Atop the steep mountain peak, the biting cold wind cut like knives, painful and relentless. But for Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails' Jinchūriki, this was just another day. She curled up in a corner, dressed in a thin, rough-spun robe, her filthy hair stiff as iron from the dirt and cold.
"Yugito-sama, please eat something," a nearby Jōnin urged, offering her a meal.
Yugito glanced at him, causing the Jōnin to flinch and instinctively take a step back, as though staring into the eyes of a terrifying beast.
Yugito forced a weak smile, a rare sight on her hardened face. "Leave it here. I'll eat outside," she said softly.
Though not entirely shunned in Kumogakure, at least half the village feared her. Fear often bred hostility, and for Yugito, that hostility was a daily reality. It wasn't something words or orders could change, not even from the Raikage himself.
When people fear something but find it poses no immediate threat, their fear morphs into hatred. Yugito had seen this pattern enough times to understand it.
Despite the Raikage's best efforts to protect her, resentment and cruelty still found their way to her. And when those who harbored ill will against her suffered due to the instability of the Two-Tails' seal, being burned to ash by the Bijuu's wrath, it only deepened the fear and hatred others had for her.
Though the introduction of the Basic Inner Technique had allowed her to better control the Bijuu's power, years of being feared and despised had taken their toll. Even if she had learned to wield the Two-Tails' power, she couldn't erase the hatred she felt toward herself.
When the Jōnin brought her food, she quietly ate the now-cold meal, her thoughts clouded with despair.
"I hope the next one won't end up like me," she thought.
She knew there was no saving her now. Yugito wasn't like B, who could fully suppress the Eight-Tails. She was merely a failed Jinchūriki—someone sent on a suicide mission to give Kumogakure a slight advantage in the war. It was why she was part of this first-wave squad, sent ahead with little hope of return.
"Enemy attack!!"
A loud shout rang out from the distance, jolting Yugito from her thoughts.
She staggered to her feet, her heart heavy with resignation. "They've found us?"
The squad's hideout was supposed to be hidden well, with only a few selected Kumo-nin knowing its exact location. But from her vantage point on the mountain, she could see a white crescent slashing through their ranks, cutting down ninja after ninja with deadly precision.
"Konoha's White Fang?" she muttered, recognizing the legendary figure. Even without knowing how Konoha had found them, she knew the battle ahead would be intense.
Flames as blue as the sky burst forth from her body, and black markings spread across her skin as the power of the Two-Tails surged through her.
"If I can take down the White Fang here…"
The flames grew, taking the shape of a massive spectral cat, her Bijuu form.
"Konoha's White Fang!" Yugito roared, her voice echoing off the mountains as her Bijuu transformation completed. She launched herself from the high ground, massive claws of fire slashing toward Sakumo.
Sakumo, who had just finished cutting down a Jōnin, glanced up at the flaming beast leaping toward him.
With a swift step back, he narrowly avoided the lethal blow. "Your turn!" he shouted over his shoulder.
Hidden among the rocks, Gin frowned. "Wasn't he supposed to be leading the charge?"
Reluctantly, Gin emerged from his hiding spot, only to find himself quickly surrounded by the remaining Kumo-nin.
"Hello, everyone," Gin greeted with a wave, but there was no time for pleasantries. In an instant, several Kumo-nin attacked, their swords drawn and lightning jutsu crackling in the air.
Unlike the samurai from the Land of Iron, these shinobi were no pushovers. Gin leaped to a higher vantage point, evading their initial strikes.
"Boom!"
The ground where he had stood moments before exploded, as several explosive tags went off. Dust and debris filled the air, briefly obscuring everyone's view.
When the dust settled, Gin stood atop a withered tree, his Sharingan flashing a menacing red.
His eyes quickly locked onto his targets. Eighteen in total: two severely injured Jōnin, five Chūnin, and eleven Genin.
"More than I expected," he muttered as his blade slid from its sheath.
"Clang!" His sword met the blade of an approaching Jōnin. Despite his injuries, the Jōnin fought with all his might, immediately forming hand seals with one hand.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Ball!" A sphere of lightning exploded between them, stunning Gin momentarily.
Before he could react, the Jōnin's body detonated with a violent burst of lightning, catching Gin in its wake.
"Boom!"
Gin's body flickered and vanished—an afterimage left by a Shadow Clone. The clone had dropped an explosive tag as well, though the Kumo-nin's lightning had disrupted it, rendering the explosion ineffective.
From the shadow of a nearby Chūnin, the real Gin emerged. "Shadow Clone Technique," he whispered, catching the Chūnin off guard.
Their eyes met, and Gin's Sharingan spun into action. The Chūnin, now under his control, immediately turned on his comrades with a kunai, but was quickly knocked out by one of the other Chūnin.
"Sharingan… Uchiha." One of the remaining Jōnin growled, recognizing the technique.
The Kumo-nin attacked in unison, converging on Gin. But he was faster.
"Breath of the Moon: Second Form – Pearl Flowers on the Moonglows!" Gin's sword danced through the air, leaving trails of moon-shaped slashes in its wake. The Jōnin were forced back by the sheer power of his strikes, their weapons trembling under the force.
Before they could recover, Gin's Sharingan caught the first Jōnin in a powerful genjutsu. To him, it felt as though his entire body had caught fire, burning him alive. In his agony, Gin's blade flashed once more, cutting him down.
The second Jōnin snapped out of the genjutsu, biting his tongue to dispel it just in time to block Gin's next strike.
But Gin wasn't done.
"Breath of the Moon: Eternal Evening, Flash of the Phantom Moon!"
Gin's blade moved in a blur, unleashing multiple wind blades and countless crescent-shaped strikes. The remaining Jōnin couldn't block them all. His eyes widened in horror as he watched his comrade get torn to pieces.
"One Jōnin down," Gin whispered.
The fight was far from over, as the remaining Kumo-nin charged in.
But Gin simply smiled. The real battle had only just begun.
(End of Chapter)
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