Chapter 49: Echoes of the Past

The scroll sat in the middle of the shrine floor like a curse, rainwater dripping from its edges. Everyone stared at it, no one daring to touch it.

"Run all you want, but your past always catches up," Mira repeated the message aloud. "That's… creepy."

"It's not just creepy," Sai muttered, his voice unusually strained. "It's personal."

Hotaru crouched beside him, her hand brushing the damp scroll. "What do they mean by 'your past'? Are they talking about you, Sai?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned away, walking toward the broken door. The storm outside had softened to a misty drizzle, but the night felt heavier than before.

Tora, ever the curious one, grabbed the scroll and held it up to the lantern's light.

"There's something else here."

Faint, almost invisible under the inked message, were three kanji written in dried blood: House of Crimson Frost.

Mira's breath caught in her throat.

"No way. That's… that's your old clan, isn't it, Sai?"

Hotaru's eyes widened. "You were part of a clan?"

Sai's fists clenched at his sides, knuckles turning white. "I didn't want you all to know. But it's true."

The shrine filled with silence, broken only by the crackling lantern. Even Kuro sat unusually still, his bright eyes reflecting the flickering light.

Ryuuji leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I've heard whispers about the Crimson Frost. They were one of the deadliest assassin clans a decade ago. Then they disappeared."

Sai let out a bitter laugh. "We didn't disappear. We were exterminated."

Everyone froze.

Hotaru stood up, staring at him. "By who?"

Sai turned, his face shadowed but his voice clear.

"By me."

Tora dropped the scroll. Mira's eyes widened in disbelief. Ryuuji actually looked serious for once.

Hotaru's mind spun. "Wait, you—"

"I destroyed my own clan." Sai's voice was calm, almost detached, like he was stating a weather report. "Because they had turned into something even worse than the Kurogane. They trained children like tools. I was one of them — raised with a sword in one hand and poison in the other."

Tora whispered, "Like some twisted ninja daycare…"

"They made us kill to prove our loyalty." Sai's gaze drifted to the rain outside. "When I was fifteen, they ordered me to kill my own sister."

No one spoke. The weight of those words crushed the air in the room.

Sai's hand trembled slightly. "I couldn't do it. So, I did the only thing I could — I burned the entire compound down, with everyone inside."

Mira covered her mouth. Hotaru stepped forward, reaching out, but Sai shook his head.

"Don't pity me. It was my choice."

"But if you wiped them out, why is Kurogane using their name now?" Hotaru asked.

"That's what scares me." Sai's jaw tightened. "Because if someone survived that night — someone I didn't know about — they might want revenge."

Tora forced a nervous laugh. "So what you're saying is… we're being hunted by a flaming ninja ghost from your past?"

"Not a ghost," Sai said grimly. "A survivor."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, like the sky itself reacting to the confession.

Hotaru took a deep breath. "Then we find them before they find us. You're not alone in this, Sai."

Mira stepped beside her. "Yeah. We're your team now."

Ryuuji stretched lazily. "And if they come after you, they'll have to go through us. And trust me, they don't want to fight me when I'm low on beauty sleep."

Even Kuro gave a confident meow, tail flicking with determination.

Sai stared at them for a long moment before a rare, genuine smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"…Thanks."

Hotaru drew her sword, pointing it at the doorway.

"Alright, Crimson Frost survivor, Kurogane bastards, or ancient ramen spirits — whoever comes next, we'll handle it together."

Tora raised his cup noodles like a toast.

"To surviving the night — and surviving each other."

The rain outside began to clear, and for the first time in days, a sliver of moonlight cut through the clouds.

End of Chapter 49