Chapter 213: The Curse of Bloodline Limits
Becoming Hokage had always been Naruto Uzumaki's dream—the goal he pursued tirelessly to gain recognition. Back when Sasuke hadn't yet defected, the idea of chasing after a missing teammate wasn't something Naruto had even considered.
Kakashi's words struck Naruto like lightning.
"Being Hokage isn't just about learning a few powerful jutsu. There's a lot more to it," Kakashi explained.
"I get it…" Naruto answered dejectedly, clearly deflated. "I'll study hard when we get back."
"Back?" Mizuki interjected. "I've got a copy of the Shinobi Handbook right here. Want to take a look now? It's very detailed."
His teasing enthusiasm startled Naruto. "No, no! We're on a mission right now—can't get distracted, hahaha…"
"What a pity…" Mizuki mockingly withdrew his hand from his pocket.
Kakashi shot Mizuki a look and continued, "As I was saying—many ninja from the Land of Water don't follow the rules, which causes serious instability. In other nations, shinobi tend to avoid harming innocents, but Mist ninja often have no such restraint. In the Land of Water, civilian life is particularly harsh. Ironically, the ones who bring them the most trouble are the very ninja who are supposed to protect them."
"How can that be?" one of the genin exclaimed.
Kakashi's words were a shock to the Konoha genin, who had been taught under the standard, proper education of the Hidden Leaf. Under the current system of "one nation, one village," the ninja village was supposed to be the pinnacle of a country's defense. The idea that a village could become its country's burden—or worse, a threat—was difficult to grasp.
Seeing that the Mist ninja weren't paying attention, Kakashi continued, "While rare, such situations do happen. There are many reasons, but in Kirigakure's case, it likely stems from their long-standing brutal ninja selection policies—especially the bloodthirsty practices of recent years. Add to that the deep-rooted conflict between ordinary shinobi and those with Kekkei Genkai (bloodline limits), and the result is what you see now. In such a closed country, the common people's suffering isn't hard to imagine."
"I know about this!" Naruto blurted out, finally finding a topic he could speak on. "That guy Zabuza we met in the Land of Waves talked about it—and Haku too…"
Kakashi nodded. "'Demon' Zabuza Momochi is one of the most iconic assassins produced by the so-called 'Bloody Mist Village.' He grew up in ruthless training, gradually killing off his emotions to become a 'fighting machine.' Do you think anyone likes people like that? In the Land of Waves, if he hadn't needed Gato's money or a place to hide, he would've killed him long ago. And Haku… he represents the tragedy of Kekkei Genkai."
"Kekkei Genkai? A tragedy?" Sasuke, who had remained mostly silent throughout the mission, suddenly perked up at those words.
Kakashi had clearly anticipated his reaction. "Well, back in the village, you may not feel it much, but bloodline limits aren't always blessings."
He paused, then continued, "There's a famous Kekkei Genkai clan in the Land of Water known for having the strongest taijutsu-based ability: the Shikotsumyaku, or Dead Bone Pulse. Their fearsome reputation shook the ninja world. Anyone with experience has heard of their terrifying strength…"
"Shikotsumyaku? That doesn't sound very appealing. Why haven't we heard of them before?" one of the genin asked. Kekkei Genkai were rare to begin with, and a clan of such supposedly legendary strength being completely unknown seemed odd.
"You haven't heard of them… because they're all dead." Kakashi said gravely. "The Kaguya Clan, who inherited Shikotsumyaku, could manipulate their bones as weapons and had incredible taijutsu prowess. Their ancestral techniques turned nearly every member into a taijutsu master. But in one crazed rebellion, driven by battle lust, they launched a suicidal assault and were annihilated—wiped out to the last member."
"Annihilated? Just like that?" Sasuke was unsatisfied with such a vague explanation.
"Kekkei Genkai are mutations in human bloodlines. Sometimes, they're not blessings but curses. Take Shikotsumyaku—the clan wasn't just plagued by uncontrollable bloodlust, but also afflicted with an incurable bloodline disease."
"Bloodline disease?" The genin were familiar with Sharingan and Byakugan, both of which had little to no side effects. But "bloodline disease" was something they had never heard of.
"Not every Kekkei Genkai is as stable or harmless as Sharingan or Byakugan," Kakashi explained. "Sasuke, remember Haku—the boy you fought? His Ice Release was inherited from his parents. But when it first awakened, he had no control or guidance. People like that can easily hurt others—or even themselves. Some powerful Kekkei Genkai are so unstable that they can kill loved ones the moment they awaken…"
"That's awful…" The reality shattered much of what the genin thought they knew.
"And those are just common examples. There are Kekkei Genkai out there so bizarre and terrifying you can't even imagine. Someday, you'll encounter them yourselves…"
Sensing the mood turning darker, Mizuki cut in, "That's enough, Kakashi. Let them face those realities when the time comes. No need to tell them everything now."
"You're right. Let's leave it there. It's late—get some rest. Being stuck on this boat all day is tiring."
…
After the genin left, Mizuki couldn't help but complain, "You said way too much, Kakashi…"
"Too much? Maybe… But I don't think it's a big problem," Kakashi replied.
"No problem?" Mizuki sighed. "Talking about Kekkei Genkai and clan massacres—are you trying to hint at something? That kind of sensitive topic isn't good for any of them, especially Sasuke."
"I know, Mizuki. But don't worry too much."
Don't worry? Mizuki thought bitterly. Kakashi, not fully aware of the truth behind the Uchiha clan's extermination, had no idea how deep that wound went. That incident was a hornet's nest—and best left untouched.
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*