Black Hoe Raiga—also known as Raiga Kurosuki—had two peculiar traits.
The first was his fondness for funerals.
He loved holding ceremonies for his fallen comrades. At each one, he would reminisce about old times, shed tears, and wallow in sorrow. These moments of melancholy intoxicated him.
Yagura's "Blood Mist" policy perfectly suited Raiga's strange preferences. In a time when many shinobi were defecting from Kirigakure, Raiga was one of the rare few who stayed—not out of loyalty, but because the atmosphere satisfied his morbid tastes.
His second quirk?
Raiga was homosexual.
Despite having a wife and daughter, he had realized long ago that he had no real interest in women. Like many others, he had married and had children simply to conform to societal expectations.
So, when he heard that a "beautiful boy" was among the prisoners from Luoxue Village, his interest was instantly piqued.
"No need to trouble anyone," he said, rising from his seat with a wine cup in hand. "I'll go see for myself."
Magistrate Morimura stood up immediately. "Allow me to lead the way, my lord."
The four of them—Raiga, Biwa Juzo, Magistrate Morimura, and the Evil Wolf—walked toward the side courtyard where the prisoners were being held.
Snowflakes drifted from the sky, covering the open-air yard where more than forty villagers huddled under paper-thin straw mats. Many were pale, their fingers and toes purple from the cold, some shivering uncontrollably.
In one corner, a family of three—Bai, his mother, and father—clung to one another for warmth. The father had removed his own coat, placing it over his wife and child.
"I'm not cold, Dad," Bai said, trembling. "You should put something on."
Bai's mother added softly, "Really, I'm fine."
Inside her, however, a chill colder than the snow stirred. It wasn't the wind that made her tremble—it was something far deeper.
Even so, Father Bai placed the coat around her shoulders with gentle insistence. "You just recovered. You can't afford to relapse... Don't worry, we'll go home soon."
The word home stirred a spark in the eyes of the villagers. Some sat up. Others clutched each other's hands tighter.
"Can we really go home?" someone asked weakly.
Even the most naïve among them knew the truth by now. Still, they held on to any shred of hope.
"Of course we can," Bai said firmly. "Brother Logan will definitely come to save us."
Logan.
At the mention of his name, a faint light appeared in their eyes.
But then—
"No one's coming to save you."
The voice was calm.
"Who said that?" a villager asked reflexively.
"I did," came the answer.
Magistrate Morimura stepped into the courtyard.
He wasn't a shinobi. He had no flashy jutsu or terrifying scars. He was short, average-looking, and wore an elegant robe. But his gaze—the moment it swept across the crowd—held an invisible weight.
The villagers couldn't explain it, but none dared meet his eyes.
Biwa Juzo, walking behind, knew exactly what that feeling was.
The power of authority.
"How enviable," he thought to himself.
Biwa's eyes scanned the group and quickly landed on Bai. Even without a word from the Evil Wolf, he knew instantly: That's the boy they mentioned.
Even someone like Biwa Juzo, known for his indifference, paused for a moment in appreciation.
But when he remembered Bai was a boy, he quickly lost interest and turned away.
Raiga, on the other hand, was visibly delighted.
"Good," he muttered. "Very good."
With an eager grin, Raiga strode toward Bai and reached for his shoulder.
"What are you doing to my son?!" Bai's mother cried, lunging between them.
Magistrate Morimura's voice turned sharp. "You shrew! Step aside. Don't ruin Lord Raiga's mood. This is a great honor for your family. If your son pleases Lord Raiga, I might even consider letting your whole family go."
"No!" she shouted, shielding Bai with her body. "No one touches him!"
Raiga's expression hardened. The Evil Wolf rushed forward and slapped Bai's mother across the face, sending her crashing to the ground.
"If you really want to die, I'll grant your wish right now!"
Raiga reached for Bai again—but then—
A sudden burst of ice exploded from Bai's mother's body.
The freezing air forced Raiga to retreat, and even Biwa Juzo's eyebrows raised slightly.
A bloodline limit? he mused. Interesting. And not a weak one either.
Bai's mother stood with trembling limbs, her breath visible in the frosty air. She glared at them, shielding her son.
"I told you," she said in a hoarse voice, "no one touches my child."
Biwa Juzo placed a hand on the hilt of his Executioner's Blade, but Magistrate Morimura quickly waved a hand to de-escalate the situation.
"Madam, you do realize that possessing a bloodline limit without official sanction is a serious crime in the Land of Water?"
Bai's mother staggered. Her body, overwhelmed by the sudden release of power, was in agony. Her veins, muscles, and even her bones felt like they were being frozen from within.
But worse than the pain was the look in the eyes of her husband—and the villagers.
Fear. Disgust.
Monster.
Yagura's reign had taught them to hate and fear those with kekkei genkai. Possessing a bloodline limit, especially outside the Hidden Mist Village, was punishable not only by death but by collective punishment.
If one person is found with a bloodline limit, the entire village will be executed. That is the law.
Morimura picked up a guard's sword and tossed it at Bai's father.
"I'm a merciful man. I can't bear to see more blood spilled. So here's a deal: kill your wife, and offer your son to Lord Raiga. Do that, and I'll cover this up. After all, this is my jurisdiction. I don't want to kill you."
He smiled gently. "One death... or the death of your entire village. You understand, don't you?"
Bai's father picked up the sword and slowly stood.
Behind him, the villagers rose as well. Not one came forward to stop him.
As he stepped toward his wife, the love in his eyes was gone. Replaced by cold hatred.
"Dad!" Bai cried.
Father Bai didn't respond.
"Don't blame me," he muttered. "This is the law. Like Lord Morimura said."
He raised the blade.
Bai's mother stared blankly at him, frozen in more ways than one. She had the power to push back even a Seven Ninja Swordsman—but against her husband, she couldn't lift a finger.
"Die, monster!" her husband roared.
"Go to hell!" came the cries of the villagers.
Magistrate Morimura chuckled behind his fan, amused by their stupidity.
Raiga appeared moved, a tear glistening in his eye—but beneath that sorrow lay twisted joy.
Only Biwa Juzo scoffed.
If you're going to kill someone, just do it. All this drama is a waste of time.
The blade began to fall.
Boom!
The courtyard wall exploded.
A black shadow flew through the air, and before the sword could land, it severed Father Bai's arms clean off.
"AAAAHHHH!!!" he screamed, collapsing in agony.
No one helped him.
Every eye turned to where the weapon had landed.
A massive sword stood embedded in the stone floor, wrapped in thick bandages.
Bigger and heavier than even the Executioner's Blade—it had crushed the wall, cut through flesh, and still kept going, burying itself deep in the ground.
To throw such a weapon like a kunai...
Biwa Juzo and Raiga exchanged glances, both unnerved.
What kind of strength is this?
"Who's there?!" Morimura barked, stepping back.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The rhythmic beat of horse hooves echoed down the street, like a war drum growing louder.
Then, through the broken wall, Logan appeared.
He rode atop his steed, snow falling around him, his cloak billowing in the wind. As he pulled the reins, the horse reared back, letting out a loud neigh.
Snowflakes sparkled in the moonlight as Logan stood tall in the saddle.
A faint purple glow wrapped around his wrist—Hermit's Purple—and with a tug, the massive sword snapped free of the earth and flew back into his hand.
Logan caught it effortlessly and looked around the courtyard.
His gaze swept across Raiga, Biwa Juzo, Morimura, the Evil Wolf... and finally, Bai.
He raised the blade and rested it on his shoulder.
"I'm Logan," he said coldly.
"I heard someone wants to kill me?"
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