Leaving Amid the Falling Snow

Hearing the people around him talking, Chiba frowned. Just as he could no longer stand it and was about to argue with them, the girl beside him lifted her haggard face and shook her head.

Chiba suppressed his anger and headed for the blacksmith's shop beside the church.

When they reached the church, workers were repairing the area damaged in Chiba's battle with Bobbit. He also heard that a new priest was being selected for the church.

Since Bobbit's death, Alili had shut himself up at home all day and never went out. He seemed to have fallen into grief and couldn't pull himself out of it.

Chiba stepped into the blacksmith's shop.

"Sir, are you here?" Chiba called out.

As his voice faded, a clattering came from the back room. Then an old man covered in iron grime came out.

The old man's face lit up when he saw Chiba. "Sir, everything you ordered is ready. Except for the sword, I've put it all in the bag."

He picked up a cloth bag and handed it to Chiba.

Chiba took the bag, opened it, and gave the contents a quick look with his Sharingan. There were fifty Shuriken and a hundred Kunai, not one more or less.

"Thank you for your work," Chiba said with a smile as he closed the bag.

Then the old man took a sheathed Ninja Blade from beside the wall and handed it to Chiba. "This Ninja Blade was forged from the finest iron mixed with reinforcing magic ore. It's sharp enough to cut through iron like mud."

Chiba took the Ninja Blade, felt its texture, and gently drew it.

As the bright blade slid free, it reflected a cold glint. Chiba couldn't help but murmur in admiration, "A fine blade."

In truth, he didn't know what was good about it. He just said it to show off in the moment.

As the blade was returned to its sheath, the old man chuckled. "When this blade is drawn, a cold glint flashes out, as chilling as icy water. And it happened to be forged in winter, so... I named it... Winter Water."

"Ninja Blade... Winter Water..." Chiba's mouth twitched.

You might as well have called it the famous blade Shusui... Good thing it was forged in winter. If it had been autumn, you'd definitely have named it Shusui.

Accepting Shu... Bah! Winter Water, Chiba asked, "Sir... how much is it altogether?"

"One hundred thousand J. After deducting your deposit, you only need to pay two hundred thousand," the old man said with a smile.

It was the first time he had seen someone so wealthy place such a large order.

Chiba felt around inside his clothes, then grew a little embarrassed. He had left in such a hurry that he seemed to have forgotten his money.

"I knew you'd forget..."

The girl beside him seemed to know how forgetful Chiba was, and she reached out her hand...

But that instinctive movement let the old man see her right hand.

"Demon... You... You're a demon!!"

The old man's eyes widened. Mira's hand had clearly frightened him, and his hunched body trembled all over.

"Sir, I..."

"Don't come near me! Don't kill me! Get away! Get out of here!"

The old man's face went deathly pale as he cried out in a trembling voice.

Mira's teeth sank into her lower lip. She didn't even notice when she bit through it and drew blood, and her little hand gripped Chiba's all the tighter.

"Chiba, let's go," she said very, very softly, as if she didn't want to disturb anyone.

She gave Chiba a stack of bills.

He put the money on the table, then shouldered the bag and took Winter Water in his other hand. Holding Mira's hand, he walked out with her.

"Whooo..."

The bitter wind swept the snowflakes into a whirling dance.

Perhaps the old man had made too much of a commotion, because passersby and neighbors came running to the door to see what was happening.

But when they saw Mira, they immediately scattered, leaving a wide empty space around her.

"The demon went into the blacksmith's house. Is he all right?" someone in the crowd asked quietly.

"We just heard the blacksmith shouting. Could the demon have killed him already?" someone cried in alarm.

"Heavens, how can the demon still be here?"

"Their family is cursed. By the rules, they should get out of the village."

"That's right! Get out of the village!"

The villagers grew more and more agitated as they spoke. If Chiba hadn't been there, they might even have started fighting.

"Are every one of you... idiots?"

Chiba finally couldn't take it anymore.

The people around them fell silent.

"How did Bobbit become a demon?" Chiba asked. "Was it because of Mira? She's lived here since she was little. Don't you know whether she's a demon or not?"

"I can tell you with complete certainty that a demon lurking in the church corrupted Bobbit's mind and caused him to fall into darkness. And Mira used Take Over on... that is, destroyed the demon. That demon ate people. In other words, if Mira hadn't destroyed it, every one of you would have been eaten by it sooner or later!"

Everyone was left speechless.

"But... she's a demon now..."

"If she doesn't leave, we'll still suffer..."

"That's right. Even if she used to be human, she's a demon now. Who knows? She might end up like Father Bobbit..."

Hearing what the people around him were saying, Chiba was utterly disappointed in them.

Maybe... this was human nature.

He offered no further explanation, because there was no point. People only wanted to see the result: Mira's family leaving the village.

They went home.

The next day.

The bitter wind was still blowing, and snow was falling thickly.

The entrance to Mira's house, which should have been utterly deserted, was now packed with people.

Some held hoes, others sickles. Each gripped their weapon tightly, as if facing a monster that would slaughter humans on a massive scale.

After repeated discussions, they had finally made a decision.

They were going to drive Mira's family out by force.

They believed that if Mira stayed in the village, she would bring disaster sooner or later.

"Creak..."

The door opened gently, and the people inside came out as well.

The Ninja Blade Winter Water hung at Chiba's right hip, and a light gray cloth bag containing some Shuriken and Kunai hung at his left. He came out carrying a large bundle on his back, holding the hand of Mira, who wore a black robe.

Behind them were Elfman and Lisanna, each carrying a small bundle.

"Shall I burn it down?" Chiba asked in a low voice.

"Mm..." Mira nodded gently.

This was the place that held her childhood memories, but it was also the place that bore her present sorrow. She no longer had a reason to return, and there was no point in leaving it standing or not.

Chiba turned around and formed the hand seals for Great Fireball.

A blazing fireball burst from his mouth and struck the little house. The wooden house erupted in flames.

"Move." Chiba swept his Sharingan over the crowd and spoke coldly.

They readily stepped aside to make a path.

Chiba then led Mira and the others toward the mountain.

Their figures, illuminated by the raging flames, vanished amid the swirling snow at the silver horizon.