Chapter 30: The Destroyed Village, Haku!
Where there are dead bodies, there isn't always fire, but where there's fire, Uchiha Yi's presence is almost guaranteed.
To ensure his safety while maximizing soul point collection efficiency, Uchiha Yi decided to send out shadow clones carrying flames for Fire Movement Technique space travel. If any clone found a place with a significant number of dead, they would signal the main body to come and collect soul points. Since only the main body could handle this task, sending clones minimized risk—if danger arose, only a clone would be lost.
"This trip to the Land of Water has been really fruitful!" Uchiha Yi couldn't help but smile at the numbers on his virtual panel. In such a short time, he had already collected 100 points, a testament to the bloody mist created by Obito in Kirigakure. His current total had now reached 1,000 soul points, giving him the means to power up again, though he hadn't yet decided in which direction.
This was a small village in the Land of Water, often blanketed in snow. But his clone was here for more than just the scenery. Passing through, he'd heard that the village had been wiped out recently, though no one knew who was responsible. The only clues left were bodies impaled by ice spikes and people frozen in blocks of ice—a sight that had left the surrounding area shaken, with locals fearing they'd angered some powerful ninja.
"There's a thick presence of death here!" The surroundings were silent, save for the howling of the cold wind carrying the foul stench of decay. Even the snowy weather couldn't mask the smell.
Upon entering the village, he saw the bodies of villagers frozen in the moments of their deaths. Satisfied that the area was worth the main body's visit, he quickly summoned him.
In no time, Uchiha Yi emerged from the flame in the clone's hand, and the system immediately began collecting soul points. On the virtual panel, the soul count rapidly increased, reaching 137 points in just a few seconds. With this, his total rose to 1,342 points, bringing him a sense of satisfaction.
"All right, onto the next place!" He was just about to leave when he sensed someone watching him.
"There's still someone alive?"
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Given that the Land of Water was essentially Uchiha Obito's territory, Uchiha Yi knew he had to be careful. There was no response from the observer, though.
"Sharingan! Fiery Eyes!"
Unsure if it was friend or foe, he activated both abilities, enhancing his perception. Scanning the area, he soon spotted something unusual.
"Got you!" He signaled his clone to investigate while he kept alert, ready to escape with Fire Movement Technique if necessary.
A minute later, the clone dragged out a dirty child from a corner. Despite the grime, the child's delicate face was strikingly androgynous.
"Are you here to kill me, too?" the child asked, staring blankly at Uchiha Yi, seemingly resigned to his fate.
"What's your name?" Uchiha Yi frowned, asking casually. Though he needed soul points to grow stronger, he didn't go out of his way to kill. This child had clearly experienced tragedy, leaving him with deep scars. Without help, he'd likely die soon. Since he'd come across him, he might as well lend a hand.
"My name is Haku. Do you need my strength?" Haku asked, his empty eyes filling with a glimmer of hope.
Haku?
Uchiha Yi hadn't planned to seek out familiar characters from the storyline, but it seemed inevitable given the limited territory. Now, he faced a choice: should he let Haku meet Zabuza as in the original story?
He felt a certain unease toward Haku, especially because of the various fan works he'd seen in his past life. Many portrayed Haku as a girl or even had romantic storylines involving him, with some even suggesting a gender transition. These ideas had given Uchiha Yi a strange "persecution complex" about Haku.
What if I save him and he ends up liking me?
A shiver ran down his spine at the thought, giving him chills. Saving him was fine, but taking responsibility for him afterward was out of the question.
"Forget it; I'll send him to Pain," he decided. Haku's ice release abilities made him a powerful asset, and it would be a waste to simply leave him. After forming a relationship with Pain, Uchiha Yi had begun considering his future more carefully. Now that he was in this world, there was no guarantee he'd be able to return home. If he had to stay here, he'd need to make some long-term plans.
"Your power is indeed valuable," he told Haku. "But right now, you're too weak. I'll send you somewhere safe where you can grow stronger."
Haku's face lit up, and he nodded eagerly.
"Can you use your ice release to encase yourself in ice?" Uchiha Yi asked. He intended to use Fire Movement Technique to take Haku to Amegakure, but the flames' high temperature could burn or even kill someone who wasn't protected. Though his own Flame-Flame Fruit granted immunity, anyone else without some form of heat resistance would be in danger. Since Fire Movement Technique was still only level one, the flames weren't excessively hot, but Haku's ice would offer extra protection.
"Yes!" Haku extended his hand, forming a beautiful ice crystal in his palm.
"Good. Now, use your ice release to freeze yourself. It'll only be for a few seconds," Uchiha Yi instructed.
Without hesitation, Haku activated his ice release, encasing himself in a block of ice.
With Haku safely frozen, Uchiha Yi lifted the ice block, activated Fire Movement Technique, and stepped into the flames, taking Haku with him.
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