Chapter 12: A Chance

Ritsu was positioned beside his father at the front of the crowd, elevated slightly higher than the rest.

Ritsu looked at his father, seeing him with eyes closed, before addressing the clan.

"Everyone is brought here today because today I have received a report that the Fuji Clan leader has been killed by the Toru Clan head.

While the Toru clan is high on victory, that is when we will strike.

Now I gathered the Yua Clan here…" Ritsu paused as he eyed every single Yua Clan member, seeing his gaze every Yua Shinobi looked away avoiding his gaze.

Seeing their reaction Ritsu continued, "I assume that you can figure out what I wish for you guys to do."

The Yua shinobi tensed at the thought of going to war for a clan that had subjugated them just six months prior.

Bystanders would ask, 'were they not worried that they would rebel?'

But if the people knew the situation the Yua Clansmen were in then they too would realize that they had no choice but to accept the matter.

If it were not for these cursed seals, threatening them with unimaginable pain every time they showed hostility to those with Karatachi blood, they would kneel before falling unconscious due to the amount of pain they went through.

Then they would be placed in solitary confinement for a week, besides the reasonable amount of food, they were placed in a small confined space that had no light, and soundproofing walls making the person confined, hear only himself.

They shuddered, they rather….

"You'd rather die than continue living for this clan. Isn't that right?"

The Yua clan members all looked at the boy in front of him, he showed no expression but his eyes showed it all.

They showed glee and pity, it was as if he were mocking them, and pitying their situation at the same time.

But they knew who the child in front of them was, the one who led the downfall of their clan.

The child in front of them had planned everything.

They recalled the time when they had first woken up.

They had been drugged at least the shinobis were the last to awaken from their heavy slumber, after all Ritsu had Clans doctor, Shin, make some doses that could be used to slumber Jonin shinobi.

By that time most of the civilians, the non-shinobi, of the Yua Clan had already been imprinted with the cursed mark.

When the shinobi had awakened they had resisted and they felt the consequences of their actions.

All cursed shinobi glared at Ritsu as they recalled the pain.

They all knew he was the one who had invented such a diabolical jutsu.

"This is the chance for all of you to die honorably on the battlefield but after all the trouble I went through to put those marks on you…. " Ritsu paused as a slight smirk appeared on his face.

"your wife... "

"your child..."

"In fact it's your entire clan when you all die that will all go to waste. After all, what value do women and children have compared to a shinobi capable of killing? Hmmm?"

"You still have a duty as a father to ensure the safety of your family"

"As a shinobi, you still have the duty to ensure your clan survives."

Yua Clan members went red across the board, their hand clench, their teeth clenched, but none dared to yell out.

None had the gall, as through the months they have been beaten into submission, unable to retaliate.

All hope seemed loss amongst the Yua shinobi however an old man walked out from the crowd of Yua Shinobi, "You damn bastard, in that attack the initial explosion killed my daughter and her husband.

It was right in front of my eyes. I held her dying body as life faded from her eyes." The old man paused, killing intent engulfed the entire room, "You expect me to go and kill for you when….when"

"Now, Now…. Let's settle down," Ritsu interrupted the old man, as he activated the seal causing the old man to quiet down,

"That's why you are all gathered here today. If only you didn't have those cursed marks you could kill me, you could run away, or you wouldn't have to live the life of a servant isn't that right, IF only….you had that chance."

"Well let me give you a chance for every ten shinobi heads you claim, I will grant you a wish, whether it be to face me in a duel after I remove your seals or to free a family member from the cursed seal then I am all ears."

The room went silent, the Karatachi members wished to change their young master's mind, but they stayed silent seeing the smirk on Ritsu's face, they knew that smirk.

"Also capturing enemy shinobi count as three heads, I'm sure you know of my uses of them"

The clansmen knew they couldn't change his decision, to some he was the lord they wholeheartedly believe was qualified as the Clan Head, to others he was their savior.

Where he went whether it be mountain ranges, across seas, or through pits of hell, they would follow.

"You devil, you still give us false hopes. We won't fall for such—" the old man shouted before being interrupted as a young shinobi brushed past him pushing him aside.

The young adult shinobi had broad shoulders, black hair, black eyes, tanned skin, a slim but rather dense figure, his eyes brimming with hope.

"Is it true if I bring you ten heads then my sister can be freed." the shinobi asked.

Ritsu smiled knowing that at least one would take his bait, if it was not for them then it would be for others.

"That's right, bring me ten shinobi heads from the Toru Clan then I shall give your sister her freedom, I'll even give her some money and protection to the nearest town. In fact the amount of money that will be given to every free person will be this."

Ritsu pulled out a bag of money from a storage scrolls, the bag of money was of a considerable size, he threw it to the young shinobi.

The eyes of the young shinobi went wide as he peered into the contents of the bag.

It was too much money that civilians should have, it would last them twenty years for a family of four.

The other Yua clansmen close enough also peeked into the bag resulting them in producing an audible gulp..

Some simply scoffed.

The young shinobi had doubts, "Why would you give us this much money just allowing us to be free is already enough."

"Well first of all it ain't even my money it had belonged to you guys, so I am simply returning it back."

`We are about to attack the Toru Clan, which should weaken the Fuji Clan thus allowing us to sweep both Clan's monetary reserves. What use is their money. When we will make at least five times as much money we give back. Especially since the Fuji Clan in recent years isn't really considered a shinobi clan, rather it's more like a merchant clan.'

'Luckily they don't have any ties with bigger clans,'

Hearing his words the Yua Clan members scoffed, and scorned him in their hearts.

"Anyway whether you believe me or not we'll find out soon anyways. We are leaving late evening"

Whether the Yua Clansmen liked it or not, they had no choice now; they would either earn their freedom tonight, or they would earn others.

—-----------------

In the Fuji compound situated two kilometers away from Toragawa.

In the clan heads residence the patio

There were two men.

A man with a solemn look with specks of blood on his face, Ryu was staring at the night, the moon was shining bright.

The stars covered the night sky, a cloudless sky tonight, same can't be said for the dense fog surrounding the patio.

Recalling his recent actions of killing those in the residence, this night sky brought relief and calmness to him.

He will admire the scene another time.

Ryu grips his sword as he deals the finishing blow to the guards of the residence.

As the final guard fell faint words could be heard, "I'm sorry mistress..."

Ryu watched the shivering mother holding her child shield him from what was to come.

"Please kill me, but spare my child please!" the mother desperately cried, begging Ryu hoping for an ounce of mercy.

Instead she was met with Ryu's cold bloodied face, "You should know what type of world we live in, I can't let the child of the previous clan head live."

Ryu raises his blade, the moon light shining off it.

The reflection looked beautiful, but to the mistress of Hiroyuki, it was the shinigami here to claim her life.

As the blade came down, Ryu out of the corner of his eye saw a reflection.

He quickly changed the direction of his blade to deflect the kunai.

He turned to face his attacker, his face frowning as he saw ten of them.

But his frown deepens when he realizes that they were wearing Yua Clan uniforms.

'Survivors? But why would they be here? And why would they attack me?'

"Why are you here?" He decides to question them.

Instead of responding one of the Yua Clan members used a water jutsu creating a lance of water heading to Ryu's head.

Ryu steps to the left avoiding the water lance, only to be met with kunais coming from five directions.

Straining himself, as he was already tired, he proceeds to flip to avoid the multitude of them, while deflecting another seven kunai with his blade.

The last two kunai were heading towards his chest, particularly the heart, but he let them pierce his forearm as he was still deflecting kunais from the other side.

Bearing through the pain Ryu catches three of the kunai that deflected up with his injured hand before throwing them to an opposing ninja.

In doing so he also sprinted to the ninja ready to intercept the ninja's next move.

The Yua Clan member instinctively jumped out of the way, but to his dismay Ryu was faster than anticipated as he saw the blade going towards his head.

Instinctively he raised his blade to intercept the blade, but his sword was cleaved through, as he saw the world spinning around.

The mistress of Fuji clan, Chie, was stunned seeing the Yua Clan members since their clan was exterminated, at least that's what she's heard from her husband, Hiroyuki.

Seeing the various ninjutsu and sparks from clashing blades, she awoke from her stupor.

Chie knew better than to stay with two possible hostile parties.

She stood up and carried her son quickly leaving the patio heading to the woods.

But just as she entered the woods, she was met with a child.

The child looked no older than a six year old.

But Chie felt hesitant to approach the child, or go anywhere near him.

She couldn't understand this instinctive reactions.

Hearing the distant fighting she knew she had to get away just as she stepped to move around the child, he frowned.

"Hmmmm, I just tried doing what all top level people do, which is to completely freeze my opponent.

Could it be that your survival instinct overridden my overbearing presence?"

Confusion spread onto Chie's face, until realization spread that what she just felt a moment ago was done by the child in front of her.

She couldn't possibly understand why the child would do such a thing.

"Y-yo…. why would you do such a thing?"

Ritsu tilted his head puzzled by the trivial question asked by the mistress of the Fuji Clan.

Sighing, "You know, these pink eyes of mine should explain everything."

Those only made Chie more confused, apparent through her face.

The distant fighting is becoming more and more faint.

"I can't be bothered to explain but just know that I can't let the heir and the mistress of the Fuji Clan live, that much you must understand right?"

Chie couldn't believe that such a young child was planning to kill her and her son.

"Yo-you're just a child how could you plan on doing su-..."

Stopping her words she realized that the child in front of her had disappeared.

Confused, she turned her head around to look but was met with pain in chest.

She looked down only to see a tip of a sword coming out the head of her child.

Before she could even cry in despair of having her child killed, the blade sliced upwards cutting from her abdomen up in half.

Ritsu stared at the mother and son as their corpses fell, however, it didn't last long as his gaze settled to where the ten Yua clan members and Ryu were fighting.

Hearing no fighting the battle must have concluded at least in the clan head building, as faint's swords clashing and jutsus could be heard further out.