Hello guys, this is a super long chapter. I hope you like it. I will take a break for a week, and then I will start updating again.
I think I needed the break so I don't burn myself out. I also think I deserve this break.
I also hope you guys vote. there are more than 1000 collections for this story and only a few of you had voted it only takes a second; do it for me, guys.
I am really putting a lot of effort into this story. I am only asking you to vote so do it for me.
Poll
Where should Yukina go after the Fourth ninja war?
Bleach 17
Cultivation world 19
I decided to remove the "up to the author vote" option since only one of my readers voted for it.
________
Hozuki clan compound
Hozuki clan meeting room
Kangetsu, Kotaro, the Hozuki clan chunins, and Zabuza stood respectfully before Zangetsu and the elders of the Hozuki clan.
After Kangetsu finished his report, Zangetsu turned to Zabuza with a strange look in his eyes. He pointed at him and asked,
"Kid, what are you doing here?"
After hearing Zangetsu's question, Zabuza shot an angry glare at Kangetsu, who only responded with a smug, playful smirk.
Zabuza turned sharply to Zangetsu, his eyes narrowing. He jabbed a finger at Kangetsu and growled, "This guy kidnapped me and brought me here."
The moment Zabuza finished speaking, a wave of amused glances swept through the room, all eyes turning to him with faint smirks.
Zabuza then spun his head sharply toward Kangetsu, his eyes blazing with furious intensity. "You really must have a thing for little boys, huh?" he snarled, voice dripping with venom. "You're beyond disgusting. Have some pride, you moron—that's just pathetic."
When everyone heard what Zabuza said, the tension in the room broke instantly—loud laughter erupted from everybody in the meeting room.
Their chuckles and guffaws bounced off the walls, filling the space with an infectious, lighthearted energy. Some doubled over, clutching their sides, while others wiped tears of amusement from their eyes.
"SLAP."
"OUCH."
"THUD."
Kangetsu slapped Zabuza hard in the back of his head and Zabuza staggered, his expression flickering from shock to indignation, before he lost his balance entirely. With a heavy thud, he fell face-first onto the rough wooden floor
"You idiot," Kangetsu snapped sharply, his voice dripping with disdain as he fixed Zabuza with a steely glare. "Do you really think I'm that low?"
He took a step closer, his narrowed eyes blazing with a mix of anger and amusement. "Don't insult me by saying something so pathetic again, kid. Show some respect—I'm an elite Jounin, and I've got my own reputation to protect."
Zangetsu chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched the heated exchange between Zabuza and Kangetsu.
He then asked Kangetsu, his tone filled with curiosity as a smile spread across his face.
"Kangetsu, why did you bring this kid with you?"
Kangetsu smiled back at Zangetsu and said, "He is an interesting kid, and he is Juzo-senpai's apprentice. I want to test his talent myself."
Zangetsu and the rest of the elders widened their eyes for a moment when they heard this. Then, Zangetsu smiled warmly at Zabuza and said, "Kid, you must be Zabuza Momochi."
Zabuza's eyes narrowed in surprise as he shot back, "You know me, old man? What, are you stalking me or something?"
"SLAP."
"OUCH."
Kangetsu slapped Zabuza hard on the back of his head once again, causing him to stumble forward. The rest of the group burst into amused laughter, their eyes fixed on Zabuza's flustered expression.
Zangetsu chuckled after hearing Zabuza's words and said, "Relax, kid. I'm not stalking you. The reason I know about you is because you're Juzo's apprentice."
"After all, Juzo is one of the seven ninja swordsmen and one of the best elite Jounin in our village."
Suddenly, Zangetsu's little brother interrupted their conversation and asked, "Big brother, shouldn't we go now and back up Lord Mizukage?"
Zangetsu chuckled, shook his head, and replied, "We would be wasting our time. Gangetsu—Lord Mizukage's ANBU guard squads—are handpicked by him; they are the best shinobi in our village, second only to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"Kaito-sama has even summoned the seven ninja swordsmen to handle this matter. Yukitaro is finished—no matter how cunning he is, there's nowhere left for him to escape."
"I'm sure many in his faction will die, if not all of them. What truly interests me is the kind of changes Yukito will bring to the Yuki clan once he becomes the clan head."
Everyone turned their gaze to Zangetsu in surprise after hearing his words. Nangetsu then asked, his tone filled with curiosity, "Clan leader, what do you mean by the changes that Yukito will bring to the Yuki clan?"
Zangetsu smirked at the question and replied, 'Yukito may not be as talented a shinobi as Yukitaro, but he's far smarter. Unlike Yukitaro, he always sees the bigger picture.'
"There's no doubt he'll bring many changes to the Yuki clan in the future. I'm also certain he'll visit us soon, so we should start preparing for his arrival."
A wave of surprise washed over the elders, Kangetsu, and the Hozuki clan chunin as they heard this.
Zangetsu then turned to Kangetsu and the others and said, "You may all leave now. Thank you for your hard work."
Kangetsu and the others bowed respectfully to Zangetsu and they turned around to leave.
Rangetsu then placed a firm hand on Zabuza's shoulder and said, 'Hey kid, since you're here, how about I teach you that Water Ninjutsu I promised you?'
Zabuza smiled widely when he heard this and he nodded his head to Rangetsu.
"Alright, kid—follow me," Rangetsu said with a smirk as he saw Zabuza nod.
Rangetsu then exited the Hozuki Clan meeting room, with Kotaro and Zabuza following closely behind him.
Kangetsu smirked when he saw the trio leaving the meeting room, so he decided to follow them."
Gangetsu's face twisted in anger when he overheard their conversation. He shouted at Rangetsu, 'HEY! YOU CAN'T TEACH AN OUTSIDER ANY OF THE HOZUKI CLAN'S NINJUTSU!'
When Zangetsu heard Gangetsu's words, he chuckled and said, 'Relax, Gangetsu-san. Rangetsu wouldn't do that—he's a responsible kid.'"
After hearing what Zangetsu said, he took a deep breath to calm himself and began apologizing, "I am sorry, Clan Head, for my outburst."
Zangetsu chuckled, shook his head, and said, "Forget it for now; let us prepare for Yukito's future visit. That damn guy is very intelligent—we need to be very careful when we deal with him."
All the elders nodded solemnly after hearing these words and began discussing and planning together.
_________
With Yukitaro
Yukitaro exited the Yuki clan compound, narrowing his eyes as he saw the Mizukage's ANBU guards and the seven ninja swordsmen unsheathing their weapons.
He fixed the Mizukage with a piercing glare, his eyes like shards of ice. Narrowing them, he spoke—each word sharp, deliberate, and laced with frost.
"Lord Mizukage… What's the meaning of this?"
The Mizukage didn't waste another breath on Yukitaro. His voice rang out like a crack of thunder as he commanded, 'Capture him!'
After hearing the Mizukage's command, all the ANBU and each of the seven ninja swordsmen vanished in a blur of motion, shunshining toward Yukitaro with deadly precision—the air itself seemed to crack under the sudden surge of killing intent.
Yukitaro remained eerily calm as the ANBU and the seven ninja swordsmen closed in. His eyes glinted with icy resolve. With a single, deliberate motion, he formed a one-hand seal and roared, his voice echoing like thunder across the air:
"Ice style: Multiple Flying Spear Heads."
"SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH."
"In an instant, dozens of ice constructs—each forged into razor-sharp spearheads—materialized around Yukitaro, glinting with lethal intent. With a single sweeping motion of his arm, they tore through the air like a storm of frozen death, hurtling toward the ANBU and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen with blinding speed and devastating force."
Upon witnessing the onslaught, the ANBU moved as one—hands blurring through a flurry of seals with terrifying speed, their chakra surging in unison like a rising storm.
After finishing their hand seals in perfect unison, they all yelled simultaneously, their voices echoing with fierce intensity.
"Water Style: Water Barrier Jutsu."
The ANBU simultaneously expelled a powerful torrent of water from their mouths, the streams merging and swirling together with fierce intent. In an instant, the water solidified into a dense, impenetrable barrier, shimmering and rippling as it formed a wall between them and Yukitaro's deadly ice-style jutsu. The barrier pulsed with raw energy, a watery shield standing defiantly against the freezing assault.
"SPLASH. SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH."
"CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH."
Yukitaro's icy glare sharpened, frustration flickering in his eyes as his spearhead constructs slammed against the towering wall of water. The force of the barrier repelled them effortlessly, sending shards of ice scattering harmlessly to the ground.
The ANBU's water barrier stood resolute—unyielding, seamless—absorbing every shard of his frozen assault without a single crack.
Frustration flickered across his face—his deadly ice-style jutsu thwarted by mere water Jutsu.
His breath hitched, cold mist swirling with his simmering anger, as he clenched his fists, preparing for the next move. The battle was far from over.
______
With Fuguki
Fuguki's eyes narrowed coldly, his disdain deepening as the razor-sharp ice spearheads sliced through the air, their deadly speed barely disturbing his composed stance. Without a hint of panic, he shifted ever so slightly, ready to counter the relentless assault with icy precision.
A slow, contemptuous smirk curled at the corner of his lips. Without a hint of fear, he muttered under his breath, "Is that all you've got?" The air around him seemed to thicken, charged with an ominous energy, as if daring the ice to try again.
He pointed Samehada in front of him and ordered, "Now, Samehada."
"CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH."
"GULP, GULP, GULP, GULP, GULP."
Samehada obeyed without a flicker of doubt. Its bandages shredded effortlessly as it opened its cavernous jaw wide, firmly crushing and swallowing every icy shard and spearhead thrown its way—each crunch resonating like a thunderclap, unstoppable and merciless. The chilling cold melted into nothing against its ravenous maw.
"BURPS."
After it's finished eating the ice spearheads, it burps loudly while its large tongue is out.
Fuguki noticed that Samehada had grown slightly—just a tiny bit—but it was vibrating violently, as if trembling with excitement or hunger.
A dark chuckle escaped his lips as he noticed it. 'Don't worry, girl,' he murmured, eyes gleaming with vengeance. 'I'll make sure you devour every last drop of chakra that bastard owns. He dared lay a hand on my precious apprentice… now he'll pay the price—in blood and agony.'
"However… you need to let him truly experience what hell feels like. Do we have a deal, girl?"
"GRRRRRRRRR."
Samehada growled softly in response to Fuguki's question, its scales like blades twitching with anticipation as it waited patiently for the perfect moment to strike down Yukitaro.
Fuguki smirked at Samehada's reaction and response and then he started walking calmly towards Yukitaro.
______
With Raiga
"KAHAHAHAHAHA."
Raiga burst into maniacal laughter, unfazed as the ice-style jutsu hurtled toward him at blinding speed. His eyes gleamed with wild excitement, as if welcoming the attack with open arms.
"CLANK."
He crossed his Kiba blades with a loud clang, lightning crackling between them as he threw back his head and let out a savage yell, a wide, bloodthirsty smirk stretching across his face
"Lightning Style: Lightning Waves Shield Jutsu."
"BZBZBZBZBZBZBZ."
Multiple waves of crackling blue lightning erupted from his body, forming a pulsating barrier of energy that shielded Raiga from all directions.
"CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH."
The moment the blue lightning waves struck, the ice constructs shattered violently, erupting into a storm of razor-sharp ice shards that glittered in the air like deadly snow.
Raiga burst into maniacal laughter once more, his voice echoing through the battlefield as he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"KAHAHAHAHAHAHA, THAT IS WONDERFUL. LET'S HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FUNERAL YOU ICE MAN."
After saying these words, Raiga charged at Yukitaro like a man who was possessed by the devil himself.
________
With Jinin
Jinin Akebino's smirk widened into a confident grin as the icy headspears hurtled through the air. His eyes gleamed with anticipation, ready to turn their frozen constructs into tiny ice shards.
He grabbed Kabutowari tightly, raised the hammer part above his head, coated the hammer with a dense and large amount of chakra and slammed it hard on the ground.
"BAAM."
After slamming his hammer down with thunderous force, a colossal chunk of earth exploded upward, hurtling into the air and solidifying into an impenetrable shield before him—just in time to shatter the oncoming ice-style jutsu. The impact sent shards of frost scattering like shattered glass, but his earthen barrier stood resolute, unyielding against the cold assault.
"CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH."
Jinin scowled in disappointment as he watched the ice spearheads shatter effortlessly against the earth shield he created.
The ease with which they broke only fueled his frustration, tightening his grip on his Kabutowari.
"It seems all the rumors about the ice release kekkei genkai that I heard about are untrue; this is going to be boring."
"I should quickly capture this trash so I can enjoy free drinks with Kushimaru afterward."
After making up his mind, Jinin started dashing towards Yukitaro.
_______
With Juzo
Juzo didn't waste time when he saw the ice-style jutsu flying towards him. With lightning-fast reflexes, he twisted his body to the side, dodging the razor-sharp spearheads.
Without breaking his focus, he immediately brought the flat side of the executioner blade in front of him, using it as a shield to block another relentless barrage of ice spearheads hurtling toward him.
"PENG, PENG, PENG, PENG, PENG."
After the ice spearhead barrage ceased, Juzo lifted the executioner's blade over his shoulder and started charging swiftly toward Yukitaro.
________
With Kushimaru
Kushimaru's eyes gleamed with mischief behind his mask as the icy spearheads sliced through the air toward him. Moving with effortless grace, he weaved through the onslaught without breaking his playful smirk, completely unfazed by the deadly projectiles. Each step was measured, almost teasing the ice jutsu to come closer, as if daring them to try and catch him.
Suddenly, another barrage of ice spearheads came flying at Kushimaru, whistling sharply through the air as they converged on him from every direction.
"PU, PU, PU, PU, PU."
The ice-style jutsu pierced ruthlessly into Kushimaru's body from every angle; each spearhead pierced deep into his body with chilling precision, turning him into a pincushion.
Yukitaro smirked at the sight—but his satisfaction vanished in an instant as Kushimaru's body dissolved into water, splashing onto the ground in a mocking puddle.
"SPLASH."
"Damn that Kushimaru," he muttered under his breath. "His fighting style is too damn slippery... I need to stay sharp—he's going to try to ambush me."
________
With Goro
Goro watched lazily as the incoming ice-style jutsu closed in. He let out a tired sigh and muttered to himself, "Why can't people just chill out and enjoy life for once?"
"I just want to spend my damn time fishing without anybody bothering me. Is that too much for a man to ask?"
In an instant, he unleashed a massive surge of chakra, flooding Hiramekarei with its overwhelming power.
"CLANG."
With a clang, he separated Hiramekarei into two blades.
He crossed the two blades against each other and muttered,
"Bloody Mist Sword Art: Great Shield."
A faint light blue shield shimmered to life around Goro, and as the ice spikes struck it, they bounced off harmlessly, scattering in all directions on the ground.
"PENG, PENG, PENG, PENG, PENG."
"CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG."
After blocking the barrage of ice spearheads, Goro dispelled his jutsu with a sigh and began walking calmly toward Yukitaro, as if the chaos around him no longer mattered.
________
With Jinpachi
Jinpachi looked disdainfully at the ice spearheads that were hurling towards him, his lip curling in annoyance rather than fear. "Tch... is that all you've got?" he muttered, not even bothering to move at first, his sharp eyes following the approaching attack with detached boredom.
Jinpachi grabbed Shibuki tightly; he started releasing the explosive tags that it contained while swinging Shibuki through the air.
The explosive tags started igniting with a soft crackle just before impact. As the icy barrage met the explosive tags, a burst of fiery explosions erupted, shattering the spearheads into shards of ice in all directions.
"BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM."
The heat from the explosions sizzled against the cold, momentarily disrupting the jutsu's cohesion. The battlefield was briefly illuminated by the sudden flare; smoke and steam swirled in the aftermath.
The huge explosions were heard all over the village after Jinpachi detonated the explosion tags.
Many Yuki clan clansmen stepped out of the Yuki clan compound after hearing the loud explosions.
Furthermore, many Kiri shinobi started rushing towards the Yuki clan compound after hearing the loud explosions and seeing the large amount of smoke and steam that was created by the explosion.
________
With the Yuki clansmen
Some of the Yuki clan members arrived at the battlefield.
When the Yuki clansmen emerged from the compound, the sharp echoes of explosions still ringing in their ears, their eyes widened in disbelief. Standing at the center of the chaos was Yukitaro—his breath steady, eyes sharp—locked in a fierce battle against the village ANBU and the seven ninja swordsmen.
Yukito and Yukira, the biological mother of Yukina, were among the Yuki clansmen.
When Yukito saw his brother battling the seven ninja swordsmen and the ANBU, he sighed inwardly and thought, "What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into this time, brother?"
"I'm sorry, brother; I won't lend you a hand this time because our clan needs to survive."
"I hate to say it, but for the clan's sake, you have to be sacrificed."
After a moment, Yukito's eyes turned cold and emotionless as he watched Yukitaro battling fiercely before him.
Yukira looked at Yukito and asked, "Big brother, what should we do?"
Yukito shook his head and said, "I don't know what kind of mess Yukitaro has gotten himself into this time, but we should stay out of it."
When Yukira heard this, her eyes widened in disbelief, and with a trembling voice, she said, "You can't be serious, brother; he's going to die."
Yukito glared fiercely at his sister, then sighed and said, "You're too kind for your own good, sister. Have you forgotten that he forced you to abandon Yukina?"
Yukira lowered her head in sadness when she heard this. Yukito continued, "Even if I and the rest of the clan get involved in this battle, we will all die. I don't know what Yukitaro has done, but it seems Lord Mizukage is truly after his life."
"At this moment, all I could do was watch Yukitaro's final moments unfold."
"After hearing those words, Yukira and the Yuki clansmen loyal to Yukito's faction nodded in agreement."
However, the Yuki clansmen loyal to Yukitaro's faction were enraged by Yukito's words and began charging recklessly at the ANBU and the seven ninja swordsmen.
Yukito didn't try to stop Yukitaro's faction; he just kept gazing coldly at them.
"Perfect. If those idiots die here, I'll only have to deal with those five bastards later."
"Only then will I stand a better chance of reforming the Yuki clan."
_______
With the Yuki clansmen that joined the battle
The Yuki clansmen loyal to Yukitaro's faction charged recklessly at the ANBU and the seven ninja swordsmen, unleashing a relentless barrage of ice-style ninjutsu in their assault.
"Ice Style: Multiple Ice Flying Senbons."
"Ice style: Multiple Flying Ice Blades."
"Ice style: Multiple Ice Shurikens."
The air was filled with flying ice-style jutsu aimed at both the ANBU and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Both the Mizukage's and Yukitaro's faces twisted in anger when they saw this.
Yukitaro clenched his fists in fury, his voice laced with venom. 'Those damned fools,' he snarled, 'they've not only dragged me deeper into this mess—they've handed Yukito the upper hand on a silver platter!'
"I have to act now. I won't stand by and let Yukito poison the clan with his naïve ideals—no matter the cost."
Fury twisted the Mizukage's face into a dark scowl as he witnessed the Yuki clan shinobi launching their assault on his ANBU and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
He then yelled loudly to his ANBU and to the seven ninja swordsmen, "kill every Yuki clansman; don't leave a single one alive."
______
With Yukito
Yukito's expression darkened as he heard the Mizukage's order. He clenched his fists and cursed under his breath, 'Damn it… I have no choice. If I don't act now, the Yuki clan will be wiped out today.
Yukito watched calmly as Fuguki swung Samehada with brutal ferocity, the monstrous blade tearing through the Yuki clansmen and leaving a trail of mangled, screaming bodies in its wake.
"SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH."
"AAAAAHHHH, AAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAHHHHH, AAAAAHHHH."
Juzo and Jinin sliced through the Yuki clansmen, cleaving them in half with the executioner's blade and the crushing force of the Kabutowari.
"SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH."
Goro swung Hiramekarei's two blades in a swift, horizontal arc, his voice low and intense as he muttered,
"Bloody Mist Sword Art: Mutating bones."
"SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH."
"PU, PU, PU, PU, PU."
Multiple chakra blades streaked through the air at incredible speed, piercing the skulls, hearts, and throats of the Yuki clansmen with deadly precision.
"THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD."
Raiga's maniacal laughter echoed through the battlefield as bolts of crackling lightning chakra danced along the edges of his Kiba blades.
"BZBZBZBZBZ."
His eyes gleamed with a wild, unhinged madness as he bellowed fanatically, "IT'S FUNERAL TIME—YOU SHOULD ALL REJOICE!"
"BZBZBZBZBZ."
The Lightning chakra surged around him, promising nothing but chaos and devastation
He then charged like a madman at the Yuki clan clansmen, swinging his blades wildly as he cut through them with ruthlessness, showing no mercy.
"SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH."
"AAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHH."
"PU, PU, PU, PU, PU."
The Yuki clan clansmen screamed in agonizing pain as Raiga's Kiba blades sliced through their limbs and plunged mercilessly into their hearts. EEach strike was swift and deadly, resulting in a trail of shattered bodies left behind.
Raiga was killing them in the most painful way while laughing loudly like a maniac.
Jinpachi's lips curled into a bloodthirsty smirk as he surged forward, eyes blazing with ruthless intent. Gripping Shibuki tightly, he swung the blade in a deadly arc, detonating the explosive tags embedded within. The sharp blasts erupted around him, tearing through the ranks of the Yuki clan clansmen with brutal, fiery precision.
"BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM."
"AAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHH, AAAAAAAHHHHH."
The Yuki clansmen's bodies were torn apart, their flesh blown into unrecognizable fragments as the explosions claimed their lives in agonizing torment.
Jinpachi laughed loudly, his voice echoing over the chaos, as he surged forward. With every powerful swing of Shibuki, explosive tags detonated violently, obliterating the Yuki clansmen around him in a relentless blast.
"BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM."
Kushimaru skillfully twirled Nuibari in his right hand, his gaze locked on the Yuki clansmen before him, watching them with a cold, playful amusement.
They hung there, strung up like crucified souls, their eyes locked onto Kushimaru's with raw fear shining in them.
Kushimaru walked slowly and calmly toward them; with each deliberate step, the sound of his steps seemed to draw them closer to death itself.
Kushimaru moved with cold precision, driving Nuibari deep into the heart of each Yuki clansman. With every thrust, the blade sang a deadly song, silencing their cries one by one. The air grew heavy with the weight of inevitable death.
"PU, PU, PU, PU, PU."
After Kushimaru stabbed all the Yuki clansmen in the heart, he then twirled Nuibari around his fingers, and all their bodies fell lifelessly on the ground.
"THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD."
The ANBU surged forward with lightning speed, closing the distance in an instant. The Yuki clansmen unleashed their ninjutsu, but the ANBU moved with such precision and agility that every attack was effortlessly dodged. In a swift, deadly assault, the ANBU struck—piercing hearts with silent precision, slitting throats in a blur, and severing heads before they could react.
Yuki clan clansmen's lifeless bodies started falling to the ground one after another.
"THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD."
Yukitaro's eyes widened with a mix of disbelief and fury as he witnessed his clansmen falling one by one. His face darkened, shadows casting over his sharp features, reflecting the storm of rage and desperation brewing inside him
"I have no choice. I need to use my jutsu."
"I was planning to buy as much time as possible and find an opportunity for me to reverse summon myself."
"However, those idiots had forced me to go all out."
"They must live at all costs to stop Yukito from imposing his ideals on the clan."
After making up his mind, Yukitaro started executing a long sequence of hand seals.
When Yukito saw the hand seal sequence that Yukitaro was executing, his eyes widened.
Suddenly, a long blade of shimmering ice materialized in his right hand. Without a moment's hesitation, he unleashed his swiftest shunshin, vanishing from sight only to reappear instantly behind Yukitaro.
"PU."
Everyone watching the battle fell silent, stunned by the sight of an ice blade piercing through Yukitaro's back and emerging from his chest.
Even those locked in battle froze mid-strike when they caught sight of who had ambushed Yukitaro.
"COUGH."
Yukitaro coughed up a mouthful of blood, struggling to turn his head. When his eyes landed on Yukito—the one who had stabbed him—hatred ignited in his glare. With a ragged, blood-choked yell, he cursed him fiercely.
"Yukito, you damn traitor."
Yukito shook his head firmly and replied, "No, big brother. I am not a traitor. I don't know what mess you've dragged yourself into this time, but I will never sacrifice the clan for your sake.""
"Ever since Yukina was born you have been blinded by your pride."
"We have never seen eye to eye since you became a clan head. I can't let you continue this madness; it is time for you to die."
After the ice blade was ripped free, Yukitaro collapsed lifelessly onto the cold ground, crimson blood pooling rapidly beneath him as it seeped from the grievous wound.
The ice blade that Yukito was holding suddenly shattered; he bowed respectfully to the Mizukage and said,
"Lord Mizukage, I don't know what my brother did, but I assure you that many of my clansmen are innocent. If you don't believe me, you can take my brother's corpse to the torture and interrogation department to read his memories."
The Mizukage scoffed coldly at Yukito's words. "And what if I find that you and your clan are far from innocent?"
Yukito looked resolutely at the Mizukage and said without hesitation, "you can exterminate the entire Yuki clan, including me."
Everybody was surprised when they heard his resolute tone.
Kaito gave Yukito an unnoticeable smile that expressed his appreciation, and then he spoke. "Fine. But until we finish extracting the traitor's memories, your entire clan will remain under ANBU surveillance."
Yukito nodded his head in understanding and replied, "I don't have any problem with your arrangements, Lord Mizukage."
Kaito nodded in satisfaction, then turned to his ANBU and ordered, 'Keep a close watch on the Yuki clan. No one is allowed to leave this area.'
"If anyone leaves, execute them on the spot."
With a silent nod at the Mizukage's command, all the ANBU vanished in an instant using shunshin.
Kaito then turned to the seven ninja swordsmen and ordered, "One of you grab that traitor's corpse and follow me to the torture and interrogation department."
Without hesitation, Fuguki grabbed Yukitaro's corpse and followed Kaito, with the other ninja swordsmen trailing closely behind them.
After Kaito left, Yukito sighed in relief, turned around, and started walking back to the Yuki clan compound.
He then commanded the clansmen loyal to his faction, 'Follow me.'
Without a moment's hesitation, his faction trailed behind him and entered his compound.
After they departed, the Kiri shinobi who had gathered in response to the loud explosions also began to disperse, murmuring among themselves as they left.
The only ones who remained outside the compound were the remnants of Yukitaro's faction, their eyes filled with despair
_________