Forest Of Mist

a silhouette appears in the middle of the mist followed by two other silhouettes behind the first one

he he he....at last...we've found you...after all the years of searching..we've found the prized ice demon of the forest...Kurotsuki Senju....

the mist starts to stir revealing it to be two sword wielding mercenaries standing behind a figure donning a sword sheathed in black scabbard on his back

how did you find me...

one of the mercenaries grins and laughs

its easy...we just have to follow...the trail of...ice that you left behind...

he he he..after what you did to our mates back then..when you made them shatter..we immediately knows that the ice demon is here...heh heh heh

Kuro turns his head to look over his left shoulder towards the mercenaries as they laugh and dash towards him baring their swords towards Kuro

...demon huh....

the mercenaries relentlessly continues their assault on Kuro as Kuro dodges them swiftly

what happened ice demon....tired? you can hardly do anything can you..ahahaha

he's pathetic...he can't even do anything....maybe we've got the wrong guy..ahaha

the mercenaries splits up and starts running around Kuro in circles slowly building up speed until the images of the mercenaries starts to replicates all around Kuro

....

ahahahahahah how do you like this..our combination attack..no one survive this attack before...that is why..we're called the lightning brothers...ahahah

.........

the mist within the forest clears up as what seems to be two mirrors standing proudly in the middle of the forest with muffled sounds coming out from it

Kuro walks into the forest of mist and sits down taking a break after a whole long day of walking. Kuro turns his head to his left and sees two ice mirrors standing proudly in the middle of the forest showing no signs of breaking nor the signs of it melting. Kuro stands up and walks towards it grinning as muffled sounds starts to be heard coming from the mirrors.

standing in front of the mirrors, Kuro swings his sword with his left hand as the wrapped up blade of his sword slices through the mirrors but not showing signs that the mirrors are sliced in two instead it remains the same. Kuro turns around and sits down underneath a tree while looking at the mirrors. the previously two men that were trapped inside the mirrors stops screaming and struggling as blood starts to trickles down through their midsections. Kuro lays his sword on his lap as the upper bodies of the trapped men starts to slide of their lower half while still being trapped in the mirrors and slightly moving before dying. Kuro closes his eyes as the mist starts to thickens in the forest.

after an hour passed by, Kuro wakes up and yawns. Rubbing his eyes, Kuro stands up and stretches before leaping up reaching the highest branch on the tree he was sitting under with his left hand. Kuro slides his right hand out of his shirt before doing the same to the left side leaving him bare cheasted.

Kuro closes his eyes as the air around him starts to drop immensely causing icicles to form everywhere in the forest. the air around Kuro's legs starts to swirl as what seems to be chains made of ice linking to a huge ball made of ice starts to forms. Opening his eyes, Kuro starts doing pull ups from the branch of the tree with his right hand alternating and switching continuously.

after half an hour of doing chin ups, Kuro leaps down causing the crystal ball to slam onto the ground causing it and the ground below it to crack. Kuro rubs his neck and stretches from side to side before grabbing his sword and placing it on his right shoulder. the ice ball and chains disappears from Kuro's legs.

closing his eyes, Kuro's breathing starts to slows down to the point that it seems he's not breathing. slowly Kuro starts taking in deep breaths and exhaling slowly. icicles potrudes out from everywhere around Kuro following the rhythm of Kuro's breathing. Opening his eyes, exhales all of the air out of his lungs as the air around him completely freezes followed by Kuro dashing forward thrusting his sword forward as the air around the tip of Kuro's sword starts to freeze.

planting his right feet into the ground, Kuro uses the momentum of his sword to spin around at great speed causing the air around him to be dispersed freezing as they goes through all the trees, freezing them along. planting his left feet into the ground in front of him, Kuro starts to spin faster and planting his right feet again into the ground, Kuro drops his sword from his right hand into the palms of his left hand. With this, Kuro starts to slams his sword down into the ground at immense speed due to the speed from the previous rotation causing in front of him to cracks open and crumbles.

following the slam of his sword, Kuro propels himself backwards by pushing the sword further into the ground at the same time forming hand seals with his right hand creating a water clone that immediately replace his original position as Kuro slides backwards. As he was sliding backwards, Kuro taps the back of his clone with his right hand causing it to burst splashing water to the area in front of him creating hundreds of senbon needles flying in that direction at high speed piercing anything that stands in front of it.

Kuro takes a deep breath and relax himself closing his eyes. His breathing starts to slows down again and opens his eyes.

.....

Kuro starts to breathe normally and sits down on the ground

....

looking around Kuro notices that most part of the forest is already frozen. Slowly the frost starts to disappears as light shines through the mist. Kuro stands up, picks up his sword and walks towards the direction of the village.

Kuro walks into the forest of mist and lays down under a tree

seven...swordsman...

Kuro wonders to himself

senju...clan...shimada sensei..says..that they are the once the most powerful clan ever....i dont...remember it..

Kuro close his eyes and starts to slow down his breathing, the mist in the forest starts to thickens up as Kuro seems to have fallen into a deep slumber.

In his mind, Kuro is now standing in a dark place,void of any light, void of any senses.

Where am I......this place..seems so familiar....

Kuro felt something soft and light fell on his shoulder and looks at it

snow......

looking up, snow starts to appears slowly,gently and full of grace from the sky

Kuro gaze into the beauty of the falling snow, sitting down on the ground, Kuro hold his palm out and closes it,grabbing a handful of snow.
Kuro then hears a sound coming from the bushes. Looking up, Kuro saw silhouette of a man, standing tall and proud before him.

Kuro place his right palm over his eyes to see more clearly at the man only to hear a voice

what are you doing here?....are you ok?..

Kuro nods and squint his eyes.

the man, holds his right hand out towards Kuro, as a feeling of warm radiance engulfs Kuro. Throughout his entire years, Kuro has never felt such warmth being emitted from someone who he does not knows. Reluctantly, Kuro reach out for the hand and holds it.

Suddenly, Kuro finds himself sitting in a forest with the same silhouette while looking at the bright sun. Only this time, the one he saw is his younger self back then when he was eight years old. Kuro then hears his own self talking to the silhouette.

dad, what's our purpose in being a shinobi...?

hmm....well thats kind of difficult for me to answer...every shinobi, fights for their own reasons,every shinobi chooses to walk this path, for something they believe in

this is the first time Kuro has ever heard the silhouette in his dreams speak to him, the voice that is filled with such warmth and love.

Kuro then sees his younger self jumping on the silhouette's back and laughs

you're too complicated dad...i dont understand it....hehe

a small chuckle can be heard coming from silhouette

that's...because...you always choose to sleep rather than learn..ahahahha

the silhouette then lightly tap Kuro's on the forehead before laughing as the young Kuro laughs too

Kuro then sees his younger self wrapping his arms around the silhouette's neck and laughs

so dad...what's your reason in being a shinobi?

Kuro sees the silhouette pats Kuro's head lightly and laughs

thats easy....i have something very precious i have to protect..

what is that dad?

i need to protect everything precious to me....the village...the people....and especially you..Kuro..my growing will of fire..

especially...me?

yes...especially you..

the silhouette then, looks down and lets out a sigh

however....there are some shinobis...that choose to walk down the path of darkness...bent of destroying the hope and love of other shinobis and i..cant change the minds and hearts of everyone...

the young Kuro than pats the silhouette's head lightly and smiles

if its you dad...i know you can do it..cause you're the...