Chapter 12 – Bloodstone: Leaves and Spirals
"There is something you should know," Jiraiya told his three students and was oblivious to the four presences among the pine trees.
Kumo's gates loomed over them and was installed between two sheer cliffs.
"It is about Hidden Whirlpool."
"Where is that?" Minato asked, confused. "I have never heard of that village."
"That is because it is forbidden to utter that name in Konoha," Jiraiya informed them as he showed the guards Kumo's chunin exam invitation.
Nodding, they swung the gates open.
The three genin walked in silence on the busy streets, letting what Jiraiya had said sank in.
A thin cluster of houses gathered itself around the Raikage building. The rooftops were a dull blue. Most of the residential houses were located on other mountaintops, with this one the village centre.
Most of the busy workers gave them a sideways stare before hurrying indoors. Business doors slammed as Jiraiya and his students approached.
There was no shinobi in sight except for the ones at the gate.
Mikazuki raised her eyebrows as she passed a group of middle-aged women.
"Konoha," one whispered non-too-quietly, pointing to her and her teammates.
"What are they doing here?" another said spitefully.
The first speaker pulled her child closer towards her as the Konoha-nin approached.
"I don't know what the Raikage is thinking, inviting them," a new voice spoke up, glaring at Minato, who was too intrigued by the insignia of a weapons store to notice.
"Oh well," the woman with the child cut in. "We won't be seeing Konoha-nin for long. From what I heard, Raikage-sama is going to-- "
Her companion quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, gesturing toward Mikazuki.
The three of them hurried into their houses, dragging the child with them.
The black-haired girl remained standing there, puzzled.
Going to what? she wondered.
"The Uzumaki clan used to live in the Fire country," Jiraiya began as they were led to a hotel reserved for examinees. Their guide was a sombre man, whose face had been hardened by years of steering the winds of commerce. "Just like Konoha's other clans, they have their own skills and techniques which they never teach to others."
"Their most notable trait, however, is probably their high chakra capacities."
Jiraiya took out the key give to them by the manager had given them and opened the door. The living room composed of a set of couches, a coffee table, and a few chairs. From it led to four different bedrooms, each with its own washroom.
"Nice," Minato commented without too much enthusiasm.
"Compared to our year of sleeping in a cave, of course," Hoshibiki said blankly as he studied the peeling paint on the walls.
"I was being polite!"
"And I was being sarcastic."
Jiraiya sighed as he sank into a couch, rubbing his forehead.
"Ignore the idiots and continue, please," Mikazuki quickly cut in before the boys get into another argument or her teacher snaps. She doesn't know which one is worse.
And she does not wish to find out.
"Many years ago," Jiraiya went back to his story as he closed his eyes. "The Uchiha and the Senju signed a contract and formed the first shinobi village. Soon, all the other clans in the country joined due to the threat poised by that alliance."
Quietly, his students sat down on around him to listen.
"All of them, that is, but for the Uzumaki clan."
"Why not?"
Jiraiya twitched as he was interrupted, again. A smile tugged at his lips as he heard a smack followed by a whimper of pain.
"They are a water-based clan, which in itself is not good news for those who live in the Fire country. As you know, water is the enemy of fire. Furthermore, a rumour was spread about them, saying how they will bring down the newly-formed Konoha because they are more closely related to the Water country than Fire."
"Their distinction from the rest made them demand special status for themselves, which myself do not find unreasonable, as they will be assimilated into a village that does not suit their way of life."
In one quick motion, Jiraiya snatched his backpack and took out a map before his students even blinked. Spreading it out on the table, he pointed first to the Fire country, then to a small area of land northeast on the coast of the ocean."
"Their differentiating culture, clothing, and language caused them to be discriminated against and to be despised by most of the people in Konoha. Some, such as the Uchiha clan, even threatened defection from Konoha if the Uzumaki joined."
Near him, Mikazuki shifted uncomfortably.
"Despite the policy set by the First Hokage, they were treated unjustly. For example, they received lower pay than other people who did the same type of mission due to their "peculiar style of combat and ninja techniques,"" Jiraiya said, curling two fingers to indicate the quote.
"Before a month of the experimental union was over, the Uzumaki clan had had enough. Can't say I blame them. They left for their original home."
"However, more trouble awaited that clan. The confederation of the tribes in the Fire country proved to be more successful than anyone had hoped. More commissions were sent to Konoha than ever before, when its members were still independent. While Konoha flourished, the Uzumaki suffered as their economy crashed."
"Out of feelings of bitter resentment, they attacked Konoha, and nearly wiped out one of its clans."
Here, Jiraiya stopped and glanced sideways at Minato, who was listening to the story with his eyes closed.
Sudden realization struck Mikazuki as Jiraiya gently shook his head.
She glanced at Hoshibiki and noticed that he, too, had realized the same thing.
Namikaze.
So this is why Minato's family had no family-inherited techniques, even when his father was a shinobi.
So this is why Minato and his grandfather were the only ones left in their family.
He was not from a civilian heritage, proved by the fact that he learned shinobi skills so quickly.
He was from one of the founder clans of Konoha.
The clan that was wiped out.
By Uzumaki.
And had become disgraced in the eyes of not only the Uchiha and Hyuuga, but the entire Konoha village.
So disgraced, that they were remembered as civilians, not as true shinobi.
Seeing the looks on two of his students' face, Jiraiya paled. Quickly, he put a finger to his lips.
Not now, he mouthed.
The two nodded, still unsettled by the fact and was staring at their blonde teammate with mixed expressions.
"Eh?" Minato, noticing the sudden silence, opened his eyes and sat up. "Why did you stop, sensei?" he asked, head tilted.
Jiraiya waved him off. "Just a bit thirsty." To prove this fact, he quickly retrieved his water bottle from his backpack.
"Now, where was I?" he asked after taking a gulp of water. "Ah yes," he said, screwing the cap of the bottle back on. "As you have probably guessed, the Uzumaki was defeated. They were driven to a small island east of the Fire Country."
Jiraiya pointed to a small island drawn between the Mainland and the Water Country.
"To obtain that clan for their high levels of chakra and stamina, the shodaime gifted them with the most powerful tailed beast in his collection and added their crest to all jounin and chunin uniforms."
Turning around, he showed his students the red spiral.
"However, the Uzumaki are as clever as they are stubborn. They figured out the true reasons for the gifts. Realizing that the seven-tails was controlled to cut off their route to the Water country, they rejected Konoha's offer."
"One of the Shodaime's policies was most well-known at this time. He said: "If cannot be used by Konoha, then might as well destroy it so it cannot be used against.""
"Then, Konoha banned them from attending any of the chunin exams held in the Fire Country, hoping to drain their military power."
"However, they did not break. They found more freedom than they could eve have had they stayed in Hidden Leaf. Founding their own village, they offered protection to all rogue ninja who survived the journey to their island. Gradually, their fighting styles became a blend of all the characteristics of the five elements, not just water. They have become a true whirlpool."
Jiraiya finished and sat back against the couch once more. "Well, what do you think?" he asked his students.
"Why are you telling us this, sensei?" Hoshibiki was the first to speak up. His face was serious. "Why are you risking yourself to tell us something that is forbidden?"
Rolling his eyes, Jiraiya took another sip of water. "Hey, you are at risk now too, now that you know the story. Congrats."
"No, sensei, seriously," Minato intercepted.
"Two reasons," Jiraiya held out two fingers. "First, I wanted you to know the truth, in case someone else tells you a twisted version later on."
He set down the cup he had emptied down on the coffee table, hard. The motion made his students jump slightly.
"Most importantly, according to my resources, three whirlpool genin will be present in this exam, two of whom belonging to the original Uzumaki clan."
Horrifying realization dawned on his three students.
"We are dead," Mikazuki muttered.
"So very dead," Minato agreed.
Jiraiya shook his head. They still manage to have a sense of humour in this kind of situation, he thought glumly. I really hope that they won't do anything stupid.
Something, however, told him that they definitely will.
Standing up, Jiraiya stretched his arms. "Let's rest now. We have a long day tomorrow."
The three genin nodded as they proceeded towards separate rooms. As the doors closed, Jiraiya added one final piece of advice, given from teacher to student.
"Beware of them, for the hatred between our country and their runs deep."
The doors paused, and then closed with soft clicks.
A/N: What do you think of the history lesson? XD