"Inherited the blood of the Uzumaki Clan?"
For a split second, countless chaotic images flashed through Kyoichi's mind.
And in that instant, he understood.
He understood what Mei Terumī truly meant by her words—and why she'd shown such an embarrassed expression when she said them.
"Eh? The Uzumaki Clan... If I remember correctly, they lived in Uzushiogakure, right? After the village was destroyed, only one survivor was taken to Konoha—who later became the current Nine-Tails Jinchūriki…"
Yūsuke muttered to himself, recalling every bit of information he'd heard about the Uzumaki Clan.
But what he said was just common knowledge—nothing new or surprising.
Scratching his head in confusion, he asked, "But if the Uzumaki Clan was wiped out, how could the Ringo Clan possibly have inherited their bloodline?"
"Uzushiogakure was destroyed fifteen years ago," Kyoichi replied calmly. "The official story was that a group of wandering ninja attacked and annihilated the village… Tell me, Yūsuke, do you really believe that? That one of the most renowned clans in the shinobi world—the Uzumaki—were taken down by a bunch of homeless wanderers?"
"...Wasn't it said that those wanderers included several S-class rogue ninja?" Yūsuke asked in a small voice.
"Rogue ninja?"
Kyoichi let out a quiet laugh and shook his head. "And why would S-class rogues risk their lives attacking Uzushio? For their sealing techniques? What value would those jutsu hold for missing-nin who have no village to serve? No—those so-called 'rogue ninja' were probably just assassins sanctioned by the great villages."
His mind drifted back to the forbidden scrolls he had once read.
Apart from Water Release techniques, most of the forbidden arts recorded there were sealing jutsu. Many of them likely originated from the Uzumaki themselves.
"...Kyoichi, you're saying that Uzushio was actually destroyed by... the Hidden Villages?"
Yūsuke's voice wavered, barely audible.
"Most likely by Suna, Kumo, and our own Kirigakure," Kyoichi said softly. "As for Iwagakure—who knows if they got involved, being so far inland. But the Ringo Clan's Uzumaki blood must've been one of the spoils taken from Uzushio's fall. Isn't that right, Mei?"
"That's right," Mei sighed, her tone carrying a hint of resignation. "My father told me that back then, someone brought a young man from the Uzumaki Clan back from Uzushio. The Third Mizukage assigned him to the Ringo Clan... and after that, several children of that clan inherited the Uzumaki bloodline. I heard that man died of exhaustion a few years later."
Yūsuke shuddered violently.
He was fourteen—almost fifteen—and no longer a naive child. He knew exactly what Mei's words implied when she said "those who inherited the Uzumaki bloodline."
The Uzumaki were famous for their vitality, often called the Clan of Longevity.
To actually work an Uzumaki to death… that had to be some level of exhaustion!
"...Your father really told you everything, didn't he?"
Kyoichi couldn't help but sigh in disbelief.
What kind of clan head told his daughter this much detail?
"Because Father and Grandfather have been grooming me to become the Fifth Mizukage," Mei replied plainly. "Ever since I graduated from the Academy, they've told me everything—no secrets, no half-truths. Whatever I wish to know, they make sure I know it all."
"...Sounds exhausting," Kyoichi said softly, looking at her.
"It's my responsibility," Mei answered calmly. "Born into the Terumī Clan, inheriting both the Terumī and Kirigumo bloodlines, enjoying privileges far beyond my siblings—I have the duty and obligation to live up to the expectations of my father and grandfather."
"That's true," Kyoichi nodded. "We all owe something to our clans."
He understood her completely.
In fact, if not for his own people, Kyoichi wouldn't have risked approaching the Yellow Flash in the first place. He'd only done it so that one day, he could lead his clan to safety—even at the risk of his own life.
"Still," Mei continued, steering the conversation back, "even if Ameyuri inherited the Uzumaki bloodline, she never stood out much at the Academy. Not just her—none of the other Ringo children who inherited that bloodline showed anything remarkable either. So far, Ameyuri's the only one who's become a Jōnin… but now that she's suddenly this strong, could it mean her siblings might awaken the same kind of power?"
"I doubt it," Kyoichi replied immediately. "Even at their peak, the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki—those clans had countless pure-blooded members, but not everyone reached the Jōnin level. Bloodline alone is only part of talent, not the whole of it. Just because you inherit a famous lineage doesn't mean you'll become powerful."
"...Guess I got a little carried away," Mei admitted, blinking for a moment before lightly tapping her smooth forehead, as if reminding herself to think clearly.
Indeed—this was a world that revered bloodlines, yes,
but that didn't mean every heir of a great clan became a genius.
Even among those with Kekkei Genkai, there were countless who spent their entire lives stuck as Chūnin or even Genin, never advancing.
"In that case," Mei said softly, watching the girl dominating her opponent on the training field, "it's not the Uzumaki bloodline that's remarkable—it's Ringo Ameyuri herself."
"Separating it like that doesn't make sense," Kyoichi said, shaking his head. "Her Uzumaki blood, her Lightning Release talent, her own effort—none of these alone made her who she is. All of it together forms the person called Ringo Ameyuri. You can't pull those pieces apart."
At that moment, the battle on the field reached its conclusion—
Ringo Ameyuri, with her fierce and unrelenting assault, claimed her second decisive victory.
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