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They traveled in silence, the only sounds being the crunch of sand under their feet and the occasional gust of wind. Eventually, they reached a ridge that overlooked a small valley. Horyu crouched low, signaling for Kurenai to do the same. "We'll take a quick rest here," he said, his voice low but firm. "We're close to the rendezvous point, but I want to make sure everything is clear before we move in."
Kurenai nodded, taking a moment to catch her breath. She glanced at Horyu, her eyes softening for a brief moment. "Be careful," she said quietly.
Satisfied that the area was secure, Horyu stood up. "Let's go," he said, offering Kurenai a hand to help her up. She took it, and they continued their journey, descending into the valley with swift, quiet steps.
As they approached the rendezvous point, Horyu's senses sharpened. He could feel the faint chakra signature of Karin, along with a few others that were unfamiliar but not immediately threatening. He signaled for Kurenai to stay close as they navigated through the rocky terrain.
Finally, they arrived at a small, concealed entrance to what seemed to be an underground bunker. Horyu knocked on the door in a specific rhythm, a pre-arranged signal. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing Karin's familiar face.
As soon as Horyu stepped into the dimly lit entrance, Karin's eyes widened with relief, and before he could react, she dashed forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly. The sheer force of her embrace almost made him stumble, but he steadied himself, his arms instinctively going around her. Her body trembled as she buried her face in his chest, the tension she had been holding onto for weeks finally breaking free.
Kurenai, who had been following closely behind Horyu, paused at the sight. A flicker of jealousy crossed her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it, her expression shifting to one of calm understanding. Still, she couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation as she watched Karin cling to Horyu so desperately.
"You made it back, Horyu!" Karin's voice was muffled against his chest, but the relief and lingering fear were evident. She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I was so afraid... I thought... I thought I might lose you." Her voice cracked, and tears began to spill over, streaking her cheeks as she leaned into him again.
Horyu let out a soft sigh, his hand coming up to gently pat her back. "I'm here now, Karin. You don't have to worry," he said, his voice low.
Kurenai watched the interaction in silence, her heart a mix of emotions. She knew what they had all been through and understood the bond that had formed between Horyu and Karin, but it didn't make it any easier to watch. Still, she respected Horyu's ability to provide comfort, even if it wasn't his natural inclination.
As Karin finally began to calm down, her sobs turning into soft sniffles, she pulled away from Horyu, her hands lingering on his arms as if afraid to let go completely.
Horyu gave a slight nod, his gaze hardening as he turned his attention back to the task at hand. "Have you secured the area?" he asked, his tone all business now, the brief moment of tenderness gone as quickly as it had appeared.
Karin straightened up, wiping away the last of her tears. "Yes, we've fortified the entrance and set up a perimeter. The others are inside, resting and preparing for the next move."
"Good," Horyu replied, his voice carrying an edge as he stepped into the dimly lit bunker. His eyes swept over the wary shinobi from various villages, all of them on high alert despite their exhaustion. Their gazes locked onto him, a mix of hope and suspicion flickering in their eyes. The air was thick with tension, the oppressive atmosphere a reflection of the grim reality they all faced.
As Horyu took another step inside, his sharp eyes noticed a shinobi from the Hidden Sand rise abruptly. Kankuro, his face drawn and weary, stared at Horyu with a burning intensity. His left arm was missing, the stump hastily bandaged—a grim reminder of the battles they had all endured.
Kankuro's remaining hand clenched into a fist, and before anyone could react, he surged forward, grabbing Horyu by the collar. "You bastard!" Kankuro snarled, his voice thick with anger and desperation. "This is all because of your damn clan!"
In an instant, Kankuro felt cold steel against his throat, and his eyes widened in shock. The Horyu he had grabbed flickered and vanished like a mirage, while the real Horyu appeared behind him, the blade of the Uchiha Ancestral Sword pressed lightly against Kankuro's neck.
"I suggest," Horyu whispered, his voice calm yet filled with an underlying threat, "that you choose your next words very carefully." His red eyes bore into Kankuro's, the Sharingan spinning lazily as if to emphasize how easily he could end the Sand shinobi's life. "I am not in the mood to tolerate any bullshit."
The room fell into a tense silence, the other shinobi watching with bated breath. They knew the rumors—how it was the Uchiha who had caused the gate to the Realm of Specters to open, unleashing horrors upon their world. And while most had chosen to hold their tongues, the loss and fear had clearly pushed Kankuro beyond the edge.
Kankuro swallowed hard, the cold edge of Horyu's blade pressed against his throat. The stark reminder of how fragile life had become in this world was enough to send a shiver down his spine. Yet, even with death so close, his anger refused to be quelled. The Uchiha were to blame for everything—the death of his father, the kidnapping and subsequent death of his brother Gaara, and the opening of the gate to the Spectral Realm. His mind flashed back to that nightmarish night when the Sand Village, already weakened by internal strife, had been overrun by specters. Those fiendish creatures didn't care that the Sand had chosen to remain neutral; they tore through the village like rabid dogs, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.
The grip of fear began to mix with fury as Kankuro's eyes met Horyu's, seeing nothing but cold indifference reflected back at him. "You… Uchiha scum," Kankuro hissed, his voice trembling. "You and your damned clan are the reason everything's gone to hell!"
Horyu's smile was a cold slash across his face, devoid of warmth or mercy. "Then join everything in hell," he whispered, his voice laced with an icy finality. In an instant, his blade moved with a speed that defied the eye, slicing through Kankuro's neck cleanly. The head flew through the air, landing amidst the other shinobi with a wet thud. Blood spattered across the room, the air thick with the metallic scent of death.
The silence that followed was thick, heavy with the shock that rippled through the room. The shinobi stared in horror at Kankuro's decapitated body, still standing for a fraction of a second before collapsing to the ground.
One shinobi, his face pale and eyes wide with disbelief, pointed a trembling finger at Horyu. "You… you killed him," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper, as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just witnessed.
Horyu flicked his sword, clearing the blade of blood with a practiced motion. His Sharingan eyes glinted with a cold intensity as he turned to face the shinobi who had spoken. "Anyone else dare question the only person standing between you and the specters?" His voice was calm, almost conversational, but the threat in his words was unmistakable.
The shinobi's gaze dropped immediately, his courage evaporating under Horyu's unyielding stare. The rest of the room remained silent, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating. No one dared to move, let alone speak.
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