Burdened Slave

Chapter 9


Uchiha Ichiro. Second to last son of Uchiha Chifuyu and only one son out of nine others.

He was six years old the day his mother died giving birth to his younger brother, Haru. He had been waiting patiently in front of his mother's personal birthing room.

His aunt, Hana, was there to help with the birth. Just as she, Hana, was there to help with Ichiro's own birth and the birth of all of his brothers before him.

After a while, Ichiro heard his aunt make an exclamation. "He's beautiful!"

He then, while trying to keep himself from fidgeting, listened to the conversation in the birthing room. He heard his younger brother was named Haru. He couldn't wait to meet him.

At least the name was beautiful. Ichiro was a bit envious. He didn't much like his own name, especially since it didn't make much sense. The name given to him was usually one given to a first born. But no, he, the eighth son, ended up with the name 'ichi' for 'one' and 'rou' for 'son'. He had no idea why his mother was naming her children when it was his father's job to do so. Not that his father was around a lot to do that job or anything.

Ichiro had been tempted on numerous occasions about asking his mother if she could change his name. She probably wouldn't, but what stopped him from trying was that he feared upsetting her.

His mother acted strong, but it was only with him that she shared a more timid side of herself. With his brothers away either fighting in the war with their father, handling clan matters, or dead, it was up to him to be the man of the household. No matter how strong his mother was, he had to be stronger. The way he saw it, there was no one other than him she could lean on.

He dreaded the day he would graduate from the academy. The day he would be forced to be away for prolonged periods like the rest of his family.

Outside of the birthing room that day, he had heard his name being mentioned inside. His aunt had been coming to the doors of the room and had started to slide them open.

Suddenly, there had been a thump on the floor as if someone fell.

"Nee-sama!" he heard his aunt's frantic voice say.

He quickly stood, opened the door, and entered.

He saw his aunt rushing to cut something, pick up some bundle off the ground, and hold it to herself with one arm. With the other arm, she quickly rolled his mother, who was frightfully pale, over onto her back.

Hana's hand glowed with green chakra.

Ichiro rushed over to fall onto his knees at his mother's head.

"She isn't breathing!"

"I know!" Hana had snapped.

As the seconds ticked by, nothing happened. His mother didn't start to breath again.

Hana moved her glowing hand away from his mother towards the bundle in her arm.

Ichiro's gaze snapped to her as she did so.

"Why did you stop fixing Mother?" he said, ignoring the tears that tracked down Hana's face. Her eyes red with the active Sharingan.

His aunt ignored him as she continued with her work.

He looked back at his mother before quickly getting up. He rushed towards his aunt and made to grab for her hand.

"Why...!" he started to yell before quickly finding himself pushed away and laying on the ground.

"There's nothing..." Hana nearly shouted. She breathed as if in pain. "There's nothing I can do for her!"

His aunt then put all her focus back onto what Ichiro now realised was his younger brother.

She's healing Haru but not Mother?!

He quickly got to his hands and knees and crawled over to his mother's side. Blood had started to pool around her. She still wasn't breathing.

His sight suddenly sharpened. Every single detail of that day seared into his mind. It was that day he gained his Sharingan. The excitement he felt for the birth of his brother was nothing but a fleeting moment. Long since forgotten.


A few days after that, a funeral was held for his mother. His uncle, the head of the Uchiha clan, was there. However, his father and most of his brothers, except for only a few of them, were nowhere to be seen.

His aunt was there with Haru, but she quickly removed herself from the area.

As far as he was concerned, his aunt's mere presence would be a dishonor to his mother. His aunt let her own sister die in order to save Haru. The way he saw it, she just didn't care enough about his mother. Just like the rest of his family.

All of them! None of them ever cared about Mother!

Ichiro couldn't remember much after that. He quickly graduated from the academy. Afterwards, he went on to fight in the war with his team. He quickly raised through the ranks. From Chunin he quickly became Jounin.

One year after the Kyuubi attack, he joined ANBU.

That brings us to a year after he joined. He was on a mission with one partner. A member of the Maboroshi clan named Riko; codename: Toad.

They were scouting the borders of Amegakure. There was tension already throughout the elemental countries. With a possible war amongst three of the major Shinobi villages, Konoha had to ensure that all possible intelligence was gathered on any potential enemies and allies.

After this part of their mission in Ame no Kuni concluded, the team of two was to rendezvous with Jiraiya of the Sannin all the way over in Kaze no Kuni.

Right now, his teammate and him had separated to cover ground. They would not be meeting up with each other for another two hours or so.

Ichiro had taken to the trees. However, he suddenly stopped as a figure suddenly appeared a few branches in front of him.

The Shinobi wore an orange mask with black markings on it. The mask had a single eye hole and from that hole Ichiro clearly saw the Sharingan.

"Uchiha Ichiro," the figure in front of him spoke. Little emotion was in the figure's voice, but there was something hesitant in it. "You shall suffice for my purposes. Tsukuyomi!"