you know that?"
Keiji rose, brushing dust from his cloak. "Come on. Let's find the others. It's been too long since we all sat together."
---
The Uchiha Clan Household
The main residence of the Uchiha clan was alive with quiet motion. Servants tended to the courtyard garden, and the sound of training echoed faintly from the distance. Keiji's steps slowed as he passed through the main corridor. He could hear voices inside the central hall—strong, familiar voices.
"Your reflexes are still slow, Izuna," came the low, commanding tone of Madara Uchiha.
"Maybe because someone keeps changing his sparring style mid-fight," replied Izuna, sharp and mocking.
Laughter followed—low, rough, and fond. Then another voice, calm and melodic, cut through the noise.
"Madara, Izuna… both of you, stop before you destroy the floor again. The servants just repaired it."
That was his mother, Unohana Uchiha—graceful, stern, and somehow able to command the two fiercest men in the clan with a single sentence.
And sitting beside her, sipping tea with the patience of a man who had seen too many wars, was Tajima Uchiha, Keiji's grandfather and the clan's former head.
When Keiji stepped through the doorway, all eyes turned to him.
"Ah," Madara said, his stern expression softening. "You finally decided to join us, little ghost."
Izuna grinned. "We were taking bets on whether you'd actually come home before the next full moon."
Keiji bowed slightly, hiding a smile. "I had… errands to finish."
His Mother Unohana poured him a cup of tea before he could sit. "And now you're back. Good. The house has been too quiet without your strange inventions and that spirit floating around."
Gengar peeked out from behind Keiji, upside down and grinning wide. "You missed me, didn't you?"
"Not particularly," His Mother Unohana replied smoothly. "But you do keep the mice away, so you can stay."
His Grandfather Tajima chuckled—a deep, weathered sound. "Sit down, Keiji. Tell us what mischief you've brought back this time."
Keiji took a seat beside his mother, exhaling softly. The warmth of the room—the laughter, the smell of tea, the sound of his family—was something he hadn't realized he'd missed until now.
Gengar, ever restless, floated toward the snacks on the low table, sticking his tongue through the dumplings just to make His Uncle Izuna flinch.
"Gengar!" Keiji hissed.
The ghost only chuckled, his body flickering into mist before reforming on His Father Madara's shoulder.
"Nice place you've got here, big boss," Gengar said. "Needs more hauntings though."
His Father Madara raised an eyebrow. "If you startle my men again, I'll exorcise you myself."
Gengar's grin widened. "Promises, promises."
Everyone laughed—except His Father Madara, whose lips twitched just barely, the closest thing he ever allowed himself to a smile.
For the first time in weeks, Keiji felt… normal.
---
The Spark of an Idea
After breakfast, Keiji wandered through the inner courtyard, hands behind his back. The morning breeze carried the scent of burning wood and blooming sakura.
His mind was calm—but restless.
Gengar floated above him. "You're thinking too loud again."
"I was just remembering something," Keiji said, eyes distant. "A game… no, several. From a place no one here remembers."
Gengar tilted his head. "A game? Like shuriken tag?"
Keiji chuckled. "No. Not like that. Something simpler. Something peaceful."
His gaze fell upon an old, unused workshop at the edge of the compound—a place where Uchiha craftsmen once forged kunai and masks during wartime. The tools were rusted, the benches dusty. Forgotten.
A spark lit in Keiji's eyes. "Maybe it's time this place made something other than weapons."
Gengar blinked. "You're going to make… toys?"
"Not toys," Keiji said, stepping inside and rolling up his sleeves. "Strategy. Luck. Balance. Games that teach all three."
Gengar snickered. "So, like training… but boring?"
"Wait and see."
---
The Workshop of Rebirth
The hours passed in quiet rhythm. The sound of chisels and brushes replaced the usual clang of blades. Wood shavings scattered across the floor as Keiji shaped, carved, and painted.
On one table, he set smooth stones and a wooden grid—Go.
On another, a square board marked with carved paths—Pachisi, or Chaupar.
Beside that, a small square frame with pockets and discs—Carrom.
Then, a painted board of numbered squares, winding with ladders and curling snakes—Snakes and Ladders.
And finally, a board of alternating black and white tiles with carved miniature figures—Chess.
The smell of lacquer and ink filled the room. Gengar watched with wide eyes, clearly intrigued now.
"What are these?"
"Games," Keiji said, not pausing his brush. "For minds and hearts. Some are about luck. Some about patience. Some about foresight."
Gengar poked at a pawn. "And this one? What's it about?"
Keiji smiled faintly. "Power… and the cost of chasing it."
When he finished, the boards gleamed in the lantern light—ancient yet entirely new to this world. He stood back, a quiet pride stirring in his chest.
"Come on," he said. "Let's show the others."
---
Games in the Uchiha Clan Hall
When Keiji arrived back at the hall, his family looked up in curiosity.
His Father Madara blinked. "You were gone for hours."
"I was creating something," Keiji said simply.
He laid the boards on the table. One by one, he explained the rules.
At first, the others were skeptical.
His Uncle Izuna frowned at the Carrom board. "You're supposed to hit discs into holes? That's it?"
His Mother Unohana raised an eyebrow at Snakes and Ladders. "So… we roll dice and climb or fall? This teaches what, exactly?"
His Father Madara examined the Go stones with cautious interest. "Two players surround territory… with no chakra?"
Keiji smiled. "Try them. You'll understand."
---
It began with laughter.
His Uncle Izuna cursed every time he slid down a snake. His Mother Unohana's calm precision made her unbeatable at Carrom.
His Grandfather Tajima, surprisingly, grew addicted to Chess, muttering strategy to himself like a seasoned general.
His Father Madara…
Madara sat cross-legged over the Go board, eyes sharp, silent as he studied Keiji's moves.
"You control without attacking," he murmured. "You win by patience, not by destruction."
Keiji nodded. "Exactly."
His Father Madara smirked faintly. "Interesting. It suits you."
Within hours, word spread through the clan compound. Warriors, guards, and children gathered in groups, rolling dice, flicking discs, and debating strategies. The atmosphere of tension that usually hung over the Uchiha compound began to shift—just slightly—toward something warmer, something shared.
Even Gengar joined in, manipulating dice rolls with ghostly breath until he was caught.
"Cheating!" His Uncle Izuna yelled.
Gengar just laughed, sinking through the table. "I prefer 'strategic haunting!'"
---
By Evening
When the sun set, the Uchiha compound looked… different.
Laughter echoed from the courtyards.
Even hardened veterans set aside their blades to sit with children and try their hand at the strange new "mind wars."
Keiji stood quietly by the gate, watching it all.
His Mother Unohana approached, her expression soft. "You've done something rare today."
Keiji turned to her. "What's that?"
"Made this clan smile."
He chuckled. "I'll take that as a mission accomplished."
She rested a hand on his shoulder. "Your father may never admit it, but he's impressed."
"I could tell," Keiji said. "He didn't threaten to destroy the board."
His Mother Unohana laughed lightly, then walked away, her hair catching the glow of lanterns.
Gengar floated beside Keiji, watching the children play Snakes and Ladders. "You really like these… little worlds of yours."
"They're lessons in disguise," Keiji murmured. "Each one teaches something different. Cooperation. Chance. Foresight. Adaptation."
"Ha," Gengar said, grinning. "You're turning the Uchiha into philosophers."
"Maybe just better thinkers."
---
The News Spreads
By the next day, the games had reached beyond the clan. Messengers from the Hagoromo Clan arrived, intrigued by the rumor of "battleless strategy."
Keiji met them in the courtyard, surrounded by curious onlookers.
One of the Hagoromo envoys bowed respectfully. "Lord Keiji, our clan elders heard of your creations. They request that you send a set—and someone to teach us how to play."
His Father Madara, who stood nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Even the Hagoromo are curious?"
Keiji inclined his head modestly. "I'll prepare the boards and send instructors. Games, after all, are meant to be shared."
His Grandfather Tajima chuckled behind them. "Heh. You might start a new kind of war, boy. One fought with dice and stones."
Keiji smiled faintly. "Maybe that's the kind worth fighting."
As night fell again, Keiji walked back to his room, Gengar floating lazily behind.
"You look proud," the ghost teased.
"Maybe," Keiji said, sliding open the door. "It's nice… to build something that doesn't destroy."
---
End of the Chapter
---