THE PATH OF LIFE || U. SASUKE

CHAPTER 44 -II

"If you turn against your own clan, there will be consequences," warned one of the clan members as Katsumi's response was far from cowed; she met their intensity with a calm smirk.

Frustration reached its peak, and one of the clan members lunged at Katsumi in a fit of anger. Yet, Katsumi's reflexes were sharp as she deftly caught his hand, the force of her grip resulting in a sickening crack. The man's cry of pain echoed through the air, a testament to Katsumi's skill and control.

"Why, you..." he began, but before he could finish, Katsumi seized his hand and snapped his wrist with a swift movement, prompting another cry of pain.

"The clan is just a pile of empty words, constantly obsessed with their so-called 'clan' identity. You know, I could end your lives in an instant," Katsumi's whispered words held a chilling edge as she leaned in, her Mirangan flashing threateningly.

"The clan, the clan, that's all you ever care about," Katsumi's frustration grew evident as her voice dripped with disdain. 

Her scowl deepened as she looked down at the three clan members incapacitated on the floor, a result of her swift attack. "You stand here, clinging to the remnants of a hollow legacy, blind to the suffering you inflict upon your own kin. You revel in your self-imposed superiority, yet you fail to see the decay festering beneath the surface," her amethyst eyes glowed with a mixture of loathing and determination.

"What is going on? Stop Katsumi!" Interrupting the tension, a stern voice resonated through the scene. All eyes turned to the source, the clan leader walking towards them with a furrowed brow. He observed the situation, his gaze moving between Katsumi and the clan members strewn on the floor.

The clan members immediately bowed in deference upon seeing him. "Hiroichi-sama."

"What exactly is happening here?" Hiroichi's voice held a mixture of concern and confusion as he surveyed the scene.

"There's nothing unusual, Father." Katsumi, her posture unyielding, responded calmly, "I'm merely fulfilling my duty."

Hiroichi's brows furrowed in bewilderment, trying to comprehend the situation. "Then why were you absent last night?"

"To fulfill," Katsumi's cryptic response hung in the air, leaving Hiroichi momentarily perplexed.

"Wha—?"

Hiroichi began to question the scene before him, but Katsumi preemptively cut him off, her voice laced with a stark declaration. 

"There's no redemption for this clan." She punctuated her words by throwing a kunai, narrowly missing one of the Shirazaki clan members, showcasing her precision and control. Her focus remained resolute, her emotions aflame as her amethyst eyes shone with an intense light.

Katsumi's voice remained steady, her Mirangan still aglow. "Principles that crush individuality, principles that perpetuate arrogance and ignorance. Our shinobi masks hide not only our faces but our true selves, creating a facade of unity when the reality is conformity."

"As expected of you, you are the pride of the shirazaki, Katsumi." Father's word echoed in Y/N's mind

"Our clan's obsession with its own preservation and reputation blinds it to the world beyond. We are single-minded, only focused on maintaining appearances and power. Our actions lack empathy, our motives lack depth."

"Such arrogance!" Hiroichi's voice resonated with frustration, his teeth clenched in anger.

"The possession of power often leads to arrogance, isolation, and a detachment from reality. And we are powerless against it," Katsumi's words echoed in Y/N's mind as she watched her father extend a helping hand to a fallen clan member.