Naruto: Before Chakra Emergence

Three years had passed since Shiro and Michi had begun their rigorous training under the watchful eye of the clan leader. They had both mastered their respective Sage Arts, and now, their lives were marked by a newfound understanding of the world and their place within it. Yet, there was always a lingering question that bugged Shiro—a question he couldn't shake no matter how much time passed.

Why hadn't Naruto ever mentioned their clan?

As they sat together in the clan's modest training hall, Shiro couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to the bustling streets of Konoha, to the legendary figures who had shaped the world he knew. The Fourth Hokage, the Uchiha clan, the Akatsuki, and the great shinobi who had fought in the wars. Despite all the connections between his world and theirs, their clan was a mystery—one Shiro couldn't quite understand.

"Shiro, Michi…" The clan leader's voice interrupted his musings, drawing his attention back to the present. The old man stood before them, his figure a bit frailer than before, but still commanding respect. "I will teach you your final lesson today."

Both Shiro and Michi stood at attention, eager to hear what their mentor had to say. They had learned so much, and this final lesson promised to answer many of the lingering questions they had.

"There are three distinct eras," the clan leader began, his voice grave and filled with weight. "The first is the current Shinobi Era, where the ninja thrive, and the villages hold power over the land. The second is the Warring States Era, when chakra was first discovered, and countries held dominance. And the third, the Forgotten Era, is the Sagehood Era—the time when all beings were equal and sought to become sages, each striving to comprehend the world through their own insight."

Shiro frowned, trying to grasp the enormity of what the clan leader was saying. "How could that era be forgotten? If sages were so powerful, why aren't they remembered?"

The clan leader's gaze hardened, and for a moment, there was a sadness in his eyes that Shiro had never seen before. "Unfortunately, the third Great Sage was from the Demon Faction," he continued, his voice darkening. "These beings sought chaos, using natural energy to plunder other life forces. Their horns, known as Demon Horns, were inferior to Sage Horns, but their destructive potential was beyond imagination."

Shiro's heart skipped a beat. "Demon Faction? You mean… they were sages too?"

The clan leader nodded solemnly. "Yes. And their existence sparked the Demon Sage War—a cataclysmic conflict that led to the annihilation of the demon faction. Not a single trace of them remains. The sages themselves suffered immense losses, and as the world hibernated and withdrew its essence, the age of the sages came to an end. Their inheritance was scattered or lost—some passed on to unworthy successors, others claimed by those who didn't understand their true value."

Shiro absorbed this information in silence. He couldn't help but feel a heavy sense of loss, as if something important had been erased from history, swallowed by time. The clan leader wasn't finished, though.

"The world itself was scarred by the war," the clan leader continued, his voice soft yet filled with a deep sorrow. "Three deep wounds were left in the fabric of existence, and these wounds eventually became what you know as the Three Holy Lands. These lands became the places where other shinobi would learn the ways of senjutsu. But make no mistake, these are not the true heirs of the Sagehood Era. They are merely descendants of mediocre sages who were granted the grace of the world to guard the land in exchange for access to a watered-down form of natural energy."

Shiro's mind raced. The Three Holy Lands were merely remnants of the past? But what did this mean for his clan? What was their true place in the grand scheme of things?

Michi, ever the curious one, spoke up. "Then… what about our clan? Where do we fit into all of this?"

The clan leader looked at them both, his expression growing even more serious. "We are the descendants of two Great Sages. The first was a female sage whose origins remain unknown, and the second was a human sage with an insight that transcended time itself. They combined their essences to create our clan, and as we live on, we strive toward a greater purpose—awaiting the guide, as foretold by prophecy."

Shiro's brow furrowed in confusion. "The guide… What does that mean? Are we supposed to be the ones to bring back the Sagehood Era?"

The clan leader's gaze became more enigmatic. "Maybe yes. Maybe no. The Sage Horn is just one qualification to be the guide. The prophecy speaks of someone who will revitalize the sages—bring back their lost power. But who that person is, or what the guide's true purpose is, remains unclear."

The weight of these words hung heavy in the air, and Shiro found himself grappling with a sense of destiny that was far beyond his control. A guide to the lost age of sages… It was a daunting thought. And yet, somehow, it felt like it was part of something much larger—something that was beyond his understanding.

"Alright, that's all for now," the clan leader said, his tone shifting as if the conversation had reached its conclusion. "Tomorrow, both of you will accompany me to Konoha."

The sudden change in topic caught Shiro off guard. "Konoha? Why would we go there? I thought you wouldn't even let anyone from the clan go more than five kilometers from the island."

The clan leader's eyes softened as if recalling something dear to him. "Our ally has passed. We must mourn."

Shiro's heart skipped a beat. "An ally? Who?"

The clan leader's gaze turned distant. "Hashirama Senju," he said quietly, his voice filled with a mix of reverence and sorrow.

Michi's eyes widened. "Hashirama Senju? The First Hokage?"

The clan leader nodded, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "Yes. We owe him much. It is time to pay our respects."

Shiro felt a surge of curiosity and confusion. Why had Hashirama Senju been so important to their clan? And what did his death mean for their future?

Michi, still full of youthful enthusiasm despite the somber conversation, raised her voice in a hopeful tone. "We're really going to Konoha! This is going to be so exciting!"

But Shiro couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that had settled in his chest. The questions swirling in his mind only grew louder. What had truly happened to their clan's relationship with the Senju? And what about the destruction of their clan—could it have been caused by the likes of Pain, Obito, or even Madara Uchiha?

The pieces were slowly coming together, but Shiro wasn't sure if he was ready to face the truth.

As the night fell, Shiro lay awake in his room, the weight of the clan leader's words pressing down on him. Tomorrow, they would leave the island and travel to Konoha. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear—whatever awaited them in the Leaf Village would reveal more about the clan's past, and perhaps the dark truth about the Sagehood Era and the fall of their people.