Chapter 34

"Bloodline Limit? The ability to create ice?" Zixu moved his fingers, and the white-cloaked warrior across from him switched his grip, now holding his sword in a forehand stance, the blade pointing directly at Zixu. It seemed he was finally planning to use his real skills.

"That's enough, Haku. They do have some skills."

The black-cloaked warrior stopped the white-cloaked one just as he was about to continue his attack. Haku immediately sheathed his sword and respectfully stepped behind his companion.

"I'm sorry, sir. I couldn't..." Haku bowed his head in apology.

"It's not your fault. Let's keep moving. There's no need to concern ourselves with their strength."

Zixu felt a twinge of regret seeing his opponent withdraw so easily. He had been looking forward to stretching his muscles a bit more.

"Sensei, I only had a basic understanding of Kekkei Genkai before. I thought it was limited to dojutsu like the Byakugan. But now, it seems much more complex." Zixu was well aware of the importance of gathering intelligence and wanted to update his prior, one-sided knowledge.

"There are many kinds of Kekkei Genkai, and the specifics can be complicated," Yamato explained as they walked. "They involve changes in chakra nature. A Kekkei Genkai is formed by combining two different chakra elements to create a new one. Ice Release (Hyōton) is one such example—it's a fusion of Wind and Water Release."

Zixu scratched his head, processing the explanation. "Chakra nature transformation? Why does that sound a little like Sage Mode?"

Yamato smirked but didn't comment further. Meanwhile, the two warriors ahead adjusted their swords at their waists, exhaling faint wisps of cold air as they glanced back at the Konoha shinobi.

"It seems they have some skill. I won't say much, but you might run into a few groups of mercenaries along the way," Zabuza remarked. "Don't worry. They're just ordinary people."

"If possible, I hope you can avoid killing those ordinary people..." Haku hesitated before speaking, but Zabuza immediately interrupted him.

"Too naive, Haku. Only by killing can you eliminate trouble for good."

Zixu and his team didn't involve themselves in the warriors' debate, but as long as their own safety was guaranteed, they would consider Haku's request.

The starting point and destination of a journey are fixed, but the path between them is what makes the journey itself. However, many people only care about reaching the end and quickly grow tired of the scenery along the way. This was the case for Zixu and his group—after the initial excitement, all that remained was the exhaustion of a long trek.

Deep in the forest, beside a crackling campfire, Yamato used Wood Release (Mokuton) to construct a simple wooden shelter. The two warriors sat against the roots of a large tree, their swords resting within reach. Haku's expression was hidden behind his mask, while Zabuza sat with half-lidded eyes, his bandaged sword never leaving his side.

Sleeping in the wild was dangerous, so they took turns keeping watch. It was now Zixu's shift.

He stared at the dancing flames in front of him, then at the bright moon hanging in the night sky. With nothing else to do, he decided to continue experimenting with his fruit's power.

"Hmm? My clone is surprisingly strong... It really has developed a way to block perception?"

Zixu muttered to himself as he refined his control over his ability.

"So, people really are forced to adapt..."

Lately, he had been getting more and more adept at using his fruit's power. He wasn't sure if it had anything to do with his training in Sage Mode, but something about it felt... different.

Unfortunately, he hadn't made any breakthroughs in his research. However, after using the power of his fruit on himself, he found it easier to absorb natural energy.

"Here it comes~"

Yamato, who had been napping on a tree branch, suddenly opened his eyes. At the same time, the bandaged warrior, who had been dozing off, grasped the hilt of his massive sword and slowly stood up.

Zixu also drew a few shuriken, his stance turning vigilant.

"Rustle~"

The sound of footsteps crunching against the grass echoed from the surrounding shadows. However, after a few moments, the steps hesitated, seemingly encountering some kind of trouble. Then—

"Slash!"

The sharp sound of a blade cutting through weeds filled the silent forest.

Aburame Hatsuizumi and Hyuga Chinano rushed out of the wooden shelter. The straw puppets Chinano had placed around the perimeter had been disturbed, signaling an intruder.

The sound stopped just beyond the firelight's reach. As the moonlight broke through the tree cover, it revealed the approaching figures.

A group of about ten men stood there, their clothing mismatched. They wore conical hats, loose coats, and multiple swords strapped to their waists—more like ronin than actual samurai.

The leader, chewing on a straw stalk, glanced at the massive bandaged sword on Zabuza's back and nodded.

"That's him. Get him!"

The chaotic sound of swords being drawn tore through the night. Firelight flickered against Zabuza's grim expression as the ronin charged at him.

Zixu was about to step in to stop them, but someone moved before him.

"Whoosh~"

A bitterly cold wind swept through the clearing. The air instantly turned freezing, snuffing out the campfire. Dark clouds covered the full moon.

"Clang! Clang!"

The sharp clang of colliding steel rang out. A white blur flickered through the enemy lines, moving so fast it was barely visible.

Ice-blue crystals coated the white-cloaked warrior's blade like shattered diamonds, and each slash sent a spray of ice shards into the air.

Dancing through the battlefield, the white figure weaved between the ronin with lethal precision. As the clouds passed and moonlight returned, he slowly sheathed his pristine white sword.

"Blizzard (Fubuki)."

The dozen or so ronin froze in place—quite literally. Their bodies were coated in ice, their swords half-swung and locked mid-motion. When Haku finally finished sheathing his sword, the frozen blades shattered, crumbling into icy fragments like glass breaking from a great height.

"So that's Ice Release (Hyōton)..." Zixu muttered, watching the scene. "It's kinda like Aokiji's power..."

But Zixu wasn't idle either. Spotting a lone enemy who had managed to evade Haku's attack, he dashed forward, his movements smooth as water. He struck with a flurry of soft punches, his Gentle Fist (Jūken) technique overwhelming the opponent in seconds.

Meanwhile, Hyuga Chinano and Aburame Hatsuizumi weren't slacking either, each engaging the remaining ronin in quick succession.

It didn't take long to wipe out the group. Although the ronin were skilled—considered top-tier among regular warriors—they had already been weakened by Haku's initial assault. Against trained shinobi, they didn't stand a chance.

Yamato and Zabuza had remained still throughout the fight. Zabuza trusted Haku completely, and Yamato saw this as a perfect training opportunity for his team. Now that the battle was over, the two finally approached to interrogate the survivors.

To avoid unnecessary details, the actual interrogation process was skipped. Still, the sight of it made Zixu's skin crawl.

Aburame Hatsuizumi, however, was fascinated. His eyes gleamed as he watched the torture unfold, even suggesting they use insects in the process.

Yamato quickly sent Hatsuizumi away before things got too weird. Soon after, they extracted the information they needed—though Zabuza had already guessed the reason behind the attack.

"They were after your sword?" Yamato asked, glancing at the massive bandaged weapon on Zabuza's back. "Hired by Gatō?"

"Tsk." Zabuza scoffed, curling his lips in annoyance. He shot a glance at Haku in the distance.

"So we should've just killed them outright..."

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