Chapter 224: The Decision to Break Through

The Land of Water.

Inside an unknown mountain, a dim cave echoed with the faint sound of dripping water. The cave was crowded with men and women whose haggard faces and tattered clothes told a story of hardship. Many bore injuries, their wounds hastily and unevenly bandaged.

Suddenly, a young man burst in from outside.

The temperature in the cave seemed to plummet as everyone sprang to their feet, startled like frightened birds.

"It's me, it's me!" the young man hurriedly exclaimed, raising his hands in reassurance, terrified they might mistake him for an enemy.

After confirming he was one of their own, the group slumped back down, their panic and fear still etched into their expressions.

The young man approached a middle-aged man sitting in the center, the Clan Head, and stopped before him. His face was full of sorrow.

"Clan Head, Tōsai sacrificed himself to distract the Anbu."

In just one night, they had become fugitives. What was once a proud Clan of hundreds had dwindled to less than twenty members. The Kirigakure Anbu were relentless in their pursuit, as if determined to see their annihilation.

After days of fleeing, their numbers continued to shrink. No one could say who might be next.

"Damn you, Mizukage," the Clan Head growled through gritted teeth. "We, the Yuki Clan, have endured humiliation for so many years, yet he still won't let us go. I should have agreed to the Kaguya Clan's invitation."

He slammed his fist against the stone wall beside him in frustration. Without Chakra reinforcement, his fist split open, and blood slowly trickled down the jagged surface.

Years ago, the Kaguya Clan had invited him to join their rebellion. He had neither agreed nor betrayed them, holding out for a better opportunity. Now, the Kaguya Clan remained intact, while his Yuki Clan teetered on the brink of extinction.

"Clan Head, will the distress call we sent out still be effective?" the young man asked, his voice trembling with desperation.

It wasn't the first time he had asked. For the Yuki Clan, it was their last shred of hope.

"I don't know either. It's been so long, I'm afraid..." The Clan Head trailed off, using his bloody palm to wipe his forehead but leaving the rest unsaid.

"The Anbu's search area has grown smaller and smaller," he continued. "We can't hide for long. If no rescue comes, we'll have no choice but to fight to the death. We'll escape as many as we can, and at worst, go into hiding. The Yuki Clan's bloodline must not be broken."

The young man understood what the Clan Head meant. They might only be able to rely on themselves. His expression grew more resolute, and his voice carried determination as he spoke.

"You're right. I should make a decision too," the Clan Head replied with a sigh. He had hesitated, waiting for salvation, but there was no more time. If they took the initiative to break out, there was at least a slim chance. Staying hidden in the cave would only lead to their eventual discovery and certain death at the hands of the Kirigakure Anbu. He couldn't bear the weight of being the one to end the Yuki Clan's bloodline.

"Clan Head, please give the order. I am willing to be the vanguard. I have no regrets, even if it costs me my life," the young man said firmly. He had already lost his parents in the massacre and was ready to give his life for the Clan's survival.

"You're still young. It's not your turn," the Clan Head said, placing a firm hand on the young man's shoulder. "You can say that again after I'm dead."

"Clan Head..." The young man tried to argue, but the Clan Head cut him off.

"Don't say anything. There's no reason for a Clan Head to hide."

The Clan Head walked past him to address the remaining members gathered in the cave.

"I don't need to explain our situation to you," he began. "Later, I will lead you all in breaking out of here. Those who survive must run as far away as possible. After this, there will no longer be a Yuki Clan in this world."

His voice trembled slightly as tears streamed down his face, unnoticed.

"Clan Head..." murmured some of the others, their voices heavy with grief.

For a moment, a solemn, tragic determination settled over the group.

"Rest well," the Clan Head instructed, wiping the tears from his eyes and forcing a faint smile. "You'll need your strength to break out of here."

"Yes," the clan members responded in unison. Though the decision to fight and flee was fraught with danger, there was no other option left.

...

"There are markings here," Nawaki said, noticing the signs left by the Yuki Clan in a concealed corner.

Minato heard him and quickly moved over to examine the mark. "It shouldn't be far. Keep looking carefully," he said.

Finding this mark confirmed they were on the right track. As the group pressed forward, they soon discovered several more markings.

"They must be in a dangerous situation," Minato said, analyzing the pattern. "Otherwise, they wouldn't have left so many marks. It's too risky—they could be easily discovered."

"They wouldn't have been killed already, would they?" Nawaki voiced the troubling thought that had crossed his mind.

If the Yuki Clan had already been wiped out by the Kirigakure Anbu, the mission would have been in vain. After traveling so far and enduring so much, the idea of finding nothing but corpses was hard for him to accept. How could they return to report with only a few bodies?

"You're such a pessimist," Minato said, giving him a look. "Say something positive."

"Heh, I was just making a casual comment," Nawaki replied, brushing it off. "Let's keep looking further ahead."

With that, he started walking in the direction of the markings.

After traveling an unknown distance, the group found another mark. But this time, there were no more beyond it.

"The mark ends here," Minato observed, his expression tightening. "It seems the situation is even worse than we expected. We need to hurry."

A frown settled on his face as the grim possibility Nawaki had mentioned began to feel more plausible. If it weren't an emergency, the Yuki Clan would not have stopped leaving marks.

"If they're still alive, they must be in these mountains, but now that the mark has ended, it'll be difficult for us to find them."

Nawaki rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"Let's go in this direction for now. If they're still alive, we should run into the Kirigakure Anbu soon," Minato reasoned. His deduction was logical—if the Anbu were still searching, the Yuki Clan might still be alive. If they didn't encounter the Anbu, it would likely mean the mission had already been completed, leaving little hope for the Yuki Clan's survival.

"Well, that's that," Nawaki said, unable to come up with a better idea. The group followed Minato in the direction of the last mark.

As night fell, the occasional growl of wild animals echoed around them, adding tension to the dark forest. Under the cover of night, their figures were well-hidden.

Suddenly, Nagato came to a stop. "There's someone ahead," he said. As an Uzumaki and with the power of his Rinnegan, Nagato's perception was unmatched.

"I'll go take a look," Minato said, placing a Flying Thunder God Technique mark on the ground before quietly creeping forward alone.

Nawaki led the rest of the group into hiding, waiting tensely.

Before long, Minato returned, dragging a masked Kirigakure Anbu with him. "Fortunately, we didn't come too late," he said, tossing the Anbu onto the ground.

"I'll do it," Shishi volunteered. Skilled in interrogation, he carried the Anbu to a secluded corner. A short time later, he returned, brushing off his hands.

"They haven't found anyone yet," Shishi reported. "They've only pinpointed a general area. The Yuki Clan is right in the middle of their encirclement."

The group felt a wave of relief at this news.

"That's good. Let's go," Minato said, leading the group onward.

This time, they moved even more cautiously. Now deep within the Kirigakure Anbu's encirclement, they knew they could be discovered at any moment.