"Hatake... Gintama?"Raizen slowed his pace, eyes narrowing. "The Hatake clan?"
He hesitated for only a breath before disappearing into the forest again.Whether that man truly came from the Hatake line or was just using the name—it didn't matter. In this era, everyone was running from something.
After that bloody mess, Raizen's motivation to train vanished. All he wanted was to return home—no more detours, no more trouble.
Pushing himself at full speed, he reached the Amamiya territory in a single day. The clan had just moved back from the stone forest after their skirmish with the Ueshi clan ended. The ruins of their old residence had already been repaired, though the scent of smoke and blood still lingered in the air.
Raizen went straight to the mission office, tossing his report on the counter. The chūnin stationed there blinked in disbelief, then broke into a grin.
"Oi! You're back, kid!"Kuze-san clapped him so hard on the shoulder that Raizen nearly coughed up his lungs.
"...Ow. Okay, what's going on? You look like someone won the lottery."
"You really don't know?" Kuze laughed, eyes gleaming with mischief. "You're famous now, brat!"
Raizen blinked. "...Come again?"
"The whole thing with you escorting that merchant, Kaki-san, through the Fire Country? It's all over the place! Word got out that a child from the Amamiya clan cut down a Senju ninja. Even the Daimyō himself heard about it! He personally asked Senju Butsuma to forgive you for... well, beheading one of their own."
"Forgive me?" Raizen muttered, incredulous. "That's... not how I'd describe it."
Kuze slapped his knee, laughing. "Anyway, the Senju had to admit fault since the treasure thing went public. Congratulations, Raizen—you're officially infamous!"
"Fantastic." Raizen sighed. "Exactly what I didn't want."Keeping a low profile was supposed to be the plan. Apparently, fate didn't care.
Before he could complain further, another ninja rushed in. "Raizen-kun! The Patriarch wants to see you immediately!"
Kuze grinned and patted his shoulder again. "Go on. He probably wants to hear the details himself. Oh—and your mission's been bumped up to A-rank."
Raizen frowned. "A-rank, huh… somehow, that doesn't sound like good news."
He followed the messenger through the narrow corridors to the clan's inner compound. In the courtyard, Amamiya Gen stood quietly, his gaze locked on the evening sky. The silence pressed down like mist.
When Gen-sama finally spoke, his voice was calm—but sharp as a blade."Raizen. I heard you encountered a Senju ninja during your mission?"
Raizen bowed his head slightly. "Yes. He tried to seize the merchant's cargo. I defended it… and killed him."
Gen's eyes darkened. "Do you realize what kind of disaster that might bring upon our clan?"
Raizen's jaw tightened. "I do. But if he wanted the treasure, he would've killed me first. If someone comes to take my life, I'll return the favor. That's all."
"Why can't you kill him? Because his surname is Senju!" Gen's voice rose, laced with fury and warning.
Raizen met his gaze without blinking. "Then he's still dead, isn't he?"
The words hung heavy in the air. For a long moment, the only sound was the faint rustling of wind through the courtyard trees.
"Is that truly how you see it?" Gen asked quietly.
"It is." Raizen's voice was steady now, unflinching. "I don't regret my choices. Even if they're wrong, I'll take the path I choose—until the end."
Gen stared at him for a long while… then laughed. A deep, weathered laugh that carried both bitterness and pride.
"Hahaha... So that's how it is. You truly are an Amamiya."
He turned toward the fading horizon, his expression softening just slightly.
"Our clan—born with chakra beyond measure, blessed with all five elemental natures—yet forced to live under others' shadows. That is our curse... and our sorrow."
Raizen said nothing. He simply stood there, listening.Somewhere in that quiet, he could almost hear the echo of Gen-sama's unspoken words—Maybe, you'll be the one to change that.