Juzo Kagune was the second son born to Izumo and Mastumi. The family life Juzo had as a child was a no-nonsense, strict environment for a young boy, especially one as energetic as Juzo. Constantly ridiculed for his "wild behavior," Juzo was kept on a short leash by his parents. Though the Kagune clan boasts many strong shinobi, Izumo and Matsumi took the business route in life, using their kekkei genkai to invent rather than fight. Using their kekkei genkai, Kugane are renown inventors, using steam to power complex machinery. Izumo and Matsumi believed that grooming their sons to take on the family business was the best course of action they could take. And of course, Juzo resented them because of it. It wasn't that he hated the business, what he despised was not having a choice in the matter.
Juzo would often sneak away from his duties to spar with friends, enjoying the rush he got from combat. It was then that he began taking an interest in the shinobi of Kohonagakure. Juzo would fluctuate between trudging through his duties and spontaneously dodging them to pursue his own interests instead. He remembers being fairly unsatisfied with his life during this time, shackled by his family's expectations. It was also around then when he met his favorite clan elder, Ogai. Ogai was a wise old man who seemed to bring every story he told to life. Juzo remembers sitting in his chambers, listening to tales of the old ninja and samurai of history and being deeply inspired. Ogai was the first person Juzo told about his love for fighting, for testing his skills against others, and about how his desired path in life seemed to go against his parents' wishes, given his current circumstances. Ogai felt sorry for the young boy, and decided he would look after him, for his family seemed only to care about the boy's potential to be a businessman in the future.
One day, after skipping a business meeting his father wanted him to shadow, Juzo visited Ogai to ask him a serious question. Ogai stayed silent for quite a while when Juzo told him he wanted to become a strong shinobi when he grew up, one that would bring his family honor and respect. Ogai then told him this, he said, "Juzo, you are at a crossroads in your life, and you have been given two potential paths that will decide your destiny. One is obviously the easier choice, to heed your parents' instructions and let them craft you into an aspiring young business man with nothing but a bright future ahead of him. The other path is the unknown, a much harder path for one so young to take. But I believe I've come to know you well and I can see that you never back down from a challenge. If you truly wish to become a shinobi, I will show you the way, I will help reveal your path so that you may head towards your future with no regrets. But do not take these next words lightly, it will not be easy, you will be ostracised by your family for disobeying their wishes. I have one question, what are you willing to sacrifice for your destiny?"
Ogai gave Juzo a set of clan scrolls that revealed how to use their kekkei genkai, Steam Release, and began teaching him the basics of taijutsu. Ogai revealed that Kagune shinobi were nintaijutsu specialists, so first, Juzo would have to learn to fight with his fists before any chakra would get involved. As Juzo committed more to training, his family became more and more resentful of him, even his brother was confused as to why Juzo rebelled so much against his predetermined future.
When it came time to join the academy, Juzo knew his parents would never allow to let him pursue his desired path. He instead went to Ogai and expressed his concerns. The old man offered to sponsor the boy, having taken a liking to his energetic and driven personality over the years. His parents stopped talking to him when he was admitted to the academy, harshly claiming that he was letting his family down by pursuing such a dangerous path. After seeing his younger brother use Steam Release while training, Seiji confided in Juzo, telling him that even though his parents didn't believe in him, Seiji did. But, ever the realest, Seiji warned Juzo that it was unlikely their parents would ever understand his choice to follow this path. Ogai's question kept circling in his mind, "what are you willing to sacrifice for your destiny?"
On the day Juzo graduated from the academy, Seiji was the only one to show up and support his brother. His parents had kept up their cold disposition towards their son, attending to business rather than go see what their son had achieved. Ogai had passed away during his years at the academy, a crushing blow to Juzo. He was really on his own then, in his studies and his family life. Juzo persisted despite this, using his resentment towards his parents to fuel himself further. He would show them that he could follow his own ideals and values and still be successful, no matter the odds. Juzo decided to move out once he had achieved genin rank, seeing as he had been receiving no help from his parents for some time already. He currently lives in a cheap studio apartment, with just enough space for his neccesities and a desk for all his tinkering, a hobby he had taken up over the years. If people were to visit his home, they would find a messy apartment, clothes and machinery thrown about. Juzo is much happier on his own though, able to do the things he finds important, instead of his parents. Among the shinobi of Kohonagakure, Juzo thrives, given his extroverted nature. During his academy days, Juzo went out of his way to interact with pretty much everyone. Granted, he's a lot to keep up with, always wanting to partake in some activity or adventure. People were generally split on how they felt about his polarizing nature, either they found him to be fun and exciting or they saw him as annoying and naive to the realities of the ninja world. With tensions running higher between the villages, Juzo knows that he could be placed into to life-threatening situations at any time. But he's ready, Hell, he's probably looking forward to the challenge. But in the back of his head he can still hear his parents' voices, whispering in his ears that the path he's taking could very well lead to an early death. He can't be sure if either omen will come true, but he wants to be learn, to train harder, to become strong. The question is, what sacrifices will he have to make to fulfill his dreams?