Chapter 277 : Kamizuru Clan??

In the quiet of the night, Takahashi Ryūsōka and his wife, Takahashi Yuki, lay in bed together. 

Normally, after a long day, they'd fall asleep early or, if in the mood, engage in some activities that aren't suitable for children. But tonight, neither of them slept. 

They just lay there, eyes open, in silence.

Although the room was pitch-black, Ryūsōka knew his wife was awake, and she knew the same about him. The air between them was tense, heavy with unspoken worries.

Finally, a voice broke the silence. 

"Ryūsōka, are we really going to keep hiding our skills and lineage? I heard that Nakamura Ryohei, our neighbor, contributed his father's secret techniques to the authorities. Now, not only has he secured a household registration in the Land of Red, but he's also received a hefty bonus."

"And what about us? Even though we have two children, because we've kept our identities hidden, we have nothing. Do we want our children to suffer like this? Sure, we get by, but if we contribute our knowledge, our children could have a better life!"

Ryūsōka lay there, staring into the dark. He didn't respond for a long time, and his silence was as heavy as a mountain.

His wife wouldn't let it go. She turned to him, her voice a mix of frustration and sadness. "Ryūsōka, please talk to me. Do you know how heartbroken I was when I heard what Hayato said today?"

"We used to be part of a great family in Iwagakure. But look at Hayato and Yukihiro. They've been wandering the ninja world with us since they were kids. They've never known the comforts we did. They've lived their whole lives in fear, moving from place to place."

"Do we still have to guard this family secret? Can't we live like everyone else? We're not ordinary people; we're ninjas! We have skills, and we can make a better life for ourselves and our children!"

Yes, their family name was Takahashi, but they had another identity—Kamizuru Clan.

The Kamizuru clan was one of the two prominent insect-controlling clans in the ninja world. The other was the Aburame clan from Konoha. 

Kamizuru clan originated in Rock Shinobi Village, but they fell from grace because of a confrontation with the Aburame clan years ago.

It all started when Aburame Shino's grandfather uncovered a plot by Rock Shinobi Village to attack Konoha. The Kamizuru clan had been chosen to lead the assault, using bees to cause chaos before the attack. 

However, the Aburame clan discovered their plan and engaged in a rare battle with the Kamizuru clan, ultimately emerging victorious.

From then on, the Aburame clan's reputation in Konoha soared, while the Kamizuru clan faced persecution. They were expelled from Rock Shinobi Village, stripped of their status, and became wandering ninjas, afraid of being hunted down. 

To stay hidden, they stopped using the name Kamizuru and adopted Takahashi instead.

As Ryūsōka lay in the darkness, his wife's words echoed in his mind. How long could they keep running and hiding? And was it worth it, if their children had to live in fear?

Takahashi Ryūsōka lay silently on his bed, his mind troubled by thoughts of his clan's downfall. 

He was once proud to be part of the Kamizuru clan, a name with deep roots in Iwagakure's history, founded by the first Tsuchikage, Shihe-sama. 

Yet now, he couldn't understand why his once-glorious clan was forced into exile.

"Why?" he thought. "We gave everything to the village, risked our lives, shed our blood. Why did we end up like this?"

He still couldn't accept that one loss in battle had turned the village against them. 

Slowly but surely, the Kamizuru clan's lands were taken away, and members of the clan disappeared without explanation. T

he other ninja clans began to ostracize them, finding reasons to pick fights or make accusations. It became clear that the Kamizuru clan had become an obstacle to Iwagakure's leaders.

Takahashi Ryūsōka vividly recalled the night they fled Iwagakure. It was eerily quiet; no Rock Shinobi stood in their way as they left through a secret passage. 

The village seemed to turn a blind eye to their departure, like they were watching and waiting for the problem to disappear. 

It was heartbreaking to see his family leaving behind everything they'd built, with tears in their eyes, knowing they might never return.

As the clan head had said, "We are hindering the village's progress. The Kamizuru clan must leave Iwagakure."

That night marked the end of an era, the end of the Kamizuru clan, replaced by the wandering Takahashi family.

"Ryūsōka, answer me!" 

Takahashi Ryūsōka snapped out of his reverie to find his wife staring at him, her expression tinged with concern. He'd been lost in thought for too long.

He sighed and pulled her into an embrace, speaking softly, "I understand. I'll talk to the others. It's time for us to move on."

"If we're going to live in the Land of Red, if we're going to be citizens, we shouldn't hide anymore," he continued. "It doesn't make sense for a family like ours to struggle just to get a Land of Red residence permit. You know how it is, once a clan is recognized, it should be easy to get one!"

His wife nodded, her worry easing slightly, but the uncertainty still lingered in the air. They both knew the journey ahead would not be easy, but they had each other, and that was enough to face whatever came next.

"Recently, I've been hearing some voices from our clan, suggesting that we directly approach the Land of Red and offer them our secret techniques. It seems like many people are in favor of this," said Ryūsōka.

When Yuki heard her husband say this, she felt relieved, fearing that he might have had second thoughts about it. The truth is, she had already been discussing this with several other women from the Kamizuru clan. They all felt similarly.

"After all," Yuki thought, "you can only hide like a thief for so long. Contributing to the cause has its benefits."

It turned out that what Hayato mentioned was just the spark she needed to solidify her resolve.

"Sounds like a plan," he replied. "I'll talk it over with everyone tomorrow."

With their decision made, the two of them could finally sleep soundly, at ease with the path they had chosen.