Naruto: The Medical Ninja

Chapter 18: Chapter 17- Hamura, the extinct Clan

The impossible choice Ryu’s grandfather faced—duty versus compassion—mirrored the story of Sakumo Hatake. Ryu felt a wave of sadness. He knew that Sakumo Harake had suffered rejection, estrangement, and eventual suicide as a result of making such a decision. He did, however, feel a tiny bit of admiration for his grandfather’s steadfast devotion and kindness.

”It must have been an extremely difficult decision for my grandfather,” Ryu said in a low whisper.

Dan nodded and said, ”It was. Your grandfather often said that in that moment, he saw more than just a wounded comrade. He saw a future where shinobi could prioritise saving lives over completing missions. But the world wasn’t ready for such ideas, even now.”

”That mission’s failure,” Dan continued, his voice thick with regret, ”became Ryu Senju’s undoing. It was crucial for the village. The Senju clan, already burdened by war, turned on him. The public vilified him. Even the very Senju Ninja he saved, fuelled by bitterness and disappointment, abandoned him. Ryu, once a member of a prestigious clan, became known as ’The Shame of the Senju’.”

Dan then said, ”I recall when the news spread in the village. The whispers, the accusing looks. Your grandfather stood strong, but I could see the pain in his eyes.”

”Your grandmother”, he said, his voice wavering, ”faced a similar choice.”

With shame weighing heavily on his voice, Dan continued, ”Your grandmother, never one to yield to peer pressure, refused an arranged marriage. It was a political ploy that the clan elders demanded in order to forge a partnership with a powerful ninja clan. But she refused to be used as a pawn.”

”She possessed a spirit as wild and free as the wind,” Dan added. ”The idea of being caged in a loveless marriage was unthinkable to her. So, she ran away with Ryu Senju, defying the clan’s wishes and her predetermined fate. But the consequences were harsh and swift.”

Dan sighed and continued, ”My father was furious. She had destroyed any possibility of forming an alliance with the powerful clan, straining our family’s relationships. She was expelled from the family for bringing such disgrace upon us. Even her family name was taken away.”

Ryu’s fists clenched at his sides, anger bubbling up within him. ”How could they do that to their own daughter?”

Dan shook his head sadly and said, ”The clan system can be cruel, Ryu. Individual happiness often takes a backseat to the perceived greater good. But your grandmother... she challenged that notion with every fibre of her being.”

He paused before saying, ”Ryu Senju faced a similar fate. Despite his prestigious clan background, public opinion turned against him due to the failed mission. No one wanted to support someone labelled as the clan’s shame. After the Second Hokage’s death in the First Shinobi World War, the Senju clan hit rock bottom. The clan head and other members banished him to maintain relations with other clans, stripping away his family name.”

”They were both exiled from the family,” Dan said, his voice trembling. ”Forced to leave their clans behind and settle in a small house on the outskirts of the village, far from familiar comforts.”

Dan paused and then said, ”My father was furious. The clan elders warned all members against any contact with them.”

”Did anyone try to help them?” Ryu asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice.

Dan’s expression darkened. ”A few, in secret. Your grandmother’s closest friend would sneak them supplies under the cover of night. But openly? No one dared to defy the clan’s decree.”

A heavy silence descended upon the room. Dan looked at Ryu, sadness and guilt evident in his eyes. ”Please understand,” he said softly. ”I was just a child back then. All I could do was follow my family’s orders.”

Ryu nodded slowly, processing the weight of Dan’s words. ”It must have been hard for you too, torn between family loyalty and your love for your sister.”

Dan’s eyes misted over. ”It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I would lie awake at night, wondering if she was safe and happy. But I was too afraid to act on those feelings.”

The silence in the room grew heavier, almost tangible. Dan’s shoulders sagged as if carrying the weight of years of regret.

Dan continued, his voice laced with sorrow. ”They had a daughter together, your mother. But a few years later, Ryu Senju died under mysterious circumstances. Your grandmother suspected foul play, but without proof, the Third Hokage couldn’t intervene. Grief-stricken and fearing for her daughter’s safety, she made a heartbreaking decision.”

Dan paused, wiping away a tear that had fallen. ”She left the village with your mother, never to return. It was a decision fuelled by a mother’s love and a deep-seated distrust of the very institution that failed to protect her husband.”

”Years later,” Dan whispered, ”I heard rumours from travelling merchants. A woman who resembled your grandmother passed away from illness in the capital city. I believe it was her.”

Ryu listened intently, his heart overwhelmed hearing the history of his bloodline. Grief for the grandparents he never knew warred with anger at the cruelty that forced them into exile. Yet, a spark of admiration flickered within him for their defiance and the love his grandparents had. He felt a deep sense of connection to his ancestors and vowed to honour their memory in everything he did.

Dan then said, ”Yuki told me your mother came to the village with you when the Third Hokage stepped down and Minato Namikaze took the oath as the Fourth Hokage. I guess she also didn’t have a favourable opinion of the Third Hokage.”

”My mother...” Ryu’s voice trailed off, filled with a mixture of curiosity and longing, as he asked, ”What was she like?”

Dan’s expression softened. ”From what Yuki told me, she was the perfect blend of your grandparents. She had your grandmother’s fierce independence and your grandfather’s gentle heart. She came to the village seeking a fresh start, hoping to rebuild the bridges that had been burnt.”

With a glimmer of hope in his voice, Dan said, ”When Yuki told me about a boy named Ryu with hair similar to the Hamura clan’s. I knew then you were her grandchild.”

”Your mother named you after your grandfather,” Dan continued, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. ”It seems she carried his memory close to her heart. My sister must have told her stories. Given that she named her child after her father, it appears that she missed him greatly.”

A wave of emotions washed over Ryu: grief for his grandparents, anger at the clans’ cruelty, and a spark of pride for their defiance. He looked at Dan, his gaze unwavering.

Dan met Ryu’s gaze, his eyes filled with remorse. ”I am sorry I didn’t look after my sister, your grandmother. I wanted to, but my father and the clan elders made sure that no one in the clan could reach out to her, creating a barrier between us.”

”I understand,” Ryu said, his voice steady. ”The past cannot be changed. None of it was your fault. I understand that things were difficult back then. The decisions you made were likely influenced by your family and the circumstances of the time.”

Dan’s eyes widened in surprise. A flicker of relief danced across his face, a glimmer of hope for reconciliation and for healing the wounds of the past. He sighed, a heavy weight seeming to lift from his shoulders.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Dan continued his story and said, ”The Hamura clan’s fortunes saw a decline following your grandmother’s departure.”

He glanced at Ryu and said, ”The younger generation chose to pursue careers as full-fledged shinobi rather than artisans and craftsmen. They were inspired by the rise of powerful ninjas. But the life they sought was not for the weak and naive. Many fell in the relentless wars that plagued our land, and the clan went into decline after that.”

His expression turned sombre as he continued, ”Hamura’s name dwindled, and eventually, it vanished entirely. It is now an extinct clan. I can’t help but think it was karma for what we did. A bitter consequence for the way we treated your grandmother.” He paused, his voice heavy with emotion. ”Senju met a similar fate. There aren’t many Senju left now compared to the village’s founding.”

Dan looked at Ryu and said, ”Ryu, all I have to offer you is this house where your grandmother was banished from and my family’s name, the same clan that banished her. I hope you’ll accept our family name, despite the wrongs done to your family.”

The weight of Dan’s words hung in the air, a testament to the complex legacy Ryu had inherited. The young Ryu found himself at a crossroads, faced with a decision that would shape not only his future but also honour the memory of those who came before him.