Yuki Yuki gasped.
"Chiba… y-you awakened too?"
Haku, pure and unguarded, clapped her hands and burst into laughter.
"That's amazing, Brother Chiba!"
"Now we can train together!"
Yuki Yuki let out a soft sigh.
"Ah… could this really be fate…"
Chiba stepped forward, gently patting Haku's head with one hand,
while placing the other on Yuki Yuki's shoulder.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."
Yuki Yuki looked at the young, handsome face now so close to her.
The calm confidence in his voice—
the sense of safety he gave her—
Her heart trembled uncontrollably.
And in the next moment, her pretty face flushed red.
"Chiba, you…"
Chiba smiled faintly.
"I won't allow anyone to harm you."
"And I will never let the tragedy of the Yuki Clan happen again."
"Again…? What do you mean by that…?"
"It's nothing."
Yet in his heart, Chiba saw it clearly—the fate the Yuki Clan was meant to suffer.
A clan exterminated.
Its members slaughtered without mercy.
Yuki Yuki dying unjustly.
Haku, still a child, left orphaned and wandering the streets.
Later, she would meet Momochi Zabuza—and become nothing more than a weapon forged for killing.
That fate…
Chiba would never allow it to repeat.
Yuki Yuki looked at his face, and an unfamiliar feeling stirred within her.
He really has grown up…
So calm. So reliable.
Someone you could depend on…
Her cheeks flushed crimson.
What am I thinking…?
Startled by her own thoughts, she quickly stepped back, avoiding his touch.
Chiba noticed and let out a quiet, amused breath.
Before he could speak—
A woman of the Yuki Clan hurried over.
"Yuki. Chiba, you're here as well."
"The clan head has summoned everyone for a meeting."
"I heard envoys from Kirigakure have arrived."
Chiba's expression hardened instantly.
Envoys from Kirigakure?
So it had come to this.
His eyes darkened.
Those who come without invitation rarely come with goodwill.
Still—
He now possessed the strength to protect his clan.
He nodded. "Then let's go, Yuki."
Hearing him address her so naturally, Yuki Yuki flushed again—but nodded softly.
"Yes."
She entrusted Haku to the woman and walked alongside Chiba toward the clan's council hall.
On the way, her voice trembled.
"Chiba… if Kirigakure has sent people, does that mean the Yuki Clan is in danger?"
"I'm afraid that's likely."
"Then—then what do we do?!"
"Our clan can't possibly oppose Kirigakure…"
"Are we… going to be wiped out like the other Kekkei Genkai clans?"
The thought alone made her eyes well with tears—especially when she thought of Haku's future.
Chiba reached out, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. His hand closed around hers, warm and steady.
"Didn't I tell you?" he said quietly.
"I'm here."
"No one will harm you or Haku."
"And nothing will happen to the Yuki Clan."
Feeling the strength and warmth in his grip, Yuki Yuki hesitated—then stopped resisting.
"…Mm."
She answered softly.
Soon, they arrived at the council hall.
Elders and elite shinobi of the Yuki Clan were already gathered.
At the front stood the clan head, Yuki Yoru.
Yet the seat of highest honor did not belong to him.
There sat two shinobi from Kirigakure.
Two elite jōnin.
Two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
The wielder of the Executioner's Blade—Jūzō Biwa.
And the master of the Thunder Blade—Raiga Kurosuki.
During the Third Great Ninja War, Might Duy had slaughtered four of the Seven with the Eight Gates Formation. Only three survived, gravely wounded:
Jūzō Biwa.
Raiga Kurosuki.
And Kisame Hoshigaki's predecessor—Mangetsu Hōzuki.
Of those three—
Two had come for the Yuki Clan.
The message was clear.
This was not intimidation.
It was extermination.
Chiba and Yuki Yuki took their seats.
Once everyone had arrived, Yuki Yoru spoke carefully.
"Honored envoys… may I ask what brings you to the Yuki Clan?"
Jūzō Biwa lazily turned the handle of the Executioner's Blade, letting out a cold chuckle.
Raiga Kurosuki spoke instead.
"We are here under orders from the Mizukage."
"We are searching for shinobi who have awakened Kekkei Genkai."
His gaze sharpened.
"The Yuki Clan possesses the Ice Release bloodline, does it not?"
"Clan Head… hand over all shinobi who have awakened Ice Release."
Yuki Yoru's face went pale.
"You—what are you planning to do?!"
Jūzō's voice dropped, heavy with malice.
"Those who possess Kekkei Genkai are a threat to the Land of Water."
"The Mizukage has ordered that they be rounded up and confined."
"Any resistance…"
"Will be met with execution."
Yuki Yoru's blood ran cold.
Confined?
That was nothing more than imprisonment.
And once imprisoned—
Death would surely follow.
He had heard of what had happened to the other clans.
Sweat poured down his face.
"I… I cannot agree to this!"
"As clan head, it is my duty to protect my people!"
Jūzō Biwa burst into laughter.
"Well said," he sneered.
"At least you've got a spine."
"What a pity," Jūzō Biwa sneered.
"You don't have the strength to back it up."
In the next instant—
BOOM!!!
The Executioner's Blade and the Thunder Blade were swung at the same time.
Blades descended in unison.
Inside the council hall itself, they launched their attack without hesitation.