In the heart of the Yami District, unrest stirred like a storm about to break.
Whispers turned to outrage as word spread among the shadow style users and their mentors—the truth of the shadow demons was no longer a secret. That corruption wasn't a myth, but a fate quietly buried by the elders.
"They knew," one sensei muttered bitterly in the darkened hallway.
Gaki stood at the center of the growing assembly, his voice sharp as steel. "Are there any more secrets you're hiding from us? How many more truths have you buried to protect your legacy?"
Koumei stood beside his brother, gaze cold. "We're done being kept in the dark. We're leaving. We'll find a cure—ourselves."
The rift was instant. A schism between tradition and conscience. One by one, some of the strongest among them—Gaki, Koumei, and several others—turned their backs on the elders, walking away from the very institution they once swore to protect.
Yet not all followed.
Masaki stood tall, unshaken. Shidou remained, his arms crossed but his mind racing. "This is the end of the beginning," he murmured. "And a new journey… for the bold."
Far from Yami – Hirokage Clan, Ember Range
The mountain wind howled over the fire-veiled cliffs, carrying embers that danced like fading memories.
Yuuchi stepped into the heart of the Hirokage headquarters, arms trembling as he carried the cold, lifeless body of his mother. His red robes were torn and soot-stained. His face, hollow.
The elders moved quickly, lighting the chamber with blue fire seals as their hands weaved the Blazing Veil Technique. Again and again, they tried. But the corruption ran deep—too deep. Her body twitched, convulsed, then stilled.
Failure.
Yuuchi gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing. "This isn't worth my time," he said, voice cracking. "You said you could save her. All this hope—for what?"
But then, a flicker.
A miracle.
The seals burst into golden flame—and his mother gasped.
Yuuchi's eyes widened. "Mother…? You're… alive!"
She blinked, slowly sitting up, disoriented. "I… I don't know how. But I'm here." She turned to the masked Hirokage healer. "Thank you."
Then her eyes searched the room. "Yuuchi… where are your brothers and sister?"
His breath caught. "They didn't make it… Mom."
"Even if your children were dead," one of them said gently, "had they turned into shadow demons… there might have been a chance."
Yuuchi looked up, confused and hopeful.
"Our technique, the Blazing Veil, was forged to stabilize the corrupted essence of shadow chakra," another elder explained. "It doesn't always work. In truth, it fails more often than it succeeds. But in rare moments—when fire and shadow align perfectly—a miracle happens."
He gestured to Yuuchi's mother, who sat trembling with life.
Yuuchi's mother clutched her chest, her voice shaking. "So… there was a chance for them…?"
"Only if they had been corrupted," the elder replied softly. "Your other children didn't possess shadow strength. The curse never took root in them. That's why we… we couldn't help them."
Tears streamed down her face, the weight of her memories crashing down. She had slain her own children. The truth shattered her. Yet… hope still flickered.
She looked at Yuuchi, pulling him into a trembling embrace. "I still have you."
He hugged her tighter. "And I'm not going anywhere."
An elder placed a hand on Yuuchi's shoulder. "Now that you've seen the truth… are you willing to work with us? The Yami Clan has buried more than you know. If we're to prevent this tragedy from happening again, we need warriors who have nothing left to lose—but everything to fight for."
Yuuchi stood slowly, stepping back from his mother. His grip tightened around his red sword.
"Yeah. I want answers. And I want justice."
He turned to his mother with a final glance. "Stay here. This clan… it's our home now. They'll protect you."
Then, without another word, he stepped forward, blade unsheathed—his journey just beginning.