章 4: Act 4

A commotion instantly broke out when the clan leader spoke. The clan had been hidden for over eight hundred years; the sudden revelation that the clan was revealed to the world certainly wasn't a small thing for many elders.

Many believed that staying hidden was the best way to keep the clan safe, preventing a tragedy like their ancestors. Many were still paranoid that if the Shimizu clan were to be revealed, the enemies that once tried to annihilate their bloodline would return to finish what they started.

These thoughts caused the mood in the room to certainly take a turn for the worst, as many elders looked perturbed by the news, especially the latter part. After all, the Shimizu bloodline was the primary reason why the clan was hunted to near extinction over eight hundred years ago.

Many people weren't even sure it existed, at least not until the recent resurgence of the bloodline after all this time. And after finally witnessing the overwhelming power the bloodline granted, the elders, at last, understood why they were hunted down all those years ago. The power the boy wielded was simply frightening.

The elders were afraid. If the other clans in the land of fire had any records of the Suijin bloodline, they should be able to comprehend at least some of the threat of the bloodline.

The fear was almost palpable on some of the younger elders. It took the older elders taking control of the atmosphere in the hall before the younger elders seemed to regather their control.

The Clan leader seeing the elders regather themselves, nodded appreciatively tapping his fingers rhythmically on the edge of the table. Before clearing his throat, gathering the attention of everyone in the hall towards him.

"This isn't a matter that can be overlooked." The clan leader said gravely, his rhythmic tapping increasing in intensity.

"The very fact that I have received numerous demands from the Sea Daimyo to meet for discussions in the capital is no small matter. Especially when our patrols have noticed the presence of several shinobi in our lands, attempting to infiltrate our clan." He continued his tone containing an almost palpable disdain.

"But that's not even the worst of it. Our spies in the Sea Daimyo's administration, say that the Shimura clan has been putting pressure on the Sea Daimyo. Pressure, to take action against our clan with some kind of leverage they have over the Sea Daimyo." His voice shifting to a frighteningly cold tone.

"All indications at this point suggest that the meeting is most likely only a formality. The Water Daimyo has already begun to increase the fortifications around Mount Norikura, as well as leveraging the clans under his influence into action." His voice sounded out leaving the statement to linger in the air. Allowing the people present in the hall to process what was just said.

"It is very clear at this point that the water Daimyo is gearing up for war against our clan. The talks in the capital are likely just to see if they can get our clan to surrender peacefully, attempting to avoid huge loss of life." The clan leader indifferently continued.

"The source of the Daimyo's radical actions is likely the Shimura clan. It is very likely the Shimura clan has material that may very well destroy the Daimyo, and the Daimyo is now scrambling to meet the Shimura's demands."

"And make no mistake. By the time the week is over. There will. Be war." Coldly finished the clan leader, in an irrefutable tone.

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The atmosphere of the clan today was heavy. The general foreboding feeling in the air gave people a sense of unease that unnerved the clansman.

The often busy and active network of streets that crisscrossed the clan compound felt eerily empty today. The shops in the residential district completely empty despite being open.

The weather as if picking up on the dour feeling within the clan changed from sunny clear skies into massive sprawling grey clouds. Seemingly sapping away all light from the sunlights rays, with the clouds oppressive opaqueness plunging the Norikura mountain into darkness almost akin to night.

The clouds seemed to writhe unnaturally in the skies above the mountain, releasing deafening booms of sound as they moved. Yet the eerie atmosphere in the clan was only accentuated by the lack of weather phenomenon, acting almost akin to a dog barking for its owner's attention but too afraid to attack.

However, in the dreary streets of the compound walked a lone girl. Walking at a fast pace through the compact and empty streets, zigzagging through the veritable maze of the streets, jumping in fright every so often as the rumbling of thunder could be heard emanating from the sprawling clouds above.

On her face was the visage of worry as she hurriedly made her way through the dreary, dark streets, her sandals clickity clacking on the cobblestone paths as she rushed down the street. The rapidly contorting clouds above, making the shadows of the buildings and storefront canopies dance across the narrow streets like demons dancing in the dark.

The clan had never felt so alien to Miyazu in all her years, the streets she grew up on feeling so hostile. So cold.

Miyazu had felt something wrong with the atmosphere that had lingered in the clan all day. Her father's erratic behaviour, the sudden clan meeting with little warning, it had all weighed heavily on her mind for the whole day. Even when she did calligraphy to calm herself, she only wound up more worked up and couldn't focus at all.

So she ended up going for a walk through the clan compound to clear her mind of the maelstrom of worries she had concocted in her head. And before she knew it the streets were empty of people and the weather had taken a turn for the worse, increasing the sense of foreboding she felt.

Quickening her pace, Miyazu ended up leaving the narrow streets of the residential district walking onto the plaza behind the temple. Her eyes looking up the huge flight of stairs leading up to the majestic temple that overlooks the whole of the west side of the clan.

Looking up at the majestic building, Miyazu couldn't help but think about her father who was currently within those very temple walls. His uneasy appearance as he left the house still lingering in her mind, as the wind howled and thunder roared in the background, her eyes firmly glued to the lofty doors of the temple.

As she was standing lost, staring at the temple doors, she noticed the temple doors burst open. A young man standing at 5ft11 with sharp features, a head full of wavy azure hair tied into a high ponytail with his fringe messy, walked out from the temple.

From behind the man, two men could be seen being dragged by their legs. The man proceeded to slowly drag them down the stone stairs of the temple, causing the bloody visages of the two men to contort in pain as their screams echoed out, drowning out the sick thud of flesh hitting against stone.

The man seemed indifferent to the screams of pain the men released as he continued walking down the stairs calmly. Walking down the stone steps completely ignoring the cries of misery from the men he was dragging, continuing until the final flight of stairs before throwing both men from the top of the flight of stairs onto the plaza below.

Miyazu exclaimed in shock, recognising the two men thrown before her onto the plaza, they were elder Uragiri and elder Sunēku. They were in a horrific state, their face was flayed in several places with huge swathes of skin torn from their face, blood pouring from their wounds covering their faces.

Elder Sunēku had his jaw hung open, clearly broken, as his jaw bone could be clearly seen protruding through his cheek, all the while struggling to even cry due to his state. With elder Uragiri in similar condition, but with his left eye impaled by a shard of glass stained red from the red discharge oozing from the gouge in his eye.

Miyazu could hardly control her emotions as she saw the pitiful state of the two elders of the clan. Stepping back in fear as she saw the man who put them in that condition walk down the stairs, finally recognising his as the clan heir Shimizu Enkai.

He didn't spare her a single glance as he walked up to the two men squirming of the floor beneath him, azure hair swaying in the wind. His indifferent face covered in splatters of blood as he walked up to one of the elders on the floor planting his foot on his face, pressing down his weight onto him.

The elder bumbling incomprehensible noises of agony through his mauled jaw, as the full weight of Enkai's body, weighed down on his freshly rearranged face. Causing the elder's eyes to roll back in pain as his eyes darted desperately to find any reprieve, only to find Miyazu, eyes desperately begging for her to save him from the excruciating agony he was feeling.

Miyazu, although almost frozen in fear, attempted to plead with Enkai to stop. However, before she could speak, she froze once more as she felt his gaze bore into her, his unfeeling ice-cold eyes looking at her with such a lack of empathy she felt the icy cold breath of death washing over her.

Her instincts were screaming to run, however, her body refused to move. Frozen to the spot, she closed her eyes preparing for the worst. But, nothing happened. The pressure freezing her to the spot disappearing as she fell to the floor like a sack of bricks, her legs giving out from underneath her.

When she opened her eyes, she saw him completely ignoring her, instead walking up to the two men and grabbing them by their hair, proceeding to drag them. Ignoring their whimpers of pain as he moved towards the centre of the plaza, before stopping, and forcing both men to kneel on the ground.

He appeared to give one final glance at the two dishevelled men, who could be faintly heard whimpering, knelt under the black overcast clouds. Before he released a thunderous chakra-enhanced roar, that emanated for miles.

"Today! Today, blood will flow once again in the Shimizu clan!"