The Kumi family estate had changed a lot in the past few days. It was usually a serene place—guests were rare and only those who were trusted were allowed in. That tranquillity had been broken by the outsiders who had all but taken over the estate. There was a discomfort among those who worked there, having to be in the presence of shinobi who were supposed to be enemies of the city.

All of the changes had been brought by the young boss, who had taken over since the boss' health had taken a turn for the worse. The people had tried to question him about the changes, but Gyon refused to give any reasonable justification and only replied that it was for the betterment of the family—but those in the know knew that Gyon had collaborated with the Hidden Frost shinobi to gain control of the family.

Just yesterday, a Hidden Frost jonin by the name of Ebi had visited the estate to have a closed-door meeting with Gyon and no one knew what was discussed—just that Gyon hadn't looked pleased or even normal since the meeting.

"So this Gaku; he's a Hidden Steam shinobi?"

In another closed-door meeting, a Hidden Frost chunin questioned Gyon. They had been going at it for thirty minutes already and Gyon was getting frustrated. He didn't think it would be like this; he thought he would be in full control of the family and his influence over the city would boost with the support of shinobi behind him, but they were treating him like he was lying to them, keeping information from him.

"Yes."

"And he's from Yu?"

"I don't know if he's from here or not, but he had been living in the city for the past five years—but then he left soon after you guys arrived."

"Doesn't look like he left. In fact, he has been helping the Hidden Leaf scums."

Gyon glared at the chunin. "I already told you, I didn't know he was in the city until he made contact with us. I barely met him twice and both times we barely talked. I don't know where he's right now or what he's doing now. My father was the one who mainly dealt with them."

"Your father... are you sure he's the only one who knows the real location?"

"Yes," he sighed, "he gave everyone fake addresses."

"Even you, his son?" The chunin chuckled, "I guess it makes sense."

Gyon clenched his fist, digging his fingernails into his skin to control his anger. The shinobi didn't hide his sarcasm, it was dripping in his voice—he was mocking the choice he made of betraying his father and family. Even though he was helping them, he was getting mocked in return.

"Any more questions?" he asked.

The chunin stared at him for a moment. "Not for now." He stood up and looked down at him "We'll be in touch if we do. If your father wakes up or Takuma or Gaku make contact with you, reach out to us as soon as possible."

Gyon felt a pit in his stomach at the thought of his father interrogated by the shinobi. Yesterday when Ebi had visited him, he had shared the method and findings of Motohiro's resistance group's interrogation in graphic detail. The thought of his father going through the same treatment sent a chill down his spine.

He hadn't thought that the shinobi might go after his father and suddenly, he was regretting the choice he had made. He had no idea how to fix his mistake either because he’d taken hold of a hand that he couldn't let go of.

The sliding door opened and without looking up, Gyon said, "Leave. I wish to be alone."

When there was no response, no footsteps, and no sound of sliding door, Gyon looked up to see one of the young members standing by the door. There was no expression on his face and he was looking at him without blinking.

"You... aren't you Miru's underling?" said Gyon, unable to remember his name.

He felt something off, but couldn't put his finger on it, and neither did he think much about it because he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Just when he was about to ask him again, the underling spoke.

"Was it worth it?"

"Excuse me?"

"You got the control of the family... but at what cost? You've lost the respect of all who work under you, and those who agree are just bootlickers—yes-men who would let you fuck their wives if you asked."

"What the hell are you saying? Do you realise what you’re doing right now?" Gyon snarled as he got up to confront the lowly underling.

It hit a chord in his mind because somewhere deep down, he knew it was true. Half the Kumi lieutenants had refused to talk to him and had shown the bare-minimum level of support in the midst of a crisis. He had gotten the control of the family, but lost everything else. Even his mother had been cold to him.

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"It looks to me like you don't want to be part of the family anymore."

Gyon raised his hand to grab the underling's throat, but he grabbed hold of his forearm when he was halfway through the motion. He didn't think much about it because as long as his opponent wasn't a lieutenant, no one in the family could compete with him with his strength.

When he tried to push, the hand grabbing him didn't budge. He was surprised and this time tugged away, but wasn't able to free his hand much less move it.

"W-What? Who—"

There was a sudden puff of smoke to reveal Takuma standing in front. In an instant, a primal fear rose from the deepest depth of his being as he stared at the cold, rigid black eyes. His heart was pumping and sweat built up on his skin as he felt the grip gradually tighten around his wrist.

There was no question that he was in grave danger, so Gyon followed his first instinct and screamed—but the moment he opened his mouth, Takuma swung a kunai and lodged it in his throat before he could utter a single syllable.

Gyon's forgot about screaming as he went into shock. Takuma pushed him back, de-lodging the kunai. He tried to plug the wound, but nothing he did stopped the blood from flowing.

"You put some really good people, who care deeply for the city, in danger. You even poisoned your own father, you rat bastard," said Takuma as he stared down at him with nary an emotion on his face.

Gyon would've denied the claim; he hadn't done anything to his father, but he had lost his voice box.

"I'm less angry about the fact that you tried to sell me out and feel more pity towards Hoshiguro that he raised a son like you. To face such betrayal by your own blood. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy—which is why I hope your children aren't the first ones to find you like this."

Gyon stopped struggling as those words triggered the revolving lantern as his body became cold. He laid down on the floor and stared at the ceiling as his own blood pooled around him, seeping into his clothes.

In his last moments, he remembered his little twins; he realised that he wouldn't be there as they grew up, that they wouldn't have a father figure. With his father bedridden and him dead, who knew what would happen to the Kumi family. His children wouldn’t inherit the Kumi family as one of the lieutenants would take over.

He worried about his mother and wife, wondering how their lives would be—if they would receive proper support in the face of his death. He hadn't impressed upon the family members to win their loyalty, but he hoped that at least his father had earned them some goodwill which would help his children.

He saw Takuma at the edge of his darkening vision. The young shinobi knelt beside him and whispered something he barely caught,

"I wanted to make you suffer. Luckily for you, I don't have the time... but I hope you rot in hell," he said before stabbing him in the heart.

'I'm sorry,'

Gyon said to his family before everything went black.

———

.

Takuma moved away as the blood pool inched towards him. He looked down at Gyon and the kunai in his chest; he was going to leave it there so people could tell exactly who had done the deed but after some brief thought, he used Gyon's blood to write TRAITOR on the wall.

He wiped his bloody hands on Gyon's clothes and opened the door to exit the room only to find a woman who worked at the estate outside.

She was surprised which then turned to shock and fear when she saw the bloodstains on his clothes and hands. And then she looked past him into the room and saw Gyon's corpse and bloody words

"Ssshhh..."

Takuma pulled out another kunai and held it against her neck. He wasn't worried because the Hidden Frost shinobi had already left and no one on the property was a threat to him even if they all teamed together against him.

"Miss, I don't want to harm you, and I won't harm you if you follow my orders. Nod if you understand."

The scared woman nodded rigidly and hastily.

"Good," Takuma smiled, which made him look sinister which boosted the fear in the woman. "Do you see that tree near the boundary?" He pointed at the tree which was planted next to the estate's walls.

The woman nodded again.

"Very good. Now, I want you to walk to that tree and slowly count to a hundred before doing whatever you want. If you move before completing the count, I will know, and you will end up the same as him... Nod if you understand."

"Y-Yes, I will do it, so p-please...."

The woman seemed out of breath and looked faint.

"It's okay, take deep breaths. I don't want to harm you so as long as you follow my instructions, I can guarantee that you won't ever see me again," Takuma said in a calming voice, not sure if it would make any difference. "Now, go and stand there."

The woman moved with shaky steps and kept looking back at him. He stayed there until she was a few steps away before disappearing so when she reached the tree and looked back, he was no longer there.

"1... 2... 3...."

———

.

[TRAITOR]

Ebi looked at the bold words written on the wall. It was his first time seeing words written in blood at a scene in person. He looked down at the dried pool of blood where the body used to be. They had moved the body, and all that remained was the kunai used for murder, which was now in his hand.

"It's him."

Ebi wasn't alone in the room. He looked at Kon who stood next to the bloody wall, observing as though there was a secret locked in the accusing words.

"Uh-huh, the question is if you can find him," Ebi asked.

He had been involved in the interrogations of Motohiro's resistance group—they had rounded up all of the known group members, their family members, friends, and anyone who they thought could give them an answer, but no one seemed to have an answer. Takuma or Tobi—or whatever they called him—no one knew anything about him except for the fact that he was always with Gaku, the Hidden Steam shinobi.

"He's been very careful since I caught him but you seem to have pissed him off this time by arresting his little civilian rebels," said Kon, chuckling as though he found the entire situation amusing. There was a strange look in his eyes as he moved on to look at the pool of blood. "Have you questioned any of the lieutenants? The Kumi were in a state of instability, they might have collaborated with him to take out the traitor."

"They're being rounded up as we speak."

"Look into the Goharu family as well. He might have gone to them for help to take out the enemy's head."

Ebi knew that the Goharu family hadn't been happy since they had been punished for Aranai's poisoned drug operation and now the Hidden Frost, who was their backer, was getting close to their rivals. That was enough motivation to hire a shinobi to plunge the Kumi family into chaos by assassinating Gyon while Hoshiguro was bedridden.

"I'll make the orders," said Ebi.

Kon massaged and rotated his injured right arm and shoulder as he looked at Ebi.

"I don't know why, but you should be prepared."

"For what?" asked Ebi.

Kon shook his head. "I don't know—well I have some idea—but after seeing this... something big is coming," he looked at the bloody message.

Six days remained until the main forces arrived at Yu.