Chapter 136: The past
"How did those shinobi not find this hidden door?" I muttered to myself as I examined the entrance. The room beyond was cloaked in a thick layer of dust, untouched by time or looters. There were no signs of forced entry, no damage to the walls or floors—almost as if the chamber had been completely invisible to the outside world.
I stepped inside, careful not to disturb the settled dust. The air was heavy and still, carrying an eerie sense of preservation. The shinobi who raided this place must have missed this door entirely, either because of its expert concealment or due to the seals masking its presence. It made sense—my clan were masters of Fūinjutsu. A protective seal like this could fool even the most experienced shinobi.
"Maybe it wasn't just hidden—it was cloaked," I thought aloud. "A barrier or sealing formula designed to erase its presence. They probably didn't even know it was here."
I ran my hand along the stone walls, feeling the faint remnants of chakra still lingering within the seals. Whoever had designed this lock had created something near-perfect. It wasn't just a door; it was a testament to my clan's genius.
My eyes scanned the hidden room ahead. Shelves lined the walls, their surfaces coated with dust, but they were intact—no looters had gotten this far. My heart leapt at the sight. Could it be? Scrolls, books, and artifacts still sat undisturbed, exactly as they had been left decades ago.
I crouched down and picked up an old scroll, its paper fragile yet surprisingly well-preserved. I carefully unrolled it, my breath catching as I recognized the distinct symbols and patterns of Uzumaki Fūinjutsu.
"This… this is it," I whispered, my voice filled with awe. "The lost knowledge of the Uzumaki clan."
I rose to my feet, determination burning in my chest. Whatever was in this room—sealing techniques, clan records, or even forgotten secrets—it all belonged to my people. I had found a piece of my heritage, untouched by time, hidden from the world.
"They took everything they could see," I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. "But they couldn't take what they didn't even know existed."
With newfound purpose, I set to work, exploring every corner of the room. Whatever lay hidden here, I would reclaim it all—not just for myself, but for the Uzumaki name.
I opened the book and immediately recognized that the seals described within were advanced—nearly on par with Six Paths-level sealing techniques.
"I knew coming here was the right decision," I muttered to myself, a smug grin tugging at my lips.
As I scanned the room once more, my eyes fell upon a particular book that stood out from the rest. It was far older, its bindings worn and pages weathered by time. Intrigued, I carefully opened it, and what I found left me astonished.
As I opened the ancient book, I realized its significance almost instantly. The paper was brittle, edges frayed by time, yet the ink remained as clear as if it had been written yesterday. What lay before me wasn't just another sealing manual—it was a complete chronicle, a historical account spanning back to the very roots of chakra itself.
I flipped the pages carefully, my heart pounding. My eyes widened as I read the first entry: "The Era of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths."
"They... recorded everything," I whispered in disbelief, my fingers brushing across the aged text. From the rise of the Sage of Six Paths to the dawn of chakra, every major event in history was meticulously documented. The wars, the clans, the formation of the villages—it was all here. My ancestors had been more than just seal masters. They had been observers, scribes of the very world's history, recording truths that the world may have long forgotten.
"This… this is priceless," I muttered, awe-struck.
I continued turning the pages, each one uncovering new layers of knowledge. The records spanned centuries, broken into volumes covering different eras: the Age of Hagoromo, the rise of the Otsutsuki clan's influence, the warring clans period, and finally, the formation of the great shinobi villages. It was like holding a treasure chest of history in my hands. The more I read, the more I realized how closely the Uzumaki clan had been tied to the fate of the shinobi world—watching, recording, and protecting its balance through their sealing techniques.
But then my chest tightened as I reached the final volumes. The entries began to darken. Warnings of betrayal, whispers of fear, and a growing paranoia spread across the pages. The words painted a grim picture of my clan's destruction: their power coveted, their knowledge feared. The alliances they had built crumbled under the weight of jealousy and greed.
"So that's how it was," I said, clenching my fists. "They feared us… and that fear destroyed us."
The book was vast, far too large to be read in one sitting. Several volumes lined the shelves, each one promising more secrets—perhaps knowledge about Fūinjutsu techniques rivaling even the Sage of Six Paths, or truths about the shinobi world that no one alive knew.
But I couldn't stay here forever. I would need time to study this, to learn and preserve my clan's legacy. Slowly, I closed the book and placed it carefully back on the shelf.
"I was right to come here," I said, a smug grin tugging at my lips. "This is more than just my clan's history… it's the world's history."
I stood up and surveyed the room one final time, my resolve hardening. I would return for all of it—every scroll, every volume, and every scrap of knowledge. This was the legacy of the Uzumaki clan, and I would ensure it survived.
No matter what.
I muttered to myself as I pieced the information together, connecting what Kurama had told me to what I now held in my hands.
"So, it all started after Hagoromo and Hamura sealed Kaguya…" I whispered, my eyes narrowing as I thought about their legendary battle. "Kurama mentioned it before—that moment when Hagoromo settled down and started a family. That's where everything took a turn."
I flipped through more pages, my fingers carefully tracing the words. The records confirmed what Kurama had said—the conflict between Hagoromo's sons, Ashura and Indra, had been the true beginning of the cycle of hatred. It was their rivalry that sowed the seeds of division that would plague the shinobi world for generations.
"This is it," I murmured, my mind racing. "The roots of everything—the hatred, the wars, the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra—it all began here."
But even as I processed this revelation, my thoughts sharpened with determination.
"But if the Uzumaki clan knew about this… if they recorded it…" I paused, looking around the hidden library. "Then there has to be more. Answers—solutions, maybe even something to break this cursed cycle."
I clenched my fists as a smirk crept onto my face. "I'll find those answers. The truth behind Ashura, Indra, and Kaguya… I'll uncover it all."
The ancient tomes, the history of my clan, and the knowledge sealed away for generations were all within my grasp now.
"I'm not just reclaiming my clan's legacy," I said, my voice resolute. "I'm going to change the very fate of this world."
With that, I carefully gathered a few of the oldest, most critical scrolls and sealed them into a storage scroll. This knowledge wouldn't rot away here any longer. I would carry it forward, study it, and unlock its secrets.
"Soon, I'll have the answers to everything," I whispered as I stood and cast one final glance around the library. "And when I do… this world will never be the same again."
With my resolve set, I stepped back out into the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, the weight of my clan's history now on my shoulders. The path ahead of me was clearer than ever, and I wouldn't stop until I fulfilled what the Uzumaki could not—bringing true peace to the shinobi world.
"I don't know who the author is, but thanks to them, I've gained valuable information," I muttered, my voice filled with genuine gratitude as I ran my hand over the worn cover of the ancient tome.
The precision of the details, the depth of the knowledge—it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Whoever wrote this had an understanding far beyond that of any ordinary shinobi.
"Could it… could it have been written by the Sage of Six Paths himself?" I wondered aloud, the thought sending chills down my spine. It wasn't impossible. Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki was the source of so much knowledge and power, and his role in shaping this world was undeniable. If anyone had the wisdom to record such monumental events, it was him.
"But if it wasn't Hagoromo…" I trailed off, narrowing my eyes as I thought it through. "Then it had to be someone from my clan—someone who possessed a similar level of understanding of chakra, seals, and history."
The Uzumaki clan were masters of fūinjutsu, and their knowledge of sealing techniques had always been revered—even feared. It wouldn't surprise me if one of my ancestors had been the one entrusted to document the events that shaped our world.
"Whoever it was," I said firmly, "they ensured this knowledge wasn't lost to time. They recorded everything—every conflict, every decision, and every truth. And now… it's my turn to carry that knowledge forward."
A deep sense of pride swelled in my chest. My clan hadn't just been masters of seals—they had been the keepers of history, guardians of truths that others had long forgotten. This wasn't just a record; it was a legacy.
"And I won't let it be forgotten again," I vowed, gripping the scroll tightly. "Whether it was the Sage of Six Paths, one of my ancestors, or someone else entirely… I'll honor their work."
With that promise, I sealed the tome away for safekeeping, my determination solidified. The knowledge in my hands was priceless—something that could change the course of the future.
"I'll learn from the past," I declared, turning to leave the hidden library, "and use it to build a better tomorrow."