1 Life And Death

The armistice after the First Shinobi War was a tense peace, like a battlefield where the smoke still hung heavy. The Five Great Nations, battered and bruised, nursed their wounds. Every shinobi village had lost elite fighters, their manpower stretched thin. War wasn't an option, not against another Great Nation.

But peace has a funny way of breeding its own problems. Twenty years of enforced tranquillity led to a booming economy for some nations, but for others, it was a recipe for disaster. The rich villages got richer, while the have-nots grew increasingly bitter. Resentment simmered, and whispers of "fair share" turned into shouts of "land grab!"

Soon, alliances formed under flimsy pretences.

The Hidden Leaf, flexing their newfound economic muscle, talked about "border disputes" while the Sand Village grumbled about "historical claims." It was all a power play, a desperate scramble for resources before the well ran dry.

And then, the storm broke. The Second Shinobi War erupted, a maelstrom of steel and chakra that engulfed the ninja world.

This wasn't a war fought by the legendary figures of the past. Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, was long gone, along with his brother Tobirama. Most of the Senju clan had been wiped out, leaving only Tsunade, a young woman with a prodigious talent for medical Jutsu, and her little brother, Nawaki.

Nawaki, bless his heart, had a lot of enthusiasm but zero battlefield awareness. He yearned to prove himself, but war doesn't care about dreams or potential. One wrong step, one misplaced trust, and Nawaki was gone, a casualty of youthful inexperience.

Tsunade, devastated, channelled her grief into her Jutsu. She witnessed firsthand the carnage, the brutal efficiency with which young lives were snuffed out. It was then she developed her crippling fear of blood, a constant reminder of the war's brutality.

But amidst the darkness, legends were forged. A young Jiraiya, with his mischievous grin and Jutsu repertoire that would make a toad blush, teamed up with the stoic Orochimaru, whose hunger for knowledge already bordered on obsession. Completing the trio was Tsunade herself, her medical ninjutsu a beacon of hope on the battlefield. They called themselves the Sannin, the legendary trio, the first team to truly understand the importance of a dedicated healer.

This wasn't the only story, of course. The war stage bustled with another phenomenal ninja. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the future Third Hokage, earned the moniker "God of Shinobi" for his unparalleled skill. Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha, was a whirlwind of steel, his blade a blur of deadly precision. Rumors whispered he could take on all three Sannin at once and emerge unscathed.

Beyond Konoha, the other villages boasted their own heroes. Lord Mu, the stern leader of the Hidden Stone, his weathered face etched with the weight of countless battles. The Third Raikage, a powerhouse of brute strength, cemented his legacy as the greatest Raikage in Kumogakure's history. The Hidden Mist churned out the fearsome Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, each wielding a unique blade and a heart as cold as the sea.

The Sand Village unleashed the fearsome Kazekage, a master of Iron Sand manipulation, his control over the metallic grains as deadly as any blade.

But war, like a hungry beast, demanded sacrifices. Nawaki Senju, Tsunade's younger brother, perished in a tragic, avoidable accident, a casualty of his own inexperience. This loss, coupled with the death of her lover, Dan Kato, during the war, instilled in Tsunade a crippling fear of blood, a cruel twist of fate for a Master of Medical Ninjutsu.

Yet, amidst the ashes, legends rose, ready to shape the future of the ninja world.

~~

The Uchiha were the undisputed titans of the ninja world, a clan whose prowess rivalled even the legendary Senju.

But after the Senju were tragically wiped out by a coalition of assassins, the Uchiha found themselves thrust into an uncomfortable spotlight.

Whispers snaked through the Hidden Leaf Village: were the Uchiha simply too powerful? Did their Sharingan eyes hold a potential that threatened the fragile peace of the village?

The weight of these suspicions was heavy on the Uchiha. After all, Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi himself, and his brother Tobirama were not bestowed such titles lightly.

Even the current Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, a prodigy in his own right, paled in comparison to those two titans at their peak. Legends spoke of Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, wielding Wood Release, capable of reshaping mountains with a flick of his wrist.

Madara Uchiha, his rival and eventual teammate, possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan, an ocular ability and an advanced version of Sharingan that allowed him to manipulate the very minds of the monstrous Tailed Beasts, creatures so powerful they could level entire villages.

Hashirama, it was said, could subdue the tailed beasts with his Wood Release, treating them like oversized playthings.

The memory of such power was a chilling reminder to the other villages, a reason for the coordinated attack against the Senju.

In the current era, the Uchiha bristled under the watchful gaze of the village.

Tobirama Senju's decision to relocate their clan to the outskirts of Konoha was a bitter pill to swallow.

It felt like a betrayal, a constant reminder that they were no longer equals in the village they helped build. Shame gnawed at their pride, a festering wound that threatened to erupt.

Yet, despite the simmering discontent, open rebellion wasn't on the table. The Second Shinobi War raged on, a brutal conflict that demanded every ounce of Konoha's strength.

The Uchiha understood this.

Survival was paramount. Every clan, every family, had lost loved ones. This wasn't the time for internal strife.

One glimmer of hope flickered in the form of Kagami Uchiha, a respected elder and close confidant of Hokage Hiruzen.

Kagami acted as a bridge between the two factions, advocating for the Uchiha while maintaining their loyalty to the village.

He believed in peaceful coexistence, a dream that bought the Uchiha precious time, even as the embers of resentment continued to smoulder beneath the surface.

~~

The cool night air of Konohagakure whispered through the Uchiha district, carrying the faint scent of blooming cherry blossoms. Inside a traditional wooden house, a different kind of storm brewed. Rize Uchiha, her raven hair plastered to her forehead with sweat, wrestled with a primal pain.

"You BASTARD!" she screamed, the sound raw and desperate. "This is YOUR fault! All this pain, it's because of YOU! You're never doing that again, do you hear me? NEVER!"

Kazuhito, her husband, felt a pang of fear amidst the agony etched on Rize's face. He gripped her hand tightly, wincing at her screams. His mind raced with unspoken thoughts. 'Didn't you want a child, Rize? Why is it suddenly my fault?' He dared not voice those words, a flicker of self-preservation warning him of the potential consequences.

At 23, Kazuhito Uchiha was already a seasoned Jounin, but this battlefield felt alien. He was completely out of his depth. "There, there," he mumbled, his voice cracking with helplessness. "It'll be alright. Just a little longer, okay?"

His words, surprisingly, seemed to have a calming effect. The room fell silent, punctuated only by Rize's ragged breaths. Then, a new sound filled the air - a weak, wavering cry. A baby's cry.

Relief washed over Kazuhito. A son! He squeezed Rize's hand, a genuine smile breaking through the worry etched on his face. "Rize," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "The baby's here. It's a boy. Didn't you want to name him if it was a boy?"

Rize's face, pale from exertion, softened into a tender smile as she gazed at the tiny bundle in the midwife's arms. "Shun," she croaked, her voice weak but firm. "His name will be Shun Uchiha."

Kazuhito's smile widened. "Shun! Perfect! A strong name for a strong son!" He looked expectantly at Rize, eager to share their joy. But something was wrong.

The smile on Rize's face remained, but a horrifying emptiness had crept into her eyes. Kazuhito's blood ran cold as he reached for her hand, a tremor in his voice. "Rize? Rize, what's wrong?"

"Rize?" he called, a tremor creeping into his voice. Her hand, which he was holding, went limp. Panic surged through him. "Rize!" he shouted, his voice raw with fear.

There was no response. Rize's body lay still, a stark contrast to the squalling infant in the midwife's arms. Shun, as if sensing the shift in his parents' energy, let out a heart-wrenching cry.

Grief choked Kazuhito. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision. And then, a change. His eyes, overwhelmed by sorrow, flared crimson. Three black tomoe pinwheeled in each Sharingan, spinning wildly.

The midwife, a woman named Miyuki Uchiha, remained surprisingly calm in the face of this sudden tragedy. She met Kazuhito's blazing eyes with unwavering resolve. "Calm down, Kazuhito," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "I know this is difficult. But Rize knew the risks. She chose to give birth to your son, knowing what might happen."

Kazuhito's jaw clenched tight. His Sharingan burned with a mixture of grief and fury. "You knew about this," he growled, his voice laced with accusation. "You knew she could die, and you didn't tell me!"

Miyuki, unfazed by his outburst, activated her own Sharingan. Three black tomoe mirrored his, a calm intensity replacing Kazuhito's frenzied rage. "Lower your voice, Kazuhito," she commanded, her voice brooking no argument. "Do not raise it at me. I understand your pain but remember your place. This is one courtesy I will offer you. Don't test me again."