Ikuko Hyuga abruptly turned her head, staring at Yui's face in shock, as though trying to see through that unfamiliar visage.
Gradually, those pale eyes began to overlap with the ones in her memory.
Her lips parted slightly, but all that escaped was a sigh.
"So that's it..."
If she was Yui Hyuga, everything made sense.
"Cough, cough-" She coughed violently, bringing up several mouthfuls of blood.
"Yui Hyuga, perhaps I lost to you today because I was careless."
"But I believe all of this was fate." Her gaze grew unfocused. "Because fate decreed it, Nai Hyuga won't die today. But because fate decreed it, I will die here today."
"Everything that happened today was destined to happen!"
She lowered her eyes, seemingly accepting it all.
Hearing Ikuko Hyuga's words, Yui frowned slightly, unable to understand her way of thinking.
"Fate?" Yui had nothing but contempt for such an intangible notion.
Hearing the word Ikuko Hyuga kept repeating made Yui want to give her a lecture.
With that thought, Yui tightened her grip.
Squelch- Blood splattered as Yui pulled the kunai all the way out of her body.
"Ugh..." The movement drew a pained groan from Ikuko Hyuga, and her body collapsed weakly onto the ground.
But Yui paid no attention to her pain. She formed hand seals and summoned a Shadow Clone.
After picking up the fallen Wave Breaker, the real Yui turned and headed toward the Crystal Ball.
Only a single Shadow Clone remained.
Once her original had left, Yui's Shadow Clone turned her gaze toward Ikuko Hyuga on the ground.
"Fate?" she asked Ikuko Hyuga. "Do you know what fate is?"
Ikuko Hyuga answered as though it were obvious. "Fate is, of course, what heaven has arranged."
Yui shook her head. "No."
"No? Then tell me, what