Chinoike Clan
Shinichi, Sashida and me spend the next three days walking. We decided to first drop Shinichi to his clan before I accompanied Sashida to her parents. The more we walked the more uncertain and bothered I was. I had a gut feeling that things wouldn't go the way I wanted to.
We walked towards the mountain as Shinichi lead us. Trees and plains passed before us.
Upon arriving in the Valley of Hell, the climat started to change, thick fog surrounded the area. A little lake sat in the middle of hole inside the flanc of one of the mountains. On the left side, an opening in the form of the mouth of some demon made Sashida and me shivers a bit.
I remembered small bits of informations on the Chinoike clan. Recluse and fallen from grace they had been chased from the land of Lightning to this remote land. They had the Ketsuryugan, a powerfull Dôjutsu that inflicted wicked genjutrsu on par with the Sharingan. The Ketsuryugan could also manipulate rich in iron liquid, from where they specialized in a kind of blood release.
Before we even entered the opening a man, probably no more than thirty odd years, appeared in a {Shunshin}.
"I see that you finally return to your clan Shinichi." He sais frostily.
"And who are you ?"
"Otô-san. They helped me on my journey back to the clan. I was kidnapped by slavers,, with Sashida before Ashura, here, came and rescued us.." Shinichi first bowed, then responded for us, while pointing towards me.
"Him and Sashida are going to go back to their familly."
"Stop. Tell me their full names. You are the Heir of the Chinoike clan. We are indebted to them and shall repay them fully." The man replied.
"My name is Ashura Uzumaki, Clan Leader of the Uzumaki Clan. And this is Sashida Tutsuri." I answered for Shinichi, bowing to my waist as I did so. I don't know why, but the man made me nervous. Something wasn't right.
As I straightened, I saw the glimmer of light spark in his eyes, before it suddenly dispeared.
"Good ! My name is En Shiroda Chinoike, Clan Leader of the Chinoike Clan. Welcome in our humble abode." En Shiroda bowed to his waist and turned around, leading us inside the gaping mow. There the gaping mow lead us through a tunnel before we came before a valley full of fog. Small hut were arranged without any thoughts. A lone river, red-coloured, from it's high iron content, probably, run its course beside the main Hut, the biggest one and the central one.
The fog and the reflection from the river made for an eerie display as the sky took a red tinted hue.
My sense started going ayware.
"Ah Son !! You, good for nothing, what are you doing now ? Don't you already know that whatever you do, it won't bring back Inoue ? Useless son of mine, Shame of my life." En Shiroda screamed at a young man probably no more than 20 years of age. The young man was obviously training, beads of sweats was trailing his upper torso before he wiped it out with a towel.
He then turned towards us.
"Ah Father, what a displeasure to see you here. You should go about your usual ways, go drink somewhere noboàdy can find you and please die to let us young folks lead happy life. You already have destroyed what this clan once was, no need to make us more of a joke to the other clans and nations." The young man said coldly. A current passed through me and killing intent radiated from En Shiroda.
As I was witnessing this scene I couldn't help but be embarassed to see the dirty laundry, these two were thrwoing at each other.
"And you know as well as I do that Inoue was entirely your fault. Maybe if you hadn't sold her as a sex slave to pay your debt, she wouldn't have killed herself in grief." He continued.
"How dare you, insolent welp ! If she had an ounce of famillial piety, she would know that what I had done was for the good of the Clan." En Shiroda screamed at the top of his lungs. Spit flying everywhere, killing intent thrown around.
"Shut up Old man ! You are a disgrace to this once great clan. You disgust me, You should -"
He walked quickly forward before slaping the shit of his son. As I grew wary of a possible conflict. I started to circulate Chakra through my system. But it was slower than usual. Something was preventing me from using it.
I tried to flare it but unsuccesfully did so. I could feel lingering Chakra not of my own INSIDE my chakra system. Then it dawned on me. GENJUTSU. I was trapped inside a genjutsu.
I pushed my chakra outward brutally, dispelling the trace amount of nefast chakra and saw a completely different scene before me.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE KID ??? YOU CAN'T JUST KIDNAPP HIM LIKE THAT !!!" the young man said to En Shiroda.
"Of course I can Oyashiro, it is imperatif that we use the kid and kill him afterwards. He is from the main line of the Uzumaki clan. First He claims he is the Leader of the Uzumaki clan, that means that he was there when the coalition of the Mizukage, Tsuchikage and Raikage lied siege on the land of Whirlpool. Then knowing that they had to quickly escape from the place, they couldn't have taken anything substancial. It wouldn't surprise me if he had used some Sealing Jutsu placed before-hand by his ancestors. Now what is really interesting is that the Uzumaki, being known for their seals, have developped a kind of arrogance concerning said seals. I bet he has a storage seal on himself, tailored only for himself, with self destruction as a counter mesure in case of death. Now, imagine what we could do, if the wealth of the Uzumaki was truly inside the seals of the new Clan Leader of the Uzumaki, the possible jutsus stored there, the ryos, the knowledge... It could mean the revival of this clan. All we need to do is to manipulate him with our Ketsuryugan and make him unseal all of these valuable treasure." En Shiroda explained quietly to his son, En Oyashiro.
"We can just asks him, Father ! We can trade with him. We might create good relation with him. What if the Uzumaki aren't as dead as they appear to be ? We must proceed with caution." En Oyashiro replied. His eyes and tone pleading.
"Father, he rescued me from slavers, You can't possibly use and kill him afterwards. What kind of Clan does that make us ? Doesn't that make us as bad as the Lighning Daimyo's wife made us to be ? We were exiled for that, you know." Shinichi intervened.
Meanwhile I was secretly watching everthing unfold. I couldn't let my guard down, as I had been subjected to a Genjutsu already and wouldn't let another one take hold. No I would do my best to protect myself from it.
Just moving my eyes towards my right I saw Sashida in a genjutus as she was spacing out, next to me. I had to create a plan. I moved a finger slowly towards her until I touched her. Then I trickled Chakra from my finger, to her chakra system. I had to meegle my chakra with hers and take charge of her chakra by pulsing it and mine together.
"Fortunately, I'm still the clan Leader, as long as I live, you will do as I say. This conversation ends here." En Shiroda said trying to stop any arguments from his sons.
"You are right. It seems we must relieve you of your duties." En Oyashiro said as, soon, members of the Chinoike Clan started appearing from all side, slowly surrounding En Shiroda.
"Shinichi come here !"
"Brother ! Can't we resolve this peacefully ?" Shinichi pleaded.
After two minutes of uninterupted use of my chakra I thought that it was enough to proceed with the dispelling of the genjutsu. I took a step to my right holding the hand of Sashida. I pulsed my chakra before quickly using my left hand to claps her mouth as her eyes regained their focus and started growing afraid. Fortunately everybody was still focused on their conversation.
"No, you know as well as I do that he has lead us towards demise since he has been named Clan Leader. We must choose our survival before anything else. And you know as well as I do that I refuse to let my wife live in poverty because of this drunk bastard." En Oyashiro responded calmly.
Tears ran down Shinichi's cheek before he slowly nodded and moved towards his brother. Around, the members of the Chinoike clan prepared themselves for a fight.
"If it must come to this." En Shiroda closed his eyes, a lone tears of grief, pain and sadness thrilling down. Before opening them, revelling blood-red sclera with a dark pupil, where inside you could see a rectangular light. The Ketsuryugan activated, an expression of pure determination etched on his face, En Shiroda took a calming breath." Sons... Come at me !!"